Frederik Bakker receives the 200th BerkelBike!

Thursday, November 22, 2012, nineteen-year-old Frederik from Urk received the 200th BerkelBike- a milestone. It took nearly six years to sell the first hundred BerkelBikes. The second hundred bikes were sold within 27 months. We interviewed Frederik’s father to ask about Frederik’s experiences with the BerkelBike.

Is Frederik able to walk?

“He is only able to walk short distances indoors, using a walker.”

Where did you first hear of BerkelBike?

“We first saw the BerkelBike at a fair (Supportbeurs 2012) in Utrecht.”

Why did Frederik choose for BerkelBike?

The nice thing about the BerkelBike is that Frederik is able to use his legs, due to the combined propulsion. By using the legs, he tries to keep them in shape, and perhaps even improve them. That’s why we choose to buy the BerkelBike.

The physical limitations of Frederik

Frederik has had cerebral palsy from birth. This is a disorder which is caused by damage to the brain during or before birth. This has reduced his hand and leg coordination.

The BerkelBike Connect

We have chosen the BerkelBike Connect with pedal assistance. This is the model that can be linked to the wheelchair.

This way, Frederik does not need to transfer. Because he himself cannot connect the wheelchair to the BerkelBike, his environment should help him. We are now trying to teach people around him to do this.

Experiences so far with the BerkelBike

Frederik has had the BerkelBike for only a few days. Last Sunday and Monday, he has cycled a bit. This went well. We are building up slowly with the cycling. Thus, we avoid overloading the muscles and joints.

Where does Frederik want to use the BerkelBike for?

The BerkelBike must ultimately be his transportation so that he can go cycling to work independently.