ABSTRACT
The notion of a disabled cyclist becomes only the rarest of “super-crips” or some kind of disability cheat. This chapter explores the experiences of disabled cyclists and highlight that cycling is key to mobility, exercise and health for disabled people. All of the research participants described cycling as essential to their mobility, it allowed them to travel distances and participate in activities that would otherwise be inaccessible to them. Cycling infrastructure, like transport infrastructure more broadly, is largely designed by able-bodied people to prioritise the needs of able-bodied people. The cost of non-standard cycles is prohibitive, especially in the context of the disability employment and pay gaps which result in more than half of the disabled population living in poverty in the UK. Disabled people who can ride a standard two-wheeled cycle also encounter significant barriers.
