‘Try a tryke’: Marquette AMBUCS chapter brings exercise, fun to people with limitations

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WJMN) — For people with physical or mental limitations, the experience of riding a traditional bicycle may not be possible. That’s where AMBUCS, a nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to ’empowering inclusive recreation and living’, comes in.

August 25 at Marquette Commons, the Marquette AMBUCS chapter held a ‘Try a tryke’ event, which welcomed people of the Upper Peninsula who cannot use a traditional bicycle to test out three different kinds of Amtrykes , tricycles designed specifically for people with physical or mental limitations.

The fleet of trykes available for testing was brought to Marquette in a trailer on loan from the Grand Rapids AMBUCS chapter.

From toddler- to adult-size vehicles, there were trykes for all ages.

Children’s Amtrykes use hand and foot propulsion to encourage users to develop hand- and foot coordination. There are also traditional foot-only powered trykes, and for people who do not have use of their lower extremities, hand trykes are available.

In addition to the different tryke styles, each tryke can be modified with different adaptations to best fit the user.

Nancy Uschold, a founding member of the AMBUCS Marquette chapter, and who now serves on the board, explained that adaptive trykes cost more than bicycles, and they’re not something one can easily find at a bike shop or second-hand store.

Knowing that, AMBUCS asks people to contribute what they can to their Amtryke.

To receive a tryke, the first step is to contact the AMBUCS chapter nearest you. Marquette’s AMBUCS chapter can be reached at their Facebook page or email: marquetteambucs@gmail.com

Once a person gets on the wish list for a tryke, they will meet with a therapist (or work with their own therapist) for an evaluation to assess which type of tryke is right for them.

Uschold explained the importance of adaptive trykes:

“We think about biking a lot in the context of, like, it’s good exercise and it’s fun,” said Uschold. “And it is…but it’s also about the social connections, like being able to do the same things your friends are doing.”

An Amtryke may allow those who cannot use a traditional bicycle to be a part of a social group and activity that they may otherwise never experience.

“It’s about the physical part, but it’s also about communication and social interactions and just becoming a part of the community,” Uschold said.

The Marquette AMBUCS chapter is just over one year old, but the AMBUCS organization has operated for more than a century in the states.

To learn more about the organization and get involved, click here .

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