The Cult of the Tandem Bike / Wheelchair Duet

(First in an occasional series on tricycles)

by Marc Krizack (krizack@sfsu.edu)
 

In Germany they have "Rollfiets Clubs."  In Japan, they organize tours and races throughout the country.  It's a vehicle with little exposure in the United States, yet legions of admirers around the globe.   It's called the Rollfiets in German.  In English it's known as the DUET.  It's a bicycle with a detachable wheelchair in the front that allows people with quite significant disabilities to participate in cycling sports with their non-disabled friends.

The Rollfiets/DUET consists of a sturdy wheelchair which attaches to the front half of what would be a 14-speed bicycle, if it had a front half.  When fixed to the cycle the chair tilts back, lifting the small front caster wheels off the ground.  The disabled person's companion pedals the vehicle from behind.  The wheelchair can also be detached from the tandem and either pushed from behind or propelled by the rider herself.  Handrims are an option.

Features
Because the wheelchair can be detached, the Rollfiets is perfect for taking a long, outdoor ride followed by a visit to an indoor location such as a shop or restaurant.  The Rollfiets is faster than a manual wheelchair over even relatively short distances and much less problematic than an electric wheelchair.

The specially designed chair is made from molded fibreglass-reinforced plastic. It has padding and adjustable foot and headrests.  The chair is reported to have good suspension and light handling, and its off-road tires should do quite well on dirt and gravel surfaces.  Each wheelchair wheel has a drum brake and the rear bicycle wheel has a back-pedal brake.  This system is said to have good results on wet pavement.

In many parts of the world, bicycling is very popular, either as a form of recreation or as a means of transportation.   In Germany alone there are more than 70 million bicycles.  A vehicle such as the Rollfiets makes it possible for people with disabilities to not only improve their mobility but also to participate in an important social and recreational activity.

Although "Rollfiets" is a Dutch word, the three-wheeled tandem was designed by Peter Messerschmidt of Munster, Germany.  Today, the Rollfiets is manufactured by the Robert Hoening Company of Bavaria, Germany and sold around the world.  The Hoening factory specializes in cycles for people with disabilities.  It also builds a 'therapy tandem', called 'Co-pilot', with a dual steering system for people with physical disabilities who want to ride a bicycle with a non-disabled companion. The disabled person sits up front, and both can steer, although the non-disabled driver can take control if necessary.  The company also builds a parallel tandem, called 'Twin', with a platform between the two bikes that can transport a wheelchair.