things to know

The handbike is powered by the strength of the arms. It is the perfect piece of sports equipment for amateur and competitive sports. Even a moderately trained or untrained wheelchair user can easily cover several kilometers on a handbike.

Competitive sports are also developing and at the same time the limits of what is possible are being pushed further and further. Since 2004, handcyclists have been represented at the Paralympic Games. This does not mean that the possibilities of the handbike have been exhausted. Recent developments show that the handbike is also enjoyed by people without disabilities.

Special features of the handbike
The handbike is equipped with a gear shift, which is easy to operate. With the help of the gears, slopes can be overcome more easily. A distinction is made between two basic types: the pretensioned bike, where the wheel can be mounted on almost any standard wheelchair, and the racing bike, which does not require a wheelchair.

With this "double bike" it is possible for blind and visually impaired people to practice the sport together with pilot riders.

The question of which bike suits whom must be clarified on an individual basis. Thanks to a variety of technical solutions, riding a two-wheeler is now possible for people with amputations, limb damage and cerebral movement disorders. People with severe balance disorders, such as cerebral palsy, usually use racing tricycles for their sport.

On October 1, 2010, the current classification of physical limitations in paracycling was introduced. This classification is carried out by the UCI in coordination with the guidelines of the classification of the IPC.

The 14 categories are in turn differentiated by discipline, with the highest impairment designated by the lowest digit: