Cycling improves mobility, health, mental well-being and social participation for people with disabilities. Unfortunately, this group of citizens often experiences challenges that prevent them from cycling. Therefore, the Danish Cyclists’ Federation and the Danish Knowledge Centre on Disability have made six recommendations for measures that can strengthen cycling among people with disabilities.
By Mai-Britt Aagaard Kristensen, Project Manager at the Danish Cyclists’ Federation
Cycling must be for everyone – including people with disabilities
In Denmark, cycling is widespread among the broad population, including children, ministers and even royalty. But unfortunately, this does not apply to the same extent for people with disabilities. This is shown by a new study from the Danish Cyclists’ Federation and the Danish Knowledge Center on Disability: “Cycling for All, 2024”.
The study reveals great potential for increasing cycling among people with disabilities. Increased cycling can lead to significant health and well-being benefits for this group of citizens. Based on the study, six recommendations have been drawn up to help professionals and decision-makers across sectors to promote cycling for people with disabilities.
“It gives me so much joy in my day-to-day life that I can be self-reliant, mobile and recharge in nature” – Bettina Søndergaard, 42 years old, autism, anxiety, ADD and fibromyalgia
People with disabilities want to cycle
Some might ask: “Can and will people with disabilities even ride a bike?”. The answer is yes. People with disabilities are a large and diverse group, which covers both physical disabilities (e.g. muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy), mental disabilities (e.g. anxiety, bipolar disorder), cognitive disabilities (e.g. ADHD, autism, down syndrome) and sensory disabilities (e.g. visual and hearing impairment).
According to Danish Center for Social Science Research, 31% of the Danish population aged 16-64 years has a self-reported mental or physical disability (Amilon et al., 2021). Among them is a large group who, with targeted efforts, can gain access to and benefit from cycling.
The study shows, among other things, that:
- 67% of adults with disabilities want to cycle more.
- 55% of adults with disabilities cycle in order to participate in social interactions on an equal footing with friends and family.
- 64.3% of adults with disabilities see cycling as a way to independence.
- 77.1% of parents of children with disabilities want their children to cycle more.
- 63% of parents of children with disabilities say their children cycle to participate in social interactions on an equal footing with others.
- 85.3% of parents of children with disabilities see cycling as a way to increase independence for their children.
Cycling is for everyone: For Jan Jørgensen, who is a wheelchair user and handcyclist, and Anton Stockmarr, who has cerebral palsy and rides an electric tricycle, cycling provides a better quality of life. (Video in Danish)
The bicycle enhances freedom, health and social participation
It is well known that cycling brings a wide range of benefits to the individual. This is especially true for people with disabilities.
For a wheelchair user, a handcycle can provide much-needed exercise in everyday life. For the young person with cerebral palsy, an electric tricycle can compensate for a lack of strength in the legs and thus provide a longer radius of action and offer access to an activity that their peers do without hesitation. For a person with anxiety, the bicycle can be a calming way to commute rather than having to stand in a packed bus, which requires a lot of mental resources before the working day begins. For the child with autism, the school’s focus on cycling can provide self-confidence, freedom and higher self-esteem. For a child with cerebral palsy, learning to ride a bike can help make the child more independent from their parents. What they all have in common is that the bicycle offers an important source of quality of life.
Barriers to cycling among people with disabilities
Although many people with disabilities want to ride a bike, there are still a number of barriers that stand in the way, such as:
- Unsafe cycling infrastructure
- Lack of consideration from fellow road users
- Lack of knowledge about special bicycles customized for disabled people
- Complicated application procedures for financial support for disability-friendly cycles
In terms of infrastructure, there is a particular need for cycle routes to be safe, level-free and free of obstacles such as stairs and poor lighting. In addition, people with disabilities experience a number of specific challenges such as:
- The slope of the cycle path, which can make it difficult to cycle on a tricycle.
- Too tight barriers or bollards that prevent passage with, for example, a tandem bike.
- Missing or too steep ramps at tunnels and bridges.
- Complicated detours during roadworks.
In general, the Danish cycling culture is often portrayed in words and pictures in the form of a cyclist on a two-wheeled bicycle or perhaps a family with children in a cargo bike. This imagery supports an unconscious notion that people with disabilities do not cycle.
There is a need for recognition among cycling professionals that, on the one hand, people with disabilities also cycle or want to cycle, and on the other hand that this group also has some special needs and challenges in relation to cycling, which should be taken into account in the planning and design of the cycling infrastructure.
How can we promote cycling for people with disabilities?
The Danish Cyclists’ Federation and the Danish Knowledge Centre on Disability have made six recommendations that can contribute to breaking down the barriers to cycling among persons with disabilities. In summary, the recommendations include:
- Ensure safe and accessible cycling infrastructure
- Reinforce good cyclist behaviour
- Make sure your measures to promote cycling embrace different needs
- Create more possibilities to (re)learn to ride a bike
- Develop and promote grants, guidance and rental schemes for special bicycles
- Understand and use cycling as an activity in social and health care
Read the full recommendations on cyklistforbundet.dk/cyklingforalle (in Danish).
The recommendations are aimed at professionals across the traffic, social and health sectors, including:
- Traffic planners
- Physiotherapists and occupational therapists
- Case workers and social educators
- Professionals in cycling and social services
Here it is worth noting the wording across sectors as accessible infrastructure and inclusive cycling measures do not do it alone. It is also necessary that professionals in the health and social sectors become aware of what the bicycle can mean for people with disabilities, and are better equipped to guide them towards different opportunities to cycle more. If we are to raise the cycling potential among people with disabilities and create a more inclusive cycling culture, we need to think and collaborate across sectors.
Online resources at cyklistforbundet.dk/cyklingforalle (in Danish only)
- The study report ‘Cycling for all, 2024’
- 6 recommendations for promotion measures
- 9 portraits of cyclists with disabilities
- Overview of special needs bikes
- Danish and international best practice
The study 'Cycling for all, 2024'
The study ‘Cycling for All, 2024′ is part of the Danish Cyclists’ Federation and the Danish Knowledge Center on Disability’s project of the same name, which is supported by the Danish State’s cycling fund 2022. The study consists of an overview of existing knowledge and best practice from Denmark and abroad and a summary of two questionnaire surveys among adults with disabilities (421 responses) and parents of children with disabilities (362 responses), as well as three focus group interviews with the aforementioned two target groups and a group of professionals.
Facts Only
* The Danish Cyclists’ Federation and the Danish Knowledge Centre on Disability made six recommendations to strengthen cycling among people with disabilities.
* A study titled “Cycling for All, 2024” was conducted by the Danish Cyclists’ Federation and the Danish Knowledge Center on Disability.
* 67% of adults with disabilities want to cycle more.
* 55% of adults with disabilities cycle to participate in social interactions with friends and family.
* 64.3% of adults with disabilities view cycling as a way to achieve independence.
* 77.1% of parents of children with disabilities want their children to cycle more.
* 63% of parents of children with disabilities report their children cycle for social interactions.
* 85.3% of parents of children with disabilities see cycling as a way to increase their children's independence.
* The study included 421 responses from adults and 362 from parents, plus focus group interviews with professionals.
* Barriers include unsafe infrastructure, lack of consideration from road users, and complicated financial support procedures.
* Recommendations focus on safe infrastructure, reinforcing cyclist behavior, inclusive measures, opportunities to learn cycling, and developing special bicycle schemes.
Executive Summary
Full Take
The narrative frames the issue as a matter of access and inclusion, successfully building a case for change by quantifying the desire for cycling among people with disabilities across various life domains—health, social integration, and autonomy. The core tension lies between the demonstrated potential of cycling as an empowering tool and the persistence of systemic physical and cultural barriers. The framing effectively challenges the unconscious notion that disability inherently precludes engagement in shared public activities, positioning cycling not merely as recreation but as a fundamental mechanism for achieving self-reliance and social parity. A critical observation is the juxtaposition of the positive testimonials (e.g., increased independence) against the persistent structural deficits (e.g., inadequate infrastructure). This suggests a pattern where policy and planning lag behind demonstrated human desire, creating an opportunity for action driven by recognized potential rather than mere advocacy. The challenge then shifts to moving from acknowledging potential (as detailed in the six recommendations) to enforcing holistic system redesign across traffic, health, and social services, ensuring that inclusive measures are not treated as add-ons but as foundational requirements for equitable public space.
STEP 1 — DETECT SOURCE TYPE:
SKEPTICAL MODE
1. STEELMAN — The strongest narrative is that there is a high, measurable desire among people with disabilities to cycle, and practical barriers, rather than systemic discrimination alone, prevent this access. This is supported by the strong statistical data on self-reported intentions (e.g., 67% wanting to cycle more).
2. PATTERN SCAN — The text employs an Appeal to Potential/Need pattern, immediately pivoting from celebrating the potential benefits and stated desires to listing tangible, solvable infrastructural problems that stand in the way. This is followed by a clear, multi-sector call to action derived directly from the data. It uses an Authority Game by citing official bodies (Danish Cyclists’ Federation) and research findings to establish legitimacy for the proposed solutions.
3. ROOT CAUSE — The underlying paradigm appears to be one of institutional inertia and spatial design that defaults to a non-disabled norm, despite individual agency being highly expressed. The assumption is that if the goal is clearly articulated and backed by data, professional sectors *will* act on it, rather than assuming bureaucratic friction will automatically yield results.
4. IMPLICATIONS — The implication for human agency is that meaningful inclusion requires infrastructure shifts, not just educational campaigns. The cost of inaction is the marginalization of a large segment of the population from shared mobility and public life. Costs are borne by those needing physical or spatial accommodation to participate fully in society.
5. BRIDGE QUESTIONS — If professional sectors are aware of the potential, what specific accountability mechanisms will ensure that infrastructure planning prioritizes these needs over existing transportation priorities? How can the recognition of cycling as a therapeutic tool be integrated formally into public health guidelines? What is the mechanism for ensuring that 'special bicycles' do not become another layer of exclusionary bureaucracy?
6. COUNTERSTRIKE SCAN — A potential manipulation pattern involves using highly positive, emotive language (joy, freedom) juxtaposed with technical demands, which can create a sense of achievable progress while obscuring the difficulty of implementation. The actual content aligns well; it presents a specific set of problems and solutions based on data. No significant load-bearing patterns indicating deliberate distortion were detected.