One in five people in Australia have a disability, however this does not have to stop them from being able to ride a bike.
Mitchel is living with Cerebral Palsy which affects his ability to walk or stand unassisted. At just three years he was given his first Freedom Wheels bike, which enabled him to move independently for the very first time.
Now at 16 years old, Mitchel still loves bike riding and has thousands of kilometres under his wheels.
He joined the Southern Cross Cycling Club and competed in cycling races at Mount Panorama, Goulburn and Sydney. Recently, he tackled Australia’s highest mountain, Mount Kosciusko. All these amazing adventures totalled over 6,000km.
Besides these bike riding challenges, Mitchel loves to take his trike out for a spin in his downtime, whether it’s on the beach or through national parks with his brothers.
“Anywhere it can go, Mitchel rides it!” said Sarah, Mitchel’s mother.
“The great thing about Mitchel’s trike is that not only does he use it for riding, it’s a mode of transport for him. Instead of being stuck in a wheelchair and being sidelined, he is now a part of the action,” explained Sarah.
Mitchel’s trike has continued to enable his independence and also put him on the same level playing field as his friends.
Freedom Wheels builds bikes for anyone living with a disability, who can't ride standard bikes. You can find out more about their amazing work and their bikes here.
