Tips for buying a wheelchair bike

Van Raam has two (electric) wheelchair bikes in its assortment: the OPair and the VeloPlus. Read this article for tips on buying a wheelchair bike.


tips for buying a Van Raam wheelchair bike
Left: OPair, right: VeloPlus

10 tips for buying a wheelchair bike

1. Determine your cycling goal when buying a wheelchair bike

Decide in advance what you want to use the bike for and with whom. Do you want to use the wheelchair bike for long bike rides or short trips? Is a transfer from wheelchair to bicycle possible, or would the passenger prefer to remain in his/her own wheelchair?
 
Do you want the wheelchair to be used on location? In the case of the VeloPlus, this is possible; in the case of the OPair, it is advisable to choose the divisible version

2. Read up on the Van Raam wheelchair bikes

Van Raam has 2 wheelchair bikes; the OPair wheelchair bike and the VeloPlus wheelchair transport bike.
 
On the OPair, the passenger takes place in the seat at the front of the bike and the passenger must be able to make a transfer between the wheelchair and bicycle.

The VeloPlus is a wheelchair transport bike on which the passenger can remain seated in his or her own wheelchair. The wheelchair and passenger can be easily pushed onto the tiltable platform without any lifting aid or great effort.

Read more about both bikes in the article 'Which type of wheelchair bike is most suitable for you?', and find out which type of wheelchair bike suits you.

More about our wheelchair bikes
try out the wheelchair bike on a test ride
The VeloPlus wheelchair transport bike

3. Try out the wheelchair bike on a test ride

Taking a test drive is very important, because a wheelchair bike rides differently than a regular bicycle. During a test drive you can thoroughly try out both wheelchair bikes. You will also receive free expert advice from a technical advisor. You can easily plan a test drive at van Raam via the online planner. It is also possible to take a test drive at some Van Raam dealers. Please contact your local dealer and ask about the possibilities.

4. View the different options

Van Raam offers various options to adjust the bike to your personal needs. If your cycling goal is to cycle long distances, you can choose to equip your wheelchair bike with pedal support. All options can be seen on the Options page.

configure your ideal wheelchair bike in the configurator
The OPair wheelchair bike with divisible frame

5. Configure your ideal wheelchair bike with the configurator

It is possible to configure your ideal wheelchair bike in Van Raam's online configurator. In the price overview on the page you can see immediately what your ideal bike with selected options costs. Read the article 'Put together your own Van Raam bike with the bike configurator' for more information.

Online configurator
financing a Van Raam wheelchair bike
Left: VeloPlus, right: OPair

6. Decide how you are going to finance the wheelchair bike

There are several ways to finance a wheelchair bike;

  • Reimbursement
  • Private
  • Fundraiser

You may be eligible for a government reimbursement. If you are not entitled to a reimbursement for your wheelchair bike, you can also purchase the bike privately. You can choose to use your own bank account to pay for the bike, but you may also be able to raise the right amount of money with a fundraiser. Read more about this in the article 'Tips for raising money for a special needs bike'.

7. Find a Van Raam dealer to order the wheelchair bike from

You can order a wheelchair bike from a Van Raam dealer. Van Raam has several types of dealers (including Premium Dealers) with whom we cooperate, such as bicycle stores, rehabilitation specialists and suppliers of assistive devices. For more information about our dealers, please read the following article: 'Find a Van Raam Dealer near you'.

Find a dealer

8. Decide if you want to insure the wheelchair bike

An adapted bicycle is often more expensive than a regular two-wheeler. Therefore it may be interesting to insure your wheelchair bike.

contact Van Raam

9. Contact Van Raam if you have any questions

Would you like more information about the wheelchair bikes, or would you like to ask something else? Let us know. We are happy to help! You can contact us in various ways:

10. Enjoy cycling on the wheelchair bike

Have you bought a wheelchair bike? Then enjoy cycling!

Customer reviews of Van Raam wheelchair bikes

Are you curious how users experience the Van Raam wheelchair bikes? Read some stories below. For more, you can check out the following customer experience pages: 

VeloPlus wheelchair bike

"I am Kevin (14) and I live at home with my parents. I can't talk and I am wheelchair dependent. I love to go outside and cycle around on the VeloPlus wheelchair bike with my mom and dad."

Kevin van der Plas - Katwijk aan Zee

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VeloPlus wheelchair bike

"Since a year we have a VeloPlus wheelchair bike. It is a pleasant way to take the residents outside and to bring them back safely."

Ton van Baaren - Vlaardingen

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OPair wheelchair bike

"Wheelchair Bicycle - The Brandt Niklas family is not able to cycle alone, but with the OPair Wheelchair Bicycle you can again go on bike tours with the whole family."

Familie Brandt - Hansestadt Warburg

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