Customer experience Chat Rikshaw Bike – Riksja Harderwijk

Jan-Willem is a volunteer at Riksja Harderwijk in the Netherlands, where he cycles around with people who cannot cycle independently (anymore). Riksja Harderwijk now owns a Chat Rickshaw Bike of Van Raam and Jan-Willem likes to go out for a ride with passengers. Read all about the Chat and Jan-Willem's experiences in this customer experience.

Volunteer at Riksja Harderwijk

My name is Jan-Willem van de Water and I'm a volunteer at Riksja Harderwijk. At Riksja Harderwijk we cycle around with people who cannot cycle independently (anymore). This way we can give them the feeling of 'the wind through your hair' again. As a driver you cycle together with one or two passengers on a rickshaw, for example along places where the passengers have special memories, or to get acquainted with new projects within Harderwijk and its surroundings.

The Chat Rikshaw Bike from Van Raam

The Chat Rikshaw Bike is owned by the Harderwijk foundation. The Chat has a canopy, a rearview mirror, a footplate which can go down and pedal assistance with reverse cycling possibility. We also have two batteries on the bike which we can easily switch during the bike rides.

Positive things compared to the previous rickshaw

Our previous rickshaw bike was the rickshaw of Azor. If I compare the Van Raam rickshaw with our previous one, the Van Raam rickshaw has a better sitting position, more comfort and better suspension and damping. It's also convenient that the bike has two seatbelts for the passengers instead of one. Also, the footplate has a good roughness, which is advantageous when it rains - then the feet of the passengers don't slip off the plate. As a driver, I also notice that the steering behaviour is better. So far I'm very satisfied with the bike.

With a canopy the passengers are sheltered from the sun and rain, but what would perhaps be useful is a rain cover which you can snap on, so the passengers' legs stay dry as well.

In the newspaper and a nice reaction

Last time in Harderwijk we were adressed by a stranger who had read about the Chat in the newspaper. She read about the rikshaw project and was very suprised to see the bike 'in the wild'. That's very nice to hear!

Maybe it's also an idea to organize a day in Varsseveld for everyone with a Van Raam bike. It would be very nice to make a bike tour together!

Jan-Willem van de Water – Riksja Harderwijk (the Netherlands)
Model: Chat Rikshaw bike