Customer experiences

Customer experience OPair wheelchair bike - Ulrich and Karola Brockmann

Customer experience OPair wheelchair bike vanRaam - Ulrich and Karola Brockmann

8 / 10

Germany

Ulrich and Karola cycled together on tandems for many years, until health reasons made this impossible. With their OPair wheelchair bike, they have been able to get out and about together again since December 2024. From long rides in their local area in Germany to cycling through the Dutch dunes.

Specifications

OPair wheelchair bike

Pedal assist, second battery pack, divisible frame

2,450 km cycled

1 December 2024 purchased

Dreirad-Zentrum Bonn

Configure your bike

Out and about together again

“We are Ulrich and Karola, and we are both retired. Ulrich worked as a cabinetmaker and Karola as a bookseller. For decades, we spent our leisure time cycling together on various tandems. Until health reasons made this impossible.

We saw the OPair wheelchair bike at REHACARE in Düsseldorf. Our first thought was: this is the solution to getting out and about together again! We booked a test ride at vanRaam and then ordered the bike from Dreirad-Zentrum Bonn. We were very happy with the test ride, the ordering process and the service. We have had our own OPair since December 2024.”

OPair wheelchair bike vanRaam customer experience of Ulrich and Karola Brockmann

Long rides and cycling on holiday

“We use the bike in our leisure time. And now that we are retired, every day is a day off, really! As soon as the temperature rises above ten degrees, we love to get out and about. At lower temperatures, it gets far too cold for Karola, who sits at the front.

We have now cycled 2,450 kilometres. Our rides are often longer than 45 kilometres. That is why we have two batteries.

With our Citroën SpaceTourer, we can now take the bike on holiday too. We particularly love the dune reserve around Egmond aan Zee, Castricum and Bergen aan Zee in the Netherlands. There are also wonderful cycle routes further inland. We enjoy every ride. Many people smile at us as we pass.”

1 / 3

Adapting our OPair to our local area

“To make the bike better suited to our needs and the roads in our local area in Germany, after a year we had a number of modifications made. The OPair was fitted with a 10-speed gear system, and the handlebars were lowered by about ten centimetres.

As the rider, I, Ulrich, find a slightly forward-leaning position more comfortable on rough roads than sitting completely upright. We also have a BySchulz G2 LT suspension seatpost, Shimano clipless pedals and leather Ergotec grips. On the uneven roads around here, we would still like more suspension and damping, because the seat at the front sometimes bounces up and down quite a lot.

We think the brakes are excellent. On long descents, we do sometimes worry when the hot brake discs start making a noise. Steering also takes strength, especially on roads with a sideways slope. We advise anyone trying out a bike to bear in mind the conditions on their routes back home. You will not experience all of these on the test track at the showroom.”

This is the solution to getting out and about together again!

Ulrich and Karola

Cycling together and stopping at a café

“We see the detachable frame as a major advantage. We can detach the front section and use it as a wheelchair, for example to go into a café together.

Karola cannot move or manoeuvre the detached wheelchair section independently, for example to get to a toilet. For us, the main benefit is therefore being able to get out and about together. Being able to detach it means that we can not only cycle together, but also go inside places together along the way.

We give the bike a 10 for its excellent quality. Our overall rating is an 8, because there are still a few things we would like to see improved, particularly the suspension.

We are very pleased that we can get out and about together again. Whether we are cycling in our local area or through the Dutch dunes, every ride makes us happy!”

Ulrich and Karola Brockmann – Brühl, Germany
Bike: OPair wheelchair bike