06/01/2026
CYCLING WITHOUT AGE - Connecting Community one ride at a time
Cycling Without Age brings the simple magic of bike rides in beautiful surroundings to the lives of older people and those with reduced mobility
Using specially designed three-wheeled bikes called trishaws, trained volunteers pedal two passengers at a time, or one passenger in their wheelchair, along safe and scenic local routes. The rides are free, relaxed and focused on connection, conversation and fresh air.
Originally founded in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2012, Cycling Without Age has grown into a global movement across more than 60 countries. The Sunshine Coast chapter began after local resident Tim Rogers and his wife discovered the concept while travelling overseas.
“We were on holiday and started thinking more seriously about how we could contribute to our local community when we came home,” Tim said. “We both love bike riding, and when I came across Cycling Without Age, I just thought, this has to be on the Sunshine Coast.”
At the time, there were no Queensland chapters, so Tim and a small group of like-minded locals reached out to teams in Sydney and Perth for guidance.
So the work began. The group started recruiting volunteers for roles like pilots, scouts, meet-and-greeters and committee members, all on a volunteer basis. They began connecting with aged care and disability support services, with four organisations eager to take part from the very beginning. They spent time assessing and mapping safe, enjoyable cycling routes, before tackling the challenge of fundraising for their first trishaw, which at the time cost close to $17,000.
Their efforts paid off when Sunshine Coast Council, with support from then Division 3 Councillor Peter Cox and the Mayor, provided grant funding for two trishaws. The trishaws arrived in January 2020 and the Chapter launched its first official rides on Valentine’s Day the following month. The launch event was attended by local leaders, the media and a large crowd of happy residents. Fittingly, the first passengers were Lynton and Bev Heuschele, who had just celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary.
Not long after, COVID disrupted operations, but the Chapter has since grown rapidly.
From two trishaws and a handful of volunteers, Cycling Without Age Sunshine Coast now operates seven trishaws, including two that carry passengers in wheelchairs, supported by over 70 volunteers across ten locations from Golden Beach to Maroochydore. The team now delivers more than 3,000 rides each year for residents from the wider community and over 100 aged care and disability support organisations.
Tim says the true impact goes far beyond the ride itself.
“When someone has reduced mobility, their world can shrink very quickly and they start to feel invisible,” he said. “But when they’re out on a trishaw, people smile, wave, start conversations. They’re suddenly part of the community again.”
He also emphasises that the program is as much about relationships as it is about transport.
“The trishaw is what people see, but at its core this is about connection and preventing loneliness. Some of our passengers come out occasionally, others are regulars. For them, it becomes part of their routine and their wellbeing.”
The electric-assist bikes make rides accessible for volunteers of all fitness levels.
“They all think they’re really fit,” Tim laughed, “but it does help. What matters most is that they’re caring, competent and enjoy spending time with people.”
Some of Tim’s favourite riding spots include the Golden Beach foreshore, La Balsa Park, Ben Bennett Bushland Park and the bushland around Kawana Forest.
“That mix of ocean, parks and forest is what makes the Sunshine Coast so special. It’s something our passengers really love and appreciate.”
For more information, contact Tim Rogers at [email protected] or follow Cycling Without Age Sunshine Coast on Facebook.
Cycling Without Age - Sunshine Coast
