About
​The Cycling Without Age movement started in 2012 by Ole Kassow. Ole wanted to help his neighbors at the local nursing home get back on their bicycles, but he had to find a solution to their limited mobility. The answer was a trishaw and he started offering free bike rides to the residents of Kærbo nursing home. Ole grew up with a father who used a wheelchair so he knew first hand what the lack of mobility lead to in terms of stigma and isolation.
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Cycling Without Age first appeared in the Central Coast of California due to the efforts of John Seigel-Boettner who started a chapter in Santa Barbara. As popularity grew, so have the chapters with expansion into Ventura and now, into Carpinteria due to the efforts of Jim Dragna.
​The Cycling Without Age movement has five guiding principles:
Generosity...Cycling Without Age is based on generosity and kindness. It starts with the obvious generous act of taking someone out on a bike ride. It’s a simple act that everyone can do.
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Slowness...Slowness allows you to sense the environment, be present in the moment and it allows people you meet along the way to be curious and gain knowledge about Cycling Without Age because you make time to stop and talk.
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Storytelling...Older adults have so many stories that will be forgotten if we don’t reach out and listen to them. We tell stories, we listen to stories on the bike and we also document the stories when we share them via word of mouth or on social media.
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Relationships...Cycling Without Age is about creating a multitude of new relationships: between generations, among older adults, between pilots and passengers, care home employees and family members. Relationships build trust, happiness and quality of life.
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Without Age...Life unfolds at all ages, young and old, and can be thrilling, fun, sad, beautiful and meaningful. Cycling Without Age is about letting people age in a positive context – fully aware of the opportunities that lie ahead when interacting in their local community.​