Stoffel: “Due to a visual impairment, I can only see what is directly in front of me. I also sometimes have trouble with my balance. That meant cycling on public roads was never really an option. As a child, I was given a tricycle, but with my limited vision, cycling independently was actually dangerous. In my teenage years, we tried a tandem — but that wasn’t a success either. Because I was sitting at the back, I could only see the rider in front of me. A lot of the experience was lost that way.”

Nele also has a disability. Nele: “Due to a congenital vascular condition, I have poor circulation in my legs. So it’s especially important that I keep moving. It helps me avoid pain and discomfort. And because we both have desk jobs, we already sit too much.”

Cycling independently was difficult, but together they kept looking for something that would work. Stoffel: “During a holiday in the Netherlands, we decided to try a Fun2Go. It turned out to be a turning point. I hadn’t cycled for more than fifteen years. The initial fear and awkwardness quickly gave way to a wonderful, childlike sense of wonder. Sitting side by side changes everything. It’s easier to talk, you experience your surroundings together, and you’re both genuinely part of the ride. At forty years old, as a passenger on the Fun2Go, I felt truly safe on a bike for the first time in my life. We didn’t have to think about it for long: we bought one.”

“On the Fun2Go,
I felt truly safe for the first time”

More fun, less dependent
Stoffel and Nele have been cycling together for over five years. “We’ve done so much: shopping in town, long rides along cycling routes in Belgium and the Netherlands, and even holidays where cycling is a big part of our freedom. We’ve become more mobile, less reliant on the car, and able to head out on a whim. But maybe more than anything, cycling gives us a lot of quality time together.”
“For me, it matters that I can actively pedal and put in my own effort. As a passenger, I can set my own pace independently. That sense of autonomy makes a real difference. At the same time, everything stays comfortable for Nele, and as the rider, she has full control. That gives us both peace of mind. We don’t experience a ride as one person helping and another being helped. It’s simply a husband and wife riding side by side again: with more freedom, more confidence, and more space to enjoy the journey and each other’s company.” ■