As a company based in the Netherlands, we here at Tractus3D are proud of our Dutch roots. Wooden shoes, cheese, windmills and of course our renowned Dutch cycling culture. In the Netherlands, learning to ride a bike is essentially the same as learning how to walk. It plays an important role in growing up as a child.

From riding your bike with the training wheels, going to school on your bike in the rain, riding your bike to work, pedaling through the weekend to the beach with your friends. Dutch people grow up with bicycles – they’re a part of our identity. However, if you have a disability or are in a wheelchair, can you get the full bicycle riding experience? The team at Tractus3D has developed a solution for that.

Using 3D Printing to Develop Custom Built Hand Bikes

Neighboring the Tractus3D office is a great company that has the perfect solution for people with disabilities who want to ride a bicycle. ROAM Special Cycles B.V specializes in making bicycles for people in wheelchairs and people with physical disabilities. This unique handbike is designed as an add-on to any wheelchair. It’s custom built to make sure that every cyclist can move around comfortably and cycle around town freely!

While the feet and pedals on a normal bike take care of the transmission, ROAM Special Cycles’ handbike utilizes the hands and handlebar to provide power to the wheels. But this system can be complicated for people with certain disabilities. For instance, someone with a hand disability can’t use a normal handle. For example, if they’re missing a finger or can only apply limited force with their hands, they can’t just go cycling with any handle. We noticed that this was becoming a hindrance for certain people, so ROAM Special Cycles wanted to come up with a solution for this. After all, their mission is to provide everyone with the ability to cycle.

Testing With An Olympic Champion

Typically, a handbike’s handlebar is made from a solid piece of plastic. These are limited to a few select shapes and sizes. But since the handlebar is not only for steering but also for generating pedaling power, the fit in the hand should be perfect. During the research and development period, ROAM Special Cycles found some special solutions on the market, but unfortunately, these solutions did not meet all of the wishes and requirements of their customers. Another solution was needed to satisfy everyone.

After a thorough investigation, making a custom-made handle by means of industrial 3D printing became the ideal solution. 3D printing and materials allow for endless possibilities, so it is the perfect solution for custom-built components like the handlebar.

To prove that the 3D printed model is fully functional, the process requires some extensive testing. And what is a better way to do this than by testing with a client. Fortunately, the world champion handbike and medal winner in multiple Paralympics, Laura de Vaan, is one of ROAM Special Cycles’ clients. She was the first customer to go through the process of making a custom made handlebar and taking it for a ride on her Olympic handbike.

How 3D Printing Helped Create a Custom Handlebar

The process of designing and ultimately 3D printing these handlebars using the Tractus3D T850 helps speed up ROAM Special Cycles’ production process and leads to a satisfied customer. Here’s how it’s done…

First, the handlebar grip needs to be made to perfectly fit the bicyclist’s hand. To custom design this grip, the customer must squeeze a piece of clay, creating a shape that is completely unique to their hand. The resulting clay handle is then 3D scanned and transformed into a 3D model. After some fine-tuning, the 3D model is sliced and 3D printed on the Tractus3D T850.

From the squeezing of the clay to having a fully functional 3D printed model, the entire process can be completed within a business day. This means clients who weren’t able to cycle before are able to get on the road in no time at all – leading to a life-changing day full of adventure and happiness. For the clients of ROAM Special Cycles, this innovative solution made the difference between being able to ride a bike or not. And for world champion Laura de Vaan, it means she can now produce more power with a better custom-made grip, ensuring an advantage over the competition.

This is just another example of how Tractus3D 3D printers can change the world, one happy bicycle rider at a time.