Our Story

AdaptAbility is the brainchild of bicycle store owner Sandra Alfonzo. Sandra, a four time marathon runner, was inspired while training in Prospect Park. She witnessed a special-needs child on a wheelchair watching, longingly, another child riding a bike. She knew she had to do something to change how that child in the wheelchair felt. After thinking for months, she came up with an idea:  “If every customer of Behind Bars in Brooklyn donated 25¢ every time they are getting a flat tire fixed and Behind Bars in Brooklyn matched the donation with another 25¢, in one season, the store could raise enough money for at least one adaptive bicycle.”  What if other local businesses and bicycle suppliers jumped in? Many deserving children could receive bicycles every year. 

With that, AdaptAbility was born!

We believe special needs children should be able to bike as much as any other child. A family’s income, residence and transportation shouldn’t be a reason for them not to ride a bicycle. Through AdaptAbility, communities, including businesses, their customers, and neighbors who may want to bring joy to a special needs child, can contribute by Donating.

AdaptAbility is working with parents, teachers, physical therapists, nurses, and doctors to identify children with special needs that can take advantage of an adaptive bicycle as a source of exercise, therapeutic and for the simple desire to ride and have fun on a bicycle.

There are many ways to be part of AdaptAbility: donating, spreading the word, and becoming a volunteer.

On behalf of our AdaptAbility team, we want to thank you for thinking about helping all those wonderful children that are our future.

We believe in Cycling

Bicycles were created in the 19th Century, as a transportation vehicle using two wheels and requiring balance from the rider. After many centuries and new technology, bicycles have changed but never lost their original structure.

After bicycles were used as transportation, new purposes were created. Bicycles are now used for exercise, competitions, and fun as well as their original purpose of transportation.

AdaptAbility believes that the improvement of physical health, self-esteem, and independence can be achieved with the use of a bicycle. Now with adaptive bicycles, individuals living with special needs can experience all the different uses that a bicycle can offer. AdaptAbility is providing the opportunity to children with special needs to experience this creation and make it part of their life. Children with special needs will take advantage of exercise, while improving their mobility, improving muscle strength, and experiencing the outdoors in a completely different way.