Cycling Without Age Napier announces second triobike

Neil Edmundson and Jill Hankin unveil Cycling Without Age Napier’s new electric triobike named after their mother, Nola. Photo / Warren Buckland

There is a new set of wheels and a new lease on life in the air, as Cycling Without Age (CWA) Napier unveils its new electric triobike, named after Nola Edmundson who died in January.

Nola was CWA Napier’s oldest passenger at the age of 99 and was the first to become a regular weekly passenger. So it’s fitting the new bike is named after her, says CWA Napier trustee Liz Barrett.

“CWA Napier wishes to honour Nola’s zest for life and show our appreciation for the joy she imparted to all around her and to whomever she met,” Barrett said.

A triobike not only lets those who can’t ride a bike any more feel the wind in their hair again, but allows passengers to have a chat with their bike riders, known as pilots, while taking in the local scenery.

CWA Napier trustee Liz Barrett (left), along with sister and brother Jill Hankin and Neil Edmundson, unwrap the new triobike ready for its first official ride. Photo / Warren Buckland

CWA Napier formed its charitable trust last year and imported its first $25,000 electric triobike from Copenhagen after a few months of fundraising.

Now with its second bike, CWA Napier can give more people the chance to get back on a bike and out of their houses, retirement villages and rest homes.

Nola’s son, Neil Edmundson, and daughter Jill Hankin attended the unveiling of CWA Napier’s new triobike at Mission View Masonic Village in Taradale and got to see the bike named after their mother.

Edmundson spoke at the unveiling and said thank you to CWA Napier for the times his mum went out on the bike.

“It was such a joy for her and it was just about the most important part of her week, she absolutely loved it,” he said.

CWA Napier trustee Alan White, who spent a lot of time taking Nola out for bike rides, said they chatted a lot and he also looked forward to their weekly catch-ups.

The new electric triobike named after the first regular passenger, Nola, goes for its first spin around the Mission View Masonic Village in Taradale with pilot Juile Jones. Photo / Warren Buckland

Barrett and White thanked the funders of this triobike: Higgins Bequest Trust, The Lion Foundation, Eastern & Central Community Trust, and Pub Charity, “as well as our wonderful individual donors”.

“Each bike costs anywhere from $20,000 to more than $24,000, once imported with freight, import duties and GST, so we are very grateful to our sponsors and donors,” Barrett said.

The next step for CWA Napier is to fundraise for a new bike called the Van Raam VeloPlus trishaw, which will enable those confined to wheelchairs to also share the joy of a bike ride and have the wind in their hair.

If you are interested in helping CWA fundraise or want more information, email CWA.Napiernz@gmail.com.

Maddisyn Jeffares became the editor of the Hawke’s Bay community papers Hastings Leader and Napier Courier in 2023 after writing the Hastings Leader for almost a year. She has been a reporter with the NZME for almost three years now and has a strong focus on what’s going on in the communities, good and bad, big and small. Email news tips to her at: maddisyn.jeffarea@nzme.co.nz