One by One
Vancouver Cycling Without Age® Society, Recipient

Vancouver Cycling Without Age® Society

Vancouver, British Columbia

Promotional display pumps up professionalism for nonprofit

Cycling Without Age® is a nonprofit movement that began in Copenhagen in 2012 and now brings joy and connection to older adults around the world. The idea is simple: Volunteers take passengers on recreational rides on three-wheel bicycles to get out and into their community, experience nature and feel the wind in their hair.

Vancouver Cycling Without Age Society, a chapter of the global network, launched in 2018 to bring the movement to the city. Driven by a team of two employees and about 50 volunteers, the charitable organization provided nearly 1,500 rides and covered over 9,000 kilometres in 2025.

Jake Winn, executive director, said social isolation for older adults is a significant medical concern, particularly in Canada. The bike rides allow them to get outside, socialize, and see the world in a safe and structured way. “Our goal is to break seniors free from social isolation and loneliness and help them smile with the simple act of a bike ride,” Winn said.

Older adults get a true joyride

Through relationships with home care organizations, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centres and other institutions that serve older adults, Vancouver Cycling Without Age Society team members provide rides seven days a week from May through October. Passengers are typically between the ages of 70 and 100. The trishaw bikes feature a front-mounted passenger bench that lets them enjoy a comfortable, open-air ride while the driver pedals from behind. As Winn put it, “It’s basically a couch on wheels.”

For even more connection, the organization also hosts weekend community rides. “Anyone can sign up online, and we pick really beautiful areas of the city with an accessible starting point, so they can take public transit, get dropped off, or walk or drive to it. We serve lots of people who can still get around on their own, but going on a 15-kilometre bike trip through a forest or along a beach just isn’t feasible anymore,” said Winn.

Visibility gets a boost from a promotional display

A one by one grant provided a retractable banner that volunteers set up at meeting points before rides. The promotional display helps passengers find where they’re supposed to be and adds a new level of professionalism. With some first-time riders, Winn said, there can be a little apprehension that a high-quality display can alleviate. “When you have the banner next to all of the bikes lined up, it helps bring feelings of trust and comfort for riders,” he said.

Vancouver Cycling Without Age Society also received pens for keeping logbooks, and gloves for volunteer bikers—called Pilots—for use during the chilly days in spring and fall. Much like the bikes themselves, the items are only getting used more and more. The nonprofit nearly tripled its number of rides last year. As awareness grows, so does interest and demand.

“We get a lot of family members who say, ‘You know, I’m so focused on care that the love kind of falls away,’” Winn said. “‘But then we got on the bike together, and we were just having a conversation…I didn’t have to worry about all those other things.’”

A note from Cheryl

The Vancouver Cycling Without Age Society team makes a difference in its community—one bike ride at a time. We were delighted to provide a promotional display and other promo items to help power its mission. If you’re interested in a one by one grant, visit onebyone.4imprint.ca.

For more information about Vancouver Cycling Without Age® Society, please visit https://cyclingwithoutage.ca/vancouver/

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