Outrider USA is making a huge difference in the lives of people with disabilities by offering them the freedom to “get back out there.” It’s the company’s slogan for a reason: Outrider USA makes ultralight pedal-electric vehicles designed specifically to enhance mobility for customers with spinal cord injuries, quadriplegia, paraplegia, ALS, MS, stroke injuries, and other medical conditions that limit motion. There are six different models, all fully electric, each designed to easily maneuver through doorways and around the house, but also able to go off-road and get people back to doing what they love the most outdoors.
The Fletcher, North Carolina-based company, began 11 years ago when Tommy Aerman designed a vehicle to improve his daily commute. He knew he needed something tougher and faster when he was almost sideswiped by a truck on a rural road. The result was his first creation – the Outrider Transition. He credits the desire to take problems, fears, and frustrations.
Ausherman soon realized the compact, sturdy, easy-to-operate vehicle he developed had much bigger potential. He then teamed up with Dr. Chris Wennver, who suggested building an adaptive version of the bike. A Kickstarter campaign turned a great mobility idea into Outrider USA.
The company’s goal – make a machine that supports riders anywhere on the disability spectrum, from an older person with high blood pressure to a wounded veteran to a quadriplegic rider with minimal hand function. Each bike is made specifically for each person.
From heavy-duty blacktop road use to extreme off-road terrain options, Outrider products can travel up to 200 miles on one electrical charge and reach speeds up to 45 miles per hour (or even more – the company holds several electricians’ bike speed records).
“[There’s] a powerful purpose to our work – to help disabled individuals get out and off-road again,” said Outrider USA’s Social Media and Content Creator Jacob Lothers. “There’s nothing more fulfilling than getting a tearful message from a quadriplegic customer being able to get off the pavement for the first time in five years.”
Ninety percent of Outrider’s products are made in America, and the bikes can be easily charged with a standard wall outlet, making them more sustainable and greener than fossil-fuel-powered options. They are quiet and have zero emissions. The most notable benefit is the freedom they bring to the people who need them.
