TEAM BOWHEAD
PROFILES / TESTIMONIALS

I first came across the Bowhead Reach back in 2017 when I was in hospital after breaking my back in a mountain bike crash, back when it was called an Icon Explorer!

I was able to get mine in June 2019 after it got completely redesigned and I was able to get some funding towards purchasing it. 

Straight away it changed my life, allowing me to ride trails independently, explore different areas and hang out with friends in ways that I wasn't able to do before my injury. 

The Bowhead Reach has done so much for me mentally from being able to get out sight seeing in the mountains, getting to fishing spots to starting adaptive racing at crankworx Rotorua and even using it for walking the dog. There's very few things that I am unable to do while on the bike!

Everyone I have managed to get out on my bike to use it has loved it and wanted more! I would highly recommend that if you want to access more places and experience the freedom of independently accessing the outdoors get a bowhead Reach!

It will 100% change your life. 

I was first introduced to the Bowhead Reach after my dad saw a picture of one on Instagram and then sent me a link to the website. He asked me if I’d like to have one, and I immediately said, “Yes!” I’ve now been riding my Bowhead Reach for approximately two and a half years.

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I was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy when I was four months old; I am unable to walk without the assistance of a walker or ride a regular mountain bike. I love action sports and have ridden a sit-ski at our local mountain for a long time. Before finding the Bowhead Reach, I had never thought about mountain biking.

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The Bowhead Reach provides me with many opportunities: mountain biking with my friends and family, more independence, and assistance with other activities. When my uncle makes my cousins and me clean up our family ranch, I’m able to keep up and help. When I’m riding my Bowhead Reach, I feel free, as if nothing can get in my way. I get a great adrenaline rush when I’m downhill mountain biking, hitting jumps, and shredding all terrains.

I've been riding the Bowhead reach since last summer (2021). I grew up in Bromont about 45 minutes from Montreal in a mountain resort with mountain biking  and ski. I haven't been in the trails for the last 20 years. (Since being a para). So going back to places I haven't been for a long time was really emotional for me. I couldn't believe how great this bike was. When I reached summits I was crying of joy and all my companions were also in tears. After the first few days of riding I got used to the bike more and more and my level went up pretty quickly. One thing I got to say is riding by myself was something pretty special. It's the summum of autonomy, independence, and freedom. That's why this bike is simply the best in the world. It brings you places so secluded that you couldn't or wouldn't go without any other equipment. And you don't need help from anybody. This bike is bringing me so much joy and excitement. Same to my family and friends that love to ride with me.

One of my mission in life is bringing joy to people living with disabilities by motivating them to be more active and independent. Adaptive Mtb is a great way to do that. And Bowhead Reach happens to be the best bike in the world.

After I broke my neck and acquired my c6 spinal cord injury, I believed that mountain biking was something I’d never do again because of my wonderful quad hands.

Fast forward 20 years, lol,  and dreams can come true. For the first time ever, I was in nature and not immediately overwhelmed with barriers, the Reach actually presented an incredible amount of opportunities and I found myself saying, “hey, let’s try this and go here, here and here”. 

Even though this bike offers capabilities way above my skill level, the throttle and braking are so intuitive and spot on for my quad hands.  Let’s be real, I’m not twenty anymore and I’m also a pretty amazing Mom now too. 

Hands down the best part about my Reach is I am included in family rides, seeing my six year old ripping makes my heart want to explode. He’s also fairly convinced there isn’t anywhere I can’t go now and that melts me.   I am now part of the adventures and we’re making some pretty cool memories out there, the Reach has been an absolute game changer in my life.  Whether I’m doing speed loops, hitting sweet jumps or just plain listening to nature’s music and scoping wildflowers, I am beyond grateful. The confidence and freedom I’ve experienced from my Bowhead is something I had only dreamed about, I hope many others can feel the same way because it is seriously out of this world. 

How did you hear about Bowhead Corp and our bikes?

I actually heard about the bowhead through my lawyer when I was going through my accident claim. After I seen it I got in touch with Cole and he was awesome about letting me try his bike when I went down to Kelowna. Never got to try his because our schedules didn’t line up, but I go to try it for the first time with Jamie at Rocky Mountain Adaptive.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself (age, injury level, etc.) to help others understand Bowhead’s broad range of use cases.

I’m 24 years old and had my accident when I was 16. I was really heavy into all action sports but specifically freestyle skiing. I was talking to companies about sponsorships for the upcoming season in 2013 which had always been a dream of mine, but that came to a halt when I got hit by a truck walking.  I’m now a T-7 complete para and trying to live those same dreams but now just on the Bowhead.

Please describe your first experience riding your Bowhead Reach.

My first experience with the bike at Rocky Mountain Adaptive was insane, it was very fun and not terribly hard to get the hang of. Some people think it’s intimidating but if you just go at your own pace and say have someone like Jamie helping you out and teaching you the techniques, you can get ahold of it pretty quick and that intimidation turns into a rush of adrenaline.

Is there anything you’d like to say in regards to the Bowhead Reach to people contemplating getting an adaptive mountain bike (what sets Bowhead apart)?

I was looking at other bikes until I seen the Bowhead. I liked that it was so narrow and so stable at that with the articulation. You can ride single track with it which most adaptive bikes cannot, and all around it looks badass. The Bowhead almost doesn’t even look like an adaptive bike and most people don’t even think I’m disabled when on it.  The conclusion I had, and maybe I’m just biased, but the Bowhead is by far the most capable and ideal adaptive bike in the world. Not only am I on it every day whether I’ll be walking my dog or going on rides around the city, I’ll go get my hair cut on it too... between doing the most casual things on the bike to doing the most gnarly, I’ll never regret my purchase of the Bowhead.

Growing up Darryl was fortunate to have the loving support of his parents that allowed him to pursue many extreme type sports such as Skateboarding, Snowboarding, BMX, Mountain biking, Motocross and Snocross. Growing up and competing in all these sports, Darryl chose a career path of Freestyle Snowmobiling and was on his was to compete in the X games. Before making it to the big stage of X Games, Darryl did a show in the Eastern states where he ran his snowmobile out of fuel half way through a backflip, causing him to under rotate, and was crush under the impact of the snowmobile, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down along with many internal injuries.

Returning back to sports, Darryl returned to his passions of extreme sports, just in a new way! Beginning with WCMX and competing in world championships events, then getting back on the snowmobile to race adaptive snocross in the 2013 X Games. Eventually getting on an adaptive mountain bike and then road for 6 frustrating years. Frustration set in because of his equipment failing him on nearly every single ride before making the switch to the BOWHEAD!  That was “the best decision I have ever made” he said. 

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The Bowhead REACH has allowed Darryl the freedom to explore and adventure independently into the outdoors where other adaptive equipment could not get him to, while durable enough to take on his aggressive riding style with hitting features such as jumps, drops and rugged downhill trails. Leaving  him giggling with joy, feeling so fulfilled that he can finally trust a product. “Now that I have a Bowhead , I can’t imagine my life without it any more. It’s not just a bike, it’s a lifestyle!” 

Alpine Climber Quinn Brett sought to travel and climb mountains throughout the world, reveling in the freedom of movement but also advocating for safe keeping of these special places.  She worked as a climbing ranger Rocky Mountain National Park, technical rescuer and first responder.  This intimate work within public lands also opened opportunities to spread a need for stewardship within the recreational community.  October 2017 she took a big fall while rock climbing in Yosemite National Park, causing paralysis below the navel.  Her drive to cover long distances over technically complex terrain continues, so does her advocacy and adventure love for wild spaces.  The Bowhead Reach has allowed expansive opportunity to play in the wilderness again, its technical ability on the Slickrock Trail of Moab to just cutting up a grassy hillside on a "walk" with friends.  Stoked this machine exists!