'It’s a new freedom': Custom-made bike brings new life to Sask. brain injury survivor

Riding a bike in the summer is a pretty ordinary activity, but for one Saskatoon man with a brain injury, the newfound freedom he has gained from his new bike is extraordinary.

Jesse McKay and his mom Brenda have been enjoying their new wheels since June, that’s when they picked it up from Calgary.

“I thought about getting a bike for Jesse and I to ride about four years ago,” Brenda McKay told CTV News.

“I was amped up and yes, I was fist pumping you know,” Jesse said.

Mom, Brenda researched different types of bikes. One company from the U.S. suggested side by side bike, but that didn’t seem very safe on Saskatoon roadways.

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The one they have now was custom-ordered from the Netherlands, it’s almost three metres in length and took four months to arrive.

“It's a big bike. So I wanted to make sure that he didn't have any control in the back, because if you put the brakes on, then I'm flying forward,” she said.

It has electric assist if needed which means if they need help with pedal power, it kicks in, but it’s mostly Jesse powered from the backseat.

“I tell him that it’s rear-wheel drive because he's got bigger legs than I do,” Brenda said.

Jesse is also responsible for signalling and had to brush up on his cycling rules.

“You know the phrase, it’s just like riding a bike? It’s just like that. Nothing to it,” Jesse said.

Some of the $15,000 to pay for the bike came from an SGI recreation fund and the rest they saved up for. The benefits of having the bike have been priceless.

“It’s so important for people’s recovery and well-being and when your mobility’s limited, your vision is limited, your choices are limited,” Glenda James, Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association told CTV News.

(Carla Shynkaruk/CTV News)

They let staff take others in their, brain injury support group go for a ride too and that’s something Brenda is glad to be able to offer.

“It's awesome because they've gone like 25 kilometres. They've gone to the north end of the city, all over town, up by the river, you know, so it's nice to be able to have that extra thing for people to do that,” she said.

Having the freedom to explore the city in a new way is a highlight for Jesse.

“We've gone pretty much all over just to, like, we've made major miles,” he said.

Brain injury support isn’t widely funded which might be why this is the only bike of its kind in the province. According to James with the Brain Injury Association, that’s because it’s viewed as a condition that can be remedied in a few years, which she says is false in many cases.

“This kind of sharing that Brenda has done is so valuable. I had no idea such a thing existed. Neither did anybody else,” James said.

The pair often gets comments from passersby and have become known to those in the areas they frequent who are intrigued by the unique transportation.

The McKay’s hope they can continue riding for many weeks to come before snowfall when they’ll have to put the brakes on until next spring – but for now Jesse is savouring the ride.

“Well, let the wind blow through your helmet. It feels good to move. It’s a new freedom.”