Paralysed rider hits trails to promote adaptive mountain biking

At first, a Taranaki mountain biker who broke his neck wanted nothing more to do with the sport which took away the use of his legs.

But, two years on, the 39-year-old is back in the forests promoting tracks suitable for adaptive mountain bikes.

Thomas Goodwin was eight days into a 10-day trip with mates in Tasmania when the unimaginable happened.

The avid mountain biker went over the handle bars in an accident which broke his neck, severely damaging his spinal cord and leaving him paralysed from his chest down.

The former bricklayer turned his back on mountain biking - before having a epiphany.

"After a little bit of reflection I realised that all my family and friends were really invested in the sport recreationally and getting back to it was a very important part of getting back to my life as best as possible, so this bike has allowed me to get back to that."

He now rode a high-end battery-powered bike.

"This one in particular has special brakes because I have limited hand function, so I use wrist extension to work the brakes front and rear and I also have throttle in my helmet, so I operate the throttle with my chin."

At the weekend, the father-of-one and a group of adaptive riders joined able-bodied bikers at the Dawn to Dusk fundraiser, doing circuits of the Mangamahoe Mountain Bike Park in New Plymouth.

Chris Handley - who was injured in a motorcycle accident almost 40 years ago - came from Christchurch.

"Adaptive bikes are wider than a traditional two-wheel bike, so having a bit more width on trails is really important. We can get down most stuff, but where trails have been improved, widened and graded as well, so you know what you're going down, makes a huge difference."

He said getting into adaptive biking can be great for a person's recovery.

"Certainly for people who have previously ridden it is a really big step just getting back on a bike, having the confidence to ride safely, yeah, just enjoying riding with your friends and family again."

Denis Pike organised the event.

"We've got a bunch of people cycling around this park raising funds for the adaptive family-friendly loops. It's to get the trails to a standard that allows adaptive bikes to be ridden, but that standard also means families and people who have bike trailers and other things like that are able to ride around and enjoy the park too."

He was in awe of Goodwin.

"It's a massive mind set to hop back on something that has taken everything away. It was the cycling that took it [the ability to ride] away from him, but it is the cycling that is giving it back to him, so with these adaptive trails he's able to ride his bike with his friends he's had previously and enjoy the outdoors and it's really awesome for his mental health and it's keeping him active."

Goodwin's partner Cheyenne Rusling said they bonded over riding.

"Previous to him being in a wheelchair we used to ride mountain bikes together a lot so it's always been a thing we've done together. So, this bike here is just amazing because we can still share the same sort of activities and do things together which is great and having these trails to access has been such a great help to us as well."

It didn't surprise her Thomas had got back in the saddle and wanted others to try adaptive riding.

"He's always been a driven person, so seeing from when he first got the bike until now and making it work and gathering people to help and get this event happening. Yeah, he's just incredible. I don't know that would have that much drive."

Goodwin, meanwhile, said his bike was a great tonic for the challenges he faced daily.

"All that fades away when I hop on the bike. It's not like I'm disabled, it's more like I am out in nature and immersed in it and just, you know, thinking about the next five seconds ahead of myself, and that's it.

"It's a very therapeutic feeling."

All funds raised during the Dawn to Dusk challenge would help build and maintain family-friendly trails suitable for adaptive mountain bikes.