Easy-on Jackets and Fun-Factor Trikes!

Joni suffered a prenatal stroke and, as a result, has hemiparesis – a partial paralysis of the left half of his body. This condition has made certain activities more challenging, but if you see him ride a bike, it seems like there is nothing holding him back. On his Trets from Hase Bikes with his cool color-coordinated helmet, he enjoys racing with his friends.

Joni's early diagnosis enabled him to receive the best possible support from an early age. From the outset, it was particularly important to his mother, Christin Boczek-Wellmann, to give her son as much independence and participation in everyday life as possible. Many creative solutions were found and integrated into his daily routine. For example, in search of a suitable jacket that would be easy to use with hemiparesis, she came across Marie Albrecht by chance after lengthy research.

Montessori – or: The path to independence

During her studies in fashion design, Marie, mother of 2 small children, developed a magnetic closure suitable for children's small hands. Inspired by her children and in the spirit of Montessori, she wanted to empower her children to put on and close their jackets by themselves.

That was the start of a wonderful journey. In 2023, the two women founded Joni Studio GmbH to enable all children, with and without disabilities, to put on and take off their jackets! You can find more information here!

As little Joni grew older, he faced new challenges: He wanted to learn how to ride a bike. Unfortunately, similar to jacket closures, this was extremely difficult due to his hemiparesis.

Adaptive trike? As long as it’s cool and safe!

Christin researched a lot, tested countless trikes, and finally found what she was looking for: a bright-green Trets from Hase Bikes. with two wheels in the back and one in the front. “The advantages of the Trets were not only its resistance to tipping, which played a major role for us because Joni's torso muscles are not very strong. In particular, the handlebars, which are ideal for him to operate as under-seat steering, make handling easier – ensuring maximum safety,” said Christin while taking a break along the way. The adaptive Single-Hand Controls, which enable him to operate both the front and rear brakes on a single handlebar with his strong hand, were also a decisive criterion for them – and the prerequisite for Joni's daily adventures. Whether he is cruising on his own with friends or hitched to a two-wheeler for longer trips with the family – movement in nature, the joy of cycling and lots of wind and air make him healthy, happy, and strong.

We at Hase Bikes enjoyed interviewing this friendly and sensitive mother-son pair. And we feel reassurance once again that what we do every day, namely enabling as many people as possible to cycle, really makes sense.

As luck would have it, not only the jackets from Joni Studio have magnetic fasteners – we at Hase Bikes do too: Our three-point safety harness, such as the one on Joni’s Trets, can also be closed and opened by children themselves with a magnetic fastener – and secured by an additional safety mechanism for younger or impulsive riders.