Groups partner to help youngsters bicycle

“It’s pretty cool.”

That is what Daniel Lara, 14, said about the partnership between the nonprofit Velo Cruces’ Every Body Rides with Grace (EBRWG) and New Mexico State University Aggie Innovators, who are working together to create unique pedals for Daniel’s bicycle to make it easier for him to ride.

Aggie Innovators Veronica Gurrola and Jared Glaze, both NMSU students, have met with Daniel and his mother, Lianna, at The Hub Community Bike Shop, first measuring Daniel’s shoes and then trying various prototypes to come up with the best one-of-a-kind pedals for Daniel, who uses a wheelchair, so he has the greatest possible safety and mobility when riding his bike.

In working with Daniel, Gurrola and Glaze have used a 3D printer to come up with prototypes that feature a unique toe cup but won’t trap Daniel’s feet. They work with Daniel at The Hub and then go back to the Aggie Innovation Space at the NMSU Engineering Complex to work on the pedals.

Gurrola, who is working on a masters in industrial engineering at NMSU and is about to begin an internship in Knoxville, Tennessee, was also part of an Aggie Innovators project that created a prosthetic arm for a five-year-old, she said.

This is the first Aggie Innovators project that Glaze has worked on. He is a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering. Both Glaze and Gurrola are Las Cruces natives.

One of the joys of the project is “coming back and trying out (different prototypes) until we get it perfect,” Gurrola said. “We get to see the growth and be part of the progress.”

Working with Daniel to come up with the perfect pedals for his bike is “really challenging and fun,” said Glaze, adding that he likes to help people.

Having an engineering project focused on him “is pretty impressive,” said Daniel, who attends Organ Mountain High School. “It’s cool that they help people.”

“I appreciate the collaboration,” said Daniel’s mother, Lianna Lara. “The fact that so many came together to volunteer their time and expertise is something that we greatly appreciate! It will afford Daniel an opportunity to ride a bike, get outdoors and exercise his legs! We are excited for him to experience a simple joy that we all typically get to experience.”

Daniel and his family requested an application with EBRWG for an adaptive cycle in May 2022, said Velo Cruces Board member Andrea Holguin.

“Since then, we have been working on finding a cycle and accessories for Daniel,” she said.

“After months of discussions with physical therapists, adaptive cycling companies and my fellow board members, I was still no closer to finding a solution for Daniel,” Holguin said. “Our president, George Pearson, suggested talking to the engineering department at NMSU. I was happily surprised to find the Aggie Innovation Space.

“I am so impressed with these young engineers (Gurrola and Glaze),” Holguin said. “They are smart, professional and compassionate.  It has been incredibly exciting to watch Daniel work with them to develop a pedal system that works well for him. They really are working together as a team. 

“The most amazing part of all of this is that the Innovators are providing all of this at no cost to our program,” Holguin said. “This is a huge relief because the cost of adaptive cycles and accessories have doubled since Daniel applied for the program.” (The average cost of an adaptive cycle is $2,000. Specialized pedal modifications would cost an additional $400 or more.)

EBRWG adapts bikes for children with special needs. Velo Cruces formed in 2015 with a mission of “transforming Las Cruces into a great bicycle and pedestrian community.”

The Hub, part of Cruces Creatives nonprofit makerspace, 205 E. Lohman Ave., provides low-cost bicycle repair services. Its Used Bicycle Distribution Program provides bikes at no cost to people who are struggling with homelessness or have qualified for its earn-a-bike program.

Visit innovate.nmsu.edu/index.html, www.velocruces.org/the-hub-community-bike-shop and www.velocruces.org/ride-with-grace.