Cycling Without Age

What Cycling Without Age does

Cycling Without Age is a Denmark-registered not-for-profit association founded in 2012 by Ole Kassow in Copenhagen. The organization operates a global grassroots movement that provides free trishaw (three-wheeled rickshaw) rides to elderly people who can no longer cycle independently, pairing volunteer pilots with passengers from nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, and broader communities. As of 2026 the movement spans 3,700+ chapters across 56 countries with approximately 4,500 trishaws and 62,000 trained pilots, supported by a small 67-person hub team in Copenhagen.

The core offering is the trishaw itself, distributed exclusively through Copenhagen Cycles, which sells approved models (Triobike, Nihola Combo, Van Raams, Christiania Bikes) with proceeds flowing back to support global operations. The underlying platform layer is The Hood, a Podio-based invitation-only community workspace where chapters share knowledge, training resources, and brand assets (Brand Book, Flickr photo library, YouTube documentaries). Supplementary services include Flying Take-Off launch events for new chapters, Danish Cycling Culture Tours, corporate team-building and CSR programs, and quarterly website hosting subscriptions for national and local affiliates. Integration stack is composed of standard SaaS tools (MailChimp, Vimeo/Wistia/YouTube, Google Analytics, social platforms) with no proprietary AI or data assets.

The business model blends hardware sales margins, fee-for-service event revenue, subscription hosting fees, donations, and grants from foundations such as TrygFonden plus corporate CSR partners including Zendesk, Salesforce, and Goodwings. Distribution follows an affiliate/chapter model rather than direct sales: communities, municipalities, and care facilities apply to become affiliates, fundraise locally for trishaws, and operate semi-autonomously within a shared brand and training framework. The end-customer (the elderly passenger) receives the service free of charge, while paying constituents are care institutions, municipalities, corporate partners, and individual donors.

Name

Cycling Without Age

Legal name

Cycling Without Age

Website

https://cyclingwithoutage.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cycling Without Age is a Danish-founded non-profit operating a global grassroots movement that delivers free volunteer-piloted trishaw rides to elderly passengers in nursing homes and communities across 56 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Care Mobility Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Special Needs Transportation (485991)

SIC

Motorcycles, Bicycles & Parts (3751)

akta.pro primary industry

Door-to-Door Senior Ride Services (Non-Medical) (HSABAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bike Rental, Demo & Tour Operators (Retail-Adjacent) (CRAMAHAJ)

Keywords

• Elderly mobility services
• Volunteer trishaw rides
• Senior care transportation
• Intergenerational community programs
• Non-profit social movement

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Trishaw Sales: Copenhagen Cycles sells trishaws to affiliates worldwide. A reasonable, fair profit is made on each sale, which helps fund Cycling Without Age operations globally.
2. Event and Training Services: Revenue generated from Danish Cycling Culture Tours (12,000 DKK/day), Workshops/Presentations (3,000-8,000 DKK), Flying Take-Off events (30-50,000 DKK for 2 days), and Alternative Copenhagen By Cargo Bike experiences (375 DKK per person).
3. Website Hosting Services: Fees for website hosting services: €240 per quarter for national CWA websites, €60 per quarter for local chapter websites.
4. Donations: The organization relies on donations to support global community activities, as they do not have general funding or grants for all operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Cycling Without Age provides free trishaw (rickshaw) rides to elderly individuals who can no longer cycle independently, delivered by trained volunteer pilots through a global network of 3,700+ community chapters in 56 countries. The organization sells specially designed trishaws through Copenhagen Cycles, and supports chapters with training, brand resources, and The Hood community platform, while also offering corporate partnership programs, training events, and website hosting services.

Product overview

Cycling Without Age is a global movement and social enterprise that provides joy and vitality to older adults through shared trishaw (three-wheeled bicycle) rides. The core product is the trishaw itself, available in multiple models including the Triobike (most popular), Nihola Combo (accessibility-focused), Van Raams, and Christiania Bike, all distributed through Copenhagen Cycles. The organization operates primarily as a chapter-based affiliate model, providing trishaws, brand resources (Brand Book), training, and access to The Hood community platform. Supplementary offerings include corporate partnership programs for team-building, the Flying Take-Off launch service, and annual CWA Summit events. Bikes are offered free to passengers; chapters fundraise for or purchase trishaws through various channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Triobike Trishaw The most popular trishaw model sold through Copenhagen Cycles. Spacious, comfortable with easy steering, removable footplate for easy entry, and walk assist for smooth maneuvering. Designed to carry passengers regardless of age or ability.
• Nihola Combo Trishaw Newest trishaw model designed for accessibility, with space for wheelchair users and passengers of all mobility levels. Makes cycling accessible regardless of age or mobility.
• Van Raams Trishaw Trishaw model available through Copenhagen Cycles for Cycling Without Age chapters.
• Christiania Bike Trishaw Trishaw model available through Copenhagen Cycles for Cycling Without Age chapters.
• Affiliate Chapter Program Allows nursing homes, cities, municipalities, and individuals to become Cycling Without Age affiliates. Members receive resources, training, brand materials, brand guidelines, and access to The Hood community workspace to establish and operate a local chapter.
• Flying Take-Off Event 2-day launch event package delivered by Copenhagen-based Cycling Without Age instructors to help plan and execute new chapter start-ups, identify stakeholders, and facilitate workshops and introductory trishaw rides. Priced at 30-50,000 DKK plus travel and accommodation.
• CWA Summit International gathering bringing together the global Cycling Without Age community, featuring keynote speakers, panels, workshops, and communal rides. Held periodically with past editions in Copenhagen and the next planned in Budapest.
• Danish Cycling Culture Tour 1-day tour in Copenhagen for up to 20 participants on their own bikes. Includes visit to Christiania, meeting with trishaw builders, exposure to Danish cycling culture, food waste concepts, cooking experiences, and green mobility discussions. Priced at 12,000 DKK.
• Workshop and Presentation Service Inspirational storytelling presentations about Cycling Without Age and its mission to combat loneliness, optionally combined with rides with seniors. Priced at 3,000-8,000 DKK for up to 3 hours plus transportation.
• The Hood Community Workspace Invitation-only global collaboration platform built on Podio for official chapters, allowing them to share information, experiences, and questions and to build a knowledge database for new chapters.
• Corporate Partnership Program CSR partnership program combining HR development goals with community benefit. Includes team-building rides, personal development outcomes such as empathy, active listening, and resilience, and a regular newsletter with stories.
• CWA Website Hosting Service Domain purchase and website hosting service for national and local CWA chapters, priced at EUR 240 per quarter for national websites and EUR 60 per quarter for local chapter websites.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 3,050 chapter locations operating from well over 4,900 trishaws with more than 39,000 trained pilots as of January 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TrygFonden (Tryg Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDanish foundation that supports Cycling Without Age on a national level as well as individual chapters with trishaw grants. Provides funding for both national programs and chapter-level support.
• ZendeskminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal company working with Cycling Without Age on trishaw donations as part of their corporate social responsibility programs.
• SalesforceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal company partnering with Cycling Without Age on trishaw donations as part of their philanthropy and community support initiatives.
• GoodwingsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTravel company that funnels advertising budgets to charitable causes. Companies spending on hotels can donate to causes like Cycling Without Age at no extra cost. USD 200,000 annual travel budget = USD 10,000 donation potential.
• Copenhagen CyclescoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerExclusive in-house trishaw distributor. Sells approved trishaw models (Triobikes, Van Raams, Niholas, Christiania Bikes). All proceeds go to supporting Cycling Without Age worldwide. Trishaws are quality checked, branded, and shipped from Copenhagen by Ole Kassow and team.
• The Hood (Podio)coreTechnology or IntegrationCommunity workspace platform (based on Podio) for global collaboration. Invitation-only global forum for sharing information, experiences, questions, and building knowledge database for new chapters.
• Go Forth FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm production company that can create subtitles for The Grey Escape documentary in local languages at reasonable prices.
• Aktiv MagyarországminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConfirmed sponsor for CWA Summit 2026 in Budapest.
• BudapestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity hosting CWA Summit 2026. Hosted by Merlin Színház venue. As part of European Mobility Week, Budapest provides car-free weekend for rickshaw and bicycle parade.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GoGoGrandparent: GoGoGrandparent provides on-demand ride coordination and senior-friendly transportation services in the US. Broad incumbent serving the same elderly-mobility market through a technology-led, TNC-brokerage model rather than volunteer trishaw rides.
• Age UK: Age UK is the UK's largest charity for older people, providing advice, services, and community programs. Broad incumbent peer addressing elderly well-being, isolation, and mobility at national scale.
• Meals on Wheels: Meals on Wheels delivers meals and welfare checks to homebound seniors globally through a volunteer-driven affiliate model. Direct thematic peer — same volunteer-driven, chapter-based, elderly-support nonprofit structure — though focused on nutrition rather than mobility.
• Papa: Papa is a tech-enabled marketplace pairing older adults with "Papa Pals" for companionship, transportation, and errands. Operates at much larger scale and is for-profit, but competes in the same senior-isolation-and-mobility category with an on-demand service model.

Others

• Copenhagen Cycles: Copenhagen Cycles is the exclusive trishaw distributor for Cycling Without Age chapters and a core strategic partner. Functions as both supplier and reseller; included as a peer because its commercial interests and success are tightly intertwined with CWA's chapter growth.

Direct peers

• Christiania Bikes: Christiania Bikes designs cargo and trishaw bicycles, including models sold through Copenhagen Cycles to CWA chapters. Direct peer in the cargo/adaptive bike manufacturing and distribution space.
• Van Raam: Van Raam is a Dutch manufacturer of adaptive bicycles, including side-by-side and wheelchair-accessible trishaws distributed through Copenhagen Cycles for CWA. Direct product peer in the special-needs and elderly cycling category.
• Triobike: Triobike designs and sells cargo bikes and trishaws, including the Triobike model that is Cycling Without Age's most popular trishaw. Direct supplier peer with overlapping product and customer base in the family/cargo and adaptive cycling segment.
• Nihola: Nihola manufactures front-loading adaptive trishaws, including the Nihola Combo used by Cycling Without Age for wheelchair-accessible rides. Direct product peer serving the same elderly and special-needs cycling use cases.

Emerging players

• Challenge Aspen: Challenge Aspen provides adaptive outdoor recreation, including cycling experiences for people with disabilities. Mission-aligned peer serving a similar adaptive-cycling-for-vulnerable-populations niche, though focused on mountain/recreation rather than trishaw transport.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CycleWithoutAge
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCyR0FPy4bZALhNdz5n84nSg
• Facebookfacebook.com/cyclingwithoutage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cycling-without-age
• Instagraminstagram.com/cyclingwithoutage

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cycling Without Age