GM and Tech Students Team Up to Make Hand Cycles for Wounded Vets

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Fighting for our country, many of our military heroes come back with disabilities that change their lives. Chevrolet recognizes this and has, for the last several years, offered support to military men and women, and their families. This year was no different, as Chevy sponsored and worked along side Michigan Technological University students to better the lives of military members, specifically those who participate in competitive races despite their injuries. Check out how Chevy and Michigan Tech are making competition easier for injured military veterans in the GM News video above.

For years now, injured military members have participated in competitions, such as marathons and triathlons despite their physical difficulties. To do so, many vets make use of hand cycles. While these pieces of equipment make it easier for paraplegic individuals, amputees and otherwise disabled vets to race competitively, difficulties transporting the cycles, flaws in the designs and uncomfortable restrains have made them less than favorable to use.

That’s why senior mechanical engineering students at Michigan Tech stepped in under the project name Huskies Helping Heroes. Rather than leaving the hand-cycle design alone, students worked with Chevrolet engineers and school faculty members to come up with improvements to better the bikes. Recently, just prior to the 113th Army-Navy Game, Chevrolet and the students involved revealed their new hand cycle.

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The new hand cycle design features a strong steel construction to prevent flexing of the bike while it’s being used. The design also features adjustable seats, adjustable seat backs, more comfortable restraints and a pivoting fork-to-frame front wheel assembly which allows the wheel to fold in towards the seat for easier transport to and from events. These improvements will make it not only easier to use the hand cycles, but also make them stronger and more comfortable.

Following in the student’s footsteps, GM announced that they will be making ten prototype bikes for use by the Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans next year. Team members will be able to use the bikes in competitions, as well as a new Silverado HD provided by Chevy to transport the cycles. The Achilles Freedom Team has been supported by GM and the GM Military Discount since 2010.