handcycle

American  

[hand-sahy-kuhl] / ˈhændˌsaɪ kəl /

Also hand bike, or hand cycle

noun

1. a cycle, usually having three wheels, propelled by pushing pedals with the arms rather than the legs, especially one used by people who have impaired mobility.

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verb (used without object)

1. to travel or race using a handcycle.

Etymology

Origin of handcycle

First recorded in 1880–85; hand ( def. ) + cycle ( def. )

Example Sentences

Those outings got progressively harder and steeper until, in 2019, he tried something truly audacious: riding a modified handcycle up Mt.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 11, 2024

He’s had friends injured by moose in Kincaid, and he was badly bruised when he encountered a moose while using his handcycle in the park, he said.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 31, 2023

Initially, McManus planned to compete as a handcycle athlete.

From Washington Post • Oct. 29, 2022

If it’s warm out, I go in my handcycle, a bike you pedal with your hands.

From New York Times • Mar. 5, 2021

For the cycling section of the race, athletes may use a tandem bicycle, handcycle or bicycle, while a wheelchair may be used for the final 5km run to the finish line.

From BBC • Aug. 29, 2016