Umatilla’s FRC Team, Confidential, Builds an E-Bike for Gus
On Monday, May 23rd, Umatilla’s FRC Team, Confidential, delivered a very special gift to their friend, Gus. Gus is a child who is affected by Spina Bifida. He is confined to a wheelchair, which means he is limited to where he can travel and the activities he can do. He loves the outdoors and to help give him the chance to freely experience them, the robotics team built him a custom-created E-Bike.
The robotics team worked for over a year on their custom E-bike. They had a few setbacks with COVID-19, but they were finally able to deliver it to Gus this week. For the bike’s base they used a pedal trike because it sits close to the ground and gives him a more comfortable riding position. They used bicycle wheels and attached a motor to power the back wheel. Gus can control the motor with a screen that allows him to adjust the speed in three different gears. This makes it easier for him to drive in all types of terrain. It is equipped with lights, a tire repair kit, and a kill switch to keep him safe. They added a car seat and a plate for his feet to keep him secure while driving. The bike is adjustable for when he grows in height and a new chair can be replaced for when he outgrows the current one. Gus can also adjust the gears to go faster as he gets older.
The team's favorite part of the E-bike by far was being able to finally give the bike to Gus and see his and his parents' reaction. Team member, Meghan, said, “I really enjoyed seeing Gus's face when he saw the bike, I've never seen so much genuine excitement on a kid's face. It seemed like his new bike is going to be extremely helpful for him now and for the future. It didn't take him long to figure out the controls and once he got it he had a great time.” Team member, Brier, said, “my favorite part of the Baker trip was seeing the look on his parents face when they saw the bike, knowing that this opens up so many fun memories to come.” The team loved seeing Gus drive his new bike around and they are so excited to see pictures of him in the future traveling to new places outdoors.
The robotics team would like to give a special thanks to Cattle Drive Leather Company, The Lorence Family, and Evangeline Gifts for sponsoring Gus’s Bike and to Amazon Web Services for sponsoring their trip to Baker City to deliver the bike to Gus.