How Tom Wheeler’s hospital dream transformed adaptive mountain biking

Since first creating his brace, Wheeler’s design has received global attention.

“It became really super apparent early on that this stuff doesn’t exist. Almost instantly I’d got people reaching out going ‘I want what you’ve got’,” he said.

“So that’s kind of what I’ve been trying to aim to do. Just get people riding on adaptive set-ups all around the world.”

One of those is former Wales Para-athlete Morgan Jones.

After finishing fourth in the T47 100m track sprint at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast, Jones discovered mountain biking during the Covid pandemic.

Jones said: “I was getting into riding myself and starting to look for advice or support on how to get the most out of riding with one arm. This has transformed my riding.”

Jones uses a one of a kind hand, designed by Wheeler: “This integrates into my existing prosthetic and then gives me control on the (handle) bar that I didn’t have before.

“I currently have the title of top tester, which means I’m the most frequent crasher!”

Jones said the technology has transformed the way he rides.

“I feel so much more confident with it, able to keep up with my mates in a way that I never have before,” he added.

Meanwhile for Wheeler, 15 years on from the crash that changed his life, things are better than ever.

He said: “I still have to pinch myself. I can do stuff now I never thought would be possible.”