Editor\u2019s note: Tom Lindfors, who retired from the Star-Observer, contributed to this story in his capacity with St. Croix Economic Development Corporation.<\/p>\n
Limitless Cycling \u2014 now the signature program of River Valley Trails \u2014 has been recognized with the St. Croix Economic Development Corporation\u2019s inaugural 2025 County Impact Award for its positive impact on community health and connection.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo the St. Croix EDC, thank you for recognizing that belonging, mental health, and inclusion are economic issues, because thriving communities require connected people,\u201d said Matthew Stepaniak, Co-Founder\/Director of Limitless Cycling.<\/p>\n
His organization provides adaptive cycling and all-terrain Trackchair adventures to help older adults, veterans,and individuals with disabilities. He said that helping riders in his organization share their stories is central to his work, because it can help with social isolation in his community.<\/p>\n
\u201cStorytelling is healing \u2014 and we don\u2019t take that lightly,\u201d he added. \u201cOur pilots show up to listen, to engage, and to laugh at stories that may have been told a hundred times, as if they\u2019re hearing them for the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Stepaniak, bicycling is both the vehicle and the vision behind Limitless Cycling\u2019s mission: to improve the mental and physical health of seniors, veterans, and individuals with developmental disabilities and cognitive challenges who cannot ride independently by providing piloted experiences on adaptive bicycles and Trackchairs.<\/p>\n
Stepaniak is open about his for-profit roots. Trained as an architectural draftsman, he built his career managing in the automobile collision industry. \u201cI tended to take a very direct approach, focused on solving problems and moving things forward,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The death of his father in 2014, followed by caring for his mother after her stroke in 2018, reshaped his perspective and introduced him to the realities of caregiving.<\/p>\n
During her recovery, his mother, Nancy, expressed a desire to get back on a traditional bicycle. Matthew and his wife, Tawnya, supported the idea \u2014 they just needed to reimagine what that looked like with an adaptive bicycle.<\/p>\n
Matthew and Nancy\u2019s first ride on an adaptive vanRaam Fun2Go bicycle ultimately proved the concept that would become Limitless Cycling. \u201cWe didn\u2019t get very far because people kept stopping us and asking questions \u2014 \u2018What is this? Who are you? Do you do this for other people?\u2019\u201d Stepaniak said. \u201cWe realized very quickly that the need was much greater than my mom.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the same time, Darren Dobier, a longtime friend and collaborator, was operating DIRO Outdoors, a mobile outfitter bringing equipment like snowshoes, fat-tire bikes, paddleboards, and kayaks to locations such as Willow River State Park. As he observed more multigenerational groups, he recognized a gap \u2014 one where not everyone could participate \u2014 and began exploring more inclusive offerings. That mobile, meet-people-where-they-are approach would later help shape the foundation of Limitless Cycling.<\/p>\n
In 2019, Stepaniak and Dobier co-founded Limitless Cycling. Drawing from Dobier\u2019s mobile deployment model, they envisioned a program that would expand access beyond able-bodied riders \u2014 serving seniors, veterans, and individuals with mobility challenges.<\/p>\n
Limitless Cycling uses various configurations of electric-assist, three-wheeled bicycles manufactured by the Dutch company vanRaam. These bikes are specially adapted to meet riders\u2019 unique needs, with the pilot steering from the rear while passengers ride comfortably in front.<\/p>\n
They partnered with River Valley Trails, a 501\u00a9(3) focused on developing interconnected trails across the St. Croix River Valley while promoting education and community connection through cycling, serving as a fiscal sponsor and affiliating with Cycling Without Age to further advance their grassroots mission.<\/p>\n
Stepaniak and Dobier began collaborating with senior living facilities early on. \u201cBy meeting people where they are, we removed barriers like transportation, staffing coordination, and safety concerns,\u201d Stepaniak said. \u201cOnce those partnerships were established, participation followed naturally.\u201d<\/p>\n
From the outset, the focus was clear: restoring independence \u2014 even for a few minutes \u2014 can help combat loneliness and the mental health challenges that come with social isolation.<\/p>\n
\u201cA stroke, PTSD, dementia, or mobility limitations can quietly shrink someone\u2019s world from miles to hallways,\u201d Stepaniak explained. \u201cTrails they once walked become something they can only see through a window. When a rider says, \u2018I never thought I\u2019d be out here again,\u2019 you can see something return \u2014 confidence, dignity, connection.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite its growth, Limitless remains lean. Stepaniak relies on partnerships, data, and continuous feedback from riders and caregivers to guide decisions. \u201cWe can\u2019t fully understand our riders\u2019 experiences without inviting them into the conversation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
That feedback highlighted a key limitation: seasonality. \u201cOur name has \u2018limitless\u2019 in it, and all of a sudden, we were limited. Darren and I took that personally,\u201d Stepaniak recalled. In response, they began exploring ways to expand access year-round and reach individuals with more significant mobility challenges.<\/p>\n
With seven adaptive bicycles already in use, planning for Trackchairs\u00ae began in 2022. At approximately $22,000 each, the investment was significant. Supported by donors, grants, sponsorships, and fundraisers, the organization grew in 2024 to include four Trackchairs\u00ae, putting Limitless two years ahead of its capital projections.<\/p>\n
The impact has been clear. In 2025 alone, Limitless provided more than 800 rides \u2014 a 20% increase from the year before.<\/p>\n
Pilot-passenger relationships remain at the heart of the experience. \u201cAnyone can pedal a bike or walk alongside a Trackchair\u00ae, but not everyone can be a pilot,\u201d Stepaniak said. \u201cWe look for people who can see the world through someone else\u2019s eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Riders range in age from 5 to 105, representing a wide spectrum of physical and cognitive abilities.<\/p>\n
Ironically, for an organization built on cycling, slowness is fundamental to its success. \u201cWe listen first,\u201d Stepaniak said. \u201cOur pace, our tone, our presence \u2014 it all matters. We want every interaction to be meaningful, not remedial.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rides move at the pace of a brisk walk, allowing family members and caregivers to participate. Every experience is tailored to the rider\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe may only have five minutes together, but it means everything,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to honor that time with dignity and respect.\u201d<\/p>\n
Limitless also remains committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. \u201cDiversity enriches us, equity drives us, and inclusion strengthens us,\u201d Stepaniak said.<\/p>\n
He sees accessibility as foundational to community health. \u201cWhen we create access, we create connection. And when people feel seen and included, they belong.\u201d<\/p>\n
Recent economic pressures have shifted funding priorities, with many grantors focusing on basic needs. Stepaniak acknowledges this reality. \u201cWhat we do matters, but we also understand that housing, food, and stability come first.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, Limitless continues to evolve.<\/p>\n
After seven years, demand for the program is beginning to approach \u2014 and in some cases exceed \u2014 what its current structure can support. The organization is now focused on investing in capacity while preserving its commitment to free services for those who cannot afford them.<\/p>\n
As funding becomes more competitive, Stepaniak is exploring equitable revenue streams, including a fee-for-service model designed to support sustainability without compromising access.<\/p>\n
One of the challenges in this transition is shifting perceptions around overhead. Stepaniak frames a potential 60\/40 program-to-overhead ratio as a strategic bridge \u2014 not the destination \u2014 allowing for investment in people, systems, and infrastructure before returning to a more traditional 80\/20 balance.<\/p>\n
He advocates for a broader understanding of nonprofit effectiveness \u2014 one that values long-term impact over short-term optics.<\/p>\n
\u201cNonprofits should be celebrated for creating opportunities for growth just as much as for-profit businesses,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we can offset overhead by charging those who can afford it \u2014 while keeping services accessible for those who cannot \u2014 that\u2019s the bigger picture. The real challenge is building a model where access and sustainability strengthen each other, not compete.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Editor\u2019s note: Tom Lindfors, who retired from the Star-Observer, contributed to this story in his capacity with St.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":716353,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[445],"tags":[49,48,635,44,82],"class_list":["post-716352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-cycling","tag-news","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/716352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=716352"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/716352\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/716353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=716352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=716352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=716352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}