RAGBRAI in a wheelchair on a longboard? Erik Kondo says no problem.

GARNER, Ia. — Riding a longboard while in a wheelchair, Erik Kondo stands out among cyclists on the route of the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa.

He sits, strapped in the chair, and wheelies up onto the longboard which is outfitted with a battery powered motor and bars to hold the wheelchair wheels in place. The chair sits sideways on the board. Kondo shifts his weight, as a longboarder standing upright would, to turn. He controls the speed and brakes with a handheld radio transmitter.

The apparatus attracted shouts of support and amazement Tuesday in Garner as Kondo rode around the midway town on the way from Algona to Clear Lake.

Kondo, who works in real estate in Lexington, Mass., has only missed one RAGBRAI since 1999. Usually riding a hand bike, this is his first year on the longboard.

“I figured it’d be fun to mix it up,” he said.

Two battery packs allow him to go about 25 miles before needing a charge. His teammate is Mike Benge of Portsmouth, N.H., who rides on a hand bike. The two alternate who drives a van they rented, and Kondo sometimes rides the hand bike.

He wants to inspire others to not limit themselves by what they think is possible.

“You’ve got to practice,” he said. “And fall. And get better.”

Kondo also does martial arts, skiing, swimming and weightlifting.

“Of all my adaptive devices, this is the coolest,” he said.

A perk of the longboard, he said, is that he has his wheelchair with him and isn’t confined to staying reclined in a hand bike throughout the entire route, which comes in handy in pass-through towns.

Kondo has a Facebook page called Wheelchairboarding where he posts videos and updates.

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