Most people do not have the opportunity to see racing wheelchairs up close, now here is your chance.

The frame of my racing chair costs about $3000. Then I add three carbon wheels (2 wheels in the back and one in the front) that are worth over $2000.

There are a lot of details that go into building racing wheelchairs. The slope of my wheels, the length and width of the frame and seat are adjusted just right for me.

The chair is built of aluminum and weighs about 13 pounds.

I use tubular tires that have 180 pounds of pressure inflated into them. To maintain my chair, my friends at Arrowsmith Bikes in Parksville and Nanaimo take excellent care of me.

There are push rings on the wheels that I use to move the chair forward. With fast hands, strength and endurance I can get to the finish line in good time (hopefully faster than my opponents!)

My race gloves protect my hands as well as provide grip so I can push efficiently. They are custom built by yours truly (with some help from fellow racers like Al Bergman and Clayton Gerein).

For steering I use the compensator which can be preset to the angle for whichever lane I have been assigned to race in. If I hit the right side I will go straight; left side and my chair will turn to the preset angle.