Sam Sampson and his son David Machin

A DISABLED father and son have found connection through cycling.

Pedal Power is a cycling club for people with both mental and physical disabilities, which runs from Finsbury Park and also from the Emirates Stadium.

Sam Sampson, 40, and his son David Machin, 19, have been coming to the club in Finsbury Park together for the best part of a year now.

“I started a long time ago in Pedal Power, I think it was about 2013,” said Mr Sampson, who was introduced to the group through college.

He added: “I come back because I’m with my son, and we can go peddling in the park together.”

David said: “I like cycling and I like seeing daddy.”

When the Tribune asked him what his favourite thing about coming to Pedal Power was outside of seeing his dad, he simply answered “McDonald’s,” which he gets to visit after each session.

Mr Sampson has cycled his whole life, and passed on his love of cycling to his son. David got a bike for his most recent birthday and his grandad takes him out on it, riding beside him in his mobility scooter.

“I can ride very, very fast with grandad. I’m like daddy,” he said.

Mr Sampson was injured after falling off his bike in 2003 and now rides a hand bike that he pedals using his hands. “I can’t ride all of the bikes because I can’t use my legs,” he said.

“I’ve always cycled. I used to go to my son’s house on my bike, bike with my friends, go shopping. But after I got injured I couldn’t do it anymore. I had a racer bike, and a folding bike, which was slower – I like fast bikes.”

Mr Sampson said he can get up to the same speeds with the hand bike that he could on his old racer bike.

He added: “[Coming here] is really good. It makes me feel happy, but sad as well.

“I miss my bike, I miss myself.”

Pedal Power is currently calling for donations. You can give money at www.pedalpowercc.org