Tandem Cycling

Most people will have seen a tandem bicycle, a "double bike" which can be ridden by two persons. With such a bike it is possible for blind and visually impaired people cycle. If you sit at the rear of the tandem you don't need to steer – your role is “stoker”. The person in front of you is called the “pilot” – however, if you want to go anywhere quickly, you must both pedal!

Visually impaired athletes practice tandem cycling, whether it be for their own enjoyment, with their families or among friends. They cover different distances over a wide variety of terrains, in terms of billiness. Those who practice cycling as a sport participate in important classic races in which they can find themselves in the midst of hundreds of cyclist pedaling along flat sections or attacking mountainous stretches.

As with other sports in Irish Blind Sports, tandem cycling is not solely the preserve of the “elite” athlete, it is very much targeted at the person who simply enjoys the opportunity of feeling the breeze blow back their hair (for those who still have hair) as they cycle through the countryside on a summer’s day.

If you would like to learn more about what tandem cycling has to offer, as a cyclist or a volunteer, please contact us.

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Sister Brid with pilot, her brother Michael