Cycling Without Sight - The Tandem Project

Newbury Velo has several trained coaches and riders who specialise in providing accessible cycling opportunities. The Club owns five tandems specifically for those who cannot ride a bike without support (for example, blind or visually impaired people, those with additional educational requirements, or those with extra physical requirements).

Newbury Velo Cycling Club has purchased several tandems to form part of its vision of Cycling for All. Experienced tandem pilots allow the Club to offer the ability to ride to people of all ages and backgrounds who cannot ride a bicycle alone. The Club provides coaching sessions in a safe, traffic-free environment and rides on the open road with experienced pilots. Our race lead and former chair and secretary, Rachael Elliott, suffered a life-changing hemorrhagic stroke in 2018. Pre-stroke, she cycled and raced at a national level. Now, as well as learning to walk again, she races on the back of a tandem at an international level and has broken several national tandem records. Her experience has played a major part in the Club's development of its Tandem Project.

Newbury Velo's vision is to make cycling accessible to everyone, and part of that is to provide the ability for people who can't ride alone to experience the thrill and freedom of riding a bike. That is where our tandem project comes in.

For more information on cycling for those with additional needs, please email the coaching lead, Melanie Sneddon.