Vince's Parallax: Tandem Cycling and Blind People

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Seeing Possibilities

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Links last verified January 4th, 2009.

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[1] Introduction
[2] Blind Tandem Links
[6] My Other Pages
[7] Contact and My Stuff
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[1] Introduction

It really isn't wise to go cycling if you have a substantial visual impairment, unless, of course, you're off the road on something like a cycle track, or you can get hold of a tandem and get a sighted person to agree to steer it.

I wrote this page because I miss cycling solo, and wanted to find out the next best option. There isn't a huge amount of information on this yet, but there are some very encouraging developments going on.

[2] Blind Tandem Links

3 Ways to Compete in Tandem Cycling for the Blind - LIVESTRONG.COM - articles about Cycling.

50Cycles Electric Bikes - British firm, also exports to the USA and beyond. 50Cycles Blog Atom Feed RSS Feed

Action for Blind People Podcast: interview with Aileen Mcglynn, Team GB cyclist. Podcast feed - for reasons best known to themselves, AFB has provided podcast episodes as Flash controls.

All Ability Cycling - the Cyclists' Touring Club's services for people with "special needs", including those with disabilities.

American Foundation for the Blind - Tandem Bike Riding -

Articles about Tandem bicycles

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Manchester | Blind man on charity cycle ride

BBC Radio 4 - You and Yours - Tandems for the Blind

Bicycle Tutor - repair tutorials web on video. There is also a forum, chat and links pages.

Bike Forums - Tandem Cycling RSS Feed

Bike gives blind rider freedom

Bike Trail - cycle hire services in North Devon, convenient for the Tarka Trail; also offer cycles for people with special needs.

Bikelane - UK information on cycling

Bilenky ViewPoint Tandem - a semi-recumbent tandem where the stoker sits in front.

Blind & Crazy (or How to Tandem Mountain Bike) - "Chris is a keen, slightly lazy mountain biker. Logan is ex-Army, blind, and madder than a box of badgers. Both live in Christchurch, New Zealand, with their demanding wives and children. Together, they are climbing onto a tandem mountain bike and hitting the mud and hills in an effort to learn all there is to learn about tandem mountain biking."

Blind across the Moroccan desert on a tandem

Blind cyclist Aileen McGlynn gets New Year Honour from the Queen

Blind cyclist finishes solo bike race in South Africa - Hein Wagner completes 24-mile on-road cycle race.

Blind Cyclist Planning Lands End to John O Groats - ex-army Phill plans to ride on a single bike, not a tandem, to raise funds for St Dunstan's.

Blind cyclists enjoy tandem racing - how it works, and some USA organisations that help the process.

Blind Sport New Zealand Inc. - Track racing and road racing.

Blind Tandem

Blind Tandem Rider Seeks Assistance. News Posted: 26 January 2007 . A visually impaired cyclist ... Any potential pilot is asked to contact paulwest@britishcycling.org.uk.

British Cycling - cycling as a sport. Disability News

British Human Power Club - promotes the design and use of human powered vehicles (HPVs) on land, water and in the air. Much of the activity is actually around bicycle-like land vehicles. Newsletter available to members. Join here.

Buddy Bike - adapted so that the stoker can ride in front. Video

Bury Tandem Club - home page

Celebrated blind cyclist and mountain climber - Douglas Sidialo of Kenya was the first blind athlete to enter the gruelling Tour d'Afrique. Video

Co-Motion Cycles - Home - design and make many varieties of tandem.

CoBR (the Consortium of Bicycle Retailers)

Community of Cyclists - A social enterprise company able to organise Special Needs Roadshows to demonstrate the range of cycling possibilities.s.

Companion Cycling - for anyone who cannot cycle alone and needs a pilot. Based SW London.

Company of Cyclists - promotes cycling in all its forms. Works with organisations to organise events and services.

Copenhagen Cycle Chic - Streetstyle and Bike Advocacy in High Heels: Conquering Physical Challenges With the Bicycle - people with many disabilities can benefit from bikes.

Coventry VISTA - tandem cycling with the blind - also visit this report on the Blind Society's current funding difficulties.

CTC (Cyclists' Touring Club) Forum includes some discussions of non-standard cycles.

Cycle Campaign Network

Cycle Kent: Tandem Rides for the Blind

Cycle-n-Sleep - long-distance cycling in the UK

Cycle1st - web links on cycling

CycleCity Guides - produce many UK urban cycling maps and guides.

Cyclemaps - UK directory of Local Authority produced cycle maps on the web

Cyclemagic - Leicester-based community enterprise "Our projects include cycle training, bike maintenance classes, special needs & disabled cycling, bike recycling and events. ". Sell, hire and custom build many human-powered machines, Run activities for groups for fun and healthy exercise.

Cycleweb UK - links to many cycling topics

Cycling, a way of life! - includes some articles on disability and cycling. RSS Feed

Cycling Ireland Disability Cycling 2012 Programme

cyclingnews.com presents the US Track Championships 2002

DaVinci Tandems - one rider's experiences. From the blog Eurastus Travels Slowly.

Deaf-Blind Cycling Trio does the Pacific West

Disability Sport Cycling - Bike For All's resource list on sport cycling for people with disabilities.

[PDF] Disabled People and the National Cycle Network - Information about access to and use of national cycle routes established by Sustrans for people with disabilities; includes discussion on designing open access shared-use paths.

Doitforcharity - UK Events

Draisin - German manufacturer of spcial needs bikes.

DSM - Sustainability - Cycling with the Blind - Dutch company DSM sponsored a scheme to let some blind people be matched with sighted pilots forf tandem riding.

Gateway Wheelers - for disabled cyclists in the Chester-le-Street area, County Druham. Provide cycles, equipment and support.

Get into disability cycling - partr of the BBC cycling site.

Google Group rec.bicycles.tech includes some disussion of blind tandem stokers.

Greenways & Quiet Roads

Harris Cyclery Tandem Parts

Hawk Relay Sponsors Cycling Trek By Deaf-Blind Trio

How to Compete in Tandem Cycling for the Blind

IBSA - International Blind Sports Federation - Tandem Cycling

In-laws share the road as tandem bike riders -Ablind rt Jones and his brother-in-law Ivan Morgan are a great tandem team.

Jason Bryn The Law of Attraction - video shows 6ft 8in Jason cycling tandem

Jayne Parsons - blind tandem champion.

John and Pamela New England couple's trips and tips, FAQ page.

Karissa Whitsell - Wikipedia page tells the medals and other achievements of this blind cyclist. Paralympic gold has been added to these in 2008

Kinetics - Hase Pino - Recumbent/ Upright Tandem - the pilot sits at the back, the stoker at the front, and the tandem is designed to be shorter than the classic tandem, and can be disassembled easily for transportation. There is also a Race model which is lighter and stronger. Read the Treehugger review YouTube Video

Kingston Association for the Blind - Tandem Scheme ... Welcome to the Kingston Upon Thames Association for the Blind . Did you know?

Kwa-Zulu Natal Blind Tandem Cycling Assoc requires sponsorship

Leader Dog for the Blind Tandem Cycling Event, Stoney Creek Saturday June 21 - told from a sighted pilot's point of view.

Life Cycle UK - Bristol, UK, based. Offer cycle training, training in bike maintenance, maps and other literature, awareness-raising events, tandem rides for visually impaired cyclists. RSS Feed

London Cycling Campaign - useful and extensive site. They publish an All Abilities Guide, though this is currently being revised (Nov. 08).

London Recumbents - Information about their specialist section dealing with special needs cycling. Information on products, funding sources, events, and a newsletter.

London Sports Club for the Blind includes tandem riding and many other activities.

Magoo Debate Moves To UK

Man helps blind children go cycling - this video features Eric Miller, who has set up a foundation to buy tandems for blind children in the USA and elsewhere.

Matt Gilman - Blind bike Trials Rider - video on Youtube. Matt also has a MySpace page and a Facebook fan page.

Mike's tandem page - miscellany of links.

National Bike Week

National Byway - a 4,500-mile (7,240 km.) sign-posted cycling route round England and parts of Scotland and Wales.

National Capital Visually Impaired Sports Association provides tandem rides in Ottawa, Canada.

Ning Social Networks

Paralympic Cycling - the official site.

Primary Club Funds Blind Pedal Power - Newry and Mourne Watch Tandem Club, a Newry-based (Northern Ireland) tandem cycling group for blind and partially sighted people, is using its Primary Club grant to enhance its competitive edge....

Quad Tandem - Youtube Video. Yes, 4 riders in a row on one tandem.

Recumbent & Tandem Rider Magazine

Riders for Research

Riding across Canada - Andy, who has had cancer himself, and is legally blind, is to take on a tandem trek across Canada to raise money for kids with cancer.

Riding in tandem - Israeli blind and sighted bike riders teach each other a few things - ISRAEL21c

RNIB Tandem Cycling Club Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Robert Hoening - German manufacturuer of the Co-pilot and other specialised bikes.

Rochdale Cycling Club - Supports cycling for children in the area; information about their activities, events and support. Includes a section on their work for cyclists and potential cyclists with a range of special needs.

Ron Rodgers showed others how to live with blindness - tribute to one of the co-founders of Genesee County Blind Outdoor Leisure Development, which has tandem cycling as one of many activities.

Seeing The World Differently - Vitalise Launches New Holiday Brochure... include tandem cycling in Germany.

Side-by-side tandem bicycle YouTube video.

Special Needs Cycling Contacts

Sponser a blind ex-Welsh Guardsman - Clive is riding tandem from Buckingham Palace to the Falklands Memorial in Cardiff, starting mid-February, 2009 and arriving on St David's Day in Cardiff. He is raising funds for the Wales branch of the South Atlantic Medal Association.

Sports: Deaf-Blind Cycling Trio does the Pacific West " Tactile The World

Suite 101: Accessible recreation - accessible sports, games and travel. Articles RSS Feed

Tandem back to back - video of a tandem where the riders actually are back to back, i.e., facing in opposite directions.

Tandem bicycle: Definition from Answers.com

Tandem bicycle - Wikipedia

Tandem bicycling with Nancy Solari - Youtube video.

Tandem Bike Clubs Directory - world-wide contacts.

Tandem Bike Riding - American Foundation for the Blind

Tandem Bikes Blog RSS Feed

Tandem Club - United Kingdom - Club Shop. Also viist the Tandem Club Message Board

Tandem Club of America - Your source for everything tandem: Tandem rides, tandem classifed ads, tandem merchandise, Tandem information, tandem bui...

Tandem Club UK - Disabled & Visually Impaired Cyclists

Tandem Cycle - YouTube video with plenty of speech. Two gutsy cyclists have completed a three-week road trip around New Zealand on a unique tandem bike to highlight what disabled athletes are capable of. Rob Creagh is tetraplegic and uses hand pedals while John McPeak is partially blind and deaf.

Tandem cycling club for visually impaired inspired by Olympics - Tandem Cycling Club set up by Derbyshire Association for the Blind.

Tandem cycling when disability strikes

Tandem Israel - Bicycle Trips for Blind People. Also visit Riding Blind in the State of Israel Official Blog.

Tandem Pilot(s) Needed - visually impaired woman based South Oxfordshire seeks female pilot. Message dated 23rd December, 2008.

Tandem Pilots and Blind/Visually Impaired Riders Wanted - British Cycling disability Co-ordinator is offering to match pilots and blind stokers. Please contact Phil Godfrey at disability@britishcycling.org.uk or phone 0161 274 2021.

Tandems Open Road to Blind Cycling- includes examples of how to get started in America.

TandemsEast - New Jersey dealer in tandems and parts.

Ten Blind Bicyclists to Participate in Statewide Bike Trip - June 2007, the NFB in Missouri supported a tandem event along the Katy Trail.

The bicycle built for two - the story of a tandem donated to Vision Australia by the Lions Club.

The Chain Gang Cycle Tours Cycling Holidays & Gourmet Bike Tours in France & Italy. Fabulous Food & Wine. Blog RSS Feed - UK based. They say they've had a blind tandem rider on one of their tours, and will make every effort to get it sorted again.

The Tandem Book: The Complete Guide to Buying, Riding & Enjoying Bicycles Built for Two by Angel Rodriguez and Carla Black (Info.Net Publishing, 1997). Available in braille (BR 13835), cassette (RC 53213), and as an audio download (DB 53213) from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in the USA.

The Tandem Experience - tandem training and travel opportunities. Based Ironbridge Gorge, Shropshire, UK. Riders with disabilities are included.

The Tandem Experience - Activities includes facilities for disabled riders.

The Tandem Link - all kinds of tandem sites.

The Way Bobby Sees It (intro)--poisonoakproductions.com - trailer for a video about Bobby McMullen, who is blind, diabetic and has had several major operations. DVD available. Also visit Bobby McMullen-Blind Mountain Biker and Bobby McMullen to Host Screenings of "The Way Bobby Sees It" (Bay Area, Dec. 2008).

Tricycling for the isabled

Triple Tandem Bike Projecct showing how one was built. No speech.

Two Wheels cycling articles from guardian.co.uk RSS Feed

USABA - United States Association of Blind Athletes has a section for cyclists. They try to match blind would-be tandem cyclists with sighted pilots. They have also offered, in 2008, a Developmental Cycling Camp for Riders with disabilities

USABA and Velo Club La Grange form partnership - well-established Los Angeles cycling club provides sighted pilots for USABA (United States Association of Blind Athletes) tandem cyclists.

Varna Innovation & Research Corporation - Superior Handcycles - Canadian makers of the Diablo, siad to be the fastest bike in the world. UK distributor is Bromakin.

Velo Vision - A quarterly magazine covering specialised bikes, cycling as transport and human power, also offers guides to cycling for people with special needs, downloadable as PDF files.

VIPs feel the air on a Peak District tandem treat - Sheffield Visually Impaired Walking Group organised a very successful tandem ride to Ladybower, Derbyshire.

Visit Hebrides Audio Brochure includes an item on cycling. Also visit Cycle Hebrides

Visual impairment doesn't limit these bicycle riders - account of the 4th annual Tallahassee Tandem Ride for the Visually Impaired.

W A T C A C Western Australian Tandem Cycling Advisory Council - Integrating blind and vision-impaired cyclists into the mainstream

Wheels for All - Manchester-based project for anyone who cannot ride a bike solo, for whatever reason. They have all sorts of weird and wonderful equipment for you to try.

Wise Wheels - match up specialised cycling equipment with your requirements - children and disabled adults. Based Banbury, Oxfordshire.

Work to start on UK’s biggest outdoor disabled cycling centre - Wheels for All Project near Carlisle to build cycling facilities on former airfield.

[6] My Other Pages

The Off-Topic Pages

These are pages that arose out of other aspects of life, and have nothing to do with blindness. Although they're outside the main thrust of the site, they may be useful to someone in passing.