Fitability

Cycling opportunities for vision impaired Canberrans

What is Fitability?

Pedal Power’s Fitability tandem cycling program provides cycling opportunities to Canberrans with vision impairment or other disabilities. It brings the joy of riding to people who would not otherwise be able to cycle. 

The Fitability program is fully reliant on volunteers for all aspects of planning and running our activities.

Fitability tandem bike riders are either:

  • stokers – people with vision impairment or other disabilities who ride in the rear position; or

  • pilots – confident riders who sit in the front position and guide the stokers.

Piloting a tandem is not very different from riding a single bike. If you are a confident rider, we encourage you to give it a go!

If you are not able to ride independently due to vision loss or another disability, tandem riding could be for you. Our volunteers can help develop the skills and confidence you need, even if you have never ridden a bike before.

Whether you would like to ride as a pilot or a stoker you would be welcome to try out tandem cycling with us.  With a tandem bike, cycling is twice the fun!

Our Bikes

Fitability has a range of tandem bikes, for our cyclists. We match our riders with the type of bike that best suits the rider’s size, cycling experience and riding style.

Some of our riders bring their own tandem bikes along to our activities.  We also consider requests to loan our tandems so that Fitability participants can ride with friends or family members.

Events

Regular Rides

Tandem riders regularly join the following kinds of rides, depending on the interests and abilities of both the stoker and pilot:

  • Pedal Power social rides

  • cycling events such as the Big Canberra Bike Ride, Rotary Five Peaks, and Fitz’s Challenge

  • cycle racing with ACT Veterans or Vikings Cycling Club

  • triathlons: cycling, swimming and running (guiding is available)

  • private rides of their own choosing

“Come & Try” Events

Fitability holds regular ‘come and try tandem’ days where people can trial piloting a tandem bike!

Instruction on piloting as well as disability-specific information will be provided by experienced pilots and volunteers.

This is a great opportunity for people to turn up and see if riding tandem with someone who has a vision impairment or other disabilities is something they will enjoy.

Keep an eye on this page for details on the next event or contact Fitability on fitability.act@gmail.com

Before riding tandem as a pilot or stoker you are requested to complete the Tandem Rider Consent Form, acknowledging that you choose to take part in tandem riding and that you are aware of the risks.

Get Involved!

Become a tandem pilot

If you are a confident rider, why not try tandem piloting?

Fitability conducts training, which will allow you to safely and confidently ride with our stokers. You will begin riding with one of our more experienced riders. How often you volunteer your time to ride a tandem is up to you.

Become a tandem stoker

Whether you have never ridden before, or can no longer ride due to vision loss or another disability, you can try out riding on a tandem. An experienced pilot steers the bike and controls the gears and braking.

We will arrange an easy first ride with you in a safe location. We can answer all of your questions and practice basic tandem cycling skills. If you enjoy your first ride you can talk with your pilot about the kinds of rides available and how you would like to join in.

Other opportunities to support Fitability

In addition to people who volunteer as pilots and stokers, the Fitability program also requires other volunteers to:

  • coordinate rides

  • assist with maintaining our fleet of tandem bikes

  • set up and check bikes before rides

  • transport and store bikes.

  • fundraise and promote our fabulous activities.

Private use of Fitability tandem bikes

Our regular participants can access our tandem bikes to ride privately outside of organised Fitability rides.
We are able to loan out some tandem bikes, so that participants can ride more frequently.  Before loaning a bike, we will ensure that both the tandem pilot and stoker have received training so that they can ride confidently and safely together. People who would like to loan a bike are required to sign a bike loan agreement.

Rider Profiles

  • Hi. I was born with a condition that means I am blind.

    I went on my first tandem bike ride when I about 11 and I loved it. I got my own tandem for Christmas a few years ago and ride it with a friend, Dad or Grandfather regularly.

    The thing I most enjoy riding is feeling of the wind in my face as we speed down the hills and the worst part is going up the hills. It was fun overtaking the girls on their tandem on the way up Mount “Un-Pleasant” on my first long ride.

    Tandem riding is an activity where being vision impaired is not relevant. I would like to thank the Fitability team for supporting me and offering me such opportunities!

  • I’ve been involved with Fitability since 2006, mainly riding as a pilot and organising.

    I like community rides and races. I’ve ridden a tandem from Cairns to Melbourne, Gold Coast to Sydney and Canberra to Newcastle, all for different causes with different stokers.

    It’s been great to see a couple of my vision-impaired friends go all the way from their first tandem ride to winning medals at the Commonwealth Games.

    Riding a tandem is as easy or as challenging as you want it to be. It’s all about communication with your riding partner.

    Why not try it and see?

  • I first got into piloting because it seemed like a chance to use my powers of cycling for good instead of evil. Little did I know then that tandems would become a major part of my cycling life! Through them, I’ve had the chance to ride with elite para-cyclists as well as with people just looking to improve their fitness and experience the joy of cycling.

    With family and work my life is pretty full, but I still find time to pilot for current Australian champion Don Mankewich a few times a week. It’s what I’d be doing anyhow but this way I get to help out a talented vision-impaired athlete while I pursue my own training goals. Riding and racing with Don and (occasionally) with multiple Paralympic medallist Lindy Hou, hasn’t always been easy, but it’s certainly been an amazing journey.

    I’ve definitely improved as a cyclist and as a human being. In those moments when the big bike is humming and everything syncs between pilot and stoker, I sometimes feel that tandem racing has to be one of the best cycling experiences there is.

Donate or Sponsor

The Fitability program is financed by fundraising, sponsorship, donations and grants. It costs around $1000 per year to keep a tandem bike on the road and cover administrative costs.

From time to time bikes need to be replaced at an average cost of $7000. So that our stokers with a disability will always have access to roadworthy bikes, we appreciate donations to the Fitability program and sponsorship.

You can help Fitability by:

  • becoming a corporate or individual sponsor

  • supporting our fundraising efforts

  • making a donation

  • nominating Fitability for your Workplace Giving Program

We invite businesses, community organisations and individuals to become official sponsors of Fitability.

Your sponsorship allows Fitability to:

  • maintain regularly used tandems in safe working condition

  • purchase new tandem bikes

  • maintain a stock of spare parts for our bikes to include a range of saddles and handlebars to suit all our riders

  • cover the cost of insurances and administrative costs of the management of the Fitability program

Fitability is run entirely by volunteers so any assistance you provide will directly benefit our riders.
If you are able to contribute please contact Fitability at office@pedalpower.org.au

Contact Fitability

If you would like more information on Fitability, or would like to become a tandem pilot or stoker, contact fitability.act@gmail.com.