Meet Edinburgh’s sight loss tandem group
An Edinburgh-based tandem group for blind and partially sighted people has shared more about how their cyclists enjoy the great outdoors.
VIE Velo are a group of cyclists who ride together on tandems- a sighted person riding in the pilot position at the front of the tandem, and a blind or partially sighted person as the stoker on the back of the bike.
Group member and stoker, Shona Black says, “The group started in 2018 from a small conversation in the RNIB Scotland café, and now it’s grown, and we have about 15 tandem bikes.
“The pilot does the gears and steering, and I just have to pedal and do the indicating. We often head to a café for cake, coffee, and more chat, before heading back.”
The group ride fortnightly, setting off from Saughton Park, with a variety of routes across Edinburgh, the Lothians, and Fife.
The members emphasize the social nature of the group- cyclists are there to chat and meet others, with the opportunities to switch up pilot and stoker partners so everyone can get to know each other.
Shona adds, “We have different ride lengths and difficulties so everyone can get involved, so don’t worry if you’re not up for doing 30 miles, we have shorter rides too.
“It’s a great opportunity to get outdoors and have some fun, and we welcome anyone with a visual impairment to come and give it a go!”
Watch the latest video about VIE VELO
Video description: Mike, Shona, and John, all speak to camera, wearing their bright pink cycling tops. As they describe the club, there is footage of the group getting ready for their next ride. First, many tandems are rolled out of a large shed, and various group members check the mechanics of their bikes. While Shona speaks, there is footage of her riding a tandem with her pilot, Nick. There is more footage of another pilot guiding Bilal, fitting him with a helmet and high vis jacket. While John speaks, there is footage of him speaking to other group members while they prepare the bikes. The final clips show the riders setting off in groups, and the final shot of John and his pilot riding off into the distance in Saughton Park, Edinburgh.
Find out more about VIE Velo or get involved at: www.cyclinguk.org/group/vie-velo
