Bury Tandem Club - Member Profiles

Alan F

My name is Alan and I'm a front rider for this club. I became a member because I enjoy riding tandems and anyway, it's an excuse to get up and ride on a Sunday morning!

I am a solo cyclist as well, but what I enjoy most about tandem riding is:

The pleasure of riding as a pair, rather than by myself

Good company.

The chance to share the pleasure I get from riding bikes.

Ben C

My name is Ben and I'm a front rider for Bury Tandem Club for the Visually Impaired. I moved to Greater Manchester after getting a job in this area. I've been cycling for years but it had tailed off. I needed to get fit again and to meet new people, so when I saw an advert in the local paper, asking for new front riders, I contacted the Tandem Club. I joined in early 2000.

I'd never been on a tandem before, so I was quite worried about it, but the existing members looked after me, answered my questions and away I went. I love it. Tandems are faster than normal bikes, on the flat and downhill and it's a great way for me to get to know the surrounding area and to get fit.

It's great fun - you get the chance to chat a bit on the tandem, most of the rides have challenging bits but aren't too hard and there's a real mix of standards, at both ends of the bikes. The other great thing about being on a tandem is that car drivers tend to give you a wide berth, so you don't have to worry so much about traffic.

I didn't join Bury Tandem Club 'out of the goodness of my heart'; I joined because I wanted to ride and meet more people. The fact that half the riders can't see doesn't make much difference when you're cruising at 20 or 25 mph, with the wind in your hair.

David B

My name is David and I'm a front rider for this club. Shortly after my dad lost his sight in a cycling accident in 2001, I saw an advert for Bury Tandem Club in my local bike shop. I decided to join for three reasons:

To get myself in shape, to help fellow bikers get out regularly, to encourage my dad to get back in the saddle.

What I enjoy most about tandem riding is:

The feeling of satisfaction at the end of a long hard ride.

The fresh air and spectacular Lancashire scenery.

Hot soup on a cold day.

David J

My name is David Jones and I am a front rider for this club. I joined to fill a void in my life after I left the Scout Association and it was a way of being involved within another voluntary organisation.

I particularly enjoy being out in the fresh air, getting exercise, meeting new riders both sighted and visually impaired, and enabling visually impaired members to get a sense of freedom, increased independence and a sense of achievement.

James W

Hi, my name's James, and I joined Bury Tandem Club as a front rider in 2005. I had known about the club for a year or so before I joined, since they ride out from a place very close to where I live, but I couldn't get involved at the time because of back trouble, which was keeping me off my own bike. I decided that when my back was sorted out and I was able to start riding again, I would join the club.

Why did I decide to join? Well, a number of reasons I guess. Firstly, I really enjoy cycling; it's by far the most enjoyable way of getting or keeping fit that I know of. I thought that if I joined the club, it would encourage me to keep cycling myself as well, especially in the winter months (I've always been a bit of a fair weather cyclist, but the club goes out all year round). I also thought that the club was doing something very worthwhile, and that it would be good to give up some of my time to help it.

One year or so in, I can say that I really have enjoyed being a tandem rider so far. It takes a bit of getting used to after a solo bike; but there are a lot of experienced people around to help; and you don't have to be a Tour de France level cyclist to do it - the club organisers are very good at matching up the stronger rear riders with the less strong front riders, and vice versa.

Getting up on a cold, wet Sunday morning in January to go cycling isn't always the most appealling option, but once you're out it's normally fine, and it means that I can enjoy a sausage and bacon barm at lunchtime without any of the usual guilty feelings!

John R

My name is John and I'm in my 30s. I've been blind since birth and have been a rear rider with Bury Tandem Club for over nine years. Tandem riding is great fun, but it's not just the physical challenge I enjoy - it's also the opportunity to meet people with whom I share a common interest.

Before I joined Bury Tandem Club, I had practically no experience of cycling at all and found some aspects of tandem riding such as keeping the bike balanced quite difficult to master. All members of the club were, however, extremely supportive and with their help I was able to iron out these minor problems.

Each Sunday, our rides range from 40 to 60 miles over sometimes quite challenging terrain, but when we're not struggling up a two-mile long steep hill or roaring downhill at 50 mph, my front rider and I have been known to have some pretty interesting conversations and before I know it, the ride's over!

Tandem riding is the only team sport in which I participate, but even though it can be quite harrowing at times - what with sore backsides, not to mention rain, wind and irate car drivers, I wouldn't give it up for anything.

Matthew H

My name is Matthew and I'm a front rider for this club. I joined because I wanted to support and be involved in an organisation that I consider really offers practical and tangible opportunities for people for whom life at times must be unimaginably hard.

What I enjoy most about being a member of this club is the sense that assistance has been given to people to enjoy what I take for granted. I enjoy experiencing the positive attitudes to life found in everyone connected with the club.

Peter R

My name is Peter. For most years since 1990 I have written the weekly reports for Bury Times. It is not possible for me to be a steerer, but I get pleasure from my involvement in other ways.

What I enjoy most about my work with this club is:

Getting to know members of the club

The annual dinner, the annual general meeting

Steve T

Hi, i`m Steve. I`m 6ft 4in, Scorpio, seeking....... Hold on, wrong website.... Start again. I love riding with the tandem club as a front rider. I`ve always been into cycling since an early age, mostly competitive stuff such as time trials, cyclo-cross, velo. I wanted to get away from my usual racing club stuff and just go back to what I loved most about cycling, riding in a group and having a good laugh along the way (time trials can become such a lonely business!!!!).

Bury Tandem club ticked all the right boxes for me. I admire everyone who is a part of B.T.C. We`re all small cogs in a big machine.

As well as cycling I love running. I find that the extra weight of the tandem and the rear rider is a great strength workout. You don`t realise that you are building strength because you get chatting along the way and forget about the pain!!

Bobby F

My name is Bobby and I'm a front rider for this club. I started to ride with the club to get out with others because i'd previously done most of my training on my own. I really enjoy riding tandem because of the the teamwork involved between the riders. Its a very different experience to riding solo.