A Bristol cycling project which has spent the past 20 years helping blind, visually impaired and disabled people experience the freedom of cycling is celebrating a major milestone.
Life Cycle’s Two’s Company tandem programme has been pairing blind and visually impaired adults and disabled young people with sighted volunteer tandem pilots since 2006.
The programme allows people who might otherwise never have the opportunity to cycle independently to get out on two wheels, explore the countryside and enjoy the simple pleasure of a bike ride.
The 20th anniversary was marked with the official opening of a permanent home for the project’s fleet of tandem bikes. Riders, volunteers, trustees, staff and supporters gathered at the Create Centre in Bristol to celebrate two decades of cycling, friendship and adventure.
For people living with sight loss, cycling independently is often not possible. By pairing riders with experienced sighted pilots, Two’s Company provides a way to overcome that barrier while creating a social community around the rides.
And cycling is only part of the story.
Rides might involve exploring quiet country lanes, stopping for coffee or pizza or simply spending time with people who have become friends. For many participants, it is that sense of belonging which makes the project particularly valuable.
Steve, a visually impaired rider who joined Two’s Company in 2012, said the programme had opened the door to experiences he might otherwise have missed.
“It’s a chance to get out and get some physical exercise and the social interaction that comes with that. But there’s so much more to it than that.
“It’s the feeling of belonging to a supportive community of like-minded people. The sense of freedom you get on a bike. When I joined Two’s Company in 2012, that was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. It’s been the source of many opportunities and adventures.”
The programme also relies on volunteers, with tandem pilots playing a crucial role in making the rides possible.
Nick, who volunteers as a tandem pilot, said the project had introduced him to people he might never otherwise have met and led to lasting friendships.
The anniversary celebration included a ribbon cutting, anniversary cake, commemorative plaques recognising supporters who helped fund the project and tandem taster rides.
There was another important reason to celebrate, too.
The event marked the opening of a dedicated storage hub for the tandem fleet – a converted shipping container providing the project with secure, permanent storage for its specialist bikes.
For almost two decades, the project had operated without a permanent base for its tandems. The new facility will make it easier to maintain the bikes, organise rides and provide a more secure foundation for the programme as it enters its third decade.
Life Cycle CEO Ed Norton said the new hub had been made possible through the generosity of supporters who donated to the project.
“As Two’s Company enters its third decade, Life Cycle hopes more people will discover the programme – whether by becoming a volunteer, taking part as a rider, or supporting its mission to make cycling accessible to everyone,” he said.
After 20 years, Two’s Company has demonstrated that a bicycle can offer much more than a means of getting from A to B.
For its riders, volunteers and the wider community, the tandem has become a vehicle for independence, friendship, exercise and adventure – and the new permanent home means there is now a stronger base from which to continue the journey.
