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