In-Tandem East Lothian adds six new bikes to open up cycling from Musselburgh

An inclusive cycling club based in Musselburgh is getting more people out on two wheels. In-Tandem East Lothian has been able to buy six new bikes thanks to new funding, and is inviting people with disabilities and long-term health conditions to come and try them.

The money came from SEStran's People and Place Community Grant Fund. It paid for five standard tandems and one electric-assist model, along with cycling equipment and accessories that will help the club welcome a wider range of riders.

The club is a registered charity affiliated with Cycling UK. On each tandem, a trained pilot rides up front while a stoker, a rider living with a disability, rides at the rear. The club says tandem cycling is a practical and sociable way past the barriers many disabled people face in being active, with two riders sharing the effort and building confidence side by side. One rider has said joining helped them get back to a much-loved outdoor activity after sight loss and make new friends.

Group rides set off from Queen Margaret University twice a month, on routes tailored to different abilities that keep to cycle tracks and paths as much as possible. There is usually a cafe stop for tea, coffee and cake. Members join from East Lothian, Edinburgh and Midlothian. Adults aged 18 and over are welcome, and instead of a membership fee the club asks for a donation.

No previous tandem experience is needed, whether as a stoker or a pilot, and the club provides training for new pilots.

Club secretary Gillian McNeill credits the club with improving her physical fitness and wellbeing, as well as giving her more time with friends. She says she also gains a lot from sharing skills and supporting other members by riding up front.

The club is holding a free taster session at Queen Margaret University on Saturday 31 October, from noon to 2pm, where visitors can meet members and try the tandems on short rides around the campus.

To find out more, visit the club's Facebook page or email intandemel@gmail.com.