Quito's Tandem Bike Club Helps Blind Riders Discover Freedom on Two Wheels
A Quito cycling club pairs blind riders with sighted volunteers on tandem bikes, opening up new adventures and a sense of freedom.
Every Sunday in Quito, Ecuador, a group called Ciegocleta takes to the streets on tandem bicycles. The name blends the Spanish words for 'blind' and 'bicycle,' and the mission is simple: let visually impaired riders experience the thrill of cycling with the help of sighted volunteers who steer.
Franklin Ochoa, 44, lost his eyesight 16 years ago. Since joining the club, he says he has taken on challenges he never imagined when he could see. He recently completed a 1,000-kilometre tandem ride across much of Ecuador. "When I arrive on a bike in a new city I feel like shedding tears of happiness," he said. "I love speed and I always tell my guide to let go of the brakes."
The club was founded 19 years ago by Miguel Ramos, a Quito resident who built his own tandem bikes to ride with his children during the city's weekly ciclopaseo, when streets are closed to cars. When one child couldn't join him one day, he invited a blind neighbour instead. That ride sparked a movement.
Today, Ciegocleta has 150 members, with around 30 turning up on any given Sunday. Before heading out, riders receive safety tips, and volunteers ride blindfolded on the back of a bike to understand what their partners experience.
Ximena Lozano, a 54-year-old psychologist born without sight, has been with the club for 14 years. She says it gives her a reason to be outdoors and to "experience freedom." Volunteer José Paéz joined after his father-in-law lost his sight and found the rides helped lift his depression. "At first it felt scary to lead a blind person on a bike," he admitted. "Keeping a tandem bike balanced and sustaining the rhythm is not as easy as when you use a regular bike."
Ecuador's government estimates around 56,000 people in the country are visually impaired. While employment opportunities have grown, inclusion in sports remains a work in progress. For Ochoa, the next goal is a ride from Ecuador to Mexico, a journey he plans with a partner he met through the club.