Merton Sports and Social Club for Visually Impaired People Archives

MSSC Tandem Cycling New Starting Location + March Events!

From now on, Merton Sports and Social Club for Visually Impaired People (MSSC)
Tandem cycle rides will start and finish from the car park of our new base

New base: Old Rutlishians’ Sports Ground, Poplar Road, Merton Park SW19 3JS.

Our new location is approximately within fifteen minutes’ walk of Morden Underground Station, Morden Road and Merton Park tram stops, South Merton Railway Station and several bus routes including the 80, 93, 118, 154, 157, 164, 293 and 470.

Please let us know if you would like to be met at a station, bus or tram stop and shown the route to Old Ruts, at least for the first time you come to the new venue.

You are welcome to try out a few activities before committing to becoming a member. The annual membership fee remains just £15 and provides third party insurance cover and access to all club activities.

To join MSSC, please contact our Membership Secretary who will be happy to provide you with a simple form to complete and details of how to pay your subscription.

Email: membership@mssc.org.uk.

Website: https://www.mssc.org.uk

Below are the links to sign up for rides in March.

Sunday 6 March 2022

https://forms.gle/KwRumnju7gTvuWdL9

Saturday 19 March 2022

https://forms.gle/q5NcNyjcwWdVAqv58

Contact:

MSSC Tandem Management Team

Email: tandemmanagement@mssc.org.uk

Considerable effort is made to secure enough pilots to ensure every stoker who registers has a place on a ride, which tends to require quite a bit of cajoling and chasing. Therefore if you find you no longer need a place, we would appreciate knowing as soon as possible, as that is potentially one less pilot we need to pin down, and your place could be offered to another stoker on the waiting list.

While we appreciate that some changes to your plans are unavoidable, we would ask that you check you are actually available before signing up for a ride and let us know immediately if you can no longer attend. It is very frustrating, having gone to so much trouble to find pilots if we have to tell them they are no longer needed.

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Tandem Cycling With MSSC

Merton Sports and Social Club for Visually Impaired People (MSSC) has been organising tandem cycle rides for over thirty years from its base in Colliers Wood. The club has a fleet of tandem bicycles and pairs up sighted front riders with visually impaired back riders for regular outings. The rides are short and long to various destinations, and always include a stop at a café or a pub. Whether it be along quiet country lanes or following the Wandle trail, the atmosphere is convivial and enjoyed by all. It’s a great way to have fun and keep fit. New members are always welcome, regardless of ability or experience.

‘Have a Go” workshops

MSSC runs regular ‘Have a Go” workshops for anyone who is keen to learn how to ride a tandem, either as a back rider (stoker) or a front rider (pilot). Stokers can try riding a tandem with an experienced cyclist and practise their pedalling technique, while pilots can learn the basics of handling a tandem and how to interact and communicate with visually impaired stokers.

Following the training, the short rides held every third Saturday of the month are ideal to start with. No more than 25 miles, and following quiet routes as much as possible, these rides are very social and relaxed. On the first Sunday of the month, we pedal off on the longer ride, venturing further afield, covering around 40 or so miles, equally rewarding but a little harder work. During the spring and summer, we have a weekly evening ride and also run cycling weekends with an overnight stay.

MSSC’s next tandem training/confidence building workshop will be held on Saturday, 25th January 2020. The session is open to anyone keen to learn how to ride the front of a tandem and those who have already tried but would like to develop their skills and confidence further. Light refreshments will be provided.

Event Details

Where: At the rear of the Guardian Centre, 67 Clarendon Road SW19 2DX (about 10 minutes’ walk from Colliers Wood Underground Station)
When: Saturday, 25th January 2020 TIME: 10.00 to 13.00
Contact: Email: cycling@mssc.org.uk or Telephone: 07500 913 223

We need an idea of numbers, so please let us know if you plan to attend and if you would like sighted support from Colliers Wood Underground Station or a nearby bus stop.

If you would like to give tandem riding a go, but cannot make the workshop on 25th January, please get in touch and we can arrange an alternative training session.

For more information about MSSC and all its activities, visit the website at www.mssc.org.uk.

MSSC Tandem Section Email: cycling@mssc.org.uk