Two adaptive cycling events organised by a community based partnership providing real mountain biking experiences for disabled riders are being organised in Mid Wales in April.

The weekend events on April 2 and 3 are the latest in the HandBikes @ Dawn series organised by Challenge Your Boundaries, an adaptive mountain biking project based in Coed y Brenin, near Dolgellau on the southern edge of the Snowdonia National Park.

A previous HandBike @ Dawn event saw handbikers travel to the summit of Cadair Idris. This year’s events coincide with the Visit Wales “Big Adventure” weekend.

On Saturday, April 2, the project is hosting a come-and-have-a-go adaptive cycling session based on the flat and forgiving Mawddach Trail out of Morfa Mawddach Station near Dolgellau.

The event will feature Challenge your Boundaries’ adaptive MTBs together with a selection of adaptive bikes, trikes, hand-cycles and wheelchair transporters. There will be at least two tandems and a tag-along trike available for visually impaired riders.

The project says that, with advance notice, pilots could be provided for these bikes if required. “We are keen to get as many riders involved as possible, primarily to encourage disabled people to consider outdoor activity as a viable and enjoyable option or simply to enjoy a new experience, but also to ensure that events like this can continue,” said Graham O’Hanlon from Challenge Your Boundaries.

On Sunday, the project is facilitating an off-road trail ride along the Ffordd Ddu from the Dysynni Valley over to Cregennen Lakes.

“This is a much more serious undertaking in remote country and is aimed at riders with some experience and equipment appropriate to an off-road environment,” said Graham.

“It’s a linear route, so riders will need a support driver to drop them at the start and pick them up at the finish. We have an off-road tandem available for a visually impaired rider and pilot.

“Additionally, we have two hand-cycles and a recumbent trike – suitable for riders with upper limb amputation or balance issues – available by prior arrangement. In order for us to make sure that the rider can safely operate the bike, we would want to spend some time with them on the Saturday ride.”

For more information about the events contact Graham and Jacky O’Hanlon on
Phone: 01341 430628 or visit the Facebook pages https://www.facebook.com/events/125482544499987/ and https://www.facebook.com/events/1556320524690038/