Sofa to Saddle

Description

The Sofa to Saddle course is a community cycling initiative developed by Fingal County Council to support adults in regaining cycling confidence after a period of inactivity. This program is part of Fingal’s broader Active Travel Strategy, which aims to encourage sustainable, health-promoting, and inclusive modes of transport across the county.

The Sofa to Saddle course is designed to assist adults who may not have cycled for years, providing them with the skills and confidence needed to return to cycling. Recognising that resuming cycling can be challenging, the course offers structured support to help participants overcome apprehensions and develop safe cycling skills. This initiative is part of Fingal County Council’s efforts to promote active travel among residents of all ages and abilities.

The programme opens up an independent form of transport for participants, giving them a sense of freedom to go wherever their bike can take them.

The project provides a relaxed, supportive environment where participants can:

Relearn or develop essential cycling skills, including balance, braking, gearing, and bike control.

Build confidence through structured, progressive sessions.

Practice in safe, accessible locations off road initially, but advancing to live roads with real traffic interactions

Connect socially with peers in a group

The course is tailored for adults over 55 and is led by qualified instructors who adapt sessions to suit various ability levels. Each week focuses on different aspects of cycling, gradually preparing participants to cycle independently and safely.

Participants can avail of bikes from Fingal for the duration of the course and are encouraged to purchase their own bike on completion. The groups have become a social outlet for Participants, where they meet up for weekly cycles.

The Sofa to Saddle course exemplifies Fingal County Council’s commitment to creating a supportive environment for active travel, ensuring that residents have the resources and confidence to choose cycling as a viable and enjoyable mode of transportation

Aim of Initiative

The aim of Fingal County Council’s “Sofa to Saddle” course is to help adults over the age of 55 learn or relearn how to cycle, building their confidence and skills on two wheels in a safe and supportive environment.

This six-week programme is particularly designed for those who may have never cycled before or who haven’t been on a bike in many years. It focuses on essential cycling skills such as balance, bike control, gearing, and braking, all taught in a relaxed and friendly setting.

The overall aim of the programme is to create an independent form of transportation for participants and open up Active Travel to a wider demographic, by breaking down barriers that may be present

Who is it aimed at

The Initiative is aimed at older adults who have some previous experience of cycling during their life, we have had participants who have never cycled take part and learn to cycle independently.

3 Steps critical to success

1. Define a clear set of goals for the Programme and it’s participants, these needed to be tailored to each individual participant.
2. Have a fleet of course bikes available for participants to use during the course to remove barriers to participation.
3. Create sustainable pathways for participants to maintain progress on completion of the initial course. This has developed through our weekly group cycles that former participants take part in

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Identifying suitable locations for the course that has access to open space, public transport connections and public amenities
2. Breaking down initial barriers due to fear of cycling or lack of confidence
3. Tailoring a course for participants of very different abilities that kept the entire group engaged and challenged

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. Each participant develops the ability to independently cycle
2. Creation of a Cycling Community for the group. Post course, the various groups still arrange weekly meet ups for cycles
3. Several participants are undertaking Level 1 Cycling Coaching Qualifications to allow them become tutors on future groups