Rita: "You meet lots of people of different abilities in a club and you know you're going to be looked after - and given advanced coaching if that's what you want. My father-in-law is 83 and he's still going strong. We've also got a 60-year-old who regularly races at a competitive level. You're never too old to get cycling.

People who come here regularly on holidays are also welcome to become members.

I deal with the administrative side of things at the club, though I do go on the tandem with my husband. He's the cyclist, I'm not - so I'm at the back. He's in charge of steering and the brakes and if his legs go fast, then so do mine! But he's very good at sticking to my pace."

Ian: "We have a social and a competitive side to the club. We have turbo sessions, club runs and time trials on roads and hills - anything and everything that cycling clubs do.

We also encourage members to take the Go Ride course, which enables them to go into schools and teach cycling. It is hard work to get children going, but we hope the coaches will encourage them. Lots of children have bikes, but they're usually mountain bikes. So the club are going to purchase some smaller racing bikes so anyone who hasn't had a go at time trials can get involved.

Where's a nice place to go for a ride?
A nice ride would be to follow the No 8 Sustrans route, which starts two miles out of Tywyn and goes along country lanes to Bird Rock and through the little village of Llanegryn. It's about 10 miles, but it isn't very taxing. I know children who've done it, and it's a beautiful route.

There's also Coed y Brenin for mountain biking, a few tracks near Corris, some nice tracks in Abergynolwyn woods, Rhydyronen and a route from Llanegryn right over the hills to Dolgellau.

I moved here from the Midlands over 20 years ago and I didn't have any opportunities like this to go out cycling. I was amazed when a friend began to take me out a few years ago - I hadn't realised how many great cycle tracks there were round here."

Tywyn's seafront races