The legally blind triathlete is one of Canberra's many sightless cyclists who takes to the road on a tandem bicycle with a sighted riding partner.

Elton Ivers, who often mans the front of the bike, said: ''You definitely have to talk to each other. You have to let the other person know about bumps in the road, or when you're going to stop.''

There is a good chance they will ride in the three-day, 450-kilometre Hartley Challenge, from Canberra to Charlotte Pass and back, at the end of this year - as long as it does not clash with Hou's plans to compete in the world paratriathlon championships.

''I took on cycling when I started to lose my sight,'' said Hou, 53. ''I was having trouble playing competition squash and in hockey I was having trouble trapping the ball.''

Hou and Ivers ride with Fit-Ability which matches riders with partners who have a disability, not necessarily blindness.

Rosemary Robinson from Fit-Ability (fitability.org.au) said one of the aims of the group was to stop people with disabilities avoiding physical activity.

She said the organisation was always looking for riders. Sometimes disabled cyclists had to miss out because there were not enough able-bodied volunteers. PHILLIP THOMSON