Lowell Taylor & Ed Veal

Obstacles & Opportunities

Tandem cycling duo Lowell Taylor & Ed Veal are here for our Father’s Day episode! You may recognize Lowell as, well, the co-host of this podcast. ;) Ed is his tandem cycling pilot… that means he rides on the front of the bike. As the blind athlete of the operation, Lowell is the stoker who rides on the back. They are fresh off of representing Canada at Road World Championships in Portugal, AND they’re two of the most amazing dads!

Ed started cycling later in life, and loves the thrill of racing. He has competed as an able-bodied athlete as well as a pilot for blind cyclists, and he’s got the medals and titles to prove it! Highlights include: World Hour Record Holder for his age group, National Hour Record, World Cup gold, and Pan-Am Bronze (2015) on the National Team Pursuit squad. In 2019, he broke the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest distance cycled in a 24-hour period for a virtual event! Ed is a cycling coach and lives in Hamilton, Ontario with his partner, Amanda. He has a 17yr old son named Evan.

Lowell—a registered psychologist and the father of our beautiful boys (ages 8 & 9)—is legally blind as the result of a degenerative genetic eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa. He basically has pinhole tunnel vision now, and is completely blind in low light. He also discovered sport—and specifically cycling—later in life, and believes that sport saved his life. He became involved with Cycling Canada in 2015, and has earned medals from both national and international competitions since. Highlights include earning two silver medals at the 2019 Para Pan Am Games in Peru and becoming the National Time Trial Champion in June 2019. In 2016, Lowell was the first blind contestant to be cast in the history of the Amazing Race Franchise. He competed with ME on season 4 of Amazing Race Canada. No spoilers here… you can go watch for yourself! haha

Lowell & Ed started cycling together in late 2019. They live across the country from one another, so training camps and team projects are how they get their time in together. Most cycling endeavors were cancelled because of the pandemic, but in January 2020, they broke the national record for the kilo at track world championships, and they just raced at Road World Championships in Portugal. They complement each other beautifully, and they’re only getting started!

Lowell & Ed share their individual stories, how they each got into cycling, and how their partnership on the tandem is so magical. They also detail their experience in Portugal, the intricacies of riding a tandem, and where they’re headed next! Ed’s partner Amanda—who is a teacher, photographer, artist, killer cyclist, and overall incredible human—has become a wonderful friend, so it was only natural that she join the conversation too. Enjoy!

Ed’s coaching website: http://www.realdealracing.ca/

Ed’s Instagram/Twitter: @realdealveal

Lowell (& Julie’s) Instagram/Twitter: @JulieLowellCAN

Amanda’s photography Insta: @amandasarahcherish