Jönköping University takes part - spreading research by tandem bike

During Spring 2025, a unique tandem bike tour is taking place in which researchers take turns cycling approximately fifty kilometres through different parts of Sweden in an innovative bid to spread knowledge about their research on ageing and health.

The bike tour is led by Oskar Jonsson, Associate Researcher in Active and Healthy Ageing at Lund University and the Centre for Ageing and Supportive Environments (CASE). External link, opens in new window.

The tour aims to make research more accessible and engaging to the public together with stakeholders, PhD students and local researchers.

JU researchers lectured in Jönköping and Holsbybrunn

The Tandem Tour is a new initiative where Oskar Jonsson is collaborating with research colleagues from other universities who are giving lectures at each stop.

On Sunday 11 May, it was time for the Tandem Tour to journey on from Ulricehamn to Jönköping County Museum. On the tandem bike was Sofi Fristedt, Associate Professor of Health and Care Sciences at the School of Health and Welfare, who is linked to CASE through a research group and collaborates with the centre on various research projects.

During Sunday’s lecture, Sofi spoke about the attitudes of different generations towards digital technology, that it often differs more from person to person than between generations, and about the importance of older people's participation and the review of technology use.

“Older people are more interested that the technology they use has a practical purpose and are less interested in all the gadgets and gizmos. If welfare technology is to be successful, primary users, such as older people and home care staff, must be included in both the selection and subsequent follow-up of the technology,” says Sofi Fristedt.

Important that research results reach others

Sofi saw the opportunity to participate in the Tandem Tour as a fun and innovative way to spread knowledge.

“I think this is a valuable and really fun concept. I like cycling and we need to find new ways to communicate research to the public, and at the same time this was good for the researchers’ health,” Sofi concludes.

On Monday, it was time for the Tandem Tour to move on to Holsbybrunn, where Ulli Samuelsson, Senior Lecturer in Education at the School of Education and Communication, was co-cyclist and presented a lecture entitled ‘Digitally cast out - from digital inclusion to digital exclusion’ at Ädelfors Folkhögskola.

“It was a very exciting set-up that provided both experience of the Småland landscape and an opportunity to talk about research in different formats.

Ulli believes that research and results must reach those beyond academia.

“It's important that those of us who conduct people-centred research share and discuss our research directly with those it affects. Combining this with tandem cycling, in my case fifty kilometres, gave us not only some attention but also some exercise,” she says.

Tour Schedule

The tour has been running since 4 May and ends in Lund on 27 May. In addition to Jönköping and Holsbybrunn, future stops will include Kalmar, Karlskrona, Ystad and Trelleborg. At each stop, there will be opportunities for the public to attend lectures and workshops, and to ask questions directly to the researchers.

Read more about the Tandem Tour on CASE's website. External link, opens in new window.