Any tandem riders out there?

[Brandy]

We just got our first tandem and we're so excited to get out there on her. We're planning to do a couple of the easier, early season double centuries on her and then maybe some other events down the road. We'll see. I'd also love to do a sub 5 hour century on the tandem...even if it's only 4:59.

For now I'm trying to get used to the idea of giving up control. It's so hard to ignore the instinct to steer from back there!

Here's a picture of the one that we got...

[Veronica]

Very nice! Enjoy the ride. I loved riding on the tandem, until I got a single and realized how folded up I was.

Our custom one is coming!

V.

[Veronica]

Hey, it's so light it floats!

V.

[mimitabby]

we have a heavier tandem.
It came second hand and cost a grand, and then we put another grand into it to fix stuff.
It is VERY hard to give up control. I haven't ridden it since early this spring so it will be like starting all over again when i finally do it.

Some people love it and some hate it. We have had some wonderful rides on ours.

[salsabike]

Love it. We have a '91 Burley Duet that we got for $350 at Recycled Cycles. If the captain follows the basic etiquette and is a smart rider, handing off that control is no big deal to me. We've put about 5000 miles on it in the three years we've had it. It's a blast.

Hey, Veronica, I've been meaning to ask---from whom did you order the coming custom tandem? We are thinking about getting a custom job in the next year or so.

[singletrackmind]

Mtb tandem and world's best stoker. Had it since May, we've got 1300 miles on it on road and trail. He asks me can we go riding.

Lately he tells me we need a road tandem so we can go faster on the road. That's my boy!

[Veronica]

Dave Bohm in AZ. But I don't know if he'll make anymore. He underestimated how much work it would be I think.

You can see some of his work here.

http://www.bohemianbicycles.com/

V.

[Brandy]

Cool...glad to see that there are others out there. We're really looking forward to spending some time on it!

Singletrack...thost pics are the best!!! Our kids have been VERY fascinated with the tandem and they've all taken their turn sitting on it, wishing they could ride.

[Esperuiz]

Hi Brandy,

I am captain for a tandem with a girl from the Spanish Blind Tandem Team. It is such a great experience!!!!!

It is not just cycling but also the relationship forged between the members of the tandem that makes it magic!!!

This is the link to my tandem blog. It is in Spanish but you can see some pictures of us. If you go to august's posts you can read about our experience at the Paracycling World Championships in Bourdeaux.

www.pedaleax2.blogspot.com

Ps: Brandy, I saw your blog. Congratulations!!! I am also a cycling mum. I do not have pictures in this computer but I'd like to show you how I train with my 5 year old daughter and the "trailgator". It's kinda tandem!!!! ;-)

[SheFly]

We're tandem folks too, and I love it! We started out at MTB tandemers, riding some pretty amazing singletrack. Becasue we kept breaking parts (numerous hubs, cassettes and chains), we transitioned to the road tandem, and now also have a second one specifically for time trials - now THERE'S a loss of control!

I can't say enough good things about the tandem! Communication is the key though - there have been days when things have gotten a little bit ugly, but we always work it out.

Enjoy, and welcome!

SheFly

[singletrackmind]

Cool...glad to see that there are others out there. We're really looking forward to spending some time on it!

Singletrack...thost pics are the best!!! Our kids have been VERY fascinated with the tandem and they've all taken their turn sitting on it, wishing they could ride.

We have another cheap trek tandem for my husband and another kid. Makes a huge difference in our riding because we can go for a 'real' ride and at a 'real' speed, too. No more 10 mile, 7mph rides and no more whining about riding, either. Other kid actually looks forward to it now.

I had trouble getting used to not steering too. It was easier for my husband to captain with a kid stoker than with me at first because I kept shifting weight like I would a single. I've gotten the hang now and we do good together, 'cept I never want to stop pedaling and he likes to coast on the downhills. We've got it worked out though, 'cause stoker's almost always right.

Bohemian are beautiful art. Lucky you, Veronica.

[Deanna]

My husband and I have been riding a Specialized mountain bike style tandem for years. We only took it off-road once and that was enough. It's heavy, but we've done a few centuries on it. We just got one of these for the stoker seat and I can't recommend it enough:

http://www.thudbuster.com/

If your roads are as bad as ours, you'll want it! The shocks from thuds and bumps seem to travel through the frame and right to the stokers seat post.

[Veronica]

Yep, I have the thudbuster also. There are not many bumps I feel with that and a Brooks saddle.

V.

[maillotpois]

No WAY. Pinarello makes a tandem??? (Am I reading that right????) Don't tell DH as he got his F4:14 or whatever the heck numbers a few months back - even though I was the first one to fall in love with the Onda fork - whatever.

Anyway - YES! We have a tandem. And here's the fun thing for you in a few years - get a "kidback" - like what Singletrack's pictures showed - and put your kids on it. (Of course the wisdom of putting a kidback on carbon is debatable. )

Anyway, while we have a tandem, we're both way too Type A to ride in the back so we've only ever ridden it with our daughter. Which has been super fun. So I have no insight to offer other than make the rides short and fun and plan to stop for ice cream. But that really probably doesn't apply to George as much as to my kid.

Nice to see you back around, Brandy!! Have fun on the tandem. Very cool!