Tandems?

[Bethany1]

There doesn't seem to be any tandem shops nearby, or at least a Google search didn't provide any. It would have to be in Omaha, Lincoln or possibly as far as Kansas City. My LBS has a T900 coming in a few weeks and would probably give better instruction other than, "Sure. Take it outside and ride in the parking lot" without any instructions whatsoever.

This guy has a tandem for sale in Lincoln on Craigslist. I like that the top bar slopes down so I don't feel like I'm confined and it looks bigger.

[Kiwi Stoker]

Roo, look into a Co-motion Periscope tandem or a Bike Friday tandem. That is most likely to do the job for you.

[roo4]

Thanks, Kiwi Stoker, and my apologies to Bethany for the thread hijack.

[MojoGrrl]

There's a reason they call them "Divorce Makers"....actually, my (current) partner and I are great on our tandem. It has taught me to trust someone else and give up control for a change. Now, had my ex-husband and I gotten on one of those together, I have a feeling we would've killed each other (not just gotten a bitter divorce).

Also you can look here:

http://www.tandemmag.com/classified/

[zoom-zoom]

There's a reason they call them "Divorce Makers".

I am NOT a fan of our tandem, but that is in large part due to the view. I am nearly a full foot shorter than my husband and the rear cockpit is pretty short, so I end up with my nose in the small of his back. I cannot get comfortable on the thing and I can't see much at all...nothing at all in front of us. I end up sore all over from having to tilt my head back to keep my forehead off his back (I'm short, but long-torsoed). And I loathe having to give up control.

But we have our Co-Motion Perioscope Torpedo that we bought with our son in mind. He LOVES being on the back of that thing with his dad. The two of them have a blast "dropping mom." It's OK that I don't like it. We didn't really purchase it for me. DS just turned 11 and we've had the bike for about a year and a half. We figure that he'll get good use out of it for a few more years, until he can fit a solo road bike and drop his old parents.

[MojoGrrl]

I am NOT a fan of our tandem, but that is in large part due to the view. I am nearly a full foot shorter than my husband and the rear cockpit is pretty short, so I end up with my nose in the small of his back. I cannot get comfortable on the thing and I can't see much at all...nothing at all in front of us. I end up sore all over from having to tilt my head back to keep my forehead off his back (I'm short, but long-torsoed).

I have some of these problems too (although it's not quite as much of a tight squeeze as you describe)...but when we're on the tandem, I actually like just putting my head down, going on autopilot - I turn into a pedaling machine. Sometimes I look around a bit more, but I enjoy it being a sort of mindless workout too.

[zoom-zoom]

I have some of these problems too (although it's not quite as much of a tight squeeze as you describe)...but when we're on the tandem, I actually like just putting my head down, going on autopilot - I turn into a pedaling machine. Sometimes I look around a bit more, but I enjoy it being a sort of mindless workout too.

I wish I could do that. When I get bored I just want to stop. I do so much better when I have a landscape in front of me to pedal towards. Looking down at the ground gives me wicked vertigo, too.

[alimey]

We have a Trek 1000 which we love. My husband is 6' and I am 5' - it seems to fit very well & is nice & stiff. I would try to find a second hand one.. I've been told that a tandem 'speeds your relationship in the direction it was already going . . .'

It is up to the captain to never scare the stoker. There are a couple of things which mean couples cannot ride a tandem:

1. Irreconcilable cadence differences. Usually the guy is more experienced and has a higher cadence - if he can't/won't slow down and his partner can't/won't speed up then it won't work

2. Thoughtless/boorish captain: frightening stoker, not warning of bumps, direction change etc. will mean the stoker will eventually get off & refuse to get back on

3. Stoker unable to give up control/trust the captain

Apart from that a tandem is a wonderful addition to your cycling stable - it's an amazing feeling of teamwork, you stay together, you can talk, everyone is pleased to see you. Navigation is easier - I could go on. We love our tandem - we took it to NZ for our honeymoon!

[Bethany1]

I told DH if he didn't want a tandem since he had a bad experience, I'd just tie a rope to the back of my bike and to the front of his. He started laughing and said that wouldn't work.

I then told him we both have cell phones and bluetooth ear pieces then we wouldn't be stuck yelling back and forth.

I think my kids would have a blast riding a tandem.

[carolp]

My husband and I are on our third tandem. We now have a CoMotion Speedster and love it. If you are serious about tandem riding it might be worth traveling to a tandem shop, or writing to CoMotion about sizing.
That being said, tandem riding is a serious commitment. I am the stoker and I cede all control (or at least most of it) to the captain. We are about to do our sixth AIDS Lifecycle (550 miles-- SF to LA) on a tandem and I love that I can ride with my husband all day. if we were on singles I wouldn't see him all day.

[MojoGrrl]

I love that I can ride with my husband all day. if we were on singles I wouldn't see him all day.

Exactly! Same here. He's a much stronger/faster rider than me, so when we're not on the tandem, he (almost) always leaves me in the dust.

[malkin]

...I cede all control (or at least most of it) to the captain...

Nah...
The captain controls the bike, sure, but the stoker controls the captain.

[hulagirl]

There's a reason they call them "Divorce Makers"

LOL! My husband says this about tandems:

Tandems are Marriage Hammers. It will either forge it stronger or shatter it asunder!

And this is why we have a Big Dummy. I am live cargo.

If we had to get a tandem, I'd highly recommend the stoker gets a free wheel in the back though. That's a wonderful invention!

[Melalvai]

This is a helpful thread. I want to get a tandem for when my dad & I visit all 40 state parks in Missouri that have campgrounds. That's 2200 miles in 45 days. He's dubious, but it would be so much easier to stay together.

[Owlie]

DBF and I have been tossing around the idea of getting a tandem at some point. The conversation went:

Me: "It might be fun, but we might kill each other too."
Him: "No, it'd be fun. You pedal on the uphills, I pedal on the downhills!"
Me: "Let me think about that...No."