Tandem Question

[fatbottomedgurl]

I know some of you ride tandems - maillotpois!

As if it is not enough to want a road bike, I am also interested in a tandem so I could go longer distances with my daughter. So, when you set one up for a kid in the back, can you still use it for two adults? How hard is it to switch?

And, does the man always take the front for "manly" reasons or can he be the stoker? I don't trust my husband in the front... for personal reasons (no its not lactose intolerance).

Also, is a flatbar more "stable" than one w/ drops?

[Veronica]

Sizing can be an issue if the woman is the captain. Most tandems have a larger compartment for the captain than for the stoker, even if the compartments are labeled as being the same size. Our tandem is a small/small for example. We're in the process of getting a custom tandem because the stoker compartment is too small for me. It's three inches shorter than my road bike! It will probably be easier to find a bike that fits both of you, with you in the captain's compartment, if you are comparable sizes. Thom is two inches taller than me, but we have the same inseam, so switching positions for us was pretty easy. There is no rule that says the man has to be in front.

V.

[maillotpois]

Oh my Goodness. So many of my favorite issues and questions.

Let's tackle the hard one first: I will not, under any circumstances, ride as stoker with my husband in front. You have not met him, but I assure you he is a lunatic. Sure, he has never crashed his bike (whereas I have many times). He rides motorcycles and has excellent handling skills. He is probably a better bike handler than I am. Never tell him I said this..... I simply cannot relinquish control to him. Period. He wants us to do this race that we do separately every year on the tandem. No WAY. We'd probably win, but it's not happening.

He recently conned his (little) sister into riding with him on the tandem. She claims to have had fun, though she delcined to do our upcoming 200k with him on the tandem. Wise woman.

I'm sure a lot of folks enjoy being stoker - I am just WAY too type A control freak to do it - for now at least. Maybe after I go blind.

Now on to the happier topics....

I wanted the tandem so I could ride with the PetitePois (as SK has dubbed her) and do longer rides, in traffic without worrying about her swerving into cars, etc. It works great. You can switch back and forth from grown up to kid - but depending on how old your child is and if you need a "kid back" changing can be time consuming.

This is the place to start for tandems and kids ideas: http://sheldonbrown.com/tandkids.html

How old is your child?

Do you have a bike with trailer set up now? This is a good place to start, but the tandem is much more stable and easy to maneuver.

Riding with kids is emotionally more challenging than riding by yourself. You need a "destination" that kids will want to get to (read Ice Cream Store) and constant patience along the way. Emily and I did 50 miles of the Cinderella metric century 2 years ago and it was a pretty amazing experience. She's done 50 milers with her dad in front as well. We're planning a metric for the end of the summer (CindySue's ride).

Riding a tandem with a kid always has to be fun. I will ride in the rain and cold by myself because I want and need to. Unless it is sunny and warm and there are bluebirds lighting on her shoulders, I will not ride with Em (yet). I do not want this to ever be something she does because she feels I am making her do it. If it is not fun, we stop. Simple as that. And I don't stop easily.

Having her own bento box is helpful, so she can help herself to a snack. She has a camelback of her own so she doesn't have to try to reach for a bottle. Make it fun and simple.

I still have not gotten her out of her underwear in bike shorts.

I don't think any bar is more stable than any other bar. It depends on who is holding the bars. We have road drop bars in front and sort of flattish bars in back - we can angle them up so PP can reach them better.

[maillotpois]

It took me so long to write my War and Peace, part deux, that V had already posted.

On the sizing/kid issue - with the kid back, the sizing can be alot more flexible. (Go to Sheldon Brown on this). We had our tandem custom made for Em/Me, but it will also fit Mike/Me with higher seatpost, crank shorteners or kidback (and a lot of valium).

[Veronica]

MP does your honey like to go fast down hill? Maybe I'd like riding a tandem with him.

V.

[maillotpois]

MP does your honey like to go fast down hill? Maybe I'd like riding a tandem with him.

V.

Super fast. And I like going fast - but I also like knowing I am in control. Don't mention it - he'll sucker you into doing Davis with him on the tandem...

[Veronica]

That could be fun! I really enjoy tandeming. It's the only way I ever get to blow by anybody. And secretly I have this great desire to be out front. Oh wait, now it's not a secret.

I need to do Davis on my own I think. Rebuild the confidence. Yes, you can ride 200 miles, you just can't climb 20,000 feet - yet.

V.

[maillotpois]

Yes, you can ride 200 miles, you just can't climb 20,000 feet - yet.

V.

Yet. You will.