Not sure if this is in the right section, so please move if necessary.
We have fairly recently acquired a tandem cycle (due to a desire to keep together whilst cycling, as we are of differing speeds). On Wednesday we took the tandem for our first excursion of a decent length (12 miles to our allotment garden out on the flat, 16 miles returning via a hilly route) and whilst we coped fine on the outward journey we were both exhausted by the time we got home.
Most of our use of the tandem up until then had simply been the mile each way to town once a week. However we are both experienced solo cyclists, used to doing at least one 60mile ride per year on top of lots of regular short trips, and I especially was surprised at how tough I found the route which I normally would manage with no difficulty on a solo bike in the prevailing conditions (warm, dry, moderate winds). We had to climb one of the hills in bottom gear of 24 (for which I would not normally drop below middle chain ring on my solo bike, though the wife does normally use bottom gear for most steep hills).
We did do an hour's worth of digging and watering at the allotment whilst we were there, which probably did make a difference, but at the time we didn't feel too tired so elected for the hilly return.
From the research I've done online about tandems, I get the impression that average speeds can be expected to be much higher than for the same riders on solo bikes, so am wondering what we're doing wrong. Whilst we did average 14.6mph on our return journey, which is better than my stoker's usual average of about 12mph, it's worse than my own average of around 16mph, and we were both unusually exhausted in the process which makes me think we'd got something wrong in the technique.
The other question I'd have is whether there are any ways to overcome a stoker's fear of speed. My wife will not, on a solo bike, descend hills more rapidly than around 21mph even on a clear, wide, straight hill; the ability to stop required being her concern in this respect. For my part, I am confident that the tandem's brakes are more than up to the job.
Any advice for relative novices to tandem riding to improve their long distance competency, I'd be grateful for.
We have fairly recently acquired a tandem cycle (due to a desire to keep together whilst cycling, as we are of differing speeds). On Wednesday we took the tandem for our first excursion of a decent length (12 miles to our allotment garden out on the flat, 16 miles returning via a hilly route) and whilst we coped fine on the outward journey we were both exhausted by the time we got home.
Most of our use of the tandem up until then had simply been the mile each way to town once a week. However we are both experienced solo cyclists, used to doing at least one 60mile ride per year on top of lots of regular short trips, and I especially was surprised at how tough I found the route which I normally would manage with no difficulty on a solo bike in the prevailing conditions (warm, dry, moderate winds). We had to climb one of the hills in bottom gear of 24 (for which I would not normally drop below middle chain ring on my solo bike, though the wife does normally use bottom gear for most steep hills).
We did do an hour's worth of digging and watering at the allotment whilst we were there, which probably did make a difference, but at the time we didn't feel too tired so elected for the hilly return.
From the research I've done online about tandems, I get the impression that average speeds can be expected to be much higher than for the same riders on solo bikes, so am wondering what we're doing wrong. Whilst we did average 14.6mph on our return journey, which is better than my stoker's usual average of about 12mph, it's worse than my own average of around 16mph, and we were both unusually exhausted in the process which makes me think we'd got something wrong in the technique.
The other question I'd have is whether there are any ways to overcome a stoker's fear of speed. My wife will not, on a solo bike, descend hills more rapidly than around 21mph even on a clear, wide, straight hill; the ability to stop required being her concern in this respect. For my part, I am confident that the tandem's brakes are more than up to the job.
Any advice for relative novices to tandem riding to improve their long distance competency, I'd be grateful for.