Omg - I can't stop laughing.....

[Arch]

hmm,seems a bit wrong to me. What about if they lean?
I once saw a tandem going up the last climb at coed y brenin, they were hooning it up hill, i could hardly keep up with them. But when they got to the beginning of the end,i thought 'they're never going to go down there, are they', but yep, sure enough - they did. I was no way going down straight after them without giving them enough headstart to get all the way to the bottom - even from the top i could see they'd got stuck.
Bit like riding a horse - two brains both vying for control - recipe for disaster!

A good stoker, or even just a stoker who's not a regular cyclist will simply do the right thing, instinctively, unless they want to cause an accident. The right thing generally being to sit still, pedal when you're told, and stop pedalling when you're told.

I am not a good stoker, I fret and fuss and worry that the captain is going to hit things - I'm the proverbial back seat driver. I might trust the captain with my life in every circumstance, but on a tandem. We did try once, with my eyes closed, and it was better - like a horse with blinkers.

An interesting little psychological experiment we did was that as we pedalled, I put my hands against the captain's back on a slight hill and pushed slightly. He said it really felt like being pushed along, although if course relatively it wasn't helping at all.

 

[badkitty]

I'm back!
Alive and exhilarated! God that was fun....

Giggled most of the way home.Have never gone so fast with her on board. It did take me about a mile to work out that although she had her feet on the pedals, she wasn't actually pedalling, was just coasting and letting me do all the work as usual...little toad.

Once she started pedalling though, we took off like a rocket - bloody brilliant!

I'm addicted! She loved it too.Apart from the not bothering to pedal part, she's a natural stoker - no shifting about etc, just did what she does on the mtb seat-you'd think she'd been doing it all her life, bless her.

Am doing that again in the morning...


I took some photo's of where we commute, and some of the bike,which I'll put up on here later, and shove into my profile albums, just in case anyone's interested.

 

[Arch]

That is brilliant - the start of many happy rides.

When are you going on your first tour together?

And remember, if she can 'coast', so can you....

 

[badkitty]

That is brilliant - the start of many happy rides.

When are you going on your first tour together?

And remember, if she can 'coast', so can you....

Heh heh heh ...would I be a very bad mummy if I admitted that I did indeed, do exactly that just for a little way?.... I just wanted to see how far she could take us both..

Thanks so much Arch...I think this may only be the start of many brainless tandem questions coming your way...I apologise in advance.

 

[Arch]

Heh heh heh ...would I be a very bad mummy if I admitted that I did indeed, do exactly that just for a little way?.... I just wanted to see how far she could take us both..

Thanks so much Arch...I think this may only be the start of many brainless tandem questions coming your way...I apologise in advance.

Oh lord, and me a complete tandemophobe....

I know a bit about them, but I'm useless on one. Still, there are plenty of others who know plenty....

 

[phil_hg_uk]

I once rode on the back of a tandem in 1982, the rear handle bars were bolted onto the front seat post and when we got to a corner I am sure you can guess what I did ooopppssss

 

[badkitty]

i could do with something like this soon, can we have some pics of this tandem? is it quite old or do they still sell them new?

Here you go Tharg...a quick pic I took today - not very technical, I'm afraid, but it gives you the basic idea...




It's a few years old apparently...but in really good nick.They do still sell them new, but I didn't have to do research as I was given it...

 

[Bollo]

I've got a kiddieback Thorn tandem and they are the business multiplied by fun squared. Plus a bit.

Bolletta is hugely risk averse but has never had any problems with the tandem. The nippers are natural stokers because they don't try to boss the bike. As long as you let them know the rules (no feet out of pedals - if they come out, shout - two hands at all times) then its great. Even a kiddieback can get up to some impressive speeds down a hill.

 

[Joe24]

Id love a go on a tandem.
I had a go on a tandem mini bike, that was just stupid.
Someone i know that comes/came out on the club rides(bad back and now a new child means he hasnt been out for a while) said that when he gets his tandem sorted, me and him and going to do a club ride on one.
His back brake doesnt work, and he still hasnt got it sorted.
Would be a right laugh out on it though i think

 

[very-near]

hmm,seems a bit wrong to me. What about if they lean?
I once saw a tandem going up the last climb at coed y brenin, they were hooning it up hill, i could hardly keep up with them. But when they got to the beginning of the end,i thought 'they're never going to go down there, are they', but yep, sure enough - they did. I was no way going down straight after them without giving them enough headstart to get all the way to the bottom - even from the top i could see they'd got stuck.
Bit like riding a horse - two brains both vying for control - recipe for disaster!

I've never had the chance to ride a tandem, only seen them on the road being ridden.

I have however taken countless dozens of people on the back of my m/cycle over the years though, and when they start to fight to try to straighten the bike up when you are leaning into a corner, it is fairly off putting to say the least (they only do it once with me though )

as Arch says, sit there like a sack of spuds is the best way to help the pilot steer the course.

 

[bonj2]

good idea for you Joe: convert a tandem into a fixie. Then if the front person decides to go down a hill, and the back person has GOT to spin at that speed, and if they don't want to, tough.

 

[Tharg2007]

Here you go Tharg...a quick pic I took today - not very technical, I'm afraid, but it gives you the basic idea...




It's a few years old apparently...but in really good nick.They do still sell them new, but I didn't have to do research as I was given it...

That looks fantastic!! looks dinky , i bet its good fun

 

[Joe24]

good idea for you Joe: convert a tandem into a fixie. Then if the front person decides to go down a hill, and the back person has GOT to spin at that speed, and if they don't want to, tough.

I told my mate to do that, told him to turn it into a fixed, no need for a back brake then.
He wasnt too keen
Would be amazing fun, good test to see who can spin the fastest, if one cant spin as fast and the other is going for it
If someone feels like donating me a tandem frame and fixed back wheel though.................

 

[2Loose]

Fixie tandem? Downa hill and the stoker tries to lock hisher knees straight and the rear slides because the driver(?) can't overcome the locked legs of the stoker?

Nah, either a bad idea or you and proposed stoker are MENTAL Joe!

 

[Joe24]

Fixie tandem? Downa hill and the stoker tries to lock hisher knees straight and the rear slides because the driver(?) can't overcome the locked legs of the stoker?

Nah, either a bad idea or you and proposed stoker are MENTAL Joe!

Nah, they have fixed tandems on the track dont they?
Would only ride fast with someone i could trust though that i know wouldnt just lock their legs, or try and stop peddling.