Only just seen this thread.
Mrs Dave was never really encouraged to do anything sporty as a kid, a family friend took her swimming, she's a million miles better at swimming than me. She also grew up in Devon, to say it's hilly is an understatement. Cycling never featured.
We met in college in 1989. I grew up on a bike. One day we loaned a couple of bikes from people and went for a ride. Within 50 yds she was sweating, red faced, struggling and fighting against it.
In the meantime she's ridden a bit, but not much, but she liked the idea of doing a bit of cycling. She bought a decent bike and started from there.
My two brothers have had tandems for years, I started saying about us going out on one of them, she agreed. We did better than that, we bought a second hand one on
ebay, the rest is well documented on this website.
What does it give?
It gives 2 people with vastly differing abilities the opportunity to do it together. We both enjoy the countryside, birdwatching, flower spotting, cake eating, seeing new towns and villages, exercise and spending time in each others company. That wouldn't be possible on solo bikes.
Having said that she's getting strong on a solo bike, just having done a 65 mile night ride for charity on Sat/Sun just gone. So a tandem also gives the weaker partner time in the saddle to improve their cycling ability.
As the stronger rider I never like to push it, making it hard for the other person would be counter productive.
It also gives others a lot too. We are forever getting waves, smiles, positive comments and good vibes from the people around us.
And flying down hill at 50mph takes some beating!
