Introduction
Bonnie and I recently reached
the 10K mile mark in our tandem experience. It seems appropriate to use this arbitrary milestone to reflect and share some
of the things we have experienced and learned. We hope that this article will inspire others who have just begun their tandem
adventure as well as those who are considering the purchase of their first tandem.
Tandems are wonderful machines
because they can be used to combine time together with time on the bike. Both riders are equal partners even if their cycling
abilities are not equally matched. If both partners happen to be cyclists and share similar riding goals and styles, well,
it just doesn’t get any better than that.
A Short History
I am a competitive cyclist and
have been a serious road rider for sixteen years. Bonnie, who denies being competitive, has been a roadie for five years.
We have been married for twenty-four years.
Our entry into the world of tandems
began when we purchased a brand new Burley Rivazza from Tandems Ltd. (located in Birmingham, AL) in February 2003. It featured an aluminum
racing frame, steel fork, cantilever brakes, Shimano Ultegra triple cranks, Shimano Ultegra front derailleur, Shimano XTR
rear derailleur and cassette, Shimano Ultegra STI shifters, and forty-spoke-count tandem wheels. We later upgraded the wheels
to a Bontrager Race Lite Tandem wheelset, which are significantly more aerodynamic.
Bonnie had not previously ridden
on a tandem for any significant distance. However, I had previous experience as a Stoker (about 2K miles) and had previously
been the Captain of a tandem for approximately 1K miles. While this experience was helpful, it still required about 200 miles
of riding together before we felt as though we were in tune with one another. We quickly learned that the articles we had
read and the advice we were given were all true – Communication is the key!
About Tandem
Teams
It takes a lot of practice to
become a “well oiled” tandem team, but the rewards are fantastically worth the time and effort. Additionally, both partners
must be willing to assume their respective roles (Captain and Stoker); however, neither role is superior or inferior to the
other.
Very few things of value come
easy, and entry to the world of tandeming is certainly no exception. The decision to buy a tandem and which bike to buy are
two of many challenges to overcome on your journey to tandem bliss. You should understand that more than a few of the miles
on your journey will be paved with bad asphalt. A couple that is well suited to tandem together will have many joyous experiences
and only a few bad ones. Conversely, we have seen evidence that the opposite is also true.
A Word about
Tandem Owners
Buying a tandem comes with a
free lifetime membership to an idiosyncratic subculture that is as strange to outsiders as Heavy Metal music is to those who
prefer to listen to Big Band. Do not misunderstand; if you actively enter the tandem community and attend events, you will
meet many very nice people. Nevertheless, “tandem land” is indeed idiosyncratic. Some purchase their petroleum-powered vehicles
with the primary concern being that it will safely house their bike. There are tandems that are custom painted, polished,
and otherwise pimped to the point that it is a good idea to ask permission before standing too close for fear of wrath from
the owner (who is never very far away). These bikes have “Do Not Touch” signs all around them. They are not physical signs,
but rather signs that you can “feel” as you enter the imaginary demarcation zone that defines the point that you are standing
too close. Not to worry, the owner will let you know.
Of course Bonnie and I are completely
normal and do not show any symptoms of phobias or other tandem related mental illness. We do take our 7.4 lb. toy poodle,
Chelsea, to rallies and bike festivals where she rides on the back inside her
homemade custom kennel. That is normal, right? Then, there is this glee that we cannot contain as we overtake and pass groups
of cyclists on half-bikes (singles) riding in pace lines while Chelsea watches them disappear from the backdoor of her kennel.
Nope, there are no abnormal behaviors in our little corner of tandem land.
In truth, cycling is a very satisfying
sport and excellent mode of transportation. If you are fortunate enough to be a part of more than one of its subcultures (e.g.
racing, road riding, mountain biking, cyclo-cross, track, tandem, etc.), you should consider yourself both fortunate and diverse.
Those who own less traditional bikes (e.g. tandems and recumbents) love to talk about their equipment and experiences. If
you are interested, there is much knowledge to be gained from talking to these people at rallies and festivals.
Our First
10K Miles
It is difficult to believe that
almost four years and over 10 thousand miles have passed since we first purchased our tandem. It seems like only yesterday
that we were becoming familiar with our bicycle-built-for-two. In the beginning, I announced everything: Shifting up, shifting
down, big chain ring, middle chain ring, coast, slowing, stopping, etc. We soon learned which communications were important
and dropped those that had no value.
We did reach a point after about
two years where communication became less than adequate. It was gradual, and therefore went mostly unnoticed until the day
that Bonnie demanded that I stop the bike. We were cruising down a Central Florida highway in February
when I exceeded her tolerance threshold for not announcing my intentions. “Stop the bike!” she yelled. I am sure if it had
a door I would have felt the concussion of it slamming before she stormed away. Analysis of the events leading up to this
incident revealed that my communication had digressed to an unacceptable level. We corrected the problem by going back to
the basics.
Bonnie quickly learned to anticipate
certain actions such as shifting. For group rides, especially when riding in close proximity at a fast pace, it is important
that the Stoker quickly detect and react to changes in the amount of pressure applied by the Captain to the pedals. If the
Stoker does not detect the Captain is applying less pressure to the pedals and continues to apply heavy pressure, potentially
a collision with the bike ahead can result. Similarly, if the Stoker readily detects changes, no sudden braking or acceleration
is required and no gaps form between bikes. This allows the pace line to remain smooth and organized.
Tandems require more frequent
maintenance than a single bike. This should not be a surprise because the load of two riders is placed on a single set of
wheels and tires. The chains must withstand the torque of two riders and the headset bearings are under more stress. Cables
are longer. Therefore, they stretch more when they are new causing more frequent derailleur adjustments. The frequency of
maintenance required makes it both useful and cost effective if one (or both) of the team can perform at least some of the
maintenance.
Our bike came with 28c tires.
At first, I thought it was necessary to run larger tires on a tandem. However, in the interest of making the bike faster,
we quickly discovered that 23c tires work very well and produce less rolling resistance. Bonnie likes the bike to be color
coordinated, so we installed purple Michelin Pro Race tires on both the front and rear. This tire worked very well on the
front (about 3,000 miles), but the rear reached its end-of-life after only 1,400 miles. After experimenting with several tires
and manufacturers, our tires of choice are a Michelin Pro2 Race on the front and a Continental GatorSkin on the rear (both
23c).
The advice we have for new tandem
teams is to communicate, anticipate, and compromise. Any on-going issues in any
of these areas places those miles in the “bad asphalt” category.
Even if you and/or your
partner are expert level cyclist, you should ride at least a few miles on quite roads (or an empty parking lot) to learn how
the bike handles. Even slight, seemingly harmless, movements by the Stoker can cause the bike to leave the road (or veer into
the road) if the movement happens at the wrong time. Learning these things is
all part of the experience.
After you are well practiced,
you can upgrade your bike to a carbon fiber frame and fork, ultra-light wheelset, double chainring (53/39), road bike
rear derailleur, and install an 11 – 21 cassette. Then, you and your partner can show up at your local club ride and
watch the big boys fall off your rear wheel like flies sprayed with bug killer. Of course, you could also perform this feat
with a touring bike if there is enough power in the engine room.
- David
