Child on tandem for 40 miles

roubaixtuesday
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Re: Child on tandem for 40 miles

Post by roubaixtuesday »

BritishEagle wrote: 13 Mar 2023, 5:28pm
Loaded up for camping for the two of us the tandem became a bit wobbly especially when my daughter started to fidget.
That’s interesting and surprising; I’d have thought a loaded tandem would be relatively solid. That’s my main gripe with the Followme, even my Hewitt Cheviot Is wobbly with it.
There's a huge difference between tandems on flexibility, far more than between solos IMO.

For tagalongs, those that attach to the back of a rear rack are *much* better than those which clamp to a seatpost, indeed the Burley we used to have was nearly as good as a tandem. We used to hitch it to the tandem in fact, to make a triple.
Biospace
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Re: Child on tandem for 40 miles

Post by Biospace »

Hi BritishEagle, we moved from a tag-along type for our daughter to a tandem in 2020 and haven't had any problems whatsoever.

I was surprised by how easily our 7½yo took to the tandem, she had loved the tag-along but it was time for something better suited to her size and unlike her brother, did not want to go solo. I wouldn't attempt to go by train with two children with a tandem and luggage associated with camping, nor along a route which was all hills.

With kiddy-cranks (and wooden shims on the pedals for the first year, with toeclips) there hasn't been any problem with legs, lack of freewheeling or coordination. The only complaint after a long period in the saddle has the slightly narrower field of vision compared with the tag-along and from our son who doesn't appreciate being overtaken by two people freewheeling when he's still pedalling!

There are still no signs of her wishing to go solo for all our trips, although when we're off roads we're all on separate bikes.

Transport by car is crosswise on the towbar-mounted rack if the canoe is on the roof, with wheels and mudguards removed, otherwise on the roof.
Mr.Benton
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Re: Child on tandem for 40 miles

Post by Mr.Benton »

BritishEagle wrote: 13 Mar 2023, 5:28pm
Loaded up for camping for the two of us the tandem became a bit wobbly especially when my daughter started to fidget.
That’s interesting and surprising; I’d have thought a loaded tandem would be relatively solid. That’s my main gripe with the Followme, even my Hewitt Cheviot Is wobbly with it.
For clarity the fully loaded tandem was more stable than a solo with a tag along. But the fully loaded tandem was less stable than the unloaded tandem.
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Re: Child on tandem for 40 miles

Post by pq »

I've only skimmed this, so apologies if I repeat anything.

My son is reluctant to go cycling and grumbles constantly when we do. However one thing we've never had problems with is him having to pedal when I do becasue we're on a tandem. That's becasue the tandem has a kiddycrank conversion, which means that his cranks are substantially shorter than mine. While our cadence is identical at all times, the shorter cranks make him feel as though his cadence is lower than mine, even though I'm very much a spinner of low gears.

I did the kiddycrank thing becasue I couldn't source a childback tandem here in France. However it turned out to be a very good thing becasue he appreciates being high up and able to get a good view. So my experience is that a conversion is actually better than a purpose built tandem, and of course I can adjust the conversion as he grows.

On distance, my son would have no trouble physically doing 40 miles in a day, although the moaning would defeat us long before then. He wouldn't even break a sweat doing that distance over 4 days.
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pjclinch
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Re: Child on tandem for 40 miles

Post by pjclinch »

We used to have a Kiddyback Triplet Thorn Me'n'U2, sized for two progressively smaller stokers, and we used it to tour (second parent on a solo), and it worked well before they were big enough to ride their own bikes on tour. The having to pedal when the captain pedalled wasn't a problem, and in fact you get excellent feedback as to how much effort they're putting in and can "suggest" when a bit more is expected!

If I were looking now I think I'd get a Circe Helios for the job as it's far more adaptable with rider sizes, and can also be converted to a cargo bike when you don't have a stoker, see https://www.circecycles.com/products/helios/

IMHO biggest advantage of kids on the tandem over solos for everyone is you can guarantee everyone will be going at the same pace, on the same route and in the same direction.

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Jdsk
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Re: Child on tandem for 40 miles

Post by Jdsk »

pjclinch wrote: 17 Mar 2023, 10:35am ...
The having to pedal when the captain pedalled wasn't a problem, and in fact you get excellent feedback as to how much effort they're putting in and can "suggest" when a bit more is expected!
...
Yes. We shout "Turbo!".

: - )

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honesty
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Re: Child on tandem for 40 miles

Post by honesty »

Circe morpheus tandem has a freewheel on the secondary seat.
Mike Sales
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Re: Child on tandem for 40 miles

Post by Mike Sales »

Jdsk wrote: 17 Mar 2023, 10:46am
Yes. We shout "Turbo!".

: - )

Jonathan
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Re: Child on tandem for 40 miles

Post by Jdsk »

: - )

Jonathan
Mike Sales
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Re: Child on tandem for 40 miles

Post by Mike Sales »

He also remarked, that when they were overtaken by another bike, he could feel an extra effort from the small girl stoking, even when unbidden.
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pjclinch
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Re: Child on tandem for 40 miles

Post by pjclinch »

When I was getting nothing I'd sometimes take me feet off the pedals and the entire drive train would stop dead. They couldn't really pretend they'd been doing anything other than going through the motions when I did that. There is a real kick when they're going for it, and it's all remarkably sluggish when they don't!

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eileithyia
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Re: Child on tandem for 40 miles

Post by eileithyia »

Jdsk wrote: 17 Mar 2023, 10:46am
pjclinch wrote: 17 Mar 2023, 10:35am ...
The having to pedal when the captain pedalled wasn't a problem, and in fact you get excellent feedback as to how much effort they're putting in and can "suggest" when a bit more is expected!
...
Yes. We shout "Turbo!".

: - )

Jonathan

Ha ha ha, that's what I did when grinding up a climb... and just toward to the top when I needed a bit extra umph... used to ask my lad to power up the turbo charge.... his extra kick helped ease over the last bit of a climb on a tour of Scotland.
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eileithyia
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Re: Child on tandem for 40 miles

Post by eileithyia »

My son was on the rear of tandem from 3.5yrs, with kiddy cranks and framework built out of handlebars and broom handles so he had various hand positions.
He had no choice but to pedal, even a couple of times when he fell asleep because we were having a sllghtly longer due to not finding a suitable camp spot.
He could certainly manage more than 40 miles on the back of the tandem by the time he was 8, we always tried to keep it interesting, steam train visits, parks, ... anything he could look at and learn about...
Now he pays me back by dropping me....... you have been warned.....
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
BritishEagle
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Re: Child on tandem for 40 miles

Post by BritishEagle »

My main worry was the physiological impact on young joints peddling for 40 miles a day, never mind if they are ‘pushing’ or not.
But it seems like that might not be an issue.
pwa
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Re: Child on tandem for 40 miles

Post by pwa »

BritishEagle wrote: 28 Mar 2023, 8:06am My main worry was the physiological impact on young joints peddling for 40 miles a day, never mind if they are ‘pushing’ or not.
But it seems like that might not be an issue.
Frequent stops and the prize of a great pub meal in the evening kept our kids happy.
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