Cycling UK Forum

Besides the things mentioned by others, my daughter likes me to tell her when I'm about to start pedalling again, after freewheeling. I try to remember to call, "pedalling!" to give her a little warning.

We got a tandem a little over three years ago and the first rides were very tentative affairs. What helped was that we had ridden tandems (hired and borrowed) a few times before and got to know a few of the things which could make life tricky - especially starting!
We also find that it's best not to have too many expectations, currently we pootle about on quiet lanes / bike trails enjoying the scenery and (most important) a selection of tried and trusted cafes!
My wife is visually impaired and the tandem experience has been fantastic for us meaning that we can go out together. I think the fact that she is visually impaired also means that she found trusting me to pilot the tandem was relatively easy from the start. She would also say that finding the right saddle and wearing the right clothes made a world of difference!
In sum, I would advise you to keep at it, find occasions to go out for gentle rides and remember to make it fun (Mind you, riding a tandem requires a sense of humour in the first place...)

Vorpal wrote:I don't have any experience with them, but http://www.tandeming.co.uk/ has been recommended to me.

+2 then

I have been on a couple of tandeming things with them, one was a day trip out from the shop, tandem training followed by a nice
ride out to a tea-shop over some varied terrain to allow for on road training with regard to hills etc.
The other was one of their holidays which was to the Loire with 6 other 'teams' and was absolutely fabulous, the sociability of a
tandem really comes into its own in a group, we had quizzes/crosswords and the like as we peddaled...

wc

We went for the trial weekend when they were based in North Wales.
They taught us the correct method of starting off (as mentioned in previous posts).
There were 5 couples on the weekend and we were lined up in order for the first attempt.
We were first to go off and it felt like I was in charge of a jackhammer. Everyone was killing themselves laughing and Pete was running alongside yelling "Relax, relax".
Once we got going we were fine and suspect you will too once you do the same.
Later on we went for a long ride and after struggling up a long incline we freewheeled down at an amazing speed.
Mrs.Copy was literally screaming in my ear "Slow down, slow down", as she was terrified.
I was a bit miffed at having to brake after all that uphill effort.

10 years on, we're fine (but I suspect she secretly applies the drag brake on the 1 in 5 downhills).

I should mention that one of the couples on the weekend had a dreadful time of it.
They were both very strong riders, competing individually in time trials, audaxes., etc.
The female absolutely hated it on the back as she felt she had no control whatsoever.

It really is all about trust.
So, go easy on her and I'm sure she'll end up loving it.

P.S. Although the basic idea is that you hopefully buy a tandem at the end of the weekend, there isn't any pressure and it's a great opportunity to try out different types and sizes. It helped us enormously and eventually we treated ourselves to a custom-built Longstaff for our silver wedding anniversary.

+3

It was Pete Bird that got us started in tandeming and we've had many enjoyable years since. That initial instruction made all the difference

Oh my, there is a lot to think about here, and thanks for all the comments everyone.
My experience of riding tandem goes back to the 70's. I had struck up a friendship with another chap in the YHA group we were in, pretty much all of us had bikes and went out on regular rides. Well Geoff had a tandem which he rebuilt and we regularly went out for rides on it. I found it rather fun being the stoker. I could sit up straight, arms crossed and look over the hedges as they flew past. We were well matched, about the same weight and strength, I soon learned to 'feel' the pedals and sense what Geoff wanted. I found it hilarious when someone shouted out "Can you ride tan-dem? " Oh how original, never heard that one before. Well Geoff soon had enough of this and was not adverse to hurling a string of different expletives back We also carried one of these cannister powered airhorns usually used in marine applications, saved it for blind motorists, must have made a few jump. He shouted out which way we were turning and I stuck out an arm. Do wonder what happened to Geoff; hope he's ok.

In the 80's I had borrowed a friends tandem a few times to take a girl out. This time I was the pilot. My stoker was a wee lass who did not ride but easily took to being on the back. Because she was light, we could start with both her feet in the clips and me holding the bike upright. When we came to traffic lights, she kept her feet in place. We had one funny episode when we rode into London and was close to the Albert Hall; the lights ahead changed to red, there was a car behind about to pull alongside. I put a foot down to take the weight, must have overstreached because I was suddenly hit with cramp in that leg. I dont know if I fell or jumped out of the saddle, but with a loud YEOWCH! there I was on my back on the pavement, both feet in the air. This driver was alongside, looking most shocked. How my stoker managed to hold the bike i don't know.

OK, coming up to today. My lady is a similar build and weight to myself, so I guess that we would have to push off with her having one foot on the ground. She does have her own bike, although we are very different kinds of cyclists. My normal speed is 'brisk', her's is 'sedate' and she is frightened by the speeds I go at. I find it difficult to ride at the sedate speed, ballance is difficult for me and when in busy traffic, I am concerned that we may be an obstruction to traffic.

As well as wanting a tandem, just because I have always wanted one; I also see it as a solution to how to ride together. I would not expect to reach the speeds that I am capable of and am happy to bring my expectations down to a middle ground. However, I suspect that because this first attempt went badly, I probably wont get another chance. But I will bring the subject up again.

fausto copy wrote:
I should mention that one of the couples on the weekend had a dreadful time of it.
They were both very strong riders, competing individually in time trials, audaxes., etc.
The female absolutely hated it on the back as she felt she had no control whatsoever.

Interesting. In my early cycling days we had loan of a tandem trike to the club, it was hilarious fun and various members would take it out and some good times were had.

However all my foundation cycling was as a solo and I really could not imagine spending day after day not being able to see the scenery or spend most of the time attempting to peer around pilot to see the scenery.

My early tandem experiences after this was time trialling, the beauty of this I only had to pedal and not look over my pilot's shoulder too often, just as well given a few close shaves we had!

My ex felt it would be a good idea to have a tandem whilst I was pregnant so he could take the strain on hills, how ever i certainly did not want this. On my solo I would find I could only go so far then would be unable to go into oxygen debt on hills, my fear was that he would insist on us continuing past the point which I could naturally cope with and I would not have sufficient control over the situation. So there it is that word 'control'

I must admit unless my situation changes, as a fit fairly accomplished female cyclist I coudl not imagine being a stoker for extended periods of cycling!

I guess there are differing categories of tandem riders;
1. Neither tried it before and not sure how each is going to react/work together, stoker not quite sure on their trust in their pilot.
2. Completely naive stoker who does not know any better and assumes competent solo cyclist can handle a tandem as a pilot.
3. Competent tandem pilot with newbie stoker who trusts pilot as they know the pilot is competent.
4. Experienced stoker and pilot who suddenly finds themselves being a stoker to someone who has never piloted a tandem (eeeek).
5. 2 experienced solo cyclists who decide to try tandeming and suddenly find they are outside their comfort zones as suddenly they realise they have to learn some new skills and it really isn't like just jumping on a long solo!

Somewhere in amongst hopefully the relationship continues to work and a new happy partnership emerges.

A friend for many years took his lady out on solos, she often joined other groups with female cyclists he continually hoped she would see how we coped with cycling and would learn pedalling techniques and generally improve.
She completely resisted any ability to improve somehow and latterly wanted to try a tandem, he kept resisting fearing he would do all the work. Finally he relented and we discussed this and felt it might actually help her learn pedalling techniques as she would have no choice but to pedal etc.
I believe their cycling partnership has improved as a result of this.

Judging by adverts I have seen over the years; Tandem 23/21 50 miles on clock, speaks volumes of a beautiful tandem relationship that failed.

So I guess it could go either way!

Good Luck

When I was a lad I had a dreadful old tandem, my pal and I would sometimes take it out on clubruns, and usually leave folk behind.
We were much the same size, and were in the habit of "changing ends" several times during a ride....after the cafe, waiting at the top of a hill, that sort of thing.
Years later I realised this is unusual.......

When my kids were small, I got another tandem. My elder daughter went on the tandem before she could ride a bike, and was then able to do either without difficulty. My younger daughter had learned to ride a bike before she went on the tandem, and she hated the lack of control to begin with. However, she got the hang of it, and enjoyed it. Happy days!

Try a tandem trike

Many years ago when my wife and I thought the idea of a tandem would be fun, just as there was an advert for a second hand Dawes Galaxy, 4 years old only ever done 50 miles, immaculate, half new price - not far away. Fate was concluded and the deal was done. The couple who were selling were bemused we wouldn't take it for a test ride - I was too scared I might crash it - so it got loaded up in my van, and as soon as we got home we tried our first ever tandem experience without a clue as to how these things work, or with any advice from anybody. I shall never forget those first 400 yards - wobbling, shrieking, panic, laughter, hysterics and finally sublime magic and the best summer ever!

Then, in about 1990, I saw a piece in a magazine about a tandem triking couple and their dog trailer, that set my mind into a spin with I WANTS (minus the dog and trailer). We found the telephone number of the couple in the article via Directory Enquiries and they kindly agreed to us visiting and talking triking over tea and cake at their house in Oxford. Afterwards we were both taken out for a short ride by the brave owner's captain. I was allowed to get on the front and to take it around a roundabout at no more than 3 MPH. I figured it was a doddle!

6 months later we were at George Longtaff's workshop to collect our very own custom made tandem trike. After the 3 hour drive back home to Wiltshire, we were gagging to try it out. The extreme joy at starting off and no balancing was a revelation. But as the lane outside our cottage started to camber, we felt very scared and worried the ditch was where our destiny lie. What had we bought? Was there something wrong with it? First ride totalled half a mile. Next day we managed 3 miles. The 3rd day we took it up a hill and loved it - but on the way back down with a bend and reverse camber at the end - I ended up piloting us straight into the ditch!

But, everything worked out fine and dandy in the end with practice and increasing enjoyment. We overcame. We loved it. It made us stronger (especially riding in France on rural lanes with mega cambers - and having to stop in every village to chat about such an absurd machine)

And I'd like to add that joining the Tandem Club and always gagging for the next months cub run with the Bath and West Country section, and the pleasure of such a wonderful eclectic mix of like minded tandemists, was an all year round total joy.

Ah the delights of the tandem trike, the one we used to play around on often attracted requests from others on the clubrun to try it out, I well remember one lad trying to take me straight into a bank of nettles.
On another occasion my pilot and I were fair bombing along having really got the hang of it when we crested a hump back bridge and went straight into the unseen broken away tarmac/ditch on t'other side!

happy days indeed!

Alan, just because your partner is equal (or near)to your weight, should not prevent you from starting off in the correct manner.
If you mount the tandem first, hold the bike upright with the bars and keep both feet as far apart as possible to steady the bike (and with both brakes on), your lady, no matter what size, should then be able to bring the nearside pedal down to the bottom, stand on the pedal and mount the bike herself.
Once settled, she then brings the pedals around to your preferred starting position and when both ready, you mount the tandem using the weight on your starting pedal to set off.
You then mount the tandem saddle yourself and proceed, smoothly and sweetly along.
I've met couple with a 7 stone pilot and 15 stone stoker and they happily use this method.
Conversely, I've met 15 stone pilots and 7 stone stoker who use the basic "both mount at the same time and push off" method, and end up all over the road for about 30 metres before settling down.
It's really important to let the stoker know when you are about to change gear, so that they can ease off the pressure on the pedals, ready for a smooth change.
Communication is what it's all about and done successfully, will bring you a lot closer together, in all senses of the term.
Please presevere and let us know how you get on.

eileithyia wrote:Ah the delights of the tandem trike, the one we used to play around on often attracted requests from others on the clubrun to try it out, I well remember one lad trying to take me straight into a bank of nettles.
On another occasion my pilot and I were fair bombing along having really got the hang of it when we crested a hump back bridge and went straight into the unseen broken away tarmac/ditch on t'other side!

happy days indeed!

Alan, I would ignore the comments on the above post.
Try and make it a pleasurable experience; although eileithyia seems to enjoy a bit of pain by the sound of it.

No one has mentioned it and not meaning to offend anyone (as Moulton owner myself), that is a seriously unusual tandem and I can imagine balancing it might be a little tricky. I would get used to tandeming on a "normal" tandem if I were you. We borrowed an old pre-war one before buying our Peugeot (which is not noticably flexible BTW) and it only took us a couple of minutes to learn to ride and has given 31 years of pleasure so far. If you want to come down to Poole I'm sure Mrs MWS could teach your other half the art of stoking.

Agree re above and with tandem experience folk - it can help to have someone else 'facilitate' your first efforts - mrs ericonabike took more notice of what the tandem experience guy said than she would have done if it had been me giving the instructions...

Please persevere though - it's really just different, not difficult, and the resulting experience adds a lot to cycling's already bountiful pleasures!

My brother and I used to regularly ride local errands on an old tandem, and a few times had friends "take the back seat".
The wobbling thing when setting off was usually the rear gunner trying to balance the bike at odds with the pilot, and could set up a huge oscillation One tip that worked well was to get the stoker to hold their seat back instead of the handlebars when setting off. Ask them if possible to let the whole thing move under them from the hips, like a slalom skier. Demonstrate by rocking gently from side to side at a standstill until they let go the spinal rigidity.

Oh yes, imagine sibling arguments taken onto a tandem.... and we didn't have a long enough cable for the 3-speed so the lever was on the rear frame.