Just bought a tandem

Should be a fun learning curve. Any advice?

 

"[Not Responding]" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Should be a fun learning curve. Any advice?

Read http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tandem.html Find somewhere quiet. Find a partner who starts on the
same foot as you /Really/ make sure you are in a low gear before starting Test your brakes. Wear
lots of padded clothing. Have fun.

E

 

Eddie Dubourg <[email protected]> wrote:
> "[Not Responding]" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Should be a fun learning curve. Any advice?
>
> Read http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tandem.html Find somewhere quiet. Find a partner who starts on
> the same foot as you /Really/ make sure you are in a low gear before starting Test your brakes.
> Wear lots of padded clothing. Have fun.
>
> E

There are a couple of things Sheldon says but are easy to miss - ride it as a single until you are
comfortable with the handling before you add the stoker and its much easier if the stronger/heavier
rider captains. Other than that Sheldon says it all.

Tony

http://www.raven-family.com

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" George
Bernard Shaw.

 

[Not Responding] deftly scribbled ;

> Should be a fun learning curve. Any advice?

Don't go two-up for the first ride, have a solo ride each first ... preferably somewhere quiet.

If you're going solo, it's the front seat you use ..

--
...................................Paul-xxx Seti 1382 wu in 9833 hours

 

Tony Raven <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Eddie Dubourg <[email protected]> wrote:
> > "[Not Responding]" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> >> Should be a fun learning curve. Any advice?
> >

If you habitually dismount a solo by swinging your leg over the back wheel do not do this on the
tandem. If you do like I did once you will deal a savage blow to your stoker helmet or not. She was
not impressed and I was mortified.

Once you get the hang of it look for a route that includes a long downhill straight. You will be
amazed at the speeds you will reach 50+ MPH.

Try a fully loaded touring holiday. Terrific! Avoid the C2C though as its a real pain humping a
loaded tandem over anti-motor trafic gates especially at the eastern end.

Get a good partnership going with your stoker. Let them do your arm signaling and rear view looking
(you might find a bar end mirror makes you feel more secure doing this.

When setting of your stoker should have their feet on the peddles while you suport the bike
one footed.

I could go on forever with little points like this but if I can help futher get back to me.

ENJOY

 

[email protected] schreef ...

> I could go on forever with little points like this but if I can help futher get back to me.

Let me add one if I may: yell something like "bump!" or "boink!" (the latter is what I use) when
approaching something like a bump or a hole in the road. Your stoker can't see these obstacles
coming, you know?

> ENJOY

I second that!

--
Regards, Marten

P.S.: if you want to polish your Dutch try www.tandemclub.nl

 

On Sat, 1 Feb 2003 13:49:40 +0000 (UTC), "bob watkinson" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>Get a good partnership going with your stoker. Let them do your arm signaling and rear view looking
>(you might find a bar end mirror makes you feel more secure doing this.

I call the turn and my stoker signals it.

You can get the stoker to navigate too, with a map in your back pocket.

>When setting of your stoker should have their feet on the peddles while you suport the bike
>one footed.
>
Mounting: Pilot gets on first and supports bike with both feet on the ground. Ensure feet are well
apart to avoid getting clouted as the stoker gets on and spins the pedals backwards.

Try your local tandem club. <http://www.tandem-club.org.uk/> has details.

Tim
--
fast and gripping, non pompous, glossy and credible.

 

"Marten Hoffmann" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [email protected] schreef ...
>
> > I could go on forever with little points like this but if I can help
futher
> > get back to me.
>
> Let me add one if I may: yell something like "bump!" or "boink!" (the latter is what I use) when
> approaching something like a bump or a hole in the road. Your stoker can't see these obstacles
> coming, you know?
>
I fitted a suspension seat post so Janet hardly feels bumps.

John

 

On Sat, 01 Feb 2003 11:11:26 +0000, "[Not Responding]" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Should be a fun learning curve. Any advice?

Repeat the mantra:

The stoker make No mistakes.

And never hop on your solo straight after a long tandem ride - you'll fall off

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

 

On Sat, 1 Feb 2003 13:36:09 -0000, "Paul - xxx" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Don't go two-up for the first ride, have a solo ride each first ... preferably somewhere quiet.

I didn't - I sat on the beast, the owner (Bob, my blind bike mechanic and wheelbuilder) sat on the
back and I did what he said

An experienced stoker speeds the learning curve.

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

 

On Sat, 1 Feb 2003 13:36:09 -0000, "Paul - xxx" <[email protected]> wrote:

>[Not Responding] deftly scribbled ;
>
>> Should be a fun learning curve. Any advice?
>
>Don't go two-up for the first ride, have a solo ride each first ... preferably somewhere quiet.
>
>If you're going solo, it's the front seat you use ..

indeed!

Well, yesterday I did a couple of laps of the garden solo - which was interesting; not much traction
on wet grass with no weight on the rear.

Then did a few of laps with wife as stoker - no problems (any comments about weight on the rear will
be reported). Very odd changing gears on a tandem; the mechs are so distant that you can't hear the
change. Or maybe my solo bike's gears are just more knackered and noisy.

If the weather stays perky today, I'll readjust the saddle and bars to fit my daughter[1] and we
might try a real ride.

Thanks for all the tips. Incidentally, is there anything bike related that Sheldon Brown *hasn't*
written a page about?

NR.

[1] Daisy - who has always felt it her destiny to ride a bicycle made for two.

 

Just zis Guy, you know? deftly scribbled ;

> On Sat, 1 Feb 2003 13:36:09 -0000, "Paul - xxx" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Don't go two-up for the first ride, have a solo ride each first ... preferably somewhere quiet.
>
> I didn't - I sat on the beast, the owner (Bob, my blind bike mechanic and wheelbuilder) sat on the
> back and I did what he said

First go I had on a tandem was with a friend who doesn't ride, or at least at the most once a month,
when I drag him out. It was terrible. When we switched places and I went to stoke it was better.
When we both went solo for a spin, then got back on, it was excellent.

> An experienced stoker speeds the learning curve.

Most certainly ..

--
...................................Paul-xxx Seti 1384 wu in 9847 hours

 

[email protected] schreef ...
> On Sat, 01 Feb 2003 11:11:26 +0000, "[Not Responding]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Should be a fun learning curve. Any advice?
>
> Repeat the mantra:
>
> The stoker make No mistakes.
>
> And never hop on your solo straight after a long tandem ride - you'll fall off

My beloved better half always has to adjust to riding her solo after a long ride in the back. All
this steering and gearshifting and watching where you go at the same time - most confusing ;-)

--
Regards, Marten

 

[email protected] schreef ...
>
> "Marten Hoffmann" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > [email protected] schreef ...
> >
> > > I could go on forever with little points like this but if I can help
> futher
> > > get back to me.
> >
> > Let me add one if I may: yell something like "bump!" or "boink!" (the latter is what I use) when
> > approaching something like a bump or a hole in the road. Your stoker can't see these obstacles
> > coming, you know?
> >
> I fitted a suspension seat post so Janet hardly feels bumps.

That certainly helps but the "surprise" is still there. BTW: my stoker used to have a USE XCR which
just smoothed out the roughest bumps. Recently we acquired the German Airwings
(www.airwings-systems.de) which is absolutely fabulous. What seatpost is your Janet on?

--
Regards, Marten

 

Marten Hoffmann <[email protected]> wrote
> [email protected] schreef ...

> > And never hop on your solo straight after a long tandem ride - you'll fall off
>
> My beloved better half always has to adjust to riding her solo after a long ride in the back. All
> this steering and gearshifting and watching where you go at the same time - most confusing ;-)

Ha! I'm actually slightly more experienced on a bike than my captain, my hubby. I don't find
shifting, braking, etc at all confusing, but I must admit that it's nice just to look at the scenery
while he's taking care of it all.

But Guy's right, that if you get on a solo after riding a tandem, it suddenly seems all wobbly, and
you think there's something wrong with your wheels or something.

Here are some tips from the stoker's point of view: definitely call out "bump" -- even with a
suspension seat post (which I highly recommend) larger bumps, if I'm not prepared for them, are
quite a shock and can almost knock my hands off the bars (on the tandem I have a very loose grip on
the bars). Similarly, call out "coasting". With us, as I'm (at least when not pregnant) as strong as
hubby at pedalling, if Simon doens't do this, his knees get a shock as I keep pedalling. Also call
out "shifting". If I pedal while he's shifting, the gears make nasty noises. I need to ease off to
make the shift smooth. Also, warning "braking" is good too, as my grip on the bars is generally so
loose that if he brakes suddenly I can smash into his back.

Definitely read Sheldon's tips about stopping and starting the tandem. They are exactly the way to
do it, at least they work perfectly for us.

Hubby and I didn't have any problems just getting on the tandem and riding, mainly because I'm such
an experienced cyclist. I really understand balance, so I can help keep the bike upright on the
straight, or help it lean over on sharp turns.

-Myra

 

Myra VanInwegen <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Similarly, call out "coasting". With us, as I'm (at least when not pregnant) as strong as hubby at
> pedalling, if Simon doens't do this, his knees get a shock as I keep pedalling. Also call out
> "shifting". If I pedal while he's shifting, the gears make nasty noises. I need to ease off to
> make the shift smooth. Also, warning "braking" is good too, as my grip on the bars is generally so
> loose that if he brakes suddenly I can smash into his back.
>

Although I agree with good communication I find with coasting and gear changing, provided you don't
suddenly stop pedalling you can communicate through the pedals. So rather than stop pedalling to
coast I will (as captain) provide some backforce (like slowing a fixed) against my stokers
pedalling. They immediately pick up the signal and ease off and within one turn we have stopped
pedalling. Likewise with changing just providing some slowing backforce is enough to make a good
gearchange (although maybe being so far away I don't hear how noisy they really are;-)

Tony

 

Tony Raven wrote:

>
> Although I agree with good communication I find with coasting and gear changing, provided you
> don't suddenly stop pedalling you can communicate through the pedals.

Having a psychic stoker helps, and having a very small and light one helps even more! I don't call
out anything much these days, even when MTBing (just the biggest bumps), and I don't get thumped too
often. But for beginners, I think Myra's advice is good.

James

 

On Sun, 02 Feb 2003 10:44:02 +0000, "[Not Responding]" <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Sat, 1 Feb 2003 13:36:09 -0000, "Paul - xxx" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>[Not Responding] deftly scribbled ;
>>
>>> Should be a fun learning curve. Any advice?
>>
>>Don't go two-up for the first ride, have a solo ride each first ... preferably somewhere quiet.
>>
>>If you're going solo, it's the front seat you use ..
>
> indeed!
>
>Well, yesterday I did a couple of laps of the garden solo - which was interesting; not much
>traction on wet grass with no weight on the rear.
>
>Then did a few of laps with wife as stoker - no problems (any comments about weight on the rear
>will be reported). Very odd changing gears on a tandem; the mechs are so distant that you can't
>hear the change. Or maybe my solo bike's gears are just more knackered and noisy.
>
>If the weather stays perky today, I'll readjust the saddle and bars to fit my daughter[1] and we
>might try a real ride.
>
>Thanks for all the tips. Incidentally, is there anything bike related that Sheldon Brown *hasn't*
>written a page about?
>
Has he got anything on tandem racing? If not here's an entertaining clip from an article by Dave Le
Grys on tandem racing at the '78 Commonwealth Games

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/stephenmcginty/page10.html

Not for the squeamish!

Cheers! Stephen www.scuonline.org/forum/ scottish cyclists talkin

 

Marten Hoffmann wrote:
> [email protected] schreef ...
>
>>On Sat, 01 Feb 2003 11:11:26 +0000, "[Not Responding]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Should be a fun learning curve. Any advice?
>>
>>Repeat the mantra:
>>
>>The stoker make No mistakes.
>>
>>And never hop on your solo straight after a long tandem ride - you'll fall off
>
> My beloved better half always has to adjust to riding her solo after a long ride in the back. All
> this steering and gearshifting and watching where you go at the same time - most confusing ;-)

My fiancee and I tried a tandem for a four day tour last November and had a ball (most of the time,
it had _evil_ seats that tried to injure us both)

We both found it strange getting back on our single bikes afterwards, when I hopped on to ride to
work I found the steering all light and twitchy and I could barely keep the bike going in a
straight line. Jo found that her bike no longer steered and braked by itself and that she was now
expected to do this.

...would love to buy a tandem to add to the collection.

Adrian

---------------------------------------------------------------
Adrian Tritschler mailto:[email protected] Latitude 38°S, Longitude 145°E,
Altitude 50m, Shoe size 44
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