Recumbent tandem questions?

[Lars S. Mulford]

Howdy folks!

My wife and I are really into the idea of getting a tandem. We both have older mountain bikes that
we use now but they really aren't suitable for road use. Also factoring into this is that we love to
ride together, but invariably one of us either works harder than normal or less so. I ride 7x a
week, about 10 miles a day for exercise. My wife rides about 3x a week, about 7 miles each time.
She's 5'2" and 115lbs, and I'm around 6'6" and 225lbs. We both love to ride but our pacing is not
similar so either she's riding hard or I'm not. The whole idea of getting back into biking for us
was to do it together so the idea of a tandem has appeal. My lady has some back issues that crop up
when we've been on our bikes for more than a half hour, so we have thought about recumbent tandems.
(Her X seam is approximately 37.5 inches; mine is approximately 45 inches.) What is out there right
now that is good build quality, comfortable, has decent performance, and won't break the bank?

Thanks!

--
"Sea" ya! --Lars S. Mulford "You can find evil anywhere you look. The question is, why are
you looking?"

 

[Doug Huffman]

That depends on the bank!

My personal favorite and perhaps the most successful tandem 'bent are the Double Visions by ATP
of Seattle.

Don't miss the tandem recumbent trikes.

"Lars S. Mulford" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Howdy folks!
>
> My wife and I are really into the idea of getting a tandem. We both have older mountain bikes that
> we use now but they really aren't suitable for road use. Also factoring into this is that we love
> to ride together, but invariably one of us either works harder than normal or less so. I ride
7x
> a week, about 10 miles a day for exercise. My wife rides about 3x a week, about 7 miles each time.
> She's 5'2" and 115lbs, and I'm around 6'6" and 225lbs. We both love to ride but our pacing is not
> similar so either
she's
> riding hard or I'm not. The whole idea of getting back into biking for us was to do it together so
> the idea of a tandem has appeal. My lady has
some
> back issues that crop up when we've been on our bikes for more than a half hour, so we have
> thought about recumbent tandems. (Her X seam is approximately 37.5 inches; mine is approximately
> 45 inches.) What is out there right now that is good build quality, comfortable, has decent
> performance, and won't break the bank?
>
> Thanks!
>
> --
> "Sea" ya! --Lars S. Mulford "You can find evil anywhere you look. The question is, why are you
> looking?"

 

[Dave Larrington]

Have a shufti at http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/misc/TwosCompany.htm

It may not be 100% comprehensive, but I've got most of them...

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================

 

[Cbb]

The most affordable and probably the best value considering your current in neighborhood rides for
exercise is the EZ-Tandem from Sun Bicycles. ( http://www.sunbicycles.com/recumbents.htm or
http://www.easyracers.com/ez_tandem.htm ) According to the reviews this bike is an easy to ride,
well built tandem and the price is < $2000 vs. > $3000 for most other recumbent tandems. If my wife
would show any interest in biking with me I would probably get one myself. Craig

"Lars S. Mulford" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Howdy folks!
>
> My wife and I are really into the idea of getting a tandem. We both have older mountain bikes that
> we use now but they really aren't suitable for road use. Also factoring into this is that we love
> to ride together, but invariably one of us either works harder than normal or less so. I ride 7x a
> week, about 10 miles a day for exercise. My wife rides about 3x a week, about 7 miles each time.
> She's 5'2" and 115lbs, and I'm around 6'6" and 225lbs. We both love to ride but our pacing is not
> similar so either she's riding hard or I'm not. The whole idea of getting back into biking for us
> was to do it together so the idea of a tandem has appeal. My lady has some back issues that crop
> up when we've been on our bikes for more than a half hour, so we have thought about recumbent
> tandems. (Her X seam is approximately 37.5 inches; mine is approximately 45 inches.) What is out
> there right now that is good build quality, comfortable, has decent performance, and won't break
> the bank?
>
> Thanks!

 

[Mike S]

> > Howdy folks!
> >
> > My wife and I are really into the idea of getting a tandem. We both have older mountain bikes
> > that we use now but they really aren't suitable for road use. Also factoring into this is that
> > we love to ride together, but invariably one of us either works harder than normal or less so. I
> > ride 7x a week, about 10 miles a day for exercise. My wife rides about 3x a week, about 7 miles
> > each time. She's 5'2" and 115lbs, and I'm around 6'6" and 225lbs. We both love to ride but our
> > pacing is not similar so either she's riding hard or I'm not. The whole idea of getting back
> > into biking for us was to do it together so the idea of a tandem has appeal. My lady has some
> > back issues that crop up when we've been on our bikes for more than a half hour, so we have
> > thought about recumbent tandems. (Her X seam is approximately 37.5 inches; mine is approximately
> > 45 inches.) What is out there right now that is good build quality, comfortable, has decent
> > performance, and won't break the bank?
> >
> > Thanks!

Lars: My wife insisted we get a recumbent tandem last year. I knew it was the dumbest idea because
neither of us had ridden tandems and she didn't ride a recumbent. It turned out to be our best
decision. We did 2000 miles on our Barcroft Columbia tandem last year. I think each owner believes
the tandem they have is the best and I am no exception. The Columbia is a very short wheel base
tandem (54 inches), with dual 20 inch wheels and RANS steering and seats. Besides being a solid,
comfortable and well made bike, it also offers the captain (which you will be due to size) not
just a sliding seat but also a sliding boom to accomodate your larger size. The bike is
manuverable (for a tandem) being able to perform a "u" turn in a single lane road where others
can't. It is also quite responsive for a tandem. It is a nice sport tandem. It is comparably
priced to the Screamer and the Vision. Now, with the commercial out of the way, a few things I
have learned about tandeming. Uphills are not fun (you are moving a lot of weight up the hill) so
you need to swallow your pride, gear down, and move up the hill between 4 - 6 mph (steep hills of
course), while it seems the entire world is passing you. Downhills are an absolute scream,
blasting by whatever is on the road (we broke 50 mph going down New Mexico's Tijeras Pass before
we backed off). It is an absolute kick to talk together when riding, to work together (we soon
learned how to be in sync on the pedaling ((no we don't have independent pedaling)) ) and to
coordinate our activities to pilot the bike (I steer, shift and brake, she is in charge of route
directions, the bell, hand signals, and waving at all the smiling people). And tandem couples
(upright and recumbent) are great people to be around. My wife had a great idea in getting the
tandem and we have had miles of smiles ever since. And, it made her into a recumbent rider. Her
upright still hangs in the garage, gathering dust.

Mike S. St. Louis, Mo.

 

[Jeff Wills]

[email protected] (cbb) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> The most affordable and probably the best value considering your current in neighborhood rides for
> exercise is the EZ-Tandem from Sun Bicycles. ( http://www.sunbicycles.com/recumbents.htm or
> http://www.easyracers.com/ez_tandem.htm ) According to the reviews this bike is an easy to ride,
> well built tandem and the price is < $2000 vs. > $3000 for most other recumbent tandems. If my
> wife would show any interest in biking with me I would probably get one myself. Craig
>

I'll agree that it's an easy ride- I stoked one with Nick hein as captain a couple months back- it
was my first experience as stoker and Nick's first time on a tandem, period. We had no problem
navigating the neighborhoods and bike paths around Green Lake (Seattle).

I'd consider one myself if my wife would agree to riding a tandem- but she's dead-set against riding
a tandem (control issues). She's fast enough, so I'll forget about the extra margin of speed for a
little marital peace.

Jeff

 

[Risto Varanka]

Jeff Wills <[email protected]> wrote:

: I'd consider one myself if my wife would agree to riding a tandem- but she's dead-set against
: riding a tandem (control issues). She's fast enough, so I'll forget about the extra margin of
: speed for a little marital peace.

How about a tandem trike?

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/hpv/hpv.html varis at no spam please iki fi

 

[Jeff Wills]

[email protected] wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Jeff Wills <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> : I'd consider one myself if my wife would agree to riding a tandem- but she's dead-set against
> : riding a tandem (control issues). She's fast enough, so I'll forget about the extra margin of
> : speed for a little marital peace.
>
> How about a tandem trike?

I *said* "control issues", as in "she doesn't like the way I drive". She wants to be in control of
her own machine.

Jeff

 

[Cbb]

A trike may allow her to drive (assuming you are not too tall for the stroker seat and that the
differences are great enough that she can't drive a two wheel tandem) but then you would have to
give up control


[email protected] (Jeff Wills) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> [email protected] wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
> > Jeff Wills <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > : I'd consider one myself if my wife would agree to riding a tandem- but she's dead-set against
> > : riding a tandem (control issues). She's fast enough, so I'll forget about the extra margin of
> > : speed for a little marital peace.
> >
> > How about a tandem trike?
>
> I *said* "control issues", as in "she doesn't like the way I drive". She wants to be in control of
> her own machine.
>
> Jeff

 

[Timothy B. Stor]

Jeff,

My RANS Screamer will most likely fit both of you, with the control person in front. I keep
threatening my stoker that I am going to switch positions and let her make the decisions, so that I
can complain. Maybe we could work out a test ride for you.

Tim Storey

--
This look left intentionally blank

"Jeff Wills" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [email protected] wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > Jeff Wills <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > : I'd consider one myself if my wife would agree to riding a tandem- but she's dead-set against
> > : riding a tandem (control issues). She's fast enough, so I'll forget about the extra margin of
> > : speed for a little marital peace.
> >
> > How about a tandem trike?
>
> I *said* "control issues", as in "she doesn't like the way I drive". She wants to be in control of
> her own machine.
>
> Jeff

 

[Tracy]

--------------010300090508080506040607 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Have you considered a tandem with independant steering? That should eliminate any control at all.

Jeff Wills wrote:

>[email protected] wrote in message
>news:<[email protected]>...
>
>
>>Jeff Wills <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>: I'd consider one myself if my wife would agree to riding a tandem- but she's dead-set against
>>: riding a tandem (control issues). She's fast enough, so I'll forget about the extra margin of
>>: speed for a little marital peace.
>>
>>How about a tandem trike?
>>
>>
>
>I *said* "control issues", as in "she doesn't like the way I drive". She wants to be in control of
>her own machine.
>
>Jeff
>
>

--------------010300090508080506040607 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <meta
http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1"> <title></title> </head> <body>
Have you considered a tandem with independant steering? That should eliminate any control at
all.<br> <br> Jeff Wills wrote:<br> <blockquote type="cite"
cite="[email protected]"> <pre wrap=""><a
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:[email protected]">risto.var-
[email protected]</a> wrote in message news:<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="-
mailto:[email protected]"><[email protected]></a>...
</pre> <blockquote type="cite"> <pre wrap="">Jeff Wills <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E"
href="mailto:[email protected]"><[email protected]></a> wrote:

: I'd consider one myself if my wife would agree to riding a tandem- but she's dead-set against
: riding a tandem (control issues). She's fast enough, so I'll forget about the extra margin of
: speed for a little marital peace.

How about a tandem trike? </pre> </blockquote> <pre wrap=""><!----> I *said* "control issues", as in
"she doesn't like the way I drive". She wants to be in control of her own machine.

Jeff </pre> </blockquote> <br> </body> </html>

--------------010300090508080506040607--

 

[Dr. Duk]

Originally posted by Lars S. Mulford
Howdy folks!

My wife and I are really into the idea of getting a tandem. We both have older mountain bikes that
we use now but they really aren't suitable for road use. Also factoring into this is that we love to
ride together, but invariably one of us either works harder than normal or less so. I ride 7x a
week, about 10 miles a day for exercise. My wife rides about 3x a week, about 7 miles each time.
She's 5'2" and 115lbs, and I'm around 6'6" and 225lbs. We both love to ride but our pacing is not
similar so either she's riding hard or I'm not. The whole idea of getting back into biking for us
was to do it together so the idea of a tandem has appeal. My lady has some back issues that crop up
when we've been on our bikes for more than a half hour, so we have thought about recumbent tandems.
(Her X seam is approximately 37.5 inches; mine is approximately 45 inches.) What is out there right
now that is good build quality, comfortable, has decent performance, and won't break the bank?

Thanks!

--
"Sea" ya! --Lars S. Mulford "You can find evil anywhere you look. The question is, why are
you looking?"

Lars:

My first tandem was the EZ Tandem from Sun. Nothing but problems starting with front bearings, defective front hub and sporadic shifting. I am 6' 1'' and my other half is 5' 5'' and she was constantly hitting her knees on the back of my seat. Luckily my dealer took the bike back after a month of headaches and I put the money on a new Rans Screamer XL. What a Tandem!!!! No comparison to the EZ. This tandem is worth the money. I know someone else has posted a reply saying that Vision R82 or R85 is the best tandem. Read the reviews about the Vision and the Rans. They both are comparable on the flats but the Rans out performs the Vision on hilly and rolling roads. We recently were on a three day tour in Wisconsin and there where 8 Rans and 4 Visions and the Rans where always passing the Visions. The Visions have to much flex in their frames. No cross bracing. Read the review at www.thebicycleman.com. Good Luck and Good Riding.