TANDEM BIKES - Any good ones?
- Thread starter wcngu1
- Start date
Good Idea, so you want the date to pedal or get carried. I think they more of a park hire novelty or Great if you are training for Paralympics with a Blind Partner. Of course the visually challenged guy/gal sits on the back seat. hehe 
hmm wonder if it comes in a MTB model. Clearance would be terrible tho.
hmm wonder if it comes in a MTB model. Clearance would be terrible tho.
There are plenty of "good" tandums out there. just depends on how "good" you want it to be and how much you want to pay (like most things).
My girlfriend and I test rode a cheap steel tandum as starters. She couldn't keep up with me on the road so figured rather than leave her behind with out realising it we'd try a tandum.
Firstly she hated the extra stink factor, she thinks I stink enough while cycling without her nose being only a few cm from my back with the wind blowing from me to her. SO I would think going for a bike ride to impress a girl will only end with you having a shower...by yourself.
Anyway this cheap tandum was sooooooo flexy, it was scary. When I turned the handle bars there was a delayed reaction until the front wheel actually turned, and the long wheelbase was not that nimble.
The pedalling took a while to sort out. You can't just stop pedalling to take a rest without letting your partner know about it. On top of that issue when you try to accellerate you have to accelerate your parteners legs as well unless they knew you were about to hammer. Good cummunication required.
Thats assuming your cheap steel bike didn't flex so much that extra efforts went forwards not sideways....
That bad experience aside there are a number of much more performance orientated tandums out there. I saw a number of cannondales touring the West coast of NZ when I was there (they were always going up hill in the rain at the time...). Trek used to make a reasonable Al tandum as well. Then guys like Burley make both steel and Al tandums.
Get on some tandum club websites and see what gets talked about in the forums.
But really I don't think buying a tandum to be romantic with girls is going to work. After ruining thier hair putting a helmet on the last thing they want is to sniff your BO!
My girlfriend and I test rode a cheap steel tandum as starters. She couldn't keep up with me on the road so figured rather than leave her behind with out realising it we'd try a tandum.
Firstly she hated the extra stink factor, she thinks I stink enough while cycling without her nose being only a few cm from my back with the wind blowing from me to her. SO I would think going for a bike ride to impress a girl will only end with you having a shower...by yourself.
Anyway this cheap tandum was sooooooo flexy, it was scary. When I turned the handle bars there was a delayed reaction until the front wheel actually turned, and the long wheelbase was not that nimble.
The pedalling took a while to sort out. You can't just stop pedalling to take a rest without letting your partner know about it. On top of that issue when you try to accellerate you have to accelerate your parteners legs as well unless they knew you were about to hammer. Good cummunication required.
Thats assuming your cheap steel bike didn't flex so much that extra efforts went forwards not sideways....
That bad experience aside there are a number of much more performance orientated tandums out there. I saw a number of cannondales touring the West coast of NZ when I was there (they were always going up hill in the rain at the time...). Trek used to make a reasonable Al tandum as well. Then guys like Burley make both steel and Al tandums.
Get on some tandum club websites and see what gets talked about in the forums.
But really I don't think buying a tandum to be romantic with girls is going to work. After ruining thier hair putting a helmet on the last thing they want is to sniff your BO!
Rockslayer said:
That's mean.
Although a couple of years ago at the track I was wondering why this guy was staring at me, yet not acknowledging me in the slightest. Yeah, he was the blind guy. Awesome quads! It was great that he actually was doing serious competitive athletics
They kicked a$$.I see Cannondales every so often. My brother has a cheap Diamond Back tandem...
Sorry,Meek One said:That's mean.
Although a couple of years ago at the track I was wondering why this guy was staring at me, yet not acknowledging me in the slightest. Yeah, he was the blind guy. Awesome quads! It was great that he actually was doing serious competitive athletics
I see Cannondales every so often. My brother has a cheap Diamond Back tandem...
I didn't intend to come across as a meanie. I have total respect for the guys riding in the teams on the tandems coz I know its more challenging 2 riding as one machine. I don't really see people with so called disabilities as disabled or challenged. I believe it's all in the way people percieve it. I know these atheletes wouldnt want us to look at them that way.
I know these guys and gals do some stuff I can only dream of achieving as an abled person!! Total Respect!!!.
Yes, I have seen a few around that are quite good. not in the park tho. hehe.
Try this for serious tandems MTB and this Road or this chickmagnet cruise model.
I've been looking at tandems for a while now. My cycling partner can't keep up too well with me on his own bike and I like to keep him away from traffic. He's 8 years old.
Co-motion makes awesome bikes but $$$$.
We're looking for a Raleigh to test ride. It seems to be the biggest bang for the buck.
Co-motion makes awesome bikes but $$$$.
We're looking for a Raleigh to test ride. It seems to be the biggest bang for the buck.
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