More just wondering out loud rather than a why on earth wouldn't it be done this way type question
Why aren't the controls on a tandem were spread out across the 2 sets of handlebars?
I mean apart from not being to ride it fully by one person and the possibility of arguments/communication breakdowns on when/if braking/gear changing should actually be done
It could be setup so that you wouldn't need specially long brake hoses/cables or hard-to-find tandem/recumbant specific length gear inner cables. ie front brake-front person, rear brake-rear person, rear gears-rear person, front gears-front person (with full length inner). It'd make swapping bits between (non tandem) bikes that much easier and sourcing bits cheap easier too
Or the fact that the rear person can't see exactly whats going on in front make this a silly idea? They'd have something to do at least anyway and wouldn't be all the person on the fronts fault if they crash as a result of not braking enough
It'd make changing gear under brake dragging more possible?
Tell me why its a stupid idea? I'm intrigued.
And yes I've barely ridden a tandem. On the front for all of 100m? The back for about 1/2 a mile? I didn't like it when the front rider put the power down out the saddle ..

