Two’s up!…Tandems…

…should i get one for me and the kid? Love the idea but what are the pros and cons? I’m thinking, off road touring/camping type of thing not hucking it down a cliff. Any tandemers?

Tandem Jeremy is your man and he’ll be with you shortly.

Here’s our beastie…..

It’s great fun, and a good way of going riding with someone without leaving them in your dust!

Ours was originally rigid, but sticking the forks on it has made it great off road – we do some pretty technical stuff on it too!

DrP

Looks good DrP, and plenty of places to lash stuff to, could be the way forward. Dont know where i’d keep it though, how long are they?

twang.

I’d say get one.

We went out for a test ride on this one the other week and ended up buying the same frame with a few upgraded parts.

I’ve never felt so out of control and had so much fun all in the same ride. 😯

This is the one we had a test ride on.

looks tiny, is it a matchbox one or are them logs MASSIVE!

Here’s one of ours:

Strictly road touring for us (with the odd bit of gravel or bridleway thrown in). Our first tandem, also a road bike, is now an expat living in France for ‘holiday rides’.

Get one.

Bob

Them logs wos massive.

Innit. 😉

how olds the kid? we are a shortish family and my oldest who is 8 rides the back but i had to add crank shorteners (on the SJS website but supplied with good advice and pics on STW classified) and bars that she can reach – this on a tandem that mrs antigee used to stoke on and she is only 5ft2″

had to put a cassette with 34 on as you are really pushing it on the hills woth a small one on back and if they lose it they get hit by the pedals

generally good fun and much more social than being 20m apart

need to work out routine for starting especially at T junction – don’t muff it!

going away from home currently i take wheels off and put frame on a tow bar mount on an already wide MPV – in past made a roof rack from two racks but lifting up was not fun

Its a lot of fun. Try before you buy tho – decent ones are rare on the secondhand market and expensive so make sure you are going to enjoy it. JDcycles in Ilkley if you are in the North or SJS cycles down south somewhere. Probably other places that hire them out as well – I know a couple locally ( Edinburgh) Surprisingly capable offroad as well

For offroad touring – yes indeedy[/url]

Hey TJ.

I really hope we’re going to get into this tandem thing.

Any tips you can give us?

(On riding off road not being an anoying knowitall) 😉

Singlespeedstu. I am better at being an annoying knowitall than a tandem rider.

Tell your stoker what is happening. Don’t drop them. Its only fun so long as you don’t drop the stoker! Think of yourself as a chauffeur

Get stopping and starting sorted out so it is slick. Don’t hesitate – either goforit on obstacles or get off – If you hesitate it will hurt. Use momentum to your advantage and remember you cannot go over the bars so you can use that front brake hard

😆

The stop start thing came straight away.
I think maybe because we’ve riden together for a long time offroad has helped in this. We kind of have a connection on the pedal/coast thing even on the solo bikes.

Was just a bit unsure with the fact that i couldn’t get the front wheel in the air on big square edge holes and drop offs.

Kind of struggled in uphill ruts too.
I couldn’t seem to steer exactley where i wanted to go.
Maybe that was to do with the QR fork and wheel? We went for a bolt through fork and wheel in the hope that the steering would be a bit more accurate?

Guess we’ll be on a steep learning curve for a few rides yet.
TBH i think thats what has attracted us to it. Something new to learn where we’re both new to it and have to learn together.

Some ace advice chaps, liking the sound of it more and more. Thanks for sharing the pics TJ, superb stuff. Next stop sherwood pines to hire one out for a couple of hours.

TJ – that tour looks GREAT

Was a great tour. Mainly offroad but very little gnarly enough to make the laden tandem too difficult to ride. 170 milesish

SSS you can lift the front wheel – just give it a BIG bounce and you should be able to get it a few inches – enough to get over kerbs and stuff. Droppoffs the same – speed and give the bars an almighty heave. Remember you have strong wheels and forks for a reason!

Steering you will get used to – ruts are difficult. Get the grippiest front tyre you can and remember to steer with your arms more and lean less – keep your shoulders more in line with the bike. Be smooth. A touch of rear brake tends to tighten the line – especially off camber / downhill.

cheers TJ.

I’ll keep those things in mind next time.

Het Stu i always find that ruts are a confidence thing when we set of it seems hard to ride across ruts then as the ride goes on itgets easier on the wobble we were riding some ruts front wheel in one and back wheel in the other.I agree with tj that you tend to use a lot more upper body to turn but most importantly tell Amanda whats comming up in front of you then its all plain sailing !!!

catch up soon J

I hate ruts! Any why do they all have some strange powers of magnetic attraction that draws you into them?
TJ, impressed you’ve got the hang of lifting the front wheel, that’s one trick we’ve still not mastered. We resort to brute force, ignorance, and the lord Marzocchi to get us through.
I always find my arms are much more tired after a tandem ride than a solo ride and it hadn’t dawned on me why that was. It is different steering.

SSS, one problem with techy uphills is that on a solo you know exactly where yr back wheel is, when to put the power on and when to unweight it, eg over slippy roots. Doing the same on a tandem is far trickier.
We ran an normal QR front wheel for nearly 10 years until changing to bolt-through 18 months ago. Huge improvement.

Just a thought, I know TJ is in Edinburgh, and we’re west of Glasgow. Where is everyone else? How about a gathering at Glentress sometime to share techniques? And cake, obviously!

Rob

We’re Midlands based and basonjillett’s a Brizzol boy.

We do come up to Scotchland fairly regular though. 😀

We’ll have to sort something out.

singlespeedstu – Member
Kind of struggled in uphill ruts too.

You’re one of the best uphill gardeners I know!

sc-xc.

Stop all this internet bullying will you.

I have feelings you know and find your comments very upsetting.

Drop round one day and we can go out for a trip up dirt alley on it mate…..

Have you got the old beast yet Stu ?
I got that Hope hub modded and the wheel all built up you were right about not narrowing the drive side 😀
Would like to know how yuor fork performs before i spend more money !

keep it NI ssssssssssssssss hhhhhhhhhhhhh

Jase still waiting for brakes…..

Should be here by tuesday.

Any problems getting the disc lined up?

No no prblems at all i fitted up the rear casette and then the disc before i stripped the old rear wheel everything was just fine with the bolted up rear end it feels real tight ! as in stiff ! not dragging.
One prob cant get jen off the kona at the mo to ride the dale Doh.
Oh and are you going tubeless i guess you are i would recommend a proper UST rear tyre as our non UST makes some strange noises while really putting the power down

You sure that’s the tyre not Jen letting one go? 😯