Is tandem biking as dopey as it looks?

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michaeld

Sport climber
Sacramento
Apr 30, 2013 - 04:26pm PT
I pass people all the time on my single speed along the American River Parkway Trail. If I'm trying to beat a time and hauling ass, not a lot pass me. I'd say I was averaging 20 mph through this one gnarly section right after Watt Ave. This tandem flew past me. It was a carbon fiber racing bike. Both "Lance and Nance Armstrong" (Generally everyone with a road bike wearing matching biking suits and helmets, I call Lance) looked like they were putting in little to no effort, and they left me in the dust.
thebravecowboy

Social climber
Colorado Plateau
Apr 30, 2013 - 04:34pm PT
i started touring on the back of a tandem. don't know that i would ever do it again unless i had a kiddo that i was trying to get hooked.

downhills, man, hooowee! great on a tandem. less so the ups.
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
bouldering
Apr 30, 2013 - 07:46pm PT
Alpamayo

Trad climber
Chapel Hill, NC
Apr 30, 2013 - 08:24pm PT
Lots of pros and cons......for us, mostly pros.

Hills are a drag on a tandem....you really can't stand to pedal effectively. You just gotta grind 'em out.

However, on the flats, we cruise along without hardly trying at 28 mph. Very easy to stay up around 35 without lots of effort.

As an avid cyclist and long time (ex?)racer, including some tandem races, I agree! My wife and I love riding ours and it is something we can do together. We cannot ride together on separate bikes, it just doesn't work. We've even got the hang of having me stand while we ride, which took some doing. But I gotta say, if you can ride at 28mph "without hardly trying" and 35 mph "without lots of effort", you must be pretty strong. Last time I saw, the national TT tandem 40k record for men is ~34 mph on a pancake flat, well paved road at altitude (record challenge course in NM) and the mixed record is just under 32 mph. So if you can do that for ~45 minutes, you've got a national record to set.
Dr.Sprock

Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
Apr 30, 2013 - 09:35pm PT
shady

Trad climber
hasbeen
May 1, 2013 - 01:47pm PT
Tandems are not for me but..........
Tandem road, not dopey.
Tandem mountain on fire roads, not dopey.
Tandem mountain on singletrack, have your head examined.
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Jul 29, 2014 - 03:23pm PT
Hey there, may you re-enjoy this not-so-oldie thread.
Just to get it rolling again...
[Click to View YouTube Video]
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Aug 16, 2014 - 02:59pm PT
Not a true tandem, but a "haul my weight now, mommie, I'm tired" version.
Messages 41 - 48 of total 48 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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