Tandem - should I?

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!
s'like a ball an chain-why would you volunteer for that-sheeeeeesh

Don't knock it 'til you've tried it. Tandems = the future.

Ed - when we gonna go for a spin on yours? Fancy trying swains on it? Maybe the Death TT?

Doing swains laps tomorrow pre drinks so dunno about then. It will happen though, oh yes it will.

my sister and i want to tandem regularly, we had cycled for years until my being registered visually impaired a few years ago... recently we realised a tandem would work for us, but have searched ebay, gumtree etc for inspirational research into various types, we know that a touring bike is what we need, but found all proportions to be size specific and that we need to be back to front from the usual ratio... they all seem to require a human up to five feet eight at the back and up to six feet one at the front!
i, the visually impaired one stand at five feet ten in stockinged feet and therefore need to sit at the back, my sister is five feet eight and would be at the front... would really appreciate some advice and perhaps direction to a bicycle coop who build to spec. thanks, kim (and karen)

Perhaps something like this: http://hasebikes.com/150-1-tandem-pino-tour.html

You could sit in the front, and your sister in the back (as it's rear captained).

Here's another company, same idea. http://bilenky.com/viewpoint_main_page.html

They are not cheap, though!

And another! These are Taiwanese, and apparently quiet a bit cheaper. There is a Recumbent up front and "regular" rear version, and a double recumbent version.

http://www.performer.com.tw/2010/user/product_1.php?ref=007093&wp=05

A friend of mine did a charity ride on a 4 pearson tandem (quadrem??) mental machine that they had custom built - they way it was set up was that the 3 stokers basically rode fixed, and could only stop when the captain stopped pedaling

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4yC-0Aot_0&feature=related

• they way it was set up was that the 3 stokers basically rode fixed, and could only stop when the captain stopped pedaling
  
  

How else could it have been set up?

Exotic tandems allow independent pedalling. I was thinking about this the other day, and how a set of trial cranks (with a freewheel) may be an easy way of doing this on tandems.

Ok, exotic tandems exist. What V V describes is the 'normal' setup.

ah, see what you're saying.

(I still have a head ache and feel a bit shit).

I have no idea about tandems!

Can't see the point of installing a freewheel on the cranks, it would just mean that some (all?) of the time only one person would be providing the power.

Can't see the point of installing a freewheel on the cranks, it would just mean that some (all?) of the time only one person would be providing the power.

shrug there are some situations (with very new/inexperienced riders, children, etc.). But for the most part, I think you're right.

My friend Andy used to have one; rode it a couple of times and my main memory is that going down hill they are fast and they flex like crazy but that last point may be due to the build quality.
Andy and his wife rode it the first couple of miles up the Tourmalet and got the biggest cheers of any of the people riding before le Tour came through later.

But for the most part, I think fruitbat is right.

Thanks.

the recumbent tandem and quadem are fucking cool! i wonder what its like to balance.

my sister and i want to tandem regularly, we had cycled for years until my being registered visually impaired a few years ago... recently we realised a tandem would work for us, but have searched ebay, gumtree etc for inspirational research into various types, we know that a touring bike is what we need, but found all proportions to be size specific and that we need to be back to front from the usual ratio... they all seem to require a human up to five feet eight at the back and up to six feet one at the front!
i, the visually impaired one stand at five feet ten in stockinged feet and therefore need to sit at the back, my sister is five feet eight and would be at the front... would really appreciate some advice and perhaps direction to a bicycle coop who build to spec. thanks, kim (and karen)

Why don't you contact the tandem club? http://www.tandem-club.org.uk/ I'm sure they will have suggestions, even if it's of custom builders that specialise in tandem frames.

EDIT: relivent page found with an email of tandem clubs Disabilities Liaison Officer http://www.tandem-club.org.uk/_disabilities.htm disabilities@tandem-club.org.uk

my sister and i want to tandem regularly, we had cycled for years until my being registered visually impaired a few years ago... recently we realised a tandem would work for us, but have searched ebay, gumtree etc for inspirational research into various types, we know that a touring bike is what we need, but found all proportions to be size specific and that we need to be back to front from the usual ratio... they all seem to require a human up to five feet eight at the back and up to six feet one at the front!
i, the visually impaired one stand at five feet ten in stockinged feet and therefore need to sit at the back, my sister is five feet eight and would be at the front... would really appreciate some advice and perhaps direction to a bicycle coop who build to spec. thanks, kim (and karen)

I can't offer any help or advice but I hope and I'm sure you will find something to suit. I'll bet there's plenty of custom builds out there and sooner or later the right one will turn up if you cannot stretch to a new one.

Good luck!

Just been out for a ride and bumped (not literally) into an awesome couple in their 70's, pootling around on a tandem.
If you have half as much fun as they were haveing then yes, yes you should.

my sister and i want to tandem regularly, we had cycled for years until my being registered visually impaired a few years ago... recently we realised a tandem would work for us, but have searched ebay, gumtree etc for inspirational research into various types, we know that a touring bike is what we need, but found all proportions to be size specific and that we need to be back to front from the usual ratio... they all seem to require a human up to five feet eight at the back and up to six feet one at the front!
i, the visually impaired one stand at five feet ten in stockinged feet and therefore need to sit at the back, my sister is five feet eight and would be at the front... would really appreciate some advice and perhaps direction to a bicycle coop who build to spec. thanks, kim (and karen)

Came across this site while reading about tandem touring. Maybe they'd have some advise?

http://www.bury-tandem-club.org.uk/home.html

thankyou so much for the introduction link... the tandem club is a brilliant site, there were tandems for sale to, i thought the 'Longstaff Tandem Tricycle' description sounded like a solid road presence. the club is well worth it s ten pounds membership, and offers a hire service to, which may be prove to be a short term solution to try out different types, whilst saving up for a custom built model. lovely, cheers :)

Longstaff Tandem Tricycle