Tandem Bike-Riding "Technique"?

Mark Hickey wrote:


Sure they do. After all, it's the man's job to lead, and the wimmin
are s'posed to follow. Quietly.

;-) ----- NOTE

Hmm...how do I make the smileys nod and applaud?

If you had some twofer time in, you'd realize that the bigger person
really should be up front. I've ridden with larger stokers a couple
times, and it's no fun. One that's my size is OK though.

Ah, I dunno, I'm thinking of the set-up like it is on a tandem kayak
for some reason, where the heavier person is aft.

It takes a lot more upper body strength and control to captain the
bike - but I've found that the ability for tandemists to stand up
while climbing is primarily due to the stoker's ability to keep their
cockpit level. If the stoker is even a little twitchy, there's
nothing the captain can do to make the bike stable enough to stay out
of the saddle.

Ah, interesting tip! I hear tandems go faster, too...what you say
sounds even more dangerous down-hill!

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

Claire Petersky wrote:


There's two parts to it. One is that the pilot needs to have superior upper
body strength. When I ride tandem with my daughter, it takes all the upper
body strength I have to hold the bike upright while stopped, and she weighs
about 60 lbs less than me.

Hmm! Would've thought that the team both dismounts.

Second, there's the control issue. Just like guys like to have the remote in
their hands, they like to be pilot. Tandems can amplify existing power
struggles in a relationship, which is why they're sometimes known as
"divorcycles". Since generally I get more miles in and in more varied
weather than my husband, it's sometimes an interesting situation for me,
sitting in the back, thinking about what I'd be doing different if I were
steering. To what extent should I back-seat drive? Will he get annoyed by my
advice or will he find it helpful? It's these sorts of things that make
tandeming, mm, interesting, with one's partner.

Heh, I was wondering about that! Thanks for the confirmation. Though
I think I'd find it interesting to see how the other person
reacts...that's how you really get to know someone, to see how they are
in certain on-the-fly situations...that's why I prefer "activity dates"
-- which might sometimes give the impression that I'm cheap or boring,
I guess!

At the same time, there is something like a tandeming groove, where you get
it together and you really kick butt as you zip down the road. A "poetry in
motion" feeling. That's what you're aiming for, if you can work it together.

And I was hoping for that! It really sounds like a wonderful thing.

I don't think I'm ready for it. =)

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
Sponsor me for the Big Climb! See: www.active.com/donate/cpetersky06
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

NYC XYZ wrote:
Mark Hickey wrote:
I've ridden with larger stokers a couple
times, and it's no fun. One that's my size is OK though.

Ah, I dunno, I'm thinking of the set-up like it is on a tandem kayak
for some reason, where the heavier person is aft.

On boats the steering (whether with a rudder or by paddling) is
primarily, although not entirely, done at the rear whereas bicycles
are almost always steered from the front.
The Counterpoint tandem I mentioned is a bit of an exception with the
smaller front wheel underneath the stoker and steered by the captain at
the rear of the bike.

It takes a lot more upper body strength and control to captain the
bike - but I've found that the ability for tandemists to stand up
while climbing is primarily due to the stoker's ability to keep their
cockpit level. If the stoker is even a little twitchy, there's
nothing the captain can do to make the bike stable enough to stay out
of the saddle.

Ah, interesting tip! I hear tandems go faster, too...what you say
sounds even more dangerous down-hill!

Except we tend not to get off the saddle when descending. I find the
tandem to feel very stable on fast descents. But I've sometimes had
stokers pull the 'emergency brake' cable. (Our bike has no brake levers
on the rear bars but one of the rear brake cables runs along the top
tube where the stoker can grab it.)

NYC XYZ wrote:
Say, why is the woman always in the back on a tandem?
I've yet to see one photo of a guy in the back!
First of all, I'd imagine that the guy would enjoy that view more...but
also, doesn't the stoker provide more power? I don't know why I
imagine this...maybe being closer to the rear wheel and its cassette
naturally suggests the idea to me....
Any of you ride tandem with your wives/girlfriends? Do they just
prefer you take the lead or something?
Just wondering. Never been on a tandem in my life.

I prefer to ride stoker and my captain says she wouldn't
have it any other way.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

"Michael J. Klein" wrote in message
...
NYC XYZ wrote:
Say, why is the woman always in the back on a tandem?

I've yet to see one photo of a guy in the back!

Just wondering. Never been on a tandem in my life.

because women frequently stop to ask directions.

That's not an appropriate opinion.
Everyone knows it's because you can't trust her to drive.

In rec.bicycles.misc Claire Petersky wrote:
Say, why is the woman always in the back on a tandem?

Not always, I rode primarily as stoker.


There's two parts to it. One is that the pilot needs to have
superior upper body strength.

Not necessarily. My captain had not, still as a stoker I can hold
myself off the ground while standing.


Second, there's the control issue. Just like guys like to have the
remote in their hands, they like to be pilot.

Not all guys 8)

Being the more experienced and more powerful rider I enjoyed riding
as stoker and with my girlfriend piloting work as a team. Being
stronger _and_ in total as captain control made the tandem a
somewhat boring heavy bicycle for me and for her...

--
MfG/Best regards
helmut springer

"NYC XYZ" wrote in message
oups.com...

Claire Petersky wrote:

There's two parts to it. One is that the pilot needs to have superior
upper
body strength. When I ride tandem with my daughter, it takes all the
upper
body strength I have to hold the bike upright while stopped, and she
weighs
about 60 lbs less than me.

Hmm! Would've thought that the team both dismounts.

The stoker stays in unless s/he is actually getting off the bike. You're
used to putting a foot down at a red light, and it's hard sometimes to
remember to stay clipped in.

I think I'd find it interesting to see how the other person
reacts...that's how you really get to know someone, to see how they are
in certain on-the-fly situations...that's why I prefer "activity dates"
-- which might sometimes give the impression that I'm cheap or boring,
I guess!

No, that would be my first choice, too. I was always a hiking-for-a-date
type of gal, 'way back when, when I was dating.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
Sponsor me for the Big Climb! See: www.active.com/donate/cpetersky06
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

In rec.bicycles.misc Claire Petersky wrote:
The stoker stays in unless s/he is actually getting off the bike.

Some do, some don't.

--
MfG/Best regards
helmut springer

NYC XYZ wrote:
Say, why is the woman always in the back on a tandem?

I've yet to see one photo of a guy in the back!


Geez, no one's pointed you to this:
http://www.outsideconnection.com/gallant/hpv/trandem/

The bike shop where I used to work had a female-front (drop-bar frame)
balloon-tire tandem on display. It had an interesting steering hookup-
the rear rider (on a conventional "man's" frame) could steer the bike
through chains and tie rods.

Jeff

JeffWills wrote:

Geez, no one's pointed you to this:
http://www.outsideconnection.com/gallant/hpv/trandem/

Great Stuff! Thanks for the link, Jeff.

Rich