Author Topic: Tandem Convert (Hopefully)  (Read 16616 times)

TGS

Re: Tandem Convert (Hopefully)
« Reply #50 on: 16 April, 2016, 03:54:16 pm »
Excellent thread, as are many in the Tandems board. I used to be on YACF (almost obsessively!) in 2010-12 as AndyH. (TGS is a resurrection that stands for Teethgrinder Supporter).

Anyway, life got in the way of cycling, most severely after Mrs H's dad died early in 2012 & she suffered from depression. To cut a long story short the amount of time I was out Audaxing became untenable & I gradually got out of the habit of riding my bike.

Last year we went on holiday to Wadebridge & did a couple of rides together on the Camel Trail. This Easter we went again & managed a 26 mile day from Wadebridge to Wenford Bridge at the end of the trail. That was Mrs H's 3rd bike ride in 30 years & as she enjoyed it I begged once more that we try a tandem. Much to my surprise she agreed, although I didn't hold out much hope of getting further than a mile & riding back on my own! After 5 miles she had a big smile. All the disadvantages of a solo were mitigated by the tandem, & it all felt very natural. By the time we got back to Wadebridge we almost looked like we knew what we were doing.

So, deciding to strike while the iron was still hot I've gone and bought this
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CF9_RIJ6ZhG4cIv-wwSXhJfXTidjgmhe9A/view?usp=sharing
It's been well cared for and has SPDs on the front, a suspension seatpost & set of decent stoker bars for Mrs H, Schwalbe Marathons. I've adjusted things to suit both of us (longer captain stem, riser stem gone) & tomorrow we're off on our first ride on our own machine. Hopefully another tandem convert!

Re: Tandem Convert (Hopefully)
« Reply #51 on: 17 April, 2016, 07:29:57 am »
Brilliant, have fun!
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.

Re: Tandem Convert (Hopefully)
« Reply #52 on: 25 April, 2017, 03:01:13 pm »
Resurrecting an old thread.  Myself and the other half have recently purchased a second hand tandem and have since completed our first 100km audax on it (actually 112km of the Lincoln Imp).  Happy to report that it was all smiles at the end and we are still together.   :D :thumbsup:

The only issue (and it seems to be a common one) was the difference in cadence between me and her. Has anyone ever tried different sized chainrings on the timing chain to account for this, and if so, what was the result? 

Cheers

Matt

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Tandem Convert (Hopefully)
« Reply #53 on: 25 April, 2017, 03:05:54 pm »
Different sized chainrings would mean you'd keep slipping in and out of phase.  No idea what that feels like, but I can't imagine it's conducive to harmonious bike handling.

The more conventional work-around is to change the crank length.  Shorter cranks are more conducive to pedalling at higher cadences.  (Note that while short cranks are Mostly Harmless and just take a bit of getting used to, too long cranks are definitely Bad.  So you probably want to shorten the cranks of the slower pedaller, rather than lengthen the cranks of the faster one.)

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Tandem Convert (Hopefully)
« Reply #54 on: 25 April, 2017, 04:39:32 pm »
There are a couple of weird tandems (upright or recumbent or both) that allow independent pedalling and/or different gearing between captain and stoker but they are rare.

It is fairly common for upright tandems to have longer 175mm cranks on the front and 170mm on the back. It is possible to fit shorter cranks but there are a few traps for the unwary player to avoid.

The first step is to both riders to compromise on cadence, the faster pedaller consciously pedalling slower and vice versa. It is no compromise if only one person changes.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Tandem Convert (Hopefully)
« Reply #55 on: 26 April, 2017, 10:48:00 am »
This is a problem we face.  I'm very much a spinner, and Butterfly more a masher, so cadence is either too low for me or too fast for her, and gear changes can be a source of mild disagreement ;D

In reality, we compromise.
Getting there...

Re: Tandem Convert (Hopefully)
« Reply #56 on: 26 April, 2017, 11:53:02 am »
lovely thread - not seen this one before  :)  Learnt a few things and recognise lots of the wisdom here

after over a year of hunting we got our first s/h tandem a few weeks ago - 'we' being myself, 9yo and 11yo. My wife is a reluctant cyclist and not yet convinced - though she did have a spin round the block and came back smiling. Stoker comfort is our #1, we already have a suspension seatpost and upgraded saddle but figure a softer sprung seatpost is needed

the comment from CrinklyLion about "a chatty electric assist" made me smile very much. My 9yo in particular chatters endlessly, waves at everyone, stands up without warning when she's bored and seems to thoroughly enjoy the whole thing - she has yet to store things in my pockets or do an aeroplane but I guess that will come pretty soon . . .

we too have already had the "when we get the next one" conversation - but we will *need* another one as the kids grow (though my wife doesn't yet agree)

thing1

  • aka Joth
    • TandemThings
Re: Tandem Convert (Hopefully)
« Reply #57 on: 27 April, 2017, 04:49:52 am »
This is a problem we face.  I'm very much a spinner, and Butterfly more a masher, so cadence is either too low for me or too fast for her, and gear changes can be a source of mild disagreement ;D

In reality, we compromise.

We used to be similar (me mash, Emma spin). We found that when we both started riding Fixed gear solo bikes (commuting) it helped our tandem compromise a lot -- not just by finding a middle ground but by greatly increasing the range of  gears we were each "OK" with.
(And this proved immensely helpful when our Di2 battery ran out on Colorado 1200km a few years back: 200km with <40 rpm on the climbs was not an experience we're keen to repeat!)

Chris S

Re: Tandem Convert (Hopefully)
« Reply #58 on: 27 April, 2017, 08:21:38 am »
This is a problem we face.  I'm very much a spinner, and Butterfly more a masher, so cadence is either too low for me or too fast for her, and gear changes can be a source of mild disagreement ;D

In reality, we compromise.

We used to be similar (me mash, Emma spin). We found that when we both started riding Fixed gear solo bikes (commuting) it helped our tandem compromise a lot -- not just by finding a middle ground but by greatly increasing the range of  gears we were each "OK" with.
(And this proved immensely helpful when our Di2 battery ran out on Colorado 1200km a few years back: 200km with <40 rpm on the climbs was not an experience we're keen to repeat!)

We've found that our cadence desires change over the course of a ride. We're pretty closely matched when fresh (quite possibly because we're both fixers too), but when I tire, I start to select bigger and bigger gears and mash them, and fboab wants to spin lighter.

I agree - it's a compromise.

(click to show/hide)

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Tandem Convert (Hopefully)
« Reply #59 on: 27 April, 2017, 03:21:14 pm »
I've noticed that a captain can be trained to select sensible gears without need for bickering if you simply ease off until such a time as they feel like reverting to a sensible cadence...   :demon: