Riding stokerless

[Chris S]

I'm a relative n00b to tandems.

With this in mind, would I find 70km or so (flat roads) riding stokerless hard work?

[Kathy]

I'm a relative n00b to tandems.

With this in mind, would I find 70km or so (flat roads) riding stokerless hard work?

Tim has occasionally ridden the tandem stokerless, but for no more than five miles at a time. The braking will be different, as you will have no weight over the rear wheel, but I can't see a reason otherwise why it should be harder work than a bike with panniers on.

The main tiring thing you will suffer will be witty people telling you that you've lost one off the back. 

[Julian]

It depends how good your usual stoker is.  You might find it easier without one. 

[Kathy]

It depends how good your usual stoker is.  You might find it easier without one. 

Tim once went about 1/4 of a mile without me, not realising I wasn't there. He thought I was sulking with him and giving him the silent treatment.

[Wobbly John]

The main tiring thing you will suffer will be witty people telling you that you've lost one off the back. 

If they're a lone driver, you can delight in telling them they've lost all their passengers. 

I haven't riden more than 10 miles or so, solo on the tandem. It seems alright while you're bowling along on the flat, but hills and towns slow you down more than a single.

[Phil]

You'll be fine.  It's obviously harder work than riding an ordinary bike but not hugely so.  I've done 40 miles solo before without problems.  Until recently I didn't have a regular stoker so I used to have to ride all over the place to pick them up. 

A couple of things to watch for:

You'll get used to riding it alone, so when your stoker gets on your steering will go wobbly for a couple of miles.  As long as you're expecting this it's not a problem.  This also occurs when you're used to riding two-up and go solo. 

The transmission can get a bit jumpy without balancing weight on the back, leading to chain offs.  Keep your pedalling and gear changes smooth and you'll be fine. 

On average, a $WITTY_TYPE will tell you that you've lost your passenger every half mile.  Keep grinning. 

[teethgrinder]

On average, a $WITTY_TYPE will tell you that you've lost your passenger every half mile.  Keep grinning. 

Isn't that why MP3 players were invented?

[clarion]

Depends on the type of tandem.  The 2Across or the KHS were perfectly fine when ridden solo.  The Orbit was a bit more awkward, but the SuperGalaxy gets very twitchy when the rear wheel is unweighted.  Probably better with loaded panniers back there, but I wouldn't want to ride it any distance without a stoker.

Best to try it with your set up and see...

[disrail]

Of course you could ofset the efficiency shortcomings of the machine by using an aerodynamic superman position, shown here by the legendary Sheldon Brown.







Is he able to reach the brakes? Discuss.....

[Andydauddwr]

Best to try it with your set up and see...

+1 to that.  The Dawes was a brick and took it well.  I did the last 70km of the Cheltenham Flyer in '08 1-up on it.   The Santana on the otherhand is a twitchy beast and whilst it's doable, it wouldn't be a relaxing experience over any sort of distance.  Braking also poses a significant challenge on the latter as it just slides around in a skid with no weight on the back...

AC

[drossall]

I did just under 20 miles after my stoker took the train home. No problem.

[damerell]

Depends on the type of tandem.  The 2Across or the KHS were perfectly fine when ridden solo.  The Orbit was a bit more awkward, but the SuperGalaxy gets very twitchy when the rear wheel is unweighted.

I've ridden our SG all sorts of places solo. It _feels_ very twitchy when you first mount up if you have been riding with a stoker recently, and no wonder - all your steering corrections are the wrong size; but I find that passes in five or ten minutes, and then it's a perfectly comfortable ride. It doesn't feel twitchy at all once that phase is past - somewhat ponderous if anything, as you might expect.

[Tim Hall]

Riding the Pino stokerless means it's much (for v large values of much) more inclined to wheelie.

[rower40]

On the plus side -

You don't have to hold your farts in.


IGMC.

[ed_o_brain]

When we picked our Tandem up Maffie was a bit under the weather suffering a chest infection that was playing havoc with her Asthma. Hence I dropped her in Halifax and rode onto Manchester solo.

It was fine. I relished it, especially the challenges of climbing with it and even scalping a couple of other riders. When I got it home I realised there was only about thirty PSI in the back tyre.

[Chris S]

Thanks for all the input folks. It all worked very well in the end. I rode 35km stokerless to from home to Downham Market, met Mrs S off the train - and after Regulator's ride, I rode the 40km home from King's Lynn. I enjoyed it immensely. The bike was very well behaved - and the brakes work better when there's only one of us on it!

[Viv]

On the plus side -

You don't have to hold your farts in.


IGMC.

I didn't know you had to - Maybe that's why I never have any volunteer stokers!

[damerell]

I didn't know you had to - Maybe that's why I never have any volunteer stokers!

Robin and I were descending a hill somewhere in Scotland once, both tucked down. As we approached a point where I might need to steer and not be travelling at 45mph, I sat up and immediately, with the unbending of the digestive system, let fly _fortissimo_.

I inferred Robin's head was still near my backside when he burst into helpless giggles.

At that point I burst into helpless giggles.

Shortly after that we had to stop. You cannot hold a tandem steady if both captain and stoker are wetting themselves laughing.