(07-07-2026, 04:12 PM)Flowrider Wrote: In 30+ years riding. I've never been on a tandem. What's that experience like?
Oh man, it is awesome but takes a good effort to adapt to the other rider's style. When we got our road tandem, we practically rode only the tandem for nearly 2 years it was so much fun and an experience. We did a few centuries and some really fast downhills that we should not and did not really want but unexpectedly did so. Hit 56 on a short half mile descent without pedaling. Bike was rock solid but the helmets and glasses rattling like crazy. Fun but scary and thinking of what could happen, like dog running into our path on a rather somewhat busy road, and with my wife on the back, we did our best to avoid big downhills along the way. The climbs were great though. Ended up doing a few that people on single bikes would avoid. Quite an accomplishment for the history books.
It took us some time to learn how to ride together. My wife is a masher and I am a spinner so we had to meet in the middle somewhere. I had to figure out when she was struggling to spin so I could lower the cadence some. She liked big gears but really developed a better spin having been on the tandem. Sometimes she would show a little rust on the single bike so I would put her back on the tandem and kickstart her skills. She really did very having experienced the tandem.
To start, heck we had a few clashes on the bike. They say it's a miracle when a couple can ride a tandem not ending in divorce. I can see why ha ha ha! A couple of times we would get into it and I dopped her off on the bike leaving her behind but would turn back after 100 yards to get her back on ha ha ha! It really is adapting styles. At times she thought she was carrying me and I thought the same. So we would end up getting on singles just so I could show her that I could leave her rear behind if I so wanted. Didn't really want to but it settled a couple of rough patches on the tandem.
It really is rough but once we got dialed in, it was pure heaven. We could ride without talking. I could feel when she needed to slow down or could pick it up like reading her mind through the pedals. She was very relaxed on the back of the bike so she would just roll with fast turns and fast down hills when we had to do them. Once you learn how to really ride a tandem, it is very cool. At stops she never put her feet down or unclipped. I could sit on the toptube, no hands and rock the bike. When you learn what can be done and how, it really makes for a great experience. Never having to ask to back off, pick it up or unclip, it's amazing. I really don't see why tandem couples talk about the mic headset things needing to communicate because when you know how to ride, you don't need to say a word and just know what is going on.
Took a bit though to get synchronized. At first we would struggle to pedal together missing the power stroke it seems. When we started, a group rolled by when we were on the trail. We hopped on the back and struggled to hang on at 20 mph. Thought we were just too weak but after several months of keeping at it, had a near same experience with a group. Except this time, we took the front and carried the group at 24 mph. It was great!
I would say almost any couple that tries a tandem will not keep at it long. It takes a special kind of communication imo. Most tandem teams I have met that are good, were people who met in groups , not married couples. Of all the tandem teams we have met, I would say only 4 of them are actual married couples.
Thinking that the tandem should be fast, I did try it out with a buddy of mine. Much much stronger than my wife on a single and we sucked. The wife and I We had a much better time, experience and even average speed over the same ride than I did with my very strong friend. It really takes that getting synched to enjoy it.
We had an awesome experience traveling down to Mexico for a really popular ride, 7-10k riders most times. We were flying along the rolling hills of the coast in Rosarito. Some dude asked if he could take our wheel, sure! He later told us that he was with a group made of a bunch of strong riders and that we were ahead of them so we were doing great. After 15 miles or so, we hit inland with gentle climbing and did well. Then we hit the 30 mile point with a big hill called El Tigre. 3 miles with mostly 7% grades. He said thank you and said he would be off on his way . Of course, singles climb much better than tandems. We did well and right before the top, I told my wife that I was just about cooked. I'm a much better climber than my wife so I just figured we would slow down. But when I told her than, she said, "hold on!" then I swear, she stomped on the pedals almost giving me whiplash ha ha ha! I don't know what happened but it was amazing, like she pushed us up and over the top. I still get all choked up remembering that amazing feeling.
Then we were on a fast downhill with switchbacks so we had to maintain somewhat being on a tandem. We did the downhill then leveled out and guess what, we caught the guy who had been sucking our wheel earlier. He asked if he could take our wheel again. He was cool so why not?!
But then we hit the coastal section of Ensenada, about 7 miles left to the finish. A tailwind and a flat section, we started cranking it up again. Next thing I knew, that dude was blown off the back of our bike. We were flying! It was amazing and made me realize how a tandem team can actually support one another and create an amazing ride.
I would say that if you ever get a chance to ride one, make sure the captain is an experienced tandem rider so he can give you pointers on how to create a good experience. I would say if you just get a tandem with a spouse or a buddy, you're probably not going to like it right away. It'll take a couple of months before things even begin to click.
Oh, and the secret to riding strong on a tandem is to do plenty of climbing. Most, and especially husband and wife teams will avoid climbing. Even years later, we would climb on our tandem. A regular ride would consist of a 3 mile grade with a 4 to 7 percent grade. Three times up and around just for fun. 😄 Two or three times per week would make the flats a cinch as well as surprise others that figured climbing on a tandem was too much.
28 years on the tandem. Something I would have never expected but will never forget.
But I will never forget the 56 MPH downhill speed. Rock solid bike but too many what if's with the wife on the back.
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