syncro87

Thanks for the reply, Ritterview ( and others! )

I actually put the 26x1.95 Specialized Armadillo Hemispheres on for a reason. Yes, I know they are inefficient. I will likely be hauling a child trailer, and I'll be riding mostly urban but my in-laws live on a farm in rural Kansas with lots of dirt roads. I wanted a bombproof tire that could handle any situation as well as increase the comfort of the ride for my more sensitive (to ride quality) stoker wife. I didn't want to get a flat 5 miles from home with my daughter in tow if I can avoid it. I didn't want to worry about hitting the darn steel plates they sometimes put on our streets as temp repairs. In the odd case that we take the tandem out to farm country, I wanted a tire that could handle off pavement a little. In other words, yes, I thought about it, but went conservative on the tires. I don't want to have all three of us out, have some groceries on board, and have to worry about ride quality or flats. For now, speed is not a priority. Once I get some more experience on the bike, my attitude may change. I'm a tandem green pea right now, so there will be a learning curve. I wanted the tandem to have as comfortable a ride as possible to entice the other half into riding it more, hence more of a balloon tire.

I have a road bike with 700c x 25 tires if I want to go fairly fast. For now, the tandem's role is for all three of us to be able to ride around for fun...to the park, grocery store, etc. If we like it, we may go on longer jaunts and in that case I would probably get some more efficient rubber. Actually, on my beater bike, an 2000 vintage steel non-suspension Spec Hardrock, I indeed went with a pretty small and smooth street tire instead of the stock knobby rubber for exactly the reasons you bring up. It helped the efficiency out when hauling the kid trailer or my Burley Nomad.

I hear you, though, and you make a good point.

I much appreciate your links. Thank you.