Originally Posted by cgallagh

We have flat bars on the tandem. We installed bar ends on the stoker compartment and I put them inboard toward the shifters on the captains bars. We have just over 4000 miles on the tandem starting in the first of November. We have done 5 centuries. The longest time was 7 hrs, 30 min. The shortest was 6 hrs, 50 min. We have done one Time Trial and the flat bars hurt our time, although we did finish a 34K TT, averaging 22.51mph. This last week we put in 152 miles so far. The fastest ride was last night where we did 33 miles at 22.4 mph overall. The flat bars work okay although I would like drop bars. On my next tandem I will have drops. I sometimes have numbness in my left hand and on a couple of centuries my shoulders and neck were a little stiff. I don't think that is a bar issues so much as a posture one. I tend to stiffarm the bar after a while and if I loosen up my shoulders I can make that go away.

Hope this helps the debate.