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AndyGrow
02-26-06, 10:29 AM
Yes, it's true. And a lot of fun, too!

We used our Tosa on the rollers for the first time. Put the front wheel on a couple blocks of wood to get it to the same height as the rear, put the rear onto the rollers, clipped in, and rode! It was our first "officially unofficial" ride on our new tandem! Too cool. Wasn't scary at all, Vickie (stoker) had a few good places to get a grip on some heavy furniture if we needed it.

In addition to the x-country skiing, riding our singles on the mag trainer and rollers, as well as now trying out the tandem on the rollers, we've got lots to choose from for winter fitness options! Gotta love it! :D
Wil Davis
02-26-06, 11:11 AM
Wow, that sounds awesome… …but perhaps you only had the rear half of the tandem on the rollers - or am I missing something here? Some photos would really help to clear up any confusion…

- Wil
AndyGrow
02-26-06, 11:33 AM
Wow, that sounds awesome… …but perhaps you only had the rear half of the tandem on the rollers - or am I missing something here? Some photos would really help to clear up any confusion…

- Wil

Yup, that's what we did...the rear only on the rollers. Front wheel was on the wood.
Wil Davis
02-26-06, 11:49 AM
Yup, that's what we did...the rear only on the rollers. Front wheel was on the wood.

So how did you balance? …or was the front wheel fixed in some way? I've never tried running my rollers without the front roller spinning - i.e. without the drive-belt - would such a set-up work? I've always thought the front wheel needs to be spinning in order to maintain balance, unless you're doing something like a track-stand…

?

- Wil
AndyGrow
02-26-06, 01:40 PM
When we started out, the wife was supporting us by holding on to some heavy furniture. But, and this surprised us, once we got up to speed, we were actually able to balance for short periods of time, on our own (without her holding on to anything).
zonatandem
02-26-06, 04:08 PM
Yoopers will do anything to get in some riding! Quite innovative with the 'semi' roller setup for the tandem. Way to go!
DrPete
02-26-06, 04:30 PM
Yeah, I think Mollie and I will just keep investing in cold weather gear... I've managed to get her out on a 34-degree day... Pearl Izumi's Escalation bib tights and the Barrier jacket ROCK, by the way. Her fave has been the Assos women's Airblock bibs...

Probably sweltering for you Yoopers, but it's an accomplishment for us :)

DrPete
Guest
02-26-06, 05:21 PM
Wow, you guys ROCK! I can't imagine trying that with anyone at all! I can barely do it on my own. :eek:

Koffee
AndyGrow
02-26-06, 05:44 PM
Yeah, I think Mollie and I will just keep investing in cold weather gear... I've managed to get her out on a 34-degree day... Pearl Izumi's Escalation bib tights and the Barrier jacket ROCK, by the way. Her fave has been the Assos women's Airblock bibs...

Probably sweltering for you Yoopers, but it's an accomplishment for us :)

DrPete

It's not the cold...it's the 4-5 feet of snow on the ground that keep us from riding. That much snow severely limits the amount of available road space that's there to ride on...not to mention the packed snow/ice. :)

Koffee, it's no minor accomplishment, for sure! I'm comfortable on the rollers with my single, but this was a whole new thing. And the weirdest thing was, SHE was the one in charge, since SHE was the one controlling the situation! :D
AndyGrow
02-26-06, 05:46 PM
Yoopers will do anything to get in some riding! Quite innovative with the 'semi' roller setup for the tandem. Way to go!

We are also considering picking up a 2nd set of rollers...put the front wheel on 'em (where the rear wheel goes), connecting them and seeing how that works...??? :eek:
zonatandem
02-26-06, 08:06 PM
You Yoopers have spring fever early . . . or is it cabin fever?
When we lived in non-Yooper Michigan we looked forward to the January 'spring thaw' when it would be dry and 30 degrees: shorts and T-shirts? You betcha!
Our club used to hold a January picnic at the lake: you could show up on X-country skies or on the bike! One year it was nice enough that bikes/tandems and skiers had a great picnic although none of us brought our ice-fishing tip-ups.
Now that we're a bit old (and maybe wiser) and living in the Southwest we think 50 degrees is time for 2 jerseys and arm warmers!
Spring's a-coming . . . you'll be ready to go TWOgether!
Let us know how the second set ofrolloers works out.
Now in AZ we whimper when it's in the high 40s!
DocF
02-27-06, 03:16 PM
Hey Andy,

I like the picture on the shores of Lake Superior with Canada in the background. Great composition and very pretty, pretty enough so it is my current wallpaper.

Thanks,
Doc
AndyGrow
02-27-06, 06:18 PM
Hey Andy,

I like the picture on the shores of Lake Superior with Canada in the background. Great composition and very pretty, pretty enough so it is my current wallpaper.

Thanks,
Doc

Thanks for the compliment Doc! I stopped to take the picture because I was completely bonked. Tried to ride too long, too hard, on the converted singlespeed you see in the picture...with little food in me. My bloodsugar dropped like a rock and I HAD to stop for a bit. Decided to make the most of it and snap some pictures.

Glad you like!
Andy
TandemGeek
02-27-06, 07:21 PM
We are also considering picking up a 2nd set of rollers...put the front wheel on 'em (where the rear wheel goes), connecting them and seeing how that works...??? :eek:

Kreitler offers tandem & recumbent length extensions and super-long belts for their rollers, i.e. they make tandem-length rollers. Best to call them to get the details on what's needed, which rollers work best, and what the cost is.

http://www.kreitler.com/index.html
AndyGrow
02-27-06, 07:52 PM
Kreitler offers tandem & recumbent length extensions and super-long belts for their rollers, i.e. they make tandem-length rollers. Best to call them to get the details on what's needed, which rollers work best, and what the cost is.

http://www.kreitler.com/index.html

Coooooool...thanks!
asu_gt
03-01-06, 07:25 AM
We have set of the Krietlers (dyno-lytes) with tandem extensions. My wife and I try to ride them once a week. We both ride rollers on our singles so making the transition to rollers on the tandem was not difficult. Fortunately, no falls yet.

Jay
Doggus
03-01-06, 09:10 AM
Kreitler offers tandem & recumbent length extensions and super-long belts for their rollers, i.e. they make tandem-length rollers. Best to call them to get the details on what's needed, which rollers work best, and what the cost is.

http://www.kreitler.com/index.html


This sparked my interest! I had to call, here's the info:

Intermediate extension (48.5" - 63.75" wheelbase) $49.95
Tandem & Recumbent extension (57.375" - 72.625" wheelbase) $59.95

how hard to learn to use these?
asu_gt
03-03-06, 09:50 AM
Not that difficult for us. However, my wife and I both ride rollers on our singles.

We did the following: she would clip in with both feet while I was clipped in with one, she held onto a shelf for support while I clipped in with the other foot and after a few revolutions she let go of the shelf. it is a little more difficult than riding with our singles, but certainly manageable. the most difficult thing for us is the TV is at an angle to my wife so over time she starts leaning that way a bit. she can drink while we are pedaling, I put an aero bottle up front for me and drink with that as I don't want to risk falling while taking a drink.

jay