[brad]

What % of trainging time do most of you get on a tandem compared with training on your singles?

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[George Handy]

My tandem/single mileage ratio this year is about 1000/30! Rode my single last night for the first time this year. I sure missed my stoker!

[blwyn]

I am about the opposite, 30/750 in favor of the single. Hopefully the ratio will improve as we get into the summer.

[brad]

Hey George, you guys going to do the Collin Classic next weekk?

[Trsnrtr]

My wife is an avid cyclist in her own right and we used to ride singles about 70% and tandem about 30%. Over the years since we've been tandeming (about 15 years), we are riding tandem more than riding singles, say 60% tandem, 40% singles.

[tandemCruzer]

Something like 3000/30 here, tandem/single.

Since my stoker doesn't ride a single it gives my stoker more opportunity to train that way. It helps me feel comfortable with handling the tandem, esp. on steeper hills and stuff.

I would like to do a few rides by myself, though. I haven't ridden much with drop bars (have a bad back) and am thinking of switching to using them if/when we get a new ride, so it might be nice to get used to them on my own first (esp. if my back is grumpy about it).

[TandemGeek]

Riding time: Assume about 5K/yr with 90% of the miles on tandem.
Training time... Tandem = 0mi / Single = 0mi

I gave up "training" in 1998. We now ride for the sheer pleasure of riding whenever we get a chance. If we're both available it's on one of the tandems, otherwise Debbie or I will head out on our respective single bikes.

[George Handy]

Good point Mark! If you're not enjoying the ride, why bother with it! We see so many of the 'serious' riders out there that don't look like they are having much fun.

[tandemCruzer]

Well *gasp* we ride, have fun, and try to improve (train) .. all at the same time!

[brad]

We never train either. We're not racers by any stretch but, we ride as often as we can. We climb extra hills trying to learn to climb better/stronger/faster. We spend a lot of miles/hours riding with the common goal of getting faster and stronger. We do this in preperation of the rallies & tours we do so we can go faster at a comfortable pace. But, we never train.

[TandemGeek]

I didn't mean to rain on the parade and in my warped mind training is focused behavior that is aimed at improving your performance.

We ride hard when we feel like it and we try to ride as often as we can; however, we have friends who do "train" and it's really all consuming. For example, as a team you must:

1. manage your diet
2. manage your heart rate
3. establish a training regime with specific performance targets for each ride
4. plan to endure pain and suffering on certain days
5. do recovery riding on others
6. do interval training and regular time trials to measure your performance
7. spend most of your time riding with the "racer boys & girls" on fast serious group rides
8. blast past the scenery when you eventually do participate in a social tandem ride because it hurts too much to ride with the "slower" riders.

There is certainly some middle ground for "fitness riders" who have a less rigorous schedule for maintaining their riding performance but we're not even playing in that realm anymore either. Perhaps we'll make the time to do that again in the future, but right now we're just happy when we can go out and enjoy a ride alone or with friends and hang with the "B" group at major events IF we're on our game and IF there's not a more compelling reason to 'stop and smell the roses'.

[brad]

It's all good Mark. I think we all knew where you were coming from. Yes, there is a huge diff between "training" and "competitive level training". The latter requires a total lifestyle dedication.