Want to start tandem riding

[ktskates]

Hi there, I have read through some posts I have found, and found some websites with information, but still haven;t found a lot of detail about how to choose a tandem. We live in rural NH, so our "local" bike shops don't carry tandems, and would have to special order. I have read that renting isn't necessarily a good way to test tandeming/bikes, as those bikes may not be the best or best maintained, but how else does one decide tandeming is for you? And how does one compare bikes?

I am 6' tall, and my husband is about 5'7". We could both stand to be in much better shape than we are, and I am recovering from shoulder surgery for injuries sustained in a long-past over-the-handlebars bike accident, but would like to start biking again. We can't spend a fortune, but I would rather we got a bike we will be really happy with and want to ride than save money and get a bike that isn't right for us.

Any suggestions?

Thank you,

Kate

[merlinextraligh]

Look for a used tandem in good shape. In my opinion, going too cheap in buying a tandem will get you a bike that is too flexible, tends to break down and is not much fun to ride. Above $1000, you start to get into reliable bikes that can be used for serious riding. If that's above your price range, look for a used tandem in good shape. You might consider a bike like a Burley Duet, or a Trek or Cannodale tandem, that originally retailed in the $1,000 to $2,000 range.

With enough loooking you can find a bike like this that a bit older, but still in good shape in the $500 range. And it will be a lot nicer ride than what you can get for $500 new.

[vtrich]

Hi Kate,
We were in a similar situation several years ago. I was a long-time rider, wife was a runner,..together looking for ways to spend more time together. We were in FL and rented a beach cruiser type tandem. I think you'd be able to rent one of those on the sea coast. I think it is an excellent introduction to tandeming. For us, it provided a peak at how we'd work as a couple on a tandem without a major committment. Once we decided we were well suited,...well,...at least compatible,...I started to shop for a used tandem that I thought would be a good fit. Of course, that is just another fun hurdle.

Good Luck!!

Rich

[cornucopia72]

We agree with the previuos posters. Looking back at more than 10 years of tandeming this is what we would do if could start all over:

Rent a tandem and see if you guys are compatible for the task.
Buy a used tandem that fits you reasonably well and ride it to see if you love tandeming.
Buy the best tandem you can afford.

Good luck

[jgg3]

You don't say where you are in NH, but my experience riding up there last year is that it is pretty tough tandem territory. You are either climbing or descending most of the time. When you aren't, you are probably on a fairly active road. None of these are killers, but I would now certainly hesitate to bring the tandem up there on a vacation.

I would contact every bike store and bike nut in the area and talk about tandems. Chances are, someone near enough to you has a tandem you will be able to try out. There are bike nuts everywhere.

Capture a Craig's List search for all of the northeast for "Tandem" in the bicycles category. Watch this every day. Do the same for ebay. Not that you would necessarily buy one, but it will make you an expert in the used tandem market faster than anything else.

Last year, I did all these things and we ended up with a Co-Motion (NIB, off ebay, used escrow) that really is perfect for us. But it took months of scanning everything to get up on the market and know what something was worth. The problem with buying a used tandem is that tandem's are much harder to fit because you need to have a bike that fits both riders. So the "right one" will come along much more rarely than you might expect. We actually found that strange sizes were more common than ones more to the middle of the range.

[JanMM]

Because the majority of tandems are configured for a captain who is taller than the stoker, you might have more difficulty finding a tandem that fits both of you because you are significantly taller than your husband. Unless, of course, you are going to be the captain. Problem solved!

[sch]

Because the majority of tandems are configured for a captain who is taller than the stoker, you might have more difficulty finding a tandem that fits both of you because you are significantly taller than your husband. Unless, of course, you are going to be the captain. Problem solved!

Another option would be the Periscope variants at www.co-motion.com
These will fit a much wider range of riders than standard tandems.
Not inexpensive, but for a new tandem, not expensive either. Sort of
a backup option if craigslist or www.thetandemlink.com don't pan out.

[Xanti Andia]

You do need to look at who will captain. I do not assume that as a woman you would most likely be stoker, you are taller and therefore more likely to captain. Hope your shoulder is in good shape and not a limitation for handling the bike as captain.

If you go as stoker you might have trouble fitting a bike for a 5'7" captain and 6' stoker unless you go for a Co-Mo Periscope as suggested, or a custom bike which seems out of the question. However if you captain you are in the market for a fairly standard sized tandem. You might also be able to accept reasonable compromises if you find a medium sized bike with a larger stoker compartment and then have your husband captain.

You do need to try some bikes, maybe go down to Boston, see if you like ti decide who will captain figure out bike sizes, and go from there. You definitely should not buy without trying,

[antiquepedaler]

If I were you I'd contact the Tandem Club of America: http://www.tandemclub.org/
We met two tandem couples from NH when we were newbies and they were a great help. I recall one of the couples even invite touring tandemists to overnight in their home. TCA should be able to put you in contact with these folks.

[ktskates]

Wow! Thanks for all the information. But now you have got me drooling over $3500 co-motion bikes....
We will definately try to find a place that rents and try out tandeming. Living in the boonies (NH-VT border, so there are some river valley routes that aren't brutal, and we have a rail-trail) makes finding a used one harder, but we will be looking.

When my husband read my post and the replies, he pointed out that I should have let him edit my post, so here it is: "My husband is short, but of powerful build and with amazing stamina,
considering that he only rides his bike a few times a week in the
warmer weather."

I think given the condition of my shoulder and wrist (the wrist took the worse hit in the afore-mentioned accident, but it can't be fixed short of wrist replacement), it will be hard for me to captain, so the size thing is going to be tricky.

Thank you all for the input so far!

[JanMM]

"My husband is short, but of powerful build and with amazing stamina,
considering that he only rides his bike a few times a week in the
warmer weather."
He is a mighty, mighty man, as we all are. Goes without saying.

[cornucopia72]

[QUOTE=ktskates;6120561]
I think given the condition of my shoulder and wrist (the wrist took the worse hit in the afore-mentioned accident, but it can't be fixed short of wrist replacement), it will be hard for me to captain, so the size thing is going to be tricky.
QUOTE]

We started with a large/med Burley Duet. I also captain a small Cabrio triplet with a huge stem/rise.

I am 6'3" and my wife is 5'6". We have two girls, one is 6'2" and the other 5'11". We have ridden both rigs in every possible combination, with me as the captain, for long rides (50 +miles). So it can be done with a standard frame. Try it and if you like it get a periscope or a custom frame.

[smunderdog]

Just like previous posters have suggested....

I purchased my first tandem last summer. Before I did, I found someone locally that allowed my wife and I to join him and his wife on a ride. They had an older Santana that we rode and they rode their newer Santana. That allowed us to figure out if tandeming was for us...

I now have a Santana hanging in the garage waiting for warmer weather. Found the ideal used tandem and snagged it, but my wife was 7 months pregnant at the time, then winter hit - so we haven't even ridden it yet!

[zonatandem]

While not exactly in your backyard, here are a few tandem dealers and they offer test rides:
Gear-to-Go Tandems: gtgtandems. com located Elmira, NY. owner Rich Shapiro
Tandems East: tandemseast.com located Pittsgrove, NJ. owners Mel & Barb (50-some tandems in stock)
Tandem Matchmakers bike123.com located Mt. Airy, MD. owner Larry (over 200 tandems/triples in stock)
All are great folks to deal with.
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

[ktskates]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I foresee a trip to Boston!

I am rethinking the captain/stoker issue. My DH is a photographer, hence if he is captain I am not so sure he will be paying nearly as much attention to the road as to the scenery...