Tandem Cycling - Missing stoker

Any of you pilots ridden off sans stoker or been unaware the stoker
departed the bike? On a recent century (Cherohala Challenge)
the first rest stop came up and we cruised into the parking lot, I
unclipped and hopped off the back as Jim cruised past the goodies
table. From prior experience I wanted to fuel up a bit, the hills are
nasty on this century. Jim turned around and cruised back to the
parking area and I chowed down. After a few minutes I looked
about: no tandem, no pilot. Searched about and a friend cruised the
parking lot, no pilot or tandem.... About 30min went by and the
tandem reappeared down the road, pilot had gone 3.5 miles before
realizing he was alone on the bike. He had no idea I had departed
the bike or that the bike behaved any differently at least on that
section of road. Several interpretations charitable or otherwise
come to mind. Have others had this happen?

As to the Cherohala, the pilot bonked about 8miles into the 17mi
uphill and we had to sag to the top. Did about 105 of the 115mi.
11-28 cassette may have been a bit optimistic but we were between
4.5 and 6.5mph for 7 of the 8 miles up and a higher cadence may not
have upped the speed much.

I've only made it 20 feet or so without figuring it out.

Presumably, you are so balanced as a team, that you as the stoker are so equivalent in power output, and in synch in handling, that the net effect is neutral.

sch...that is a great story!!
' happy to say I've never had that happen....if it did...I doubt I would ever be well enough in this life time to tell about it..

Bill J.

Leaving stoker stranded like that? Never-ever done that one! Yikes! So much for 'tandem communication' or in your case, the lack thereof!
An 11-34 would have made it easier on the legs to get up the rest of the hill. Slower, maybe, but you could of continued pedaling. While and 11-28 ascent all the way would have been 'macho' . . . walking/sagging the rest of the hill is not exactly in that category!
Our motto on gearing: better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it!
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

The stock tandems that we had for our first two bikes were very stable when I took them around the block by myself. The new custom bike feels very squirrelly if I try this with no one on the back seat. I wouldn't have made it out of the parking lot without noticing something wrong.

If I went away w/o the Missus, I wouldn't dare go back!!

Andy

Could never happen to us. On our Counterpoint the stoker rides in front.

Could never happen to us. On our Counterpoint the stoker rides in front.

I'd like to see a picture of that.

Photos of the Viewpoint (http://www.bilenky.com/viewpnt.html) tandem below.

Used to be called Counterpoint.

Photos of the Viewpoint (http://www.bilenky.com/viewpnt.html) tandem below.

Used to be called Counterpoint.

That does look interesting. Was there much of a learning curve? Balancing on a recumbent and on a DF are two very different things.

It certainly is a more interesting view for the stoker. Are there any problems of the stoker seeing things rushing up at him/her but having no control? I suppose it comes down to how well you trust your captain.

I had some fun with the neighborhood kids a few months ago with a missing stoker. I was adjusting all kinds of things like saddles,bars,shifting etc. and just riding around the block. The first time around I had my 9 year old son with me, but he grew weary of me stopping and changing things and wanted to stop.

I dropped him off and continued circling. As I went by the kids, I asked if they had seen him. I said we hit a bump and I think he fell off...Each time I went by, I asked if they had seen him.They were quite somber...

That does look interesting. Was there much of a learning curve? Balancing on a recumbent and on a DF are two very different things.

It certainly is a more interesting view for the stoker. Are there any problems of the stoker seeing things rushing up at him/her but having no control? I suppose it comes down to how well you trust your captain.

The wife would not stoke until I had some 20 miles in. I feel a need to slow down more on sharp turns then on a stock tandem or a single bike. yes, my usual stoker is an "A" type and stresses going fast down steep hills or over 20 on the flats. She can pick her own cadence though. Also it helps on tight turns for her to stop pedaling. At a Special Olympics event on a bike path I had a pro TV cameraman and his big shoulder mounted camera on the front for some action close-ups. All those nice kids wanted to race us. The original Counterpoint had a hand-crank adaptation available.

Have ridden the Counterpoint solo, as pilot and as stoker.
Riding solo or as pilot it's like riding a long wheelbased mt. bike. As stoker (up front) could get more 'oomph'/power out of the pedals by pressing my back into the rear of the recumbent seat.
As stoker, felt a bit vulnerable; positives: pilot can whisper sweet nothings in stoker's ear! Independent cog selection for pilot/stoker allows for varied cadence, pilot has control over front derailleur. Stoker has unobstructed view ahead (including tailpipes of passing cars).
No learning curve if you've ridden upright tandem; shorter wheelbase than standard tandem is nice, but rode this one with 26" wheels/fat tires so did not feel too svelte.
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

I can't imagine that happening to me. Remove the stoker from the rear after some riding, and the bike (or my reactions to handling a stokerless tandem that had a stoker on a few minutes earlier) feels and handles totally different.

Rich

Offroad organised ride in the wet (And the rain and the wind and the mud) First time ever and we were walking the "T" uphills through lack of grip. So as stoker, I decided to try something different and just before we lost grip- I jumped off and started pushing the "T" up the hill. It worked but when the pilot got up to 10 mph without me being saddled- I let go of the bike.

The comments from the Solos was laughable. "&%*£ riding a Tandem if that is how you get up the hills". My only comment was- "Catch him up and tell him the stokers not pedalling."

The pilot honestly thought I had turned on the Turbo and it took 1/2 mile before the Solos caught him.