Tandem Cycling - Took the tandem plunge!

We have had it on layway for so long, it didn't seem like we would ever pick it up. But we finally did! Our new Trek T900 (primarily for the hubby and kiddo). We made some modifications you might notice in the foto: changed both pilot and stoker handlebars to flat, added ergo grips, clips, change to a 1.25 tire and most importantly changed the grip shift to rapid fire.

The greatest part is that we will never miss another ride because of visitation! Also we are quite excited to get involved with the group that matches pilots with sight-impared stokers. (If someone could point me in the right direction, I would appreciate it.) :thumb:

Did you buy that at Richardson Bike Mart? I'm not local, but while on business there over the last 4 weeks, I took two trips to RBM for something to do.

They had a mix of tandems for sale, Co-Motions, Santanas, and I thought a Trek.

Enjoy the bike.

PK

Congratulations of your new tandem hope you both have many great rides on it, I have the same Trek and have really enjoyed riding with the wife and kids when we get out on it.

Congratulations! Have fun! Maybe we will spot you on a ride around here :)

Congrats on the new ride...now the fun really begins. Enjoy!

Bill J.

Thanks for all your congrats! I'm sure we will enjoy the heck out of this bike. Now we just need to get hooked up with the local tandem club. :thumb:


Did you buy that at Richardson Bike Mart? I'm not local, but while on business there over the last 4 weeks, I took two trips to RBM for something to do.

They had a mix of tandems for sale, Co-Motions, Santanas, and I thought a Trek.

Enjoy the bike.

PK

Yeah... as a matter of fact, that's RBM in the background. :)

We had rented their version of this bike to try it out a couple of times before we put this one on layaway. Riding behind the hubby and kiddo, I noticed that she (kiddo) didn't even have her feet on the pedals half the time. So when we bought ours, we put her in clips. We went with RBM on their 20-mile ride yesterday so I could film the two of them. We were rolling on the floor looking at the "movies" of the ride--you could tell she was just playing around back there knowing that she didn't even have to work to keep her feet on the pedals! Poor hubby was exhausted after only 20 miles. :eek:

I think we have some work to do with her.... :)

I have only been stoker for a trip around the block. Now that we have this one here at home, I'm looking forward to "getting to know" the bike and what it means to be stoker. :thumb:

what it means to be a stoker...

It means you are always right!

I took the plunge about the same time. I bought a Cignal Melbourne Express from work. (Is everyone laughing now?) The bike is something I've talked about with my wife for years, and my son wants to give one a try. My first ride with my boy was a big learning experience. I've worked on bikes for 20 years, including some tandems, but have never ridden one with a stoker. I did change out the tires to a set of Ritchey Moby-Bites, 26 x 2.2, and added a set of Topeak Bar 'n' Mirrors, as I plan to add a trailercycle to it to take both kids out together (3 and 10).

Do it TWOgether!

I took the plunge about the same time. I bought a Cignal Melbourne Express from work. (Is everyone laughing now?) The bike is something I've talked about with my wife for years, and my son wants to give one a try. My first ride with my boy was a big learning experience. I've worked on bikes for 20 years, including some tandems, but have never ridden one with a stoker. I did change out the tires to a set of Ritchey Moby-Bites, 26 x 2.2, and added a set of Topeak Bar 'n' Mirrors, as I plan to add a trailercycle to it to take both kids out together (3 and 10).

I didn't see anything laughable about your bike! Ours looked very much like that before our modifications. :)

We went out tonight for a trip around the block. I can get used to it, except for the wabbling. What's that about? Will that go away?

Bit of a learning curve learning how to handle a tandem.
In a couple weeks you'll be just fine.

I think I read a thread somewhere discussing the advantages of changing the cranks so that they are not exactly the same--like the pilot has his pedals at 12:00 and 6:00 and the stoker at 3:00 and 9:00. Only I can't find that thread now. We don't have much time to ride together during the week, so we'll take it out for a longer ride this weekend. Hopefully we will work it out so that it doesn't wabble. If not, is changing the pedal position a cure for that?

I think I read a thread somewhere discussing the advantages of changing the cranks so that they are not exactly the same--like the pilot has his pedals at 12:00 and 6:00 and the stoker at 3:00 and 9:00. Only I can't find that thread now.

Good gravy... there are probably 50 threads on the subject of "in-phase vs. out-of-phase".

This one attached to poll covers the landscape pretty well:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=267643&

Again, you can find the rest by searching on the term "out of phase"

Aaah, thanks TandemGeek. I was not searching the right keyword. I never would have thought of "in-phase" :o

I didn't see anything laughable about your bike! Ours looked very much like that before our modifications. :)

We went out tonight for a trip around the block. I can get used to it, except for the wabbling. What's that about? Will that go away?

What is a wabble?

What is a wabble?

LOL... I'm like a bobble-head on the back of the bike especially when we're coasting. Either I can't feel it or it just doesn't happen when we're pedaling. It's very uncomfortable to feel like we're going to topple over any second but I'm clipped in!:eek:

what it means to be a stoker...

It means you are always right!

The stoker is NOT always right. The stoker "makes no mistakes".