Tandem Cycling - Captains' Position Vs Single

For those that ride single(half?) bikes as much or more than the tandem, do you try to duplicate the exact position on the tandem? Seat to pedal length is probably the same but what about distance to and drop from the seat to the bars.

I have a pretty aggressive position on the single, are there benefits to a less aggressive position in terms of control or comfort?

Mine is exactly the same because that is where I am comfy on the single. If you are comfy with the aggressive position you should be the same on the tandem.

For those that ride single(half?) bikes as much or more than the tandem, do you try to duplicate the exact position on the tandem? Seat to pedal length is probably the same but what about distance to and drop from the seat to the bars.

I have a pretty aggressive position on the single, are there benefits to a less aggressive position in terms of control or comfort?

Our tandem is custom, I was measured for it without regard to its being a tandem, except that there may have been a choice between 44 and 46 cm bars, and it being a tandem made 46 the natural choice.

My single was a production bike made years and years ago, and fit more approximately. After the tandem came home I measured it and then made the single match (new stem and bars). Fit is the same, but handling is a lot more twitchy.

Whether that works for you may depend on whether you will be riding the two the same way. My single is mostly a commute bike (although originally intended for touring), and the tandem is for longer distance, loaded touring, with local rides in between. Racing is not among the applications for either. If you're racing you want a more aggressive position, and then the question is whether you (and your stoker) will be racing the tandem.

Start with the same position. But there are differences that may affect position. The most critical to me is the lack of standing time on the tandem. I sit a lot more, and that tends to affect comfort in all sorts of subtle ways.

Yes. I duplicated my position and then tweaked from there. The most obvious difference is the saddle height due to cleat type differences (spd vs. looks). Also I ride slightly more upright on the tandem by design. Even so, my hands tend to get numb on the tandem faster. Initially I duplicated the position exactly using a crude fit kit, but had some hip pain issues. Changing the seat position fixed that.

For 15+ years the set-ups on my road singles and Tandem were the same...but over the last 3-4years, as I have ridden the tandem way more, I have been slowly raising my bar height on the tandem for more comfort that my "maturing" body seems to want. When I get on my singles now, I like the lower more aero position for a while but then after an hour or so of riding the fun is gone out of my neck and shoulders. On the Tandem I'm good for 4 to 6 hours with little problem.

Bill J.

When we ordered our tandem, we took the measurements off our single bikes, and tried to replicate those positions as closely as possible.

... I have been slowly raising my bar height on the tandem for more comfort that my "maturing" body seems to want.

+1 to Bill's comments. I ride more upright on my tandem than my singles.

Andy

Being relatively new to tandems i assumed i needed a higher & closer handlebar position for better control. The bars were about an inch higher & an inch closer in than on my single bike. I still believe that was a good idea. Now that I am more used to the tandem I have moved the bars to duplicate my single bike position. I am happy.

My bar height is also higher on the tandem than on my single road bikes. I figure that since my stoker is already more upright than I am, then there is little to be gained to me using a lower / more aero position. We will still have to punch the same-sized hole though the air regardless of my position, so I may as well be comfortable.

I have nearly the same position on both single and tandem, but put somewhat-wider handlebars on the tandem because they make it easier to control the bike when standing on hills. Position of saddle relative to the center of the BB is duplicated exactly. Handlebar height relative to saddle height might be slightly higher (1/4"?) on the tandem since it is harder to get a stretch while riding. Given the stem size, the reach to the brake levers and drops is the same as on my single.