First ride imipressions on "bessie"

[paednoch]

well me and the "stoker" (new nickname for the wife?) tried out the bike after I rode it home across town solo pulling the free trail-a-bike that was tossed in witht he deal. \\

First Impression. Well since we have ZERO tandem experience I was absolutlely flabbergasted at the ease of riding a tandem with two people on it. I do realize that a short run will be vastly different from a century ride. realizing that this post is more about first time tandeming than the feel of our new Co-MO.

Some thoughs.
1) My wife thought my cadence was perfect for her
2) She felt the coasting times felt natural.
3) I purposely went down a bumpy road to see if she didn't like not knowing when a bump was coming and she said It was not anywhere near as bad as I said it would be
4) All in all I was absolutely amazed at the whole thing. I thought that it would be nightmarish but just the opposite.
5) Hooked the trailabike to it....OK with the 5 year old on it but S-C-A-R-Y with the 7 year old on it. The 7 year old was flailing all over the trailabike and she is bigger definately felt he. DIdn't even notice the 5 year old there.

[zonatandem]

Trail-a-bike riders (and stokers) must learn NOT to do the hula dance back there. As you found out, it does affect the handling up front.
. . . like the tail wagging the dog!
Otherwise, sounds like a good maiden voyage!

[TandemGeek]

Well since we have ZERO tandem experience I was absolutlely flabbergasted at the ease of riding a tandem with two people on it.

Excellent news and great looking rig.

As Rudy noted, those trail-a-bikes can really mess with the handling to whatever they are attached. In fact, many a trail-a-bike found connected to a tandem on a regular basis has precipitated the acquisition of triplets and/or quads.

[turtlendog]

well me and the "stoker" (new nickname for the wife?) tried out the bike after I rode it home across town solo pulling the free trail-a-bike that was tossed in witht he deal.

It's funny enough to see a tandem without a stoker, but you must have gotten some looks while driving that train with no passengers.

[stapfam]

First Impression. Well since we have ZERO tandem experience I was absolutlely flabbergasted at the ease of riding a tandem with two people on it. I do realize that a short run will be vastly different from a century ride. realizing that this post is more about first time tandeming than the feel of our new Co-MO.

5) Hooked the trailabike to it....OK with the 5 year old on it but S-C-A-R-Y with the 7 year old on it. The 7 year old was flailing all over the trailabike and she is bigger definately felt he. DIdn't even notice the 5 year old there.

You will not be surprised in that when the Tandem Pair work together, it does get easier.Book the century now if you find it that easy. At the end of one long ride you will definitely have the Team working.

Did a short organised ride last weekend, and I was surprised at the number of trailer bikes on it. Hate to say it but the cry of He's not pedalling at the Back" was true in most of these cases.