Tandem Cycling - Tandeming feature in Self magazine

The February issue of Self has a nice feature about tandeming, from a woman/stoker's perspective.

How Tandem Biking Changed My Marriage (http://www.self.com/health/2012/02/tandem-biking-and-marriage?currentPage=1)

Being independent is great. But sometimes, giving up some control in a relationship can make you stronger—and closer, too.

By Anne-Christine Strugnell

Going Along for the Ride

My husband and I could never exercise together. I'm a runner, and Dan's knees can't take the pounding. He's a cyclist, and I'm a traffic wimp. Most weekends, I'd go for a steady 7-mile run and he would cycle for four hours, returning too exhausted to do anything other than eat take-out food on the sofa. (So much for our Saturday nights.) I knew I should support his commitment to fitness, but I couldn't help but feel that if he really wanted to be with me, he wouldn't be sacrificing our precious weekend time. I never said anything, but we would inevitably spend those evenings quiet and careful with each other, as if we had been fighting. I guess we could have smoothed things over by skipping our respective workouts, but both of us had been married before, and we had learned the hard way that you can sacrifice too much in the name of coupledom.... [more at the link]


http://www.self.com/images/health/2012/02/tandem-bike-hear494.jpg

At the end of a mostly wordless ride, we feel as connected as if we'd just had an intimate conversation.

I did enjoy that quote.

Good article, thanks for sharing it.

Good thoughts! Thanks for the share
R&J

Hah! That is a great article. I normally don't bother with clicking things like that, but I hope everyone here clicks it.

Her comment feeling inferior by not contributing 50% on a hill is unwarranted. Sometimes one person will love hill-climbing, and the other will prefer pacing themselves. I've blown myself up before in a ride, and thank God she saved her legs to get me back. Stoker may have chosen not to give 50% up some hills, but I sure didn't give 50% in the last couple miles to the car sometimes. And I knew it when she was carrying me! :-P

Heck yeah! It is a great thing to ride with a long-time stoker, and best if you're married.

Combat pilots ALWAYS fly in pairs. Not that biking or life is combat. But it has its moments and I think, hope, and trust that the analogy and the point is still understandable.

DO IT! :thumb:
- If you've got one go ride it first chance, every chance. :thumb:
- If you're THINKING about getting one --- well get it and get on it! :thumb:

Loved that story! My wife has been a cyclist, road and mountain for 25 years chasing behind me. She wasn't keen on giving up control to someone else and never wanted to try a tandem.

We tried it once and it didn't go well. We gave it a go several years latter after meeting a couple who just seemed to be in total sync together on their Co-Motion. With some egging on and motovation from them we bought our first tandem convinced we could make it work. I think it was that mind set that helped the "teamwork" come together.

Now we almost always prefer to ride the tandem than our singles. She is stronger now too and can climb better than alot of the guys in our club.
We enjoy the century rides more now too, riding together!

riding together! Together IS the best part!
R&J

The dancing analogy is what first convinced my wife to try tandeming. She says its the only way shes ever gonna get me to dance. This coming weekend we are going to check out a better tandem than out current ride.

I had to forward that article to her.

'TWOgether' is the best part!
Just celebrated our 57th wedding anniversary and have been tandeming for 37+ years and 230,000+ miles.
Will be 80 this year and she will be 77 . . . and still riding regularly as a duo.
Pedal on!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

I almost didn't click on the link, but now I'm very glad I did. Great article!

"We're working the same chain, each powerful on our own, but even more powerful together."

Wow!