I struggled with a similar concern for quite a while. My wife can't ride much due to physical issues so a tandem recumbent made no economic sense at all, well not based on mileage anyway. Then I changed my perspective and wondered how does one measure shared enjoyment in dollars and cents?

I paid $1200 for our gently used EZ Tandem in March of 2008. The only cycling she did in '08 was the few miles we enjoyed together on that tandem. In March 2009 I went over the edge and bought her a Sun X-1 which she has put possibly as much as 25 - 30 miles on, in addition to a few more miles on the tandem.

Over the two seasons we've owned it we have put a total of only 70 miles on the tandem, all at a snails pace of 10mph or less over distances of 10 miles or less. Most of our outings involved stopping during the ride for lunch. The enjoyment that we have shared over those 70 short miles have more than offset the $1200 already, at least for me anyway.

The wife has already made mention of getting back on it again this season for some more adventures. We may only be going short distances very slowly, but it's still a major rush!

I guess what I'm trying to express is that sometimes it's not the quantity of time spent on an expensive venture such as a tandem that justifies the purchase, it's the quality of that time shared with your special someone. That's what does it for me, anyway. Maybe I'm just sappy!!

Here's wishing Mr. & Mrs. Grouch many fond and precious moments and memories tearing up the roadways on their 'Screaming Yellow Zonker'!