Originally Posted by
NOS88
I may have mis-read the post, but I don't think you indicated that you and your wife both are working with the trainer. I would think with a tandem with would be very important!
If you are both involved with the trainer, how did she measure up?
My wife has also joined a gym and has a significant athletic background, but is not interested in the structure afforded by a trainer. Her training will consist of the increasingly tougher climbs that we will be doing this spring. Part of the zen of a tandem is being at peace with what your partner contributes. If I can get stronger we'll share in the enjoyment and challenge of longer, tougher rides and the additional opportunity to eat at rest stops
I don't believe it's advisable to a)inquire as to your stoker's weight, b)ask stoker to wear a HR monitor, etc. I once posed the innocent inquiry, "What's happening back there?": not a good idea. Of course racier, younger folk have trainers, work out and kick serious single butt. But as a point of reference when we were (much) younger stoker trained our 10 y/o twins and we completed a 400 mile ride in 4 days (on singles).