Originally Posted by
Abram
On the topic of who rides in front... Check out this bike from 1898:
Iver Johnson Tandem Iver Johnson Arms Co. Mass. 1898 | Old Spokes Home
Man rides in the back, note the low top-tube for the front position to accommodate a dress. Also a linkage connects the front and back handlebars so it can be steered from either position. (Right-side timing chain, too!)
I really like those old rear-steer tandems. I had a friend convert and old Huffy tandem about twenty years ago to a rear-steer. He added a kids crank and that became the go-to transportation for my young son. My wife and I sometimes get funny looks when we ride with me as the stoker, but they are nothing compared to the ones I used to get when people would see my four-year-old riding captain with his arms folded across his chest.