First Tandem ride
 

I used to exercise on the indoor bike 30 minutes every day,have not done so in about 1 year.My son the captain and I went for our first tandem ride yesterday,wow am I out of shape.He did ok,But we are getting helmets for our next trip.Looks like the nice lightweight ones start at 100.Legs hurt today and we only went about 3 miles.I am 57 and he is 31.He hates the drop bars,I have not been the captain yet.

Good start! You survived your first tandem ride! Your son's first tandem ride, too?
You should visit the BF tandem forum, too: https://www.bikeforums.net/tandem-cycling/

First steps are the toughest! Keep it up.

Yes, it should get easier, but fitness aside, riding a tandem with a 31 year old offspring sounds wonderful! ENjoy!

We did our first rides on a tandem just last year. It is definitely a different experience but a good way for two people to ride together. Keep it up!

Riding as stoker is the best way there is to increase fitness. Keep at it. Stoker should have clipless pedals or toe clips. A couple of helpful links:

https://www.bikeforums.net/19233208-post9.html
The Proper Method by Bill McCready, owner of Santana Cycles, Inc.

Hope you have better luck with the tandem than my wife and I did. We sold our 10-speeds and bought a Gitane tandem the first year we were married. The tandem didn't last the summer, but we'll be married 44 yrs. in May. :)

Been riding a tandem since 1983. :thumb:

In fact, we just got back home from the Alabama Tandem Rally. :)

That's great! Our attempt started and ended in the summer of '74.

My wife is an accomplished rider on her own and rides a single, too. We ride the tandem on long organized rides, rallies, and when traveling. We also have a weekly club tandem ride.

If he does not like the drop bars, I recommend getting the Jones Loop bars. I have them on my tandem and on several of my other bikes.