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Originally Posted by Carbonello
(Post 17178183)
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dare I ask, while I did not read every single entry, I did not see any lady captains. Is there a logical reason for this besides the men seem to be physically bigger and that makes more aerodynamic sense?
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Originally Posted by intransit1217
(Post 17180342)
dare I ask, while I did not read every single entry, I did not see any lady captains. Is there a logical reason for this besides the men seem to be physically bigger and that makes more aerodynamic sense?
From Sheldon Brown's web site: Tandem Technique There is a good deal of technique required to get the most out of riding a tandem. While anybody who can ride a single bicycle can manage a tandem, there are a few tricks and pitfalls that you should know about. The Captain The front rider is commonly known as the "captain." Other names for the front rider include "pilot" and "steersman." The captain should be an experienced cyclist, with good bike-handling skills and good judgement. In the case of a beginning team, a the captain will need to use a bit more upper-body strength than is needed for a single bike. As the team learns to work together, this will become less important. The captain has two major responsibilities: To control the bike, including balancing it whether stopped or in motion, as well as steering, shifting, braking. To keep the stoker happy! A tandem isn't a tandem without a stoker. The captain must earn the stoker's confidence, must stop when the stoker wants to stop, must slow down when the stoker wants to slow down. Since the stoker cannot see the road directly ahead, the captain has a special responsibility to warn of bumps in the road, so that the stoker can brace for them. When a couple fails to make it as a tandem team, it is almost always due to either the stoker being scared as a result of an incompetent/inconsiderate captain, or due to saddle soreness. The captain should also warn the stoker of shifts, especially shifts to a lower gear which may cause the stoker to lose balance if they come without warning. (Very experienced teams eventually get past the need to call out most shifts, as they learn each others' styles.) The Stoker The rear rider is commonly known as the "stoker." Other names for the rear rider include "navigator", "tailgunner" and "rear admiral" or "R.A." The rear rider is not a "passenger", but is an equal participant. The stoker has two main responsibilities: The stoker serves mainly as a motor. Since the stoker is not called upon to control the bike, this rider should be able to actually generate more power than the same rider would on a single bike. Depending on the strength and endurance of the stoker, this may take the form of a steady output or may be held in reserve. If the stoker is acting as a "reserve," it is OK to take it easy for general cruising, so long as the stoker can help out with a burst of power for the climbs. Since starting up on a tandem is a bit trickier than on a single, the stoker should apply as much smooth power as possible when starting up, to get the bike up to maneuvering speed quickly. The stoker's other major responsibility is a negative one: The stoker must not attempt to steer! Unpredictable weight shifts on the part of the stoker can make the captain's job much harder, and can lead to crashes, in extreme cases. The stoker should keep in line with the centerline of the bicycle, and lean with it as it leans through corners. A stoker must shift position on the saddle, or adjust a toe strap, or take a drink without disturbing the equilibrium of the bicycle. These activities should not be attempted at all while the captain is dealing with tricky traffic situations or narrow spaces. The stoker can also do a bit of back rubbing now and then, as well as taking photographs, singing encouraging songs, reading maps, etc. |
Originally Posted by waynesulak
(Post 17180479)
From Sheldon Brown's web site:...
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Originally Posted by mje
(Post 17178736)
:thumb:
How fast descending? |
2 Attachment(s)
Well, it appears we are the most casual of tandem riders on this forum - we get out for about 10 miles, once a week on Sat/Sun. This is our "new" GT Quatrafoil, circa 1991/92, which we bought this summer to start riding together. Yes, it is running 700D rims and tires (still the GT 1.4 crossovers - our LBS says they are fine, so I have no idea how they lasted. It does have new 27.5 inner tubes which fit fine. It came all original and like new condition (outside the innertubes). Our LBS was very impressed with the condition - said it looked like it had been ridden just a couple of times and then hung up in a basement. We added the rack/baskets and new fatter grips for me
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=409595 |
Originally Posted by ddcfamily
(Post 17182083)
Well, it appears we are the most casual of tandem riders on this forum - we get out for about 10 miles, once a week on Sat/Sun. This is our "new" GT Quatrafoil, circa 1991/92, which we bought this summer to start riding together. Yes, it is running 700D rims and tires (still the GT 1.4 crossovers - our LBS says they are fine, so I have no idea how they lasted. It does have new 27.5 inner tubes which fit fine. It came all original and like new condition (outside the innertubes). Our LBS was very impressed with the condition - said it looked like it had been ridden just a couple of times and then hung up in a basement. We added the rack/baskets and new fatter grips for me
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=409595 |
1 Attachment(s)
Pedal the Kettle 2014:
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=409601 |
Originally Posted by ddcfamily
(Post 17182083)
Well, it appears we are the most casual of tandem riders on this forum - we get out for about 10 miles, once a week on Sat/Sun. This is our "new" GT Quatrafoil, circa 1991/92, which we bought this summer to start riding together. Yes, it is running 700D rims and tires (still the GT 1.4 crossovers - our LBS says they are fine, so I have no idea how they lasted. It does have new 27.5 inner tubes which fit fine. It came all original and like new condition (outside the innertubes). Our LBS was very impressed with the condition - said it looked like it had been ridden just a couple of times and then hung up in a basement. We added the rack/baskets and new fatter grips for me
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=409595 Casual is good, on weekends we normally only get out for a casual spin up the bike path to Emu Point beach then over the boardwalk along Ataturk Channel and down the bike path into town, with a coffee somewhere along the way, 25-30km total. Still great fun though, and at least we are out there! Perhaps one day we will be able - if the family and work commitments fit - to ride for a couple of hours, build up our fitness and mix it in the bunches. Until then, we take what we can get and enjoy it. |
seems like Gary Turner's idea might of panned out - the rise of the 27.5 at least gives me some options for new tires.
We rented a number of tandems and when we tried the quatrafoil it was really a no brainer to buy it. We enjoy tandem biking by far more than single. Now in our early 50's we are more than happy to just spend some time together and enjoy the trip. |
Finally I see another Quatrafoil other than mine. We bought ours new as our first tandem but converted it to 700C tires by moving the front brake posts and installing Magura hydraulic rear brakes. In 1996 we rode the GT across the US and it was up to the task , other than the fork transmitting shocks up my arms from every frost heave in the road. After that tour we bought a Cannondale tandem and retired the GT to the basement, loaning it to friends and relatives in hopes of attracting new tandem riders. In recent years it was not ridden much so last week we gave it to friends and anticipate their grandchildren will get as much enjoyment out of it as we did. BTW converting to 700C wheels was necessary. At one point we were led to believe we had purchased the last two 700D tires in the United States. It might have been true!
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Originally Posted by ddcfamily
(Post 17182635)
seems like Gary Turner's idea might of panned out - the rise of the 27.5 at least gives me some options for new tires.
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I hope your wrong on the tire size. I have read a number of posts from people who have skined there 700D rims with 650b tires and my LBS feels that it should not be an issue.
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Good luck. It's 3 mm difference which is not a lot. On the other hand some tires are hard to get on and off some rims when they are the same size. If I were going to try I would make shure I could not only get them on but get them back off if I had a flat. I've seen some tires forced on a rim that needed to be cut off. Not good if you have a flat on the road.
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Originally Posted by mibike
(Post 17182872)
The so called 27.5 tires are 650b with a BSD of 584 mm 700d have a BSD of 587 mm. That's close enough for tubes. Tubes are often labeled for 700c BCD of 622mm and 27" BCD of 630 mm. However for tires it's not the same you need the correct tire.
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Originally Posted by intransit1217
(Post 17180342)
dare I ask, while I did not read every single entry, I did not see any lady captains. Is there a logical reason for this besides the men seem to be physically bigger and that makes more aerodynamic sense?
My wife and I have been riding large male stoker/small female captain for twenty-five years. The advantages are many: 1. Both of us can see down the road. Since we ride in areas with lots of wildlife, this has been critical for safety many times. 2. We can set up the bike so that the stoker controls the shifting. Since I can see the road ahead, I can do the shifting. This not only takes a load off the captain, it allows for shorter cables which results in better shifting performance and easier procurement of replacement cables if one should break while on a tour. We just happened to have such a cable failure on a tour last Spring and it was nice to be able to roll into the nearest bike shop and get a replacement. This also allows us to use cheaper shifters. 3. Stoker can control the drag brake. Again, this allows the captain to have an easier time. On long descents, she just steers and watches for road defects and wildlife. 4. Okay, everyone misses a clip-in once in a while. When it happens to us, it's the stoker who is looking down to correct. When it happens to those who have the larger person as captain, he's both handling the steering and looking down to get back in. I think our set-up works better in such rare situations. We did have one miscommunication at a stop sign where I was certain we were going to roll it at 3 mph and she was just as certain we were going to come to a complete stop. I was pleasantly surprised that I could unclip both feet and land on my side without taking the bike down. (Never allow the smaller rider to hit the ground is a good rule no matter where she is riding.) 5. We get a lot of positive feedback from motorists, even in this somewhat bike-hostile area. 6. It's nice to be able to ride myself into the ground knowing that if I get totally beaten my captain can still safely guide us home. If I was riding captain, I'd have to keep something back just for safety. The main downside is that we can't ride an off-the-shelf tandem. This hasn't been an issue since custom rides aren't very expensive and we started out with a bike that was able to accommodate either orientation, albeit with a bit less reach than I would like. (I was younger and more flexible then.) There must be some other disadvantages, but we haven't noticed them. I suppose we will never be able to use a Gates belt since the distance from our cranks will always be too long, but I don't know if we would ever want to bother with one. |
1 Attachment(s)
Originally Posted by ddcfamily
(Post 17182083)
Well, it appears we are the most casual of tandem riders on this forum - we get out for about 10 miles, once a week on Sat/Sun.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=409851 Sorry about the small cell phone pic. I'm totally throwing my sister-in-law under the bus here for bad photography skills. We pretty much only ride around town, taking our daughter to lunch or over to the bike path where the San Diego river comes out to the beach. I'm working on a new mount for my iBert seat to put it over the top of the handle bars, rather than under and behind. With the standard configuration, there isn't enough room between the nose of my saddle and the back of her seat for me to stand, and use The Proper Method with both feet on the ground. But that's another post.... |
Originally Posted by bajajoaquin
(Post 17186522)
We pretty much only ride around town, taking our daughter to lunch or over to the bike path where the San Diego river comes out to the beach. That's where it starts! |
Originally Posted by B. Carfree
(Post 17186171)
There's no real basis for it as long as the larger rider is competent to ride as stoker. This seems to be such a problem that the default set up is larger male as captain and smaller female as stoker. By competent to ride as stoker, I'm referring to being able to generate power without shifting the bike from side to side or fore/aft. Sadly, this has become a vanishing skill over the years (I blame power meters. Prior to their advent, cyclists were taught to ride "quietly" for best power; the meters put the lie to that.)
My wife and I have been riding large male stoker/small female captain for twenty-five years. The advantages are many: 1. Both of us can see down the road. Since we ride in areas with lots of wildlife, this has been critical for safety many times. 2. We can set up the bike so that the stoker controls the shifting. Since I can see the road ahead, I can do the shifting. This not only takes a load off the captain, it allows for shorter cables which results in better shifting performance and easier procurement of replacement cables if one should break while on a tour. We just happened to have such a cable failure on a tour last Spring and it was nice to be able to roll into the nearest bike shop and get a replacement. This also allows us to use cheaper shifters. 3. Stoker can control the drag brake. Again, this allows the captain to have an easier time. On long descents, she just steers and watches for road defects and wildlife. 4. Okay, everyone misses a clip-in once in a while. When it happens to us, it's the stoker who is looking down to correct. When it happens to those who have the larger person as captain, he's both handling the steering and looking down to get back in. I think our set-up works better in such rare situations. We did have one miscommunication at a stop sign where I was certain we were going to roll it at 3 mph and she was just as certain we were going to come to a complete stop. I was pleasantly surprised that I could unclip both feet and land on my side without taking the bike down. (Never allow the smaller rider to hit the ground is a good rule no matter where she is riding.) 5. We get a lot of positive feedback from motorists, even in this somewhat bike-hostile area. 6. It's nice to be able to ride myself into the ground knowing that if I get totally beaten my captain can still safely guide us home. If I was riding captain, I'd have to keep something back just for safety. The main downside is that we can't ride an off-the-shelf tandem. This hasn't been an issue since custom rides aren't very expensive and we started out with a bike that was able to accommodate either orientation, albeit with a bit less reach than I would like. (I was younger and more flexible then.) There must be some other disadvantages, but we haven't noticed them. I suppose we will never be able to use a Gates belt since the distance from our cranks will always be too long, but I don't know if we would ever want to bother with one. |
Originally Posted by bajajoaquin
(Post 17186522)
Sorry, but you don't get that crown. My wife and I are much more casual that that!
IMO there are no prizes for speed or bling or how much your bike set you back (or even "most casual" ...); this seems to be all about "grin's together" mostly to us, and glad that others are getting your grins too. Good for you. |
Originally Posted by WPH
(Post 17186528)
That's where it starts!
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Originally Posted by intransit1217
(Post 17186716)
Excellent ! Really cool to hear about your set up. How hard might it be to set up a tandem so the two of you could swap out if you wanted to?
We still have our first tandem from 1988. It's a snap to switch back and forth as we just switch the front stem.(It was upgraded to 1 1/8 threadless headset four years ago, so stem changes are easy.) However, the stoker compartment has the bars a bit close to the saddle for me, which causes me to sit up higher and be less comfortable. On that bike, we can easily change the shifting to down-tube shifters for the captain, but the stoker still handles the ancient Phil Wood disk brake. Although we freely switched places in the first few months of riding that bike, we haven't done so in years. Even when we did, we just left the shifting to the stoker. |
Originally Posted by bajajoaquin
(Post 17188358)
I'm not sure what you mean by that. I've been riding tandems for 20+ years, and this is my fourth tandem. I have no plans or desire to move on from here.
It is all good, getting out there with others. What tandems have you owned? |
Originally Posted by ddcfamily
(Post 17182083)
Well, it appears we are the most casual of tandem riders on this forum - we get out for about 10 miles, once a week on Sat/Sun. This is our "new" GT Quatrafoil, circa 1991/92, which we bought this summer to start riding together. Yes, it is running 700D rims and tires (still the GT 1.4 crossovers - our LBS says they are fine, so I have no idea how they lasted. It does have new 27.5 inner tubes which fit fine. It came all original and like new condition (outside the innertubes). Our LBS was very impressed with the condition - said it looked like it had been ridden just a couple of times and then hung up in a basement. We added the rack/baskets and new fatter grips for me
(I've heard of 700D rims but not sure that I will ever see one, much less ride on one.) Have fun! |
Originally Posted by JanMM
(Post 17190518)
Casual? You have matching helmets!!!
(I've heard of 700D rims but not sure that I will ever see one, much less ride on one.) Have fun! |
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