gpelpel

When did you start?
August 2009.

What made you want to try a bicycle built for two?
I like cycling and wanted to spend more time with my wife. The strength differential was too great for making single bike riding fun, plus my wife was quite uncomfortable riding on the road. Tandemming sounded like a good idea for that.

What was your first bike?
1993 Santana Visa.

Who was your first stoker?
My wife, first and only stoker.

Have you been riding tandems continuously since you started or did you ever take a break from them?
Continuously, it's getting tough finding time for solo riding.

Anything else you want to share about your tandem cycling?
Tandemming has exceeded my expectations. It's fantastic equalizer and a great way to spend quality together time.

GLA

There is certainly a lot of experience here!

• When did you start?
May 2009

• What made you want to try a bicycle built for two?
Hired a tandem to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge - simply loved it and came home a bought a tandem

• What was your first bike?
KHS Alite

• Who was your first stoker?
My wife has been my only stoker.

• Have you been riding tandems continuously since you started or did you ever take a break from them?
Continually - my wife is pretty new to cycling, so has been learning lots and developing her skills

• Anything else you want to share about your tandem cycling?
We were a bit surprised as to how much fun it was. We loved it from the first kilometre. Actually, it was probably a mile as we were in the USA! It's great for spending quality time together, sharing experiences and generally just enjoying the activity. We've just booked our tickets to head to Switzerland in June for 4 weeks cycle touring. It's just so infectious.

2592

• When did you start? [/B]
May 2004

• What made you want to try a bicycle built for two?
A friend lent us his so my daughter and I could ride in the Bike-to-Beach MS150

• What was your first bike?
The same, 1988? Santana Arriva.

• Who was your first stoker?
My Daughter.

• Have you been riding tandems continuously since you started or did you ever take a break from them?
Yes

• Anything else you want to share about your tandem cycling?[/B]
We are done with the MS150’s for a while, so my now teenaged daughter doesn’t want to be around Dad. My wife is now the stoker and planning on some touring. We now have a 2007 Santana Arriva w/ S&S couplers.]

bobthib

Tell us about how you got started in tandem riding...
• When did you start? In Aug of this year ('09)

• What made you want to try a bicycle built for two? I took up road biking in March of this year. I never thought I would enjoy riding "those little bikes with the skinny tires and the seat up your butt" but I do. We have have single hybrids, but it's not the same. My wife was a bit jelous of my riding addition, and my son seemed interested, and my grandson was outgrowing the kids seat on my hybrid. (that's him in my avatar) Decided I could "kill" 3 birds with one stone, a tandem.

• What was your first bike? Can't remember my "first" bike, but it was some kinda 50's Schwinn. Got an '02 Diamondback Hybrid when I was recovering from cancer, and got my real bike in May this year (Motobecane Immortal Pro). Our first tandem is the Lambo Viaggio. Told my wife I was getting her a sexy little 2 seat Lamborgini for our 35th anniversary. I didn't lie.

• Who was your first stoker? My wife of 35 yrs.

• Have you been riding tandems continuously since you started or did you ever take a break from them? Can't really get my son or wife to ride consistent. Took my wife out for the maiden voyage. Did 37 miles. She slept the rest of the day. And I thought I was doing all the work.

• Anything else you want to share about your tandem cycling? I really enjoy riding with my 6 y/o grandson. He can't reach the pedals yet, so I rigged up a foot platform. He really enjoys riding the "big bike." Unfortunately he was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma in March. He's been in the hospital about 1/2 the time since. Kinda cuts into his riding time. Thank God, he's cancer free now. Pray he remains that way.

gobsmacked

3bluebikes

chichi

• When did you start?
November 2007
• What made you want to try a bicycle built for two?
We took the obvious route ....a sail boat trip! We had recently done some sailboat vacations. We decided this was a great way to travel different places every day and no packing and unpacking. It got us looking into barging (house boating) in France. I hated the thought of going to France without my bike. So now I had figured out a great way to see France and do some great riding, but what was the non bicycle riding spouse to do. We talked about getting her on a single and what type of bike we should get for her. We went round and round on what we should do about a bike for her and how to get her up to speed. One morning she says the only way this could work is if we rode a tandem. My wife is a couple of inches taller than I am, and all of her height is in the legs, she was pretty confident that finding a suitable bike would put things off for a couple of years. Two days later I go to Graigs list for the first time in my life and find a 4 year old Speedster about 5 miles from our house that seems like it might fit. We bought the bike and other than slowing down to have a custom Calfee built haven’t looked back since.


• What was your first bike?
Comotion Speedster
• Who was your first stoker?
My wife
• Have you been riding tandems continuously since you started or did you ever take a break from them?
We rode about 2500 mile the first year, 4000 last year. I still ride my single and mtb about 2500 miles a year

• Anything else you want to share about your tandem cycling?
We are having great fun Tandeming, have not done the trip to France yet, but have done a couple of Santana trips and a credit card tour down the Big Sur coast. We like to have trips or centuries on the calendar as the training aspect helps push us out the door on the night rides we do.

clint262

When did you start? 2008

• What made you want to try a bicycle built for two? I went on my first multi day ride and see kids on the back of tandems....I needed one for my 9 yr old and myself...Promptly purchased shortly after returning home.


• What was your first bike? Burley Tamburello


• Who was your first stoker?
My son

• Have you been riding tandems continuously since you started or did you ever take a break from them?

Continuously...but still get lots of miles on my single also

• Anything else you want to share about your tandem cycling?

i figure if all I need to do is "look over my shoulder" to know what my son is doing all summer, I am in pretty good shape.

Its winter here in Michigan....i was just down cleaning and waxing the tandem before coming to check this site.

tie dye tandem

• When did you start?
February 2004
• What made you want to try a bicycle built for two?
My wife and I wanted to exercise together, and this seemed like the best way to do that without being in a gym. Plus in the beginning we could pull a trail-a-bike and trailer with our kids.

• What was your first bike?
Used Santana Arriva

• Who was your first stoker?
My wife (who is also my best friend)

• Have you been riding tandems continuously since you started or did you ever take a break from them?
We have been riding continuously, although we have changed riding combinations since we started, as the kids have grown, getting a second tandem for my wife to captain with kids, and including moving up to a quad tandem a couple years ago.

• Anything else you want to share about your tandem cycling?
The tandems have been terrific for our kids and for us. We have done 2 Great Western Bicycle Rallies, 2 Great Ohio Bicycle Adventures, an ETR, and a San Juan Islands trip in addition to our regular rides which are either commuting, or weekly rides with friends and local clubs.

In addition, both the physical and on-line tandem communities have been extremely supportive and helpful, both on Hobbes and here.

Best wishes to the everyone for the new year! We rode the quad to the Rose Parade today, the weather and the ride were beautiful.

Santana Arriva Tandem (S&S)
Cannondale Road Tandem
Santana Quad Tandem

mclelands

-When did you start?
October 28, 1996 - two days after our wedding

-What made you want to try a bicycle built for two?
We were at a bed and breakfast the weekend of our wedding and the owner asked if we wanted him to clean up an old tandem (70's vintage Schwinn) he had in the garage. We looked at each other and said "sure". Little did we know that we'd love it and spend the whole weekend on that bike - ok not the whole weekend since it was our honeymoon.

-What was your first bike?
70's vintage Schwinn to an early 90's Santana Visa

-Who was your first stoker?
I am the only stoker my captain has had (and will have:-)

-Have you been riding tandems continuously since you started or did you ever take a break from them?
After our weekend adventure on the Schwinn, it was a few years before we borrowed the Santana. We were looking for something we could do together and remembered how much fun we had on the Schwinn. After a few years of casual riding on the Santana, and our friend wanted the bike back, we decided to purchase a tandem - Trek T1000. We wanted to get a bit more serious but not wanting to invest top dollar just in case we weren't as serious as we thought. We really took to riding and love spending time together on the bike. After 4+ years on the Trek we decided to invest in a da Vinci Joint Venture - great investment.

-Anything else you want to share about your tandem cycling?
As the stoker on the team, I feel riding a tandem has strengthened our relationship on and off the bike as well as provides a lot of great adventures. Maybe riding a tandem should be part of premarital counseling - it might just help the divorce rate:-)

DanRH 

• When did you start?
February 2009 when I took a chance a bought a used cannondale RT2000 on Craig's List for $1300. My fiance, who is not the bike fanatic that I am, said she'd try and see. The first ride was horrible. She said she hated as all she saw was my back. This however canged and she began to really love riding more than on her single.

• What made you want to try a bicycle built for two?
I thought it would bring us closer when we rode. Also, I get real tired of having to wait for her at the top of climbs.

• What was your first bike?
Cannondale RT2000

• Who was your first stoker?
Kathryn, my fiance.

• Have you been riding tandems continuously since you started or did you ever take a break from them?
She hates riding in the cold so right now we're in a slump. She is committed to start training however fro the AidsLifeCycle that goes from SF to LA in seven days. This will be my 14th ride. It will be her first. Also, she committed to doing this years Death Ride. I'll be happy if we finish three passes. I've done it many times but this will be our first together.

• Anything else you want to share about your tandem cycling?
Really love it. One thing I notice all the time. People smile when they see you riding a tandem. Also, when a couple is rigin together on singles, the female always smiles. The male...not so much.

jim_pridx

• When did you start?
My wife and I started when we bought a used tandem which I believe was in the summer of 1984.

• What made you want to try a bicycle built for two?
We were always solo riders until we started doing some club rides with some tandem riders. We just felt that it would be right for us at the time, so we bought one and never turned back.

• What was your first tandem bike?
Scott Richardson custom build.....rigid & solid, but quite heavy.

• Who was your first stoker?
My wife of 35 years.

• Have you been riding tandems continuously since you started or did you ever take a break from them?
We typically ride every year from early April until the end of October or into November. We're not huge fans of riding in the extreme cold, so the tandem gets stored over the winter months. Other than that, we've never taken a break from it.

• Anything else you want to share about your tandem cycling?
It's just something my wife and I have loved doing together for about 25 years now, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Xanti Andia

• When did you start?

Seems like all my life, but consulting with my stoker we think it was 2003 or 2004

• What made you want to try a bicycle built for two?

The pleasure of sharing a sport with my wife, my longtime cycling habit, environmental consciousness, enjoyment of neat engineering solutions.

• What was your first bike?

A used Trek T-100 hybrid tandem

• Who was your first stoker?

My dear wife, and my children who stoke on occasion to humor me.

• Have you been riding tandems continuously since you started or did you ever take a break from them?

Never quit. been riding tandem about 2000 km per year since

• Anything else you want to share about your tandem cycling?

I take off my hat to some of the senior members of this forum, in particular Zonatandem, who has been riding tandem for as long as I have known my wife, but he was 20 yrs married then, and points the way to an exciting future, and Tandemgeek who helped me out on the selection of our current tandem (Green Co-Motion Mocha Copilot). In February we are going on our first medium distance self supported tour (400 km on the Carretera Austral of southern Chile).