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So we rode the tandem this morning


Parr8hed

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It went better (and worse) than I expected.

 

I thought we were creeping like a granny in a station wagon into the corners.

She thought we were descending like Fabian Cancellara trying to bridge a gap.

 

She thought the cadence was too fast and we didn't coast enough. 

 

Even the small hills in the subdivision were a challenge on the tandem. 

 

The upright riding position burned my legs in complete different places than my road bike.

 

But we did about 4 miles, we didn't die and there has been no talk of a divorce attorney. 

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Nice!! How'd the saddle work?

Neither my wife nor I have yet had the courage to try a tandem. We both like to control our ride.

The saddle was perfect in every respect for that bike.  But it was only 4 miles.  I hope to get her to venture out of the subdivision tomorrow. 

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Serious question and not being critical at all...  Why do people want to ride a tandem versus separate bikes?   :scratch head:

 

The restriction of a tandem seems like the antithesis of the joyful freedom experienced when riding a normal bike.  

 

I keeps people together.  It is a way to ride "together".

 

However, cadence and speed comfort can be a problem.  My husband and I had one.  It was fun and we were a pretty impressive tandem team, but his comfort zone for downhill speed was hair raising.  We had a mountain bike tandem.  We sold it and bought a couple new road bikes.   

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I thought we were creeping like a granny in a station wagon into the corners.

She thought we were descending like Fabian Cancellara trying to bridge a gap.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  

THIS IS WHY SHE NEEDS A NICE HARD PLASTIC FORK TO STICK IN YOUR AZZ!!!!!!!

 

Keep in mind...#1 you two probably don't share the same cadence

                        #2 she is still getting into this biking thing and might not know she should pedal constantly or at least coast a bit less

                        #3 she is giving up control and if you watch her take a corner on her bike (solo) you will probably notice she slows down...my bike buddy says some women (not DH) use more caution..which is why we live longer :P

                        #4 do not make this a hard workout for you..keep the pedaling easy...she will either come along and improve or stab your azz with a fork!

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Damn...I hit the send button when my phone rang...PM me Jenny's e-mail...I will give her additional suggestions like the stokers revenge (peeling your bike shorts down and around the seat so you can't get off the bike) and pounding her helmeted head into your backside...Also screaming in your ear as loud as she can...

 

However I still find the fork works best :D

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Damn...I hit the send button when my phone rang...PM me Jenny's e-mail...I will give her additional suggestions like the stokers revenge (peeling your bike shorts down and around the seat so you can't get off the bike) and pounding her helmeted head into your backside...Also screaming in your ear as loud as she can...
 
However I still find the fork works best :D


Damn! You're vengeful!
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Damn...I hit the send button when my phone rang...PM me Jenny's e-mail...I will give her additional suggestions like the stokers revenge (peeling your bike shorts down and around the seat so you can't get off the bike) and pounding her helmeted head into your backside...Also screaming in your ear as loud as she can...

 

However I still find the fork works best :D

Why do you hate forks?

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Lucky for me...Ian and I are  #1 not married (I would probably kill him)

                                              #2 share at least a similar cadence

                                              #3 we also share a crazy sense of humor :D

 

Yes...I hate taking corners too fast...and I do not go as fast downhill either....The fork is all in fun...and actually...It probably doesn't hurt all that much :whistle:  I have also grabbed his azz and pinched hard...  He has made the comment that sometimes knowing I am in a panic and screaming is worth the stab with a fork.... :rolleyes:  

 

Oh...I have also been know to back off the pedaling on a climb...just to remind him that I don't just sit back there.

 

Hey Parr8 another thing is...visually she probably can't see much other than your backside....that will also add to the loss of control and fear of the unknown...

 

Ians tandem has a softride fork for the tandem and the guy can't see for shit...at first I thought he was hitting the bumps by accident :whistle:  but no....some of it was  intentional :P

 

Keep it FUN :nod head:

 

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Damn...I hit the send button when my phone rang...PM me Jenny's e-mail...I will give her additional suggestions like the stokers revenge (peeling your bike shorts down and around the seat so you can't get off the bike) and pounding her helmeted head into your backside...Also screaming in your ear as loud as she can...

 

However I still find the fork works best :D

Note to self: DO NOT BRING THE TANDEM NEXT TIME I RIDE WITH PETITE!!!

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We rode our tandem through the singletrack trails.  There is one trail called scratch, because of the brush.  I got raked through the bushes, because the thing was so long.  

 

It's a wild ride with K as captain though.  Got that beast up to 43 mph on a trail.  I just closed my eyes, tucked down, stayed steady, pedaled and hung on.  Scary fun.

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I thought we were creeping like a granny in a station wagon into the corners.

She thought we were descending like Fabian Cancellara trying to bridge a gap.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  

THIS IS WHY SHE NEEDS A NICE HARD PLASTIC FORK TO STICK IN YOUR AZZ!!!!!!!

 

Keep in mind...#1 you two probably don't share the same cadence

                        #2 she is still getting into this biking thing and might not know she should pedal constantly or at least coast a bit less

                        #3 she is giving up control and if you watch her take a corner on her bike (solo) you will probably notice she slows down...my bike buddy says some women (not DH) use more caution..which is why we live longer :P

                        #4 do not make this a hard workout for you..keep the pedaling easy...she will either come along and improve or stab your azz with a fork!

 

----------

Thank, PP, but I am definitely more timid than my husband.  I attribute this to his testosterone level.  I am all team estrogen, and it makes me brake way too much.

 

I do ride aggressively compared most, but I still have too much fear.  Which is why I have trouble with tabletop kickers.  Yikes.

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Serious question and not being critical at all...  Why do people want to ride a tandem versus separate bikes?   :scratch head:

 

The restriction of a tandem seems like the antithesis of the joyful freedom experienced when riding a normal bike.  

 

Mrs. TK did not/does not like the idea of figuring out the best gear to be in and did not have confidence in her bike handling skills.  She prefers to allow me to select the gears and cadence, and has higher confidence in my bike handling skills than hers. 

 

When your wife becomes your stoker on the tandem, she places much faith and trust in you, her captain.  You need to call out everything she can't see because of the captain's fat head - bumps, walkers you're passing, oncoming bikes, if you need to stop, when you're going to coast, and more.  I'd suggest that you both have mirrors to see what's coming up behind you.

 

As captain, you need to think how to help the stoker 'see' the ride.  If your wife tells you something about riding the tandem, you'd better listen and try to accommodate what she says.  We enjoy the tandem because I try very hard to modify my riding style to be considerate of hers.  I try to make sure she's comfortable and feels safe with what I'm doing.  When I mess up, I apologize.  When I don't think I mess up, but Mrs. TK thinks I did, I apologize because I very likely did something where she did not feel comfortable or safe - even if I did not do so intentionally.

 

Riding solo I'll attempt to hit 50mph on some of the local downhills and get ticked if I don't. I would never attempt even half of that with Mrs. TK on the tandem although I think the tandem could do it quite easily.

 

You don't need to be a wimp to ride a tandem with your wife, you just need to put yourself in her place on the stoker's seat and be extra considerate of her feelings.

 

It shouldn't be hard, really.  Because if there's anybody at all who deserves extra consideration and patience from you, your wife should lead the list.

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In defense of my husband, I do enjoy going rockin fast.  

 

When I had my MS attack and couldn't ride, he took me on a short tandem ride and he was very careful with me.  I had lost a bunch of my confidence during that period of time.  I thought I may never ride again.

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I wonder if Parr should get a GoPro strapped to his head and an Ipad strapped to his ass to improve the view for Jenny?

 

Also, they should move the brake levers to the stokers bars.

 

I am willing to coast more, slow into turns more, and generally adapt my riding style.  No way in hell I will ever give her braking control.  That, my friend, is a deal-breaker.

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I am willing to coast more, slow into turns more, and generally adapt my riding style.  No way in hell I will ever give her braking control.  That, my friend, is a deal-breaker.

What about the iPad on your ass?  I have heard that Fleshlight is making some pretty innovative mounts.....

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What about the iPad on your ass?  I have heard that Fleshlight is making some pretty innovative mounts.....

 

I would even try to accommodate that if that's what she wanted.  But no brakes.  Never.  I could not afford to keep brake pads on the tandem.

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:nod head: :nod head:  Being a spouse Thaddeus gave a different view of some of the same things I said.

 

I wouldn't start coasting all the time Parr8...but start out with a bit more coasting til she gets comfortable...more time on the bike should help that...Oh yeah and the starts and stops can be interesting...we do pretty well...but on occasion Ian will wait til the spandex riders on carbon are  long gone from our view before starting out...just in case we blow it!! :D  Another BIG issue was our coasting position...Ian tended to coast 12 and 6 and damn it I got short legs 10 & 4 with my right leg in the 4 position was my comfort spot.....Communication is your friend.

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For what it is worth...I only bailed on Ian once... :D  Flying down this hill outside of Northfield...as he shifted at the bottom...we lost the chain..OMG I can't believe I got off the bike so quickly and in 1 piece  :nod head:   He worried for at least our first year of riding the tandem......that I would bail on one of the huge up hills he favored...I never did!!

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