Tandem road bike guidance

[Black Line]

Hi hubbers,

I come from an mtb background, and fairly new to road cycling. My wife and i completed the cycle tour in 2020 on mtb's. We enjoyed it so much, and want to do it again next year, but on a road tandem (we do everything together, so thought it will be fun to complete CTCT 2023 in this manner). That said, we dont want to buy a tandem as we both (fortunately) own mtb's and road bikes, so its simply futile to buy a tandem for just one event.

I ride a 54cm and she rides a 48cm - chalk and cheese!!

1. Whats the chances of finding his type of combination?

2. Are there places that hire out tandems?

3. How much practice does one need to ride a tandem i.e. getting on the bike in sync etc. Is it something we can try out a month before the time while practicing separately from now till then?

 

Any advice / guidance welcome, please. 

Rezah

[TyronLab]

I can only give you some of my personal experience and context. I bought a tandem for the vrou and I 18 months ago as something fun we can do together.

We're very compatible, but both pretty strong willed, so not exactly the easiest tandem partners but far from the worst. I ride a fair amount, she does a little but is still a beginner (not that comfortable standing when off road, doesn't take the bottle out and drink while riding). We got going and rode just fine the first time with a few small mishaps. I'd say after ride 5 we were pretty smooth everywhere, and now ~20+  rides in we're a well oiled machine.

Some general tips:

1. Communicate, communicate, communicate. The only time you don't need to communicate is when you're cruising along at a constant speed. Other than that, you should be communicating constantly. Cadence changes, gear changes, braking, accelerating, turning, calling our bumps, having a drink, communicate EVERYTHING. 

2. Share the responsibility. The captain has all of the control of the bike so I make all the calls for gear selection and take care of riding the bike with no influence or say from the stoker. In our case the stoker (my wife) makes all of the navigation and effort decisions with no influence or say from me. This doesn't need to apply to everyone, but you want to avoid anything that can cause an argument. Having clear boundaries and limiting "negotiation" on the bike works for us.

3. Communicate.

4. Only one person rides the bike really. The stoker should pretty much just pedal and enjoy themselves. Since both you and your wife ride solo this might be a challenge. Two cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth. 

5. Communicate.

6. "No matter which direction your relationship is going, a tandem will get you there faster" is a fact. For us, we almost always return from a ride beaming, relaxed, happy and connected. It can very easily not be that (we have both cried and had a huge argument on one particular tumultuous ride, the 947 nogals).

Good luck, and get ready for just about every human out there to shout "Lekker Tandem!" or my wife's favourite "She's not pedaling hey" at you.

[100Tours]

For some odd reason most of the tandem couples that we ride with seem to have a MTB past, so you are in good company there. Welcome to the worshond club.

Your size combination is almost exactly the same as myself + wife on our tandem. Tandem sizing is deliberately quite forgiving and accommodating - in particular the stoker position is very adjustable, so you should generally look for a bike that fits the captain and then adjust to the stoker. Riding a 56 you're looking for something like the cannondale X/S sizing (L/S might work too).

To answer the second question you need to remember that one bike is never enough. neither are 2 bikes. 3 is still too few. And I don't think you will easily find someone to hire you a tandem on a regular basis. Look at second hand options, take one out for a spin, but if you start enjoying riding one then you should rather think of buying one. You'll find good options from R10k upwards, with the top end local tandem around R30k. Much more costly options are possible, but those only on import. 

For good control on a tandem an important consideration is usually disk brakes, so do go for disks if you can find them. Old-school canti brakes also do a passable job as a second best option.

Third question - you'll be OK the first time you hop on one, but over time you will become better at cornering, you'll be more relaxed on the bike (you'll fight it less), and you'll learn to climb better. Practice makes perfect.

Final thought - tandems will change the way you ride. Most noticeably you will freewheel less - it is just more natural to hold a rhythm while you are both pedalling, you'll learn to go downhill faster, and you'll find longer distances to be more achievable. If you enjoy riding it together you'll keep riding it.

We did the CTCT this year on a tandem (in the rain), and I suspect it was by far the most comfortable bike in those conditions. Being a heavier steed, a tandem holds its head well in the wind and it feels very sure footed in the wet. We had a quick and comfortable ride, pulling our group right out through Simon's Town, and coming home comfortably in some really lousy conditions. I think we would have had a truly lousy time on singles. Good luck with yours  

Edited October 24, 2022 by 100Tours

[dirtypot]

My wife and I were thrown into the deep end in 2020 and told we had to ride a tandem for the DC.  But we'd never ridden one before, and her total riding experience was quite low at that point.  We picked up the tandem we'd be using just a few days before the race which gave us two training/familiarity days and then our third day on the bike was for the race.   So much for getting in sync or finding the flow!

Overall though it was great!  Climbing was harder than I expected, but the flats and downhills were great.   We could just sit in the front and pull like a train. 

The big factor though (as Tyron said) is communication.   You both have to be doing the same thing at the same time without anything changing unexpectedly.  Cadence has to match as does standing / sitting or trying to power surge.  

 

For a little while we considered getting our own tandem, but then the wife got a nice road bike (she's already stolen one of my mountain bikes) and decided that she's happier riding that by herself, so that's shelved that plan.  But it could be fun to ride one with my kids, so its still stewing in my mind...

[DJR]

2 hours ago, dirtypot said:

..................... But it could be fun to ride one with my kids, so its still stewing in my mind...

Yup, one of the greatest things I did with each of my sons was to ride their first Cape Town Cycle tour (and a good few other races too) with them on a tandem. I still regret selling it because now I can see that it could be great fun to do it again after they have done about 10 each. Also, the day will come (hopefully not too soon) when they can pull me around and I'll relax as the stoker taking pictures (mostly selfies) like they did way back then! 

[Paul Ruinaard]

further to the comments you will experience the positive of the tandems being much more sociable and generally fun to ride. Also much faster on descents and flats as the wind resistance is the same but the power increased - you can go really fast with two strong people pushing - but you will destroy road cycling bunches if you are too strong - they will either love or hate you.

Get disc brakes - you may fit a Medium small frame. My ex wife was 48 Kg and small me 6 feet and large - you can get it fitted. 

If you do get it right there is nothing quite like the feeling when you are powering a tandem along and i call it"it comes up on the plane". Its poetry - you can hold a big gear at a high speed across a flat and you just zip along. Anyone who doesn't get in to your slip early on is in trouble. I used to love riding the tandem from Caves in the cradle to the circle.

Tandems are IMO social machines - you can race seriously and you will get some amazing results if you are competitive and fit. I have races where we averaged 45 kmh. If you are unfit it will quickly expose it and you can be guaranteed that you will have a long day out.

 

Enjoy - i have had two of them - lover them both. FWIW the Cannondales are IMO the Rolls Royce of tandems 

[Black Line]

Hi All,

Thank you very much for the tips and experiences!

Just reading these few responses puts a smile on my face already... that gut feeling of saying "YES!! lets do the tandem thing next year". Its good to know that Tandems can accommodate my sizing, that was my biggest concern. 

I was lagging me klaar for "communication" advice!! LOL - it will certainly put us to the test.

Its something new, something different and most of all, i think it will add to our memories of things we achieved together in a lifetime. She taught me not to be afraid of proper zip lining, stood by me during my 5 year life and death sickness. I taught her that she could complete a proper 2 day overnight hike, complete the cycle tour despite never being on a bike for 25years prior. So, why not just go for it hey!

Plus, i've got 2 daughters aged 8 and 12, itching to join me on a Cycle Tour soon. The tandem might just be my best investment to date 🙂

Appreciate the responses and looking forward to being on the receiving end of "she's not pedaling hey!!!"...yes, i was that guy on the tour. lol

 

[DJR]

13 hours ago, Black Line said:

...................

Plus, i've got 2 daughters aged 8 and 12, itching to join me on a Cycle Tour soon. The tandem might just be my best investment to date 🙂

Appreciate the responses and looking forward to being on the receiving end of "she's not pedaling hey!!!"...yes, i was that guy on the tour. lol

 

I found it delightful how much more fellow riders were willing to engage when you are riding a tandem with a youngster as stoker. Many many people pulled up alongside for a friendly chat and some encouraging words. The young ones also enjoy the encouragement and the attention.

But one word of warning, do NOT allow your young stoker to wear a superhero outfit that includes a cloak .......... behind your back, sooner or later they will make a parachute out of it when you are killing yourself into a headwind and by the time you find out what the problem is you'll be near death.🤣

[Black Line]

So our tandem communication is getting there, and so is our relationship. lol - Its heading in the right direction! Now the Mrs has enquired about matching cycling tops. Is "Monton" the only store that stocks matching cycling tops? If this matching thingy turns out to be too expensive, then i'm going to hire super hero outfits instead... with huge cloaks!! 

[PappaWatTrap]

I can’t add anything to all the tips given, but maybe just some of the rides I experienced with my wife. 
 

She grew up cycling on the back of a Tandem with her dad and I grew up racing both MTB and road. 
 

The first ride together on the Tandem we cycled from Stellenbosch to Franschhoek and back. That was when we were still dating. Me never cycling on a tandem before thought that if I’m not putting force down on the pedals 100% of the time then she would be taking up the effort. Well let’s just say I haven’t ever cramped so much as I did on that day, it is really something to figure out how you gauge your effort together. But you learn,

 

As a wedding gift to ourselves we bought a MTB tandem. Now that is fun, makes those trails a bit more challenging but so rewarding. 
 

I took my wife down firehut in Jonkershoek, and I just decided to bomb the trail without letting my wife know what’s happening, she wasn’t happy at all😅. I obviously learned to communicate better after that day, 

You don’t have to talk much on a tandem but yet you feel like you’ve really connected after a ride . Such great fun 

 

[Black Line]

So, 2023 CTC done and dusted on the tandem!! Soooo much fun to say the least  

We back on it again for 2024 CTCT, God willing.

I didn't expect us to hit speeds around 65km/h mark during last years CTCT, and 72km/h on a training session down Taal Monument road. Thankfully, my wife doesn't have much of an issue with speed.

That said, I would like to change the tandems rim brake system to cable disc system. The current wheelset is designed to take 6 bolt disc rotors. Just not sure if the rear wheel takes a 203mm rotor or 220mm rotor? Couldn't find anything on the internet. I think its a 2010 model Cannondale

Need to source a disc fork as well - will post a "wanted" ad soon (unless someone knows someone else who might be able to refer me)

(yip, non-drive side chain is due for replacement)

 

Edited January 9 by Black Line