Reasons for getting a Tandem ...

Re: Reasons for getting into Tandeming...

Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=tandem.10311.0327.eml
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2003 17:38:05 -0800 (PST)
From: Linda Davis <proud2be1(AT)ameritech.net>
Subject: [T(AT)H] Re: Reasons for getting into tandeming in the first pla

Lets share stories of how and why we have become tandemists.
> We might even hear from those who tried it and decided that it
> wasn't for them.

Well, hello tandemists!

This is our first post to the list. We are fairly new to the list and to
tandeming.

I (Linda) was (am) a long time half bike roadie. I am a pretty strong
rider with allot of miles and experience. My road cycling would take me
away from home and my partner ( Janet) for long periods of time. I made
lots of friends and had lots of adventures but we were not together. I was
always striving to ride longer, faster, better. Cycling is almost an
obsession with me. In order to understand my obsession Janet decided to join
me on the local park system bike patrol. She began riding a hybrid set up
for comfort and the trail. We were able to ride together in this way but
to me that was not really riding. It was not the same as being out on the
road pushing it. We had tossed around the idea of a tandem but I am a mere
5'1 and Janet is 5'9 and I had control issues. I did not think I could give
up control of the bike to anyone else. A custom tandem to fit me as a
captain was just too difficult and too expensive. We put the idea off until
a friend asked me to do a century in NY city. I wanted to do it and I
thought Janet would SAG for me as usual, but she wanted to ride. So we
brought up the tandem ideas again. We test rode a Burley Tosa. After some
very good initial instruction to Janet and some sucking up of my ego we were
off...We knew this was it! I was very happy on the back of that bike and it
was the birth of a fabulous captain.=A0 We ordered a 2003 Burley Tamburillo.
Our first ride was mid July and as of Oct. 1 we have logged over 1,000
miles. I say it is the best purchase we have ever made and we are having a
blast. We are working hard to become a strong team to ride longer, faster
and better

Thanks for asking how and why

Linda & Janet Davis
TH 2.41 (77*313)

Ruby-Foo
2003 Burley Tamburillo

 

Re: Reasons for getting into Tandeming...

Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=tandem.10311.0332.eml
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2003 19:44:05 -0800 (PST)
From: John M Leibman <john.m.leibman(AT)juno.com>
Subject: [T(AT)H] Re: Reasons for getting into tandeming in the first place

One more time--you can hit the delete key if you've already read this on
some other list at some other time.

For years I have ridden a bike. In 1965, after my junior year in high
school, I special ordered a 10-speed from a bike shop owned by the mom of
my classmate, John Gaudreault, in Omaha. John and I did a tour that
summer from Omaha to Black Hawk Lake in Iowa, about 230 miles. In those
days, 10-speeds were rare, and touring equipment was pretty primitive.

After I was married and returned from a stint in the Peace Corps in
Honduras, I retrieved my 10-speed from my brother Bill--that 10 speed was
the source of his life long addiction to cycling. From then til now,
I've commuted to school and work by bicycle whenever I could. In the
last 30 years, I've probably put 50,000 miles in cycling. On the other
hand, my wife, Pat, never quite got comfortable on any of the bikes that
I bought for her probably put in about 30 a miles biking. But then, one
day about six years ago, while I was riding a little recumbent bike
around the lake in the local park and Pat was walking, I suggested she
try the recumbent. I walked home from the park. The following spring, I
asked her if she would like to do a bicycle tour on a bike rather than
driving the SAG wagon. She replied that she would if I bought a
recumbent tandem--she thought, knowing how cheap I am and how expensive
recumbent tandems are, that she was saying "No". Fooled her. I sprung
the $4,000 for the RANS Screamer--that was in the Spring of 1998. We now
have 12,000 miles on the RANS Screamer and another 2,000 miles on our
Bike Friday DoubleDay. We've done a lot of supported tours on the
bikes. We did five CANDISCs (Cycling Around North Dakota in Sakakawea
Country) on the Screamer and one on the DoubleDay. We've done Ride the
Rockies, the Jaunt with Jim (Klobuchar) in Minnesota, Ride Around
Wyoming, Bike Across Kansas, three Colorado MS150s, Jeff City to St.
Charles and back on the KATY Trail, and an up and back on the Mickelson
Trail (Edgemont to Deadwood and back), as well as a 450 mile tour along
the Mosel and Rhine in Germany this year.

Being in our mid 50s, I'm happy we have a good way to stay in shape and
spend some time together.

John and Pat Leibman
Littleton, CO

 

Re: Reasons for getting into Tandeming...

Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=tandem.10311.0345.eml
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 08:13:21 -0800 (PST)
From: Susan Larkin <scl8(AT)cornell.edu>
Subject: [T(AT)H] Re: Reasons for getting into tandeming in the first place

My husband Tim rode half bikes with our sons through most of their
years in high school. I rode for transportation before I was 16 and
occasionally after that for exercise, but I never enjoyed the position
on a Diamond Frame ("head first") bike.

During the late 80's Tim decided that he liked the looks of recumbent
bikes and bought a Ryan Vanguard for himself. I continued to try to
accompany my family on bike trips, but when I injured by shoulder, the
pain of sitting on a regular bike was excruciating. At that time, I
bought myself a Linear recumbent single.

Our sons grew up and moved away, and Tim and I continued riding
together in the way many couples do - Tim waited at the top of each
hill, I caught up, and then we went on. I really liked riding my
recumbent, but didn't like the feeling of being always behind.

The tandem idea came when I decided that instead of driving from
upstate New York to Nantucket to visit my parents (our annual summer
vacation) that we should ride our bikes instead. I arranged for hotel
reservations, etc. etc. However the nearer we got to the actual trip,
the more worried I was about our difference in ability. I decided that
a tandem would solve our problems. We drove to Dick Ryan's factory
when it was in Nashua, NH, and took our first tandem ride on a Duplex
around the pillars inside the Ryan bike factory. It was quite an
adventure, but we were sold. The Ryan came home with us in our van.

Since then, we've repeated the summer journey (with various
modifications) eight times. Along the way Tim got attracted to trikes,
and our Ryan has been replaced by an Organic Engines Troika tandem
trike. We both have single recumbent trikes as well.

We look forward to the tandem trip every year. We train for it and
share the story of our travels with interested readers. I agree with
those who say that tandeming can strengthen a marriage. It has without
doubt strengthened ours.

And . . . if anyone who got this far in my story is interested in
buying a used Ryan Duplex tandem, ours is looking for a new home.

Susan


o o
\\_ \\_/\_,
(*) `- ((*))

Tim and Susan Larkin
Brooktondale, NY 14817-0107
scl8(AT)cornell.edu

 

Re: Reasons for getting into Tandeming...

Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=tandem.10311.0354.eml
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 10:09:28 -0800 (PST)
From: Bob Immler <roamic(AT)adelphia.net>
Subject: [T(AT)H] Reason for getting into tandeming in the first place

In 68 or so I met my first wife and I'd always enjoyed bicycling, so one
time I bought her a bicycle.

that marriage ended in 72. She kept the bike. The latter was out of the
Sear's catalog, so no big loss.

Later that year I moved in with a woman and I ended up getting her a
bicycle, a mid-line Peugeot.

That relationship didn't last too long either. And she kept the bike.

The woman with whom I had the next serious relationship enjoyed hiking and
a lot of the outdoor things I did, so I bought her a bike. This was a
pretty nice one, and she was so happy she cried.

We rode the length of California's Hwy 89 together in the summer of 74 or 75.

But that relationship ended too. And she kept the bike.

In 76 I rode the entire BikeCentennial trail and did about 1,000 miles with
a father/son combination on their tandem.

I decided it would be cheaper in the long run to get a tandem than to keep
buying each woman a bike. So in 76 I ordered a custom built Jack Taylor
tandem from Bud's Bike Shop in Claremont. This was just before the Santana.

The next woman friend had a bike (thank God!), a Schwinn LeTour and we once
rode from San Luis Obispo back to Los Angeles.

she and I split up and I started seeing another woman. She had a Huffy and
used it to get the Sunday paper.

It had been 18 months and the custom tandem hadn't arrived.

I saw an ad in a club newsletter for a used Gitane tandem. I borrowed it
for the weekend, figuring I could keep it until the new tandem arrived. It
was okay, but the seats were terrible and on a Sunday I rode it solo to
Beverly Hills Bike Shop. They had a used Schwinn Paramount on consignment.

I rode that and it was a much better bike than the Gitane. Actually with
Campy wheels and Campy tandem chainrings, I loved it!

I called Bud's the next morning, cancelled my order and picked up my deposit.

Then I bought the Schwinn.

that woman, Michelle, and I got married and took the tandem on our
honeymoon to Hawaii.

A few years later a child stoker conversion allowed my son to ride on the
back and few years later we added a Santana triplet to our stable.

Initially our son Jesse was in the middle with Michelle on the back and our
daughter Sasha in a trailer.

then with two child stoker conversions I rode the Santana with both kids.

I'd ridden BikeCentennial in 76 and always dreamed of doing it again with
the family in 96, but that didn't quite work out.

Kept the triplet 14 years and sold it for a few hundred dollars less than
I'd paid for it.

Michelle was never really comfortable on the back of the Paramount and
neither I nor any LBS could ever really get it to shift into the smallest
chainring when I really needed it, so in the fall of 2002, we sold it.

We bought a used Bike Friday Family Tandem from the factory and they
modified the rear to make the dimensions identical to Michelle's favorite
single.

Last December Michelle had knee surgery and cycling was the best suggested
activity for rehab, so we've put a lot of miles on that bike in the last
year including the length of Vermont, a visit to that island just south of
Florida and the recent Southern Tandem Rally.

ON the 30th of this month we celebrate 26 years of living and tandeming
together. Next summer I will able to withdraw money from my IRA and we hope
to take a few exotic trips with the tandem.

 

Re: Reasons for getting into Tandeming...

Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=tandem.10311.0357.eml
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 10:53:37 -0800 (PST)
From: "Mark Remaly" <mremaly(AT)comcast.net>
Subject: [T(AT)H] Re: Reason for getting into tandeming in the first place

Bob,

Well, I learned something important from your post. NEVER BUY A WOMAN
FRIEND A BIKE!

Mark Remaly
Medford,MA

 

Re: Reasons for getting into Tandeming...

Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=tandem.10311.0358.eml
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 11:15:23 -0800 (PST)
From: Gerald Neuburger <gneuburg(AT)pacbell.net>
Subject: [T(AT)H] Re: Reason for getting into tandeming in the first place

Are bikes cheaper than engagement rings?

Why didn't I think of that! Two cheap engagement rings
= $4000. Two cheap bikes would have been about $600.

 

Re: Reasons for getting into Tandeming...

Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=tandem.10311.0365.eml
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 12:44:16 -0800 (PST)
From: Whitmon <whitmon(AT)vineyard.net>
Subject: [T(AT)H] Re: Reason for getting into tandeming in the first

Mark & Bob

I once gave a 24 T stainless steel Onza chain Ring and Chris King headset to
an old girl friend. (now Ex Wife and Mother of The Stokettes)

Not liking the gifts and being the passionate (volatile) person that she was
just about planted that chain ring in my forehead from across the room.

Bad aim, she stuck it in the wall. Maybe to many Ninja movies?

David (Can you say Duck?) Whitmon

 

Re: Reasons for getting into Tandeming...

Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=tandem.10311.0366.eml
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 13:04:00 -0800 (PST)
From: bike42 <r.friedman.1(AT)alumni.nyu.edu>
Subject: [T(AT)H] Re: Reason for getting into tandeming in the first

I guess my wife is different. I gave her, many years ago, a new set of
light weight wheels for her Terry single. She loved them.

 

Re: Reasons for getting into Tandeming...

Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=tandem.10311.0368.eml
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 13:14:29 -0800 (PST)
From: Paul Meixner <meixner_paul(AT)yahoo.com>
Subject: [T(AT)H] Flinging rings (was Reason for getting into tandeming in the first place)

----------------
David,

Not everyone understands the romance of tandeming and
cycling gear. On our team, my wife prefers gifts that
sparkle (no, polished Ti doesn't count).

At this point, it is perfectly fine for me and my
daughters to receive practical cycling gifts. Perhaps
they are not yet old enough to complain?

I suspect that all of us on this list have a True
passion for cycling in general and tandeming in
particular. The danger, and I do mean danger, is that
any healthy relationship needs balance. Too much
emphasis on one aspect, such as cycling, by one
partner can truly ruin things for the other partner.

Probably applies to the child stokers in our lives
too. The more you push them to cycle, the harder they
might flee to other activities. YMMV

Paul "not always easy to stay balanced" Meixner
NJ

 

Re: Reasons for getting into Tandeming...

Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=tandem.10311.0373.eml
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 14:55:42 -0800 (PST)
From: Larry Parker <lparker_0254(AT)fuse.net>
Subject: [T(AT)H] FW: Re: Reason for getting into tandeming in the first

I gave my wife a Brooks b-67 for her birthday/Christmas. There were other
"traditional" gifts, too. She enjoyed it, liked telling her family what I
had given her, listing the saddle first, with a long pause and a look. I got
flack from them, fueled by her, but she always told me SHE really enjoyed
it. I don't know if she meant the saddle or the heat from her family! She
won't ride on any other saddle anymore. That was two years ago.

We are closing in on an anniversary, 22 years of happy marriage. 16 for her,
5 for me ;^) Actually, she uses that line more than I do.

Larry, still engaged in this marriage thing, three kids and two houses, 6
cars and 18 bikes later. We still have all the kids and bikes, except for
the kids bikes that got handed down to cousins or neighbors

 

Re: Reasons for getting into Tandeming...

Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=tandem.10311.0377.eml
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 16:57:15 -0800 (PST)
From: "ROMAN MYSZCZAK" <onyoleft(AT)msn.com>
Subject: [T(AT)H] Re: Reason for getting into tandeming in the first place

Hello Everyone!

I didn't know how to shorten this story, but my wife has accomplished so
much.

When Paula & I met, she had a M. Wards Hybrid bicycle that just didn't
"properly" fit. Her longest ride was about 4 miles and her hands, wrists,
neck and knees would hurt. After adjusting the entire bike to fit her as
best as I could, she unbelievably rode 8 miles with me along the lakefront
our first time out. After our frist organized ride, she completed 15 miles
and mentioned that the bike didn't shift as well as she would like.

We looked all over for a ladies road bike, but all we could find were
Waterfords and couldn't afford them.

After the moths flew out of her purse, we bought a Lady's Frame Trek with
decent components. She's couldn't believe how great the difference was in
between the two bicycles. After a few weeks, we did another organized ride
and after I returned from the longest route, I find out the "pro" completed
a 35 mile route and wasn't hurting, just tired. She was happy & I was proud
of her.

Everytime we wanted to ride together, like most other couples, there was the
"wait for me" rubberband ride. One time, we were riding to a friends house
and I decided to not only cross, but get on a busy road for about a mile.
THAT WAS IT!!!

"I'LL NEVER GO RIDING WITH YOU AGAIN!!!"

That's all I had to hear. A month later, we owned a used older tandem. We
enjoyed it immensely. Now back to the first problem. Paula was uncomfortable
again on long rides. The Schwinn was so old that we couldn't find an
adjustable stoker stem to fit the captain's post and having non-indexable
shifting finally got to me after about a year....as well as truing the
wheels after EVERY ride.

We enjoyed tandeming so much though, that we bought a Vision Recumbent
Tandem. I figured that the only thing to adjust on a recumbent was the
X-seam and all of our pains & worries would go away. It worked. We found a
used one with only 40 miles on it. The seller introduced us to a local
tandem club (CATS) and we joined. Paula now understands my quote that I
include at the end of most of my email signatures. It's strengthened our
marriage, given us reasons to get away on the weekends and made us realize
that tandeming and marriage are very much alike. Teamwork, communication,
trying to read each other, know each other's strengths and weaknesses and
the ability to look ahead and plan your move...it's not about enjoying the
ride, it's about sharing the ride's enjoyment.

We, I mean PAULA, are in the midst of organizing a tandem ride for next
year. We'll notify everyone as soon as we have everything finalized.

Sincerely,
Roman Myszczak
Hoffman Estates, IL
"You can see twice the world's beauty on two wheels as you can by four."
z
z
<| z
|~o` o`
_______ |_\\_^x_\\_^x
\-(*)-/--(*) (*)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Re: Reasons for getting into Tandeming...

Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=tandem.10311.0382.eml
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 18:58:23 -0800 (PST)
From: Whitmon <whitmon(AT)vineyard.net>
Subject: [T(AT)H] Re: Flinging rings (was Reason for getting into tandeming in the

Paul

I met the Ex in the bike shop where I now work about 15 years ago and rode
every where together.
2 years later we were married and Honey Mooned in Vermont for a week,
mountain biking.

It was the stress of raising 2 kids with significant special needs that put
the strain on our relationship even though she worked out side of the home
and I was a stay at home dad.

The life we had and the cards we were dealt was just too much for her/us.

She wanted her freedom to do as she would when she wanted to do it.
Her plans just didn't include the girls and I.

She never sought custody though balked at the idea of paying child support
and wanted her equity in the house.

If I could have paid her $100,000.00 she would have just faded from site.


The girls do love Boooger.
Boooger was a family endeveor which all 3 of us participated in as Gaia
picked the color and both Gaia and Gracie were the Judges in NAME THAT
TRIPLET.

They have grown up on Cycling.

Cycling is the norm to them, it's our way of life.

Our Lives Are Blessed

David (DWC of Team Boooger) Whitmon

 

Re: Reasons for getting into Tandeming...

Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=tandem.10311.0398.eml
Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2003 09:49:47 -0800 (PST)
From: "Burckhard, David" <david.burckhard(AT)ngc.com>
Subject: [T(AT)H] Re: Reason for getting into tandeming in the first plac

Roman points out one of tandemings' greatest benefits and that's introducing
timid, novice, or mountain bikers to the road. As was Roman's stoker, my
wife sought the "safety" of bike paths, rural and neighborhood streets and
was intimidated by road traffic. She would gladly ride on rural roads but
resisted routes that led through cities which is about all we have on the
Santa Clara valley floor. Once she spent some time on the tandem in
sometimes highly urbanized and busy roadways, she felt more confident and
less fearful on the same streets on her single. My stoker sees that
communication not only between captain and stoker but bike rider and
motorist is routine. Assertive and attentive riding, signaling, gesturing
(usually politely), and adhering to traffic regulations are as much needed
riding solo as when riding together. You can't convey the experience and
lessons better than while riding a tandem with an experienced partner.

I think children of tandem riding parents are especially blessed in getting
a head start on enjoying road riding while gaining valuable experience and
habits.

dave burckhard
San Jose

 

Re: Reasons for getting into Tandeming...

Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=tandem.10311.0401.eml
Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2003 10:52:58 -0800 (PST)
From: "Arlyn * Superior Tandems" <arlyn(AT)superiortandems.com>
Subject: [T(AT)H] Getting into tandeming in the 1st place (Archives?)

OK I mailed this note early today but apparently it got lost in cyberspace
so here goes again.
--------------------------------
Good morning All

Is anyone forward thinking enough to store these wonderful answers onto
there web site?? If so we'd send folks there who are thinking about into
tandeming to read them. Yes I know these are storied in T&H archives but
many non-technical or even non-cycling folks don't like searching through
archives looking for something as specific as these responses.

thanks

Arlyn Aronson (AT) Superior Tandems (906) 370-2911
Quality tandems and accessories.

 

Re: Reasons for getting into Tandeming...

Archive-URL: http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=tandem.10311.0405.eml
Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2003 12:04:55 -0800 (PST)
From: "Burckhard, David" <david.burckhard(AT)ngc.com>
Subject: [T(AT)H] RE: Getting into tandeming in the 1st place (Archives?)

Hey kids,

I've saved the posts on how folks got into tandeming in my own archives as
possible fodder for a tandem article in the print world. I'll let particular
folks know if I intend to quote them.

Just so ya know.

Dave Burckhard