Child, Mountain, Folding, Comfort and Cruiser Two-person Bikes

Is a tandem bicycle the right choice? Tandem bicycle features, advantages, disadvantages and alternatives.

Tandem bikes are two-person bikes, the “bicycle built for two” in that old song.

Two riders are seated one behind the other, on an otherwise conventional, stretched two-wheel bicycle. The front rider pedals and steers. The rear rider (the stoker) pedals and rests his hands on fixed handlebars. The front rider also controls the gear shift and brakes.

They can cost as little as $200 and reach over $1000. Popular brands include Kent (Dual Drive), Schwinn, Cannondale, Trek, Lamborghini, Bike Friday and Mantis.

Advantages of Tandem Bikes

Tandem bikes are rare enough to cause heads to turn and smiles to widen, wherever they go. Couples who like to wear matched T-shirts will enjoy the eye-catching, romantic aspect of a tandem.

Tandems are more than a symbol of couplehood. They do have practical advantages.

• The riders are closer to each other than when on separate bikes (where some separation is needed for safety). This allows the cyclists to converse more easily throughout the voyage.
• There is no problem in “keeping formation” especially when one rider is a lot stronger or faster than the other.
• People with limited vision or balance problems, or who are just plain nervous, can ride as the stoker. This is like tandem skydiving, allowing people who wouldn’t normally be able to ride, to enjoy cycling.
• The stronger rider can continue pedaling after the weaker rider is worn out. Folding foot-pegs can be installed for the tired stoker to rest his feet.

Child Tandem Bikes

Tandem bikes can also be used to cycle safely with a child. For this, the rear seat and horizontal bar needs to be low enough to suit the child.

For extra safety, such as with a special needs child, some tandems (example: Buddy Bike) are designed for the rear rider to steer and control the bicycle. This allows the adult to see the child at all times. The handlebars are longer than normal, to reach the rear rider. The front seat is built lower to fit a child.

Disadvantages of Tandem Bikes

Tandem bikes are long. This makes steering more difficult. Sharp, quick turns need to be avoided.

Fitting one into a car can be a challenge, even with the front wheel removed. Special roof-mount bicycle carriers are available for tandems. Multicycle and Bike Friday make folding tandem bikes.

How to Choose a Tandem Bike

There’s a tandem version of almost any type of bicycle, including recumbents. Tandem mountain bikes are available but tandem riding is more suited for on-road cruiser and comfort bikes.

Choosing a tandem bike is like choosing any other bicycle. Cyclists need to consider weight, cost, comfort, seat height, handlebar height, length, gearing ratios, wheel size, steel or aluminum frame, build quality and other factors. One additional factor to consider is whether there is a suitable place on the frame to install foot-pegs for the stoker.

On most tandems, both pedals are directly linked and cannot freewheel or coast independently of each other. Changing the pedal crank length is a simple way to accommodate riders of different physical ability, to a limited extent. Independent coasting tandems are rare but are available, as are tandems that allow independent gearing for both riders. Manufacturers include da Vinci Designs and Bilenky.

Cheap, simple and heavy steel tandems can go for as low as $200 to $300. These will be good enough for casual use, though some extra cash should be budgeted for a local bicycle mechanic to give the bike a tune-up and safety check. As long as the frame is sturdy, inferior parts can be slowly upgraded with standard bicycle parts as they wear out.

Alternatives to Tandem Bikes

Alternatives to tandems can be better for some situations.

• A front or rear child bike seat can be mounted on a standard bike to carry young children.
• A tow bar can be used to attach a child’s bicycle to a standard bicycle.
• A bike trailer is a single-wheeled rear half of a child’s bicycle, with a tow bar to attach to a standard bicycle.
• Surrey side-by-side bicycles with a canopy are like human-powered golf carts. They are ideal for golf courses and resorts. They may not be legal for street use.

Tandem Bikes Versus Conventional Two-wheelers

Tandem bikes can make cycling more fun.

They aren’t for everyone but anyone sitting on the fence should certainly give these unique bicycles a try. Bicycle-rentals in parks and other resort areas are a good way to test one out.

29-inch mountain bike pros and cons

29er bikes have bigger wheels offering a smoother, faster ride. They are great for taller men and women but is bigger better for the average rider?

Mountain riding has become a really well-liked sport and, as with all sports, the manufacturers of equipment are always looking for new products or market areas. The current growth area is towards the 29er, a mountain bike with 29inch wheels. Almost any biking magazine you pick up today will have an article extolling the virtues of 29er bikes.

The Gary Fisher website has 29er bikes listed first and claims that “Bigger wheels…make for a faster, smoother, more stable ride.” So bigger must be best then?

29er Bikes

It’s worth pointing out that a 29er uses wheels with a rim diameter of 622mm (24 ½”) in line with its ISO standard (iso622). The wheel diameter becomes closer to 28 ½ inches once an average tire is included. Of fact, none of this really matters, except that, from a marketing perspective, 29er sounds better than 28 and a half-er!

The only important point of note then is that a 29er has bigger wheels than a standard 26” mountain bike. But what does it really matter that one bike has bigger wheels than another except to boast to your mates, “My bike has got bigger wheels than your bike!”

Benefits of Riding a 29er Mountain Bike

The science is yet to prove the real benefits of a 29er over a 26inch bike but the often quoted, albeit unscientifically proven, benefits are:

• Bigger wheels will roll over obstacles more easily, something to do with the angle at which a larger wheel will strike an obstacle.
• There is slightly more rubber in contact with the track or road on a bike with larger wheels and this logically will improve cornering and straight line traction.
• According to Lennard Zinn in his regular Q&A Technical spot on VeloNews, December 17 2002, larger wheeled bikes give designers more flexibility in designing a bicycle’s geometry for larger riders.

Disadvantages of 29er Bikes

The equally unscientifically proven disadvantages are:

• Larger components, spokes, rim tires and tubes result in heavier wheels with more circulating bulk, making the wheel/bike less maneuverable.
• Longer spokes suggest a weaker wheel with more lateral flexibility.
• Lack of availability of parts, tires, tubes and forks for 29er bikes. This argument is less credible now as the current strong trend has forced more manufacturers into the market.
• Converse to the larger rider argument, smaller riders may not be able to find a 29″ bike with suitable geometry plus the bike will look totally oversized for a petite figure.

Which Riders Suit 29er Bikes?

The honest truth is that the 29er will suit some riders better than others and all of the above advantages and disadvantages have some merit. The 29er is well suited to single speed riding where the improved rolling performance of the larger wheel assists the rider in forward momentum. Lovers of tight and tetchy single track, on the other hand, may find a 29er less maneuverable through the tight bends and therefore less fun.

Mountain bikers who like to get out and cover some distance, discovering new countryside without huge amounts of technical riding, will love the ground-covering nature of the larger wheels. Taller riders may love 29ers for the improved frame geometry that is made possible by larger wheels and will certainly look more “normal” on a bike which is 3 inches higher off the ground.

Buy a 29er or Stick with Traditional 26 Inch Wheels?

So to get it into perspective, the 29er offers mountain bikers an option in the same way that longer forks, lighter components or Sram over Shimano components offer choice. The only way to know if a 29er is for you is to try one. Don’t just fall into the marketing trap of believing that riding will be slicker and faster on bigger wheels or the hype that 26 inch wheels are simply passé.

Why 29 Inch Wheels are Good for Fixed Gear Mountain Biking

29 inch wheels are a perfect fit for single speed mountain biking offering greater forward momentum and easier hill climbing. This article looks at the reasons why.

There have been two large growth areas in the mountain bike world over the last 5 years; single speed mountain bikes and the 29er. Strangely the two growth areas have been inter-related. Neither genre is new; early bikes had no gears and were therefore single speed whilst 29 inch wheels have been around in road version form (700c) for a long time.

Several companies have tried to introduce 29 inch wheels to the mountain biking world since the 1990’s but with limited success. The growth in 29er sales owes a large part to the growth in “single speed” riding that has taken off in this decade.

Why Ride a Single Speed Bike?

Single speed riding, which probably has it’s largest following in the UK, has largely come about as a reaction to the poor operation of derailleur gears in inclement weather conditions. Mud and grit become ingrained in the gear mechanism making gear shifting impossible and slowing down forward momentum. The solution for the winter months is to remove the gear mechanism, run one gear only and modify riding style. There has, of course, also been a certain amount of macho posturing involved – “Who needs gears? They’re just for wimps!”

Why Ride a 29er?

So what is the attraction of 29 inch wheels? A single speeder has one priority in mind when riding and that is to maintain forward momentum. Once this is lost, without gears the result is a long hard grind or a walk. The single main benefit of larger wheels on a mountain bike is that they cover more ground, maintain good forward momentum and roll more smoothly over obstacles.

Benefits of Putting 29 Inch Wheels on a Single Speed Bike

Climbing style on a single speed inevitably involves more time out of the saddle, pushing hard where there is no option of a lower gear to aid a rider up the hill. The problem with standing, particularly on more difficult technical or loose sections, is the loss of traction and therefore momentum. 29 inch wheels offer a larger contact point and better grip which translates into better forward momentum and the top of the hill becoming more achievable.

Having reached the top of the hill the cyclist then has to get back down and with only one gear, a cyclist soon runs out of leg speed to keep the cranks turning to maintain speed. The larger wheels enable a rider to maintain a greater forward speed even when his or her legs have reached maximum revolution.

Additional Benefits of 29er Mountain Bikes

One of the benefits of a 29er generally in both geared and single speed biking is that it allows a better bike geometry for taller riders. The converse is also true in that 29er bikes do not have the correct bike geometry for shorter riders. The only downside to larger wheels is more weight. For the cyclist who relishes endless uphill riding, a lighter bike with 26 inch wheels may be a better option.

29er Single Speed Bikes

Go faster uphill and maintain forward momentum riding a single speed mountain bike with larger wheels. Not all single speed bikes have 29 inch wheels, but there is a strong case to suggest that all fixed gear riders over 5’10” would benefit from riding a 29er.

How to Find the Right Road Bike, Mountain Bike, or Hybrid

There are three types of bicycles to consider for riding outside: road bikes, mountain bikes and hybrids. Choosing a bicycle depends on what its intended use is.

The purpose of a bicycle should be known before purchasing it. Is the bicycle for the exercising on the road, having fun on the sidewalk, cycling over trails and roads, or for strictly trail? Within each of these categories, it’s possible to spend anywhere from $600 to $6000. A consumer has to know what they intend to do with the bicycle before shopping, and how much they wish to spend before it’s possible to enjoy the day shopping for a bicycle and getting sized to ride. Sizing is important because a good fit, means a good ride. The following paragraphs describe the types of bicycles.

From Racing to Road, Bicycles Meant for Speed

Road bicycles have skinnier tires and firmer suspensions, dropped handled bars and multiple gears. Road bicycles are recommended for consumers that want to use a bicycle for serious exercise involving long distances on the road. Road bicycles are required if a person has goals such as riding in RAGBRAI or The Hotter than Hell.

Craving Descents and Climbs, Mountain Bicycles Target Adventure

Mountain bicycles have many gear combinations and have originated from the free- wheeling bikes used by daredevils that do tricks. Typical mountain bike excursions include trail riding in Moab and downhill competitions. Mountain bike riders tend to not spend much time on the saddle and have different skill sets than road riders.

Hybrid Bicycles Allow Sidewalk Cutting or Trailblazing

Hybrid bicycles are made for road and trail and have a different comfort level. Handle bars and seat adjustments can be made for the specific type of riding in mind. Suspensions are not as stiff and hybrids are good for sidewalk and beach cruising.

From Low to High, Bicycle Costs Depends on Components

Bicycles vary in costs. Walmart and other “general” stores carry low end bicycles at the $150-$300 range. These bicycles are okay and serve their function but the level of comfort and quality of material will not be the same. Also, if a person shops around in the off season, Then you can buy a higher-quality bike for not much more than a basic one. When looking at a bicycle price, consider the components and the type of frame that is being purchased, and compare that to the intended purpose of the bicycle.

For $600 to $1200 a bicycle with good components and a long life can be purchased. Dura-Ace and Ultegra components by Shimano are decent components. In this price range, the  popular frame materials materials are steel and aluminum., and weight of the rider and climate need to be considered when making a choice about the type of frame material. Taking the time to research components and frame styles will pay off when discussing bicycles with a sales person and will make sure a bicycle is bought within the budget. There is no need to pay more than $600 to $1200 unless a person is driven to reach for the Lance Armstrong level.

If the Bicycle Isn’t Comfortable, it Doesn’t Fit

The last thing to consider before shopping for a bicycle is fit. If the bicycle fits the consumers’ body then the investment will last because it will be a joy to ride. Generally, a good fit will be determined by the inseam of the client, multiplied by .67 and the units are typically centimeters. When discussing this at the bike shop, a good sales person will ask that the client stand flat with the bicycle and then will adjust the seat to see where the knee breaks during pedaling. A person does not want to overextend their knee. The other measurement that has to be considered is the length of the top tube in relationship to the rider’s arms. Being overextended in the shoulders could lead to different injuries. Again, the purpose should be comfort and maximum performance. This is something to be leery of when buying a used bicycle. Once a sales person has gone through a fit, the consumer should be let to ride the bicycle and acquire a feel for it.

No Head, No Ride

Last but not least is safety. A good sales person will encourage a purchase of a helmet and proper riding gear. It’s expensive at first, but down the road, it’s worth every bit. As a minimum, cover the head and get gloves. To have fun, buy bright colors. Also, ask for the water bottle basket and water bottle to be thrown in for free because plenty of water will be needed for riding. Later on, take a maintenance class at the local bicycle shop to learn how to take care of the bicycle and keep it running well for maximum enjoyment at minimum cost.

Advice on Learning the Basic Techniques of Twin Tandem Cycling

Learning to ride a tandem bicycle is not as simple as many people believe. Twin tandem cycling demands teamwork and good technique to make the most of a two-seater bike.

Many people think that buying a tandem is the easy way to ride a bike; just put the stronger, fitter and more experienced cyclist at the front and take a breather, whenever required, at the back.

While most ordinary bike riders get to grips with riding a tandem quite quickly, making the most out of riding a twin-seater bicycle requires good teamwork and practice to learn some basic techniques. This article looks at learning tandem riding basics including starting and stopping.

Learning to Start on a Tandem Cycle

Starting is one of the trickiest techniques to master on a tandem for both the lead rider, commonly known as the pilot or captain, and the person riding behind, otherwise known as the stoker.

First time pilots should practice riding solo on the tandem for a short while to get a feel for what is a much longer and heavier bike. He/she will also have to support the weight of the stoker while starting so strength and stability are key.

• The pilot should first stand over the frame with feet wide apart (to stop the stoker’s pedals hitting the shins), holding the tandem straight and supporting the frame against one leg.
• Pull on the brakes while the stoker gets on.
• The stoker then mounts by stepping on one pedal in its bottom position to lift up into the saddle and puts the second foot on the other pedal.
• The tandem stoker should get comfortable in the saddle then rotate the pedals according to the pilot’s preferred starting position, for example, left foot down and right foot up; the two riders must start downward pressure with the same foot.
• Finally, once both riders are ready, the pilot should press down hard on the preferred uppermost pedal, lift up onto the saddle and both riders should pedal hard, simultaneously, to gather speed.

Riding at Tandem Speed

Once starting has been mastered, riding at tandem speed requires teamwork to ride at the correct cadence. The set up on a standard tandem means both riders must pedal together or coast together. Invariably, one rider will prefer to pedal harder than the other so a compromise must be reached when learning so that the slower rider does not fatigue too quickly if pedaling too hard.

Experienced tandem riders find that they switch between coasting and pedaling intuitively but beginners need to use signals to indicate gear changing and pedal cadence increase or decrease. The idea is for both riders to pedal with equal force to enjoy the full tandem riding experience.

How to Stop on a Tandem Bicycle

When it’s time to get off a tandem, the reverse procedure for starting should be followed with the pilot stopping first to put his/her feet on the ground to support the weight of the stoker. Tips for stopping include:

• Don’t lean the bike too far to one side or the weight of two people may be too much to hold.
• If riding clipped in, make sure both feet are unclipped before leaning the bike over to stop.
• The stoker must stay perfectly centered; do not lean over when the pilot is stopping or both riders could end up on the floor. Keep both feet on the pedals until the pilot’s feet are firmly on the ground, ready to support the stoker’s dismount.

Learn to Ride a Double Tandem

Riding a double tandem can be fun and is a great way for couples to go out riding together. It is important, however, to master basic stopping and starting tandem cycling techniques before the whole tandem experience becomes as easy as riding a bicycle.

Tips on Buying Tandems, Double, Triple, Quad, Mountain or Road

A tandem bike is not just a two-seater. Tandems come in many different forms including stretch triples and quads, perfect for fun family rides or competition bike racing.

Think of a tandem and an image of a two-seater bicycle springs to mind. They are far more popular than might be imagined and couples love them as it means they can both ride a bike together rather than one speeding out in front and the other lagging behind.

But tandems are not just for couples. There are also three- and four-seater tandems, mountain bike specific tandems and newer variations with recumbent seats. This article reveals just how many options there are and offers some tips for anyone considering buying a tandem bike.

Twin or Double Tandems

The classic tandem is built for two people and offers a whole lot of fun for both recreational riders and for serious cycling couples who want to spend time on a bike together. The person riding in front, known as the captain, is most often the man for physiological reasons; the captain has to be strong enough to take the weight of his partner (the stoker) when starting and stopping and also must have the strength to maneuver a longer and heavier bicycle frame.

Most tandems are set up so that both riders must pedal or coast simultaneously; while one may be stronger than the other, good teamwork and practice usually results in a good compromise between speed and overall riding efficiency. Twin tandems can also be modified to have independent drive-trains, allowing one rider to pedal faster than the other, but the cost is greater.

Tandem Cycling on Triple and Quad Stretch Tandems

Once the bug for tandem cycling has taken hold, many riders want to try something a little different. The whole family can ride together on a triple or quadruple stretch tandem and these bikes are also used for serious competition. They are far trickier to get used to due to their awkward size and additional weight but families with young children can opt for special toddler seat attachments, use special crank shorteners or simply put a child bike seat at the rear.

The decision to buy a triple seater tandem bike should not, however, be taken lightly:

• The captain must be strong enough to cope with the additional weight and awkward size.
• Any children on board must be mature enough to listen to instructions and not lean over causing the tandem to crash.
• A good quality three-seater tandem costs over $6,000; expensive but family safety should come first.

Tandem Wheels

Tandem bikes come with either 26-inch standard mountain bike size wheels or 700 cc road specific wheels. Unless the tandem is going to be used for road racing, most people choose the 26-inch wheel option as tires can then be changed to suit conditions; use slicks, for example on the road and change to hybrid or mountain bike tires for off road trails.

Tandem Frame Sizes

When buying a tandem, it’s important to get the right size for the captain who must be able to stand over the frame with plenty of clearance for perfect balance on start-up. Size for the stoker is less important as they will be seated most of the time; a short person can therefore easily ride tandem with a taller partner.

How Much Does a Tandem Cost?

Tandems can be custom made and many are built to order but there are also good manufacturers producing factory made tandems. Prices start from around $1,000 for a reasonable quality twin tandem from a company like Dawes. Better quality road and mountain bike tandems from brands like Cannondale are in the region of $4,000.

Ellsworth produces an all mountain tandem bicycle with frame only prices from $3,125 but for ultimate quality and market experience, Santana is the choice for tandem enthusiasts. A top of the range carbon quadruple tandem from Santana will set you back almost $30,000 while their entry level twin tandems start from just over $5,000.

Buy a Tandem Cycle

While prices and options can be viewed online, it is always best to visit a specialist tandem cycle store for precise bike fitting. Beginners can test ride a tandem bike to see whether it is suitable and get valuable advice from store staff who are almost always tandem enthusiasts.

Being a bit of a bike snob, I was a bit skeptical when my partner came home with a Dahon Folding Bike. One ride later, I was hooked!

I’m a bit of a bike snob. In Boston, where I make my home, I’m wedded to my daily ride, a Redline 925. It’s a no nonsense bike, which I’ve outfitted for carrying books and laptop to the art school where I teach and groceries for the trip home. With a front basket and side panniers, it’s a real workhorse and has carried me through several icy New England winters.

Enter the Bike Snob

I was quite dubious when my spouse brought home a Dahon Boardwalk. Dahon makes folding bikes. I’ve been familiar with their designs, seeing people on occasion riding foldies around our fair city. I was biased and had the idea that they were useless for anything more than riding a short distance to the coffee shop or perhaps in a circus act. With the small wheels and frame, the Dahon seemed more like a toy bike rather than a real bicycle.

My Time on a Folding Bike: Relax and Smell the Flowers

The next morning, for whatever it’s worth, curiosity got the better of me and I left the Redline at home, deciding to give the Dahon a try. The Boardwalk S1 is one of the least expensive bikes the company makes; it has no frills, one speed (hence the S1 moniker) with tiny 20″ wheels.

From the start, one of the first things I noticed is the pace was so much more relaxed than my big bike, more akin to jogging. On my way, I felt less stressed and worried about traffic than I did on the speedy Redline. There was something immediately fun about the experience. The Dahon is light, and the small wheels made the bike very “flickable,” a term I picked up when I used to ride motorcycles. Riding reminded me of being on a scooter; the bike was perfect for maneuvering and weaving around big city traffic.

In addition, when stopped at a light, people would look at the bike and break out in a big grin. This might have been due to my snappy spring outfit, but I think it was the novelty of the folding bike. Here I was on my somewhat boring daily bike commute and I was having a blast.

“Don’t Know Why, There’s No Sun up in the Sky, Stormy Weather”

For those of you unfamiliar with New England weather, we usually say, ” If you don’t like the weather outside, wait a few minutes.” Sadly, the reverse is also true.

When I started out for the day, the temperature was in the low 50s, gray sky, and I was dressed fairly light. After a very absorbing day where I barely looked out the window, I walked down the hall to the exit and noticed students running inside, miserable and soaking wet.

Heading to the bike parking area, I was hit with a stinging blast of ice-frozen rain. Standing in the rain, I worked out two scenarios in my head: ride home in the rain and suffer frostbite or walk the bike to the subway stop two blocks away and see if the Dahon would fold down small enough to fit on the crowded train during rush hour. Arriving at the station a bit soaked, I discovered the true virtues of a folding bike: it folds!

I Become a Convert to the Church of Folding Bike

Within less than a minute, I was on my way to the platform with the bike collapsed down to a smallish cube not much bigger than a breadbox — OK, a large suitcase. The subway car was crowded with disgruntled, wet Bostonians, yet I managed to find a seat and placed the bike discreetly on the floor in front of me. When I got home, I was fairly dry and the rain had let up. It was a simple task to carry the Dahon up the station steps and unfold it on the sidewalk outside. Next to me were two rough-looking guys eyeing my bike.

“So how much did that cost ya?” one asked.

“About $250 bucks,” I exclaimed, “and you can take it with you into a bar!”

They both cracked up as I rode away, happy to be a folding bike convert on my Dahon.