My mind is in the gutter this morning so I will sensor my first response.

Tandems are fun and absolutely haul down hill. One of the best road bike / tri bike tandems I have seen had areo bars up front (Ithink) and a softride beam on the back. The person on the back will find out quikly why the beam is a fantastic idea ;)

Biggest problem with tandems is transportation and storage.

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http://www.nunnsontherun.com

My friend once suggested to his wife that he wear the HRM and she wear the HRM strap so he can make sure she's getting a workout and not just letting him do all the work. I do not recommend that approach.

I've known a few other couples that own tandems and like them, but do not use them as much as originally intended. Maybe start off with a used one - I see them on Craigslist a bit.

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Eat right. Get lots of sleep. Drink plenty of fluids. Go like Hell.

my wife and I had the same thought (more her thought than mine) and borrowed a friends tandem to do a century........MISTAKE! After 20 miles I wasn't talking to her and mumbling something about "this being a really stupid idea". First mistake, don't borrow a bike for a century!!! Second, don't try something new for a century!!! We are both decent cyclists, on our own we could've ridden an avg. of 20mph or so for the century. Together, on a tandem, we avg'd 18??? WTF? I kept looking back to make sure she was pedaling! It's very different than riding your own bike......at least initially.

However, I think if you start slowly, build and learn to ride a tandem together it can be a lot of fun! Will we ever buy one......probably not! If we ever do, I wouldn't use it as a means of "training", only to tour and do fun events.

There are a lot of mtb or hybrid style tandems out there that are totally worthless. To really do a tandem you need a good roadie style, and those cost serious bucks. I made the mistake of renting a hybrid style with my wife once on vacation and she swore off them from the experience.

Unless you already have access to a good one, I would just do a search of the forum on training with significant others. There are lots of approaches.

some that I do:

Don't worry about your training at all when you are riding with them- it is couple time and not about you. Probably the most important to remember.
Use it as an easy day/ recovery ride.
Ride a fixie.
Pull a trailer. (Combine this with fixie for a killer workout.)
Work on cadence drills.

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"Can’t I just start alone? I don’t need a team. All I need is a mechanic and a car!"-Jens Voight http://velonews.competitor.com/...lgem-and-more_108891 "

A tandem will get your relationship to it's end point....just a little faster. So...I have some tips for a positive outcome

#1 do not frighten your stoker
#2 do not crash


And yes you can run aerobars once you guys get in sync, you might want to consider a suspension post for the stoker (i've got the little cane creek thudbuster and it works well).

We're in the same situation, one of us is faster but with the tandem we can ride together and both have a really good time. Just don't forget rules #1 and 2 :)

When my kids weren't old enough to keep up with me on long rides, I got a tandem, and we had a blast going on long rides together. I chalked it up to base-mileage while spending time with the kids. Lots of good conversations on those rides. Sure, the quality of riding wasn't the same as being out on my TTX, but I was still in the saddle, and I was being a better father as a result.

As far as the inconvenience of transporting a tandem, I purchased a Thule roof rack for a tandem and still use it for my road-bikes. The rear extension comes off, very easy, no issues.

Also is it possible to put aerobars on a tandem?

You're kidding right?

just ride up in the hoods on a trek and put her in a nice aero position on a cervelo and you will even out


hehe

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Lots of great advice.
My bike riding skills are a little better then her's so I will definitely be the pilot and she,the stoker.
<<A tandem will get your relationship to it's end point....just a little faster. So...I have some tips for a positive outcome

#1 do not frighten your stoker
#2 do not crash >>

This is actually a concern of mine. I feel very comfortable riding in traffic,where she is more of a defensive rider.This is something we will definitely need to work on. Thanks for the tips.
I dont plan on doing much traveling with my tandem so transporting it really isnt a concern.

My partner and I purchased a tandem this winter and have since done a good bit of riding on it. A few thoughts:

1. You'll want to purchase a road tandem bike, as others have mentioned. This will cost a minimum of $2k unless you can find a good deal and/or a used tandem. We purchased a 2008 Cannondale Road Tandem 3, which had a MSRP of $1799. You can put aerobars on it if you wish, but I would shelve that idea until your stoker is okay with it (see points (3) and (5) below).

2. They say that a tandem will not change your relationship with your partner significantly--you'll just get wherever you were going faster. e.g. If you have a poor relationship, you'll find that you willl argue and bicker a lot, but if you have a great relationship a tandem will cement that. In my experience, I've found this to be true--my partner and I have a great relationship and we always have a good time on the tandem.

3. Riding a tandem is really all about the stoker. You need to keep your stoker happy, safe, confident and comfortable. This means making sure that

(a) the bike you buy fits the stoker,
(b) your stoker has a comfy saddle and bars,
(c) your stoker feels safe on your rides, and
(d) your stoker can stop when s/he needs to.

4. Take it *very* slow on your first few rides. There is a learning curve that took us about 100 miles of riding over 8 or 9 rides to figure out. This includes things like mastering the correct starting technique, deciding on a comfortable distance from the kerb/yellow line, figuring how to ride in traffic, choosing a cadence, standing to climb, turning, and more. What we did was we actually *drove* the bike out to a deserted, flat state forest for our first few rides. We were able to practice starting, stopping and riding in a straight line without having to worry about cars, hills or other distractions.

5. Riding a tandem is really all about the stoker. The saying goes that "the stoker makes no mistakes." That doesn't mean that you make all of the mistakes (feel free to blame weather, the terrain, etc) but the stoker makes none. How can she make any mistakes--she's not in control of the bike!

If the stoker wants to stop, you stop. If the stoker wants to slow down, you slow down. ESPECIALLY at first. Essentially, you are selling your stoker on the cycling experience, and since YOU are the one controlling her cycling experience, you jeopardize her trust in you on future rides if you don't listen to what she wants and needs during the ride.

To close, I would like to post a picture of me and my partner with our tandem during one of our first rides on it this winter:

 
One of the coolest "dates" my wife and I ever did was the "Vail Pass Tandem Pac-Man Ride". We rented a bad-ass cruiser tandem in Frisco and proceeded to play "fat/sea-level dwelling cyclist Pac-Man" up Vail pass on this monster of a tandem. She does not even own a bike and it was a great chance for up to get out and ride with out it being a free wheel fest for me and a death march for her. I was coming off du worlds and she tips the scales at 100lb, so yeah, our strength to weight was pretty sick...Yes, get a tandem...

I heard someone refer to tandems as "Divorce Machines". I never forgot that.

As far as aerobars, go for it, but hook her up with a basket, streamers and a bell in the stoker position. Deep rim on the front and a cruiser tire on the rear. Sweet.

Brad

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3SIXTY5cycling.com

Great idea. We started riding a tandem about 3 months ago. There is no way my wife can stay with me otherwise even if I ride my slowest.

Most inexperienced riders have a very low cadence which is usually why they are so slow. I would recommend getting some kind of cadence sensor on the bike and work on getting her spinning at the same cadence as you for starters. Teach her to soft pedal. She doesn't have to push hard, just spin equal to you, you're going to do the pushing. Once she get accustomed to a higher cadence, she can work on pushing harder.

I would advise strongly against aerobars for the captain for daily riding. You definitely need to be more upright and alert and your vision needs to be way up the road. You are driving for two riders and your attention and planning 10 to 20 seconds in the future is vital.

I don't know where you're located but there is a tandem store in Northern California that might be worth checking out if you are interested.

www.crank-2.com

your post made me think of this:

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My training

I was thinking the same thing as I made the mistake once of joining a couples golf league. That disaster was the first thing that came to mind after reading the OP's question.

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<< I would recommend getting some kind of cadence sensor on the bike and work on getting her spinning at the same cadence as you for starters. >>
We both ride at about the same cadence so this is going to be one less obstacle were going to face.
I just did a google search in my area and it looks like there are several places that rent tandems.We'll probably rent a few times before we even consider buying.
Thanks again for the great info,everyone.

I just got back from TOSRV (http://www.tosrv.org/09/index.htm for the curious) and I saw my first tandem with non-synchronized cranks. I only saw it from a distance so I don't know the brand but someone said, "Check out that tandem..." and sure enough they were pedaling with independent cadences and freewheeling. I also saw several tandems with aerobars. The riders on these tandems looked like it wasn't their first rodeo...

Base on friends' experiences with them, I would suggest a try-before-you-buy strategy... :-)

"I was thinking the same thing as I made the mistake once of joining a couples golf league. That disaster was the first thing that came to mind after reading the OP's question. "


For me it was a tandem kayak. The person in back quickly becomes convinced that every drop of water that lands on them is intentional, which then leads to observations like "Hey...how come there are no whirlpools coming off your paddle anymore?" which just ends up with a significant increase in the frequency and volume of "accidental" splashes coming from the front.

I wanted a tandem for the exact same reason.

A friend of ours used to be a big tandem person. He once told me this very profound quote:

"Riding a tandem is like swinging. If you have a perfect relationship based on trust, love, and understanding but just want to try something new, it's a great way to add a little excitement to your life. However, if your relationship is like every real relationship it will only lead to jealousy, hard feelings, resentment, and anger. It will bring out every personality flaw and highlight every ugly personality trait you both have and will end in tears."

I keep an eye on craigslist, but the other posters are right. What you see out there is largely junk and the quality frames and setups apparently maintain their value (and desirability). Transport is a serious pain too.

To do this right, you're going to have to invest a little money and a lot of time. Like others have suggested, bike fit is of prime importance. You should be the captain if you are the more experienced biker. The stoker's position should be comfortable and I would highly recommend a seat with suspension for the stoker. It will ease the pain until you become accustomed to the machine. It is possible to use an aerobar, and you can actually use H3's if you want more aero. Otherwise, make sure the wheels are beefy especially if your combined weights are in the 275-300lb range. Our tandem, a Trek T200 came standard with 36 spoked wheels which I trashed riding with my jock high school daughter years back. I replaced them with 48 spoke Phil Woods tandem hubs on Mavic rims and have logged over 15,000 miles without ever having to true the wheels though I've certainly gone through a few chains and cogs.

You need to be in sync which means that she needs to understand that you are steering. Some of our hairiest early moments occurred when my wife tried to steer by yanking on her bar and leaning in the opposite direction when I made an aggressive move in traffic. Also, you need to agree on speed, cadence, etc. Early on, any time we would go over 30mph on a downhill, my wife would freak out and slap her open palm against my back screaming at me to slow down. Over time, she will tolerate going faster. Calling out the bumps is another important job for the captain to allow the stoker to unweight and save her crotch. Standing is easy but takes coordination as does steering tight turns, etc. Don't forget you are longer than your single bike when making moves in traffic.

After years, my wife and I are always in sync and have learned each others moves, habits, so the communication is less vocal and the rides are smooth. That said, I miss the rides with my now adult daughter who rode the tandem with me while rehabbing a soccer injury in high school. Riding with her was like having after burners. I remember once being caught trying to cross a highway unable to activate the sensor light with not much more than a few seconds lull in the traffic. She got tired of waiting and yelled, "Dad, clip in and get ready to punch it!" Then she dismounted holding me up on the bike and at the first break in traffic pushed the tandem from behind like she was starting a bobsled and jumped on letting me pedal hard while she soft pedaled until she could clip in. I can still feel the adrenaline rush from that one.

Oh yeah, the three most important rules for the captain are: 1) Never trash the stoker 2) Never trash the stoker 3) Never trash the stoker.

that makes me wonder....what would a tandem with power cranks be like?

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sometimes you just have to eat the cake

You've already gotten a lot of good advice here, but one thing, my wife and I have a tandem and I'd disagree with those who suggest that riding the tandem = recovery ride. You can ride as hard or as easy as you want, and so can your partner. We just rode today and believe me, it was no recovery ride! That's the beauty of it, although your cadence is the same, one of you can be putting out a lot more watts than the other. And if you think she's not doing her fair share of the work, by all means feel free to keep that to yourself. :-)