# Tandem Transformation



## thinkcooper (Jan 5, 2005)

This is a direct pickup from my Blog here on RBR, and a follow-up to the thread I'd posted a few weeks ago about buying a tandem. Cheers! 

Cooper

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A few weeks ago, I scored a gorgeous Santana Sovereign on our local bay area Craig's List. The purchase didn't come easy. It wasn't cheap, nor was it expensive; more of a cash flow challenge. What put me over the top in rationalizing the buy was encouragement and help from a dear high school buddy that travels across the country and the Atlantic with a Co-Motion tandem, equipped with S&S couplers.

He knew I was intrigued with the idea of a tandem. I'd been casually keeping my eyes open for one for a couple of years. I'd see one that would sorta work, but something wouldn't be quite right. It was too far away to ship, overpriced, under-maintained, too tight for the stoker, too short for the captain, and so on...

When I sent a link to my buddy for this Tandem, he agreed, this one was just right. The right price, the right group, the right size, and best of all, right here in the Santa Cruz area. We test rode it, and it felt perfect. But timing wasn't right. The seller's price dropped, and the timing got better. I pulled the trigger.

All the research I'd done seemed to reveal a couple of truths about tandems. 
1. Strong riders want them so they can ride with their less-strong partners.
2. Many of those partners don't actually like surrendering control as a stoker and don't like the tandem experience.
3. As a result, the tandem often hangs in a garage unused, or gets sold.
4. Tandems aren't cheap, so if your stoker doesn't like riding it, you've dropped a lot of coin (something we aren't awash in) for a purchase that didn't work out.
5. Tandems aren't as easy to ride as a single bike, so the first few rides can be awkward, compounding a uncomfortable stoker's negative experience.
6. Whatever direction a tandem team's relationship is heading, it'll get there faster on a tandem.

That's a list of risks indeed.

So in comes the Santana. My casual rider wife is reserved, but willing to try it out. The raspberry metal-flake paint job takes some getting used to. The purple ano seatposts take it up a notch. It's the "tandem formally know as" color scheme. It acquires the name R.F.P. (Really F*****g Purple). We set aside a block of time, midweek, after work and head on out. Ten rolling miles along the coast. Her reaction? Loved it!

The following Saturday, we do a 43 mile group ride with her Team in Training buddies. Instead of being one of the last riders over the climbs, she's in the first pack now, as stoker. We descend like mad. She loves it. We can talk during the ride. She loves it. The folks that she's training with are drafting our wheel on the flats. We're the freight train. She loves it.

Bottom line, the tandem has turned out to be a fantastic addition to our cycling stable. 

Maybe it's because that research I did turned up two other advice points:
1. The captain needs to communicate to the stoker every step, every action, and every road hazard while providing a stable, upright perch for the stoker to stay clipped onto at lights and intersections.
2. The stoker is never wrong.

If you're ever considering a tandem, remember those last two bits of advice, and maybe you'll end up with the same enthusiasm in your stoker as I found in mine.

Our Santana Web Gallery


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Tht is R.F.P. all right.

BTW the more you ride together the less you will need to let your stoker know what is about to happen, she will be able to tell just fine.

BTW2 don't ever forget rule #2 (which is in fact rule #1and only).

BTW3 you folks doing a lot of out of saddle riding yet?


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## thinkcooper (Jan 5, 2005)

MB1 said:


> Tht is R.F.P. all right.
> 
> BTW the more you ride together the less you will need to let your stoker know what is about to happen, she will be able to tell just fine.
> 
> ...


BTW - we're already migrating that direction. It's been cool to see the transition.

BTW2 - agreed

BTW3 - we're gonna try it soon. We have a big climb planned on Saturday, about 2500' over a six mile stretch so we'll have a chance to try it out. Do you and Ms. M stand? Any advice for a first timer? Our pedals are in phase, I've heard that helps.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

thinkcooper said:


> Our pedals are in phase, I've heard that helps.


I got the tandem cruiser pedals out of phase once after I did a chain repair and it was a b*tch cornering at speed.


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## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

*Raspberry, yeah right*



thinkcooper said:


> The raspberry metal-flake paint job takes some getting used to.


It's Barney!

1. Bike
2. raspberry
3. Barney


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## thinkcooper (Jan 5, 2005)

robwh9 said:


> It's Barney!
> 
> 1. Bike
> 2. raspberry
> 3. Barney


I need for a little plastic Barney for the head tube.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

robwh9 said:


> It's Barney!
> 
> 1. Bike
> 2. raspberry
> 3. Barney


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


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## thinkcooper (Jan 5, 2005)

Bocephus Jones II said:


> ..............


Is he wearing purple Sidi Dominators?


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

thinkcooper said:


> Is he wearing purple Sidi Dominators?


You gotta get a small Barney for the headtube--ziptie it. Maybe put him in a leather S&M suit with a small crop in his hand?

you and the missus could wear these\

<img src=https://www.costumesgalore.net/costume_pictures/animals/barney_costume_purple_dinos.jpg>


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## thinkcooper (Jan 5, 2005)

Bocephus Jones II said:


> You gotta get a small Barney for the headtube--ziptie it. Maybe put him in a leather S&M suit with a small crop in his hand?
> 
> you and the missus could wear these\
> 
> <img src=https://www.costumesgalore.net/costume_pictures/animals/barney_costume_purple_dinos.jpg>


Maybe I'll get a surprise "barney" themed sublimated kit done up. She'd hate me for it.

I have a Dipsy teletubbie figure on the front of my cyclocross bike, so Barrney would round out the headtubes.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

thinkcooper said:


> ...BTW3 - we're gonna try it soon. We have a big climb planned on Saturday, about 2500' over a six mile stretch so we'll have a chance to try it out. Do you and Ms. M stand? Any advice for a first timer? Our pedals are in phase, I've heard that helps.


Practice on a gentle rise (at first it will be easier to get out of the saddle going up something than on the flats). Just discuss it first so you are on the same page then count out loud 3 pedal strokes and stand on #3. You can usually just say "down" for getting back on the seat.

Some tandem teams are fairly successful with only the stoker standing but it is whacked for the stoker if only the captain stands.


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## thinkcooper (Jan 5, 2005)

MB1 said:


> Practice on a gentle rise (at first it will be easier to get out of the saddle going up something than on the flats). Just discuss it first so you are on the same page then count out loud 3 pedal strokes and stand on #3. You can usually just say "down" for getting back on the seat.
> 
> Some tandem teams are fairly successful with only the stoker standing but it is whacked for the stoker if only the captain stands.


Good advice. I'll let you know how we do after our ride on Saturday. 

BTW, what can go wrong if it doesn't work? Spooky handling? Uncomfortable swerving? Crash?


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

thinkcooper said:


> BTW, what can go wrong if it doesn't work? Spooky handling? Uncomfortable swerving? Crash?


My wife is pretty light so I can usually muscle my way out of anything weird she does on the cruiser tandem, but guessing the road tandems are much less forgiving of that kinda thing.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*Fail.*



thinkcooper said:


> ..BTW, what can go wrong if it doesn't work? Spooky handling? Uncomfortable swerving? Crash?


Unless you totally blow the pooch all you end up with is an exciting experience.

Did I mention to learn standing on a traffic free, wide road, good surface, gentle slope? It shouldn't take long before standing is second nature (and a good way to drop single bikes who don't think a tandem can accelerate while climbing).

We stand on the flats too for a break from all that spinning, I'll shift into a harder gear first before we stand on the flats.


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## thinkcooper (Jan 5, 2005)

MB1 said:


> Unless you totally blow the pooch all you end up with is an exciting experience.
> 
> Did I mention to learn standing on a traffic free, wide road, good surface, gentle slope? It shouldn't take long before standing is second nature (and a good way to drop single bikes who don't think a tandem can accelerate while climbing).
> 
> We stand on the flats too for a break from all that spinning, I'll shift into a harder gear first before we stand on the flats.



You didn't mention all those cautions; glad you did, because I was intending on trying standing on a steep, rough surfaced, 4 lane mountain highway, during rush-hour.  

We've been able to pull off standing and coasting no issue. My wife is always no hands on the back as well, we're relatively stable throughout that. I tried no hands on the bars and she told me to stop (stoker never's wrong rule kicked in). We've been practicing water bottle grabs too, and cornering during descents. I think for having done just four rides so far, we're doing pretty well. I'd bet we'll dial in standing pretty quick. The obsessive rider in me needs to master it.

I like the idea of accelerating during a climb and dropping a single or two. :thumbsup:


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## thinkcooper (Jan 5, 2005)

Bocephus Jones II said:


> My wife is pretty light so I can usually muscle my way out of anything weird she does on the cruiser tandem, but guessing the road tandems are much less forgiving of that kinda thing.



My light stoker is pretty easy to deal with as well. I found the Santana to be really stable. Since my last four rides (aside from last night's hill-climb repeats on my Kestrel) have been on the tandem, I've grown accustomed to that extra length and stability. My solo ride last night was a bit of a shocker. My legs felt as fast as they were twenty years ago. And the bike bounced all over the place. It was a little scary at first, then I got comfortable with all the liveliness.


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## jerryon (May 28, 2006)

barney the base player, 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1IHAMiBdga0


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

Being as it`s for two, I think you could get away with dressing as Barney and Dora. Isn`t she purple themed too?


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