The Tandem Couples of NorCal
A solo’s perspective:
Taxi777
Have you ever noticed that
this unique breed of couples seem to be having all the fun at times?
You can pretty much count on any long ride, or century that you’ll be
in your worst state of misery and one of these crews will zip past, or
clip clop merrily by “good day my fine sir…Top O the day to ya! and a
pip pip…goodbye!” That’s about the time I’m completely broken and utter
two words and they’re not “Merry Christmas!”
Still my favorite line or
cliche by now is “Whatever direction a relationship is going, will get
there faster on a Tandem.” I think in a way I’m a bit jealous. There
are many times and moments you so much want to enjoy and share with
another person that is right there with you. There is so a lot of
responsibility for each other. You have to care for the other person
and no matter what, from what I hear develop a deep wonderful
relationship on a whole new level, even if you’ve been together 20
years.
Some questions go through my
head every time I see one of those grand flagships of cycling go
whizzing by me…I very rarely if at all pass them! I think every soloist
or perspective Tandem couple would love to know the answer to some of
these pertinent questions, so I’ll let these unique couples answer
those questions we always ask of them. Maybe It will inspire some
significant others to consider taking this step into a whole new
beautiful relationship and direction with someone they truly care for.
Maybe this should be one
thing a couple in a troubled relationship should try before walking out
that door. relationship counseling on wheels!
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1. How long together riding a tandem?
Ray & Steph - We started riding tandems in 1986 after reading a review on the Kuwahara tandem in Bicycling magazine.
We used to ride quite a bit but laid off after starting a family. Did a
few tandem rallies and centuries in the past. So fast forward to today,
our rides are usually short 20 to 70 miles and at a recreational pace.
We are definitely not hammerheads!
Rich & Mary Ellen - We purchased our first
tandem in 1981 living in San Diego – 27 years. We have been riding off
and on since then. Major rides and tours have been:
San Diego:
Tecate to Ensenada - San Diego, Tacate to Ensenado and back to San Diego (Self supported tour) and Monterey to Santa Monica.
San Mateo:
Solvang Centure - Sonoma tour – Tuscany Italy Tour -Mallorca Spain Tour
Dave & Lisa - 10 months
Jack & Wife - Approximately 3 years now.
Eric and Jen - We’ve been riding tandem since July 2008.
David & Felicia - My wife and I have been on the tandem for 1.5 years.
She decided that she wanted to join in on my cycling, as I have been
racing and riding since 1979. (The racing is over by the way.)
Miguel & Andrea - We just started about 6 months ago. buildrunbike was kind enough to loan us his Cannondale tandem.
Brett & Lisa - Three Years
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2. Type/Brand of Tandem
Ray & Steph
- after reading a review on the Kuwahara tandem in Bicycling magazine.
We bought one and were instantly hooked! A year later we bought a
Santana Arriva S, their racing model. In 1989, we purchased a Santana
mountain tandem; the Picante. We still have all 3 of our
tandems and I’m thinking about buying a 4th one, a 2009 Cannondale RT2!
Rich & Mary Ellen - Santana Sovereign aluminum frame with a carbon fork
Dave & Lisa - Co-Motion Periscope 700
Jack & Wife - First tandem was a Schwinn beach cruiser and then an old Santana. Now we have a Raleigh bought from Red Rider.
Eric & Jen - 2. Co-motion periscope torpedo 26″ from Crank2 - AKA the Yellow
Submarine
David & Felicia - We have a Santana Team Niobium.
Miguel & Andrea - Currently own a Co-Motion Periscope Hammerhead (the Alu frame model w/ Carbon fork)
Brett & Lisa - We ride a Trek ProjectOne
tandem. The frame was found on Craiglist and I built it up from there.
(We started riding together on a Cannondale tandem that we bought off
of EBay.) It’s black with flames. We’re not types who are into flames,
but it has grown on us.
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3. Most difficult to date, ride together Physical/Mental/emotional (little story?)
Ray & Steph
- Most difficult ride to date…….humm, I believe it would be one of our
recent rides with lots of climbing in the heat. It doesn’t help to be
out of shape, overweight and much older! But back in our younger days,
it had to be our rides up to the very top of Mt Tam via Fairfax from SF.
Rich & Mary Ellen -Mary Ellen and I discussed this and it is difficult to pick out any ride as “most difficult”.
We are very conservative and
prepare to the max for tours and events. We agree that the most epic,
inspiring and to a degree difficult was our climb to Cape Formento in
Mallorca Spain.
We had both competed in the
Mount Tam Hill Climb so we were ready for most anything that Mallorca
had to offer. The climb to Cape Formentor started with a 9.5 mile flat
section. We climbed our first ascent which is a slightly smaller Old La
Honda with a similar grade. We stopped for pics and enjoyed a great
view of the Mediterranean Sea in the background. We traveled through a
totally dark tunnel only seeing the light at the end of the tunnel to
guide our path and hoping the pavement below did not contain any
potholes. After cresting the top of the first climb, we descended a
series of challenging switchbacks into a valley and started our ascent
to the light house. We went up a series of clmbs / false flats and then
the road pitched up and narrowed. We were mostly climbing with some
descending on a small two lane rode with no protection from falling
down the side of the mountain on the rocks if you went off the side of
the road. The views were spectacular. It required total concentration
and confidence in our ability as a team - no mistakes. We came around a
bend in the road and there was the lighthouse sitting on another rocky
peninsula summit surrounded by blue water and sunny skies. We descended
and made the final climb to the lighthouse.
It was a great feeling and
the views were magnificent. The descent down the narrow road was
exhilarating and required the same concentration and focus. The ride
was truly an epic ride and like nothing we had done before.
Dave & Lisa - Most difficult to date, ride together Physical/Mental/emotional.
Sea Otter Classic Century
2008 (DNF). Thinking that since I (the captain) have been doing so well
in longer rides (~80 miles), the SOC shouldn’t be too difficult on the
tandem. It turned out that after 2 flats and missing most of the group,
we were in so much trouble that we could barely do the main climb. I
bonked halfway up, and Lisa (the stoker) didn’t know what was going on,
so she kept complaining that I kept complaining. It was a nightmare of
tandem proportions. At mile 86, we threw in the towel and Sagged it
back.
We were two of about 11
people who DNF’d, out of a full field of more than 200 (I think). I
swore revenge, and someday we will try it again, but this time it’ll be
different … The lessons learned at SOC 2008 would stay with us to this
day, while we are continually improving and fighting the early
off-season problems such as the flu.
Jack & Wife - Most difficult to date, ride together Physical/Mental/emotional (little story?)
- The first time we hit the road. Timing was off, communication was ‘ya know, screaming at each other LOL.
Eric & Jen - Most difficult was probably the first real ride we took after
bringing it home. I screwed up twice in a five mile ride and the
second time was really scary — we were going on a wooden bridge
underpass and I started wobbling over the rough boards. The
oscillations got worse fast and I thought we were going over — Jen
urges me just like Bryon (At the bike shop) said — “PEDAL PEDAL!!” and
she cranked on it, got us moving faster and stable again. WHEW.
Everything since that has been cake.
David & Felicia - The most challenging rides so far have been metric century rides.
Miguel & Andrea - We did OLH on the loaner
tandem (46lbs) in 34 minutes and just finished it on the new one
(34lbs) in 32 minutes. So losing 10 lbs got us 2 minutes
Any sustained climbing really puts a hurt on quickly.
Brett & Lisa - We rode Seattle-to-Portland
this past July. We crashed at mile 60 at a set of train tracks, but
still managed to limp the remaining 140 miles into Portland, 15 hours
after we left Seattle. Here’s a picture of some of the carnage. (I had
a similar contusion, but I don’t photograph as well.) I also included a
picture of Lisa with Elvis.
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4. Relationship improved?
Ray & Steph - think our relation improved because riding tandems gave us one more activity to do as a couple.
Rich & Mary Ellen - Yes. Tandem riding is about working as a team. We love the teamwork and tandeming is ideal for tours and long event rides.
Dave & Lisa - Definitely!
Jack & Wife - Yes. Physical fitness too.
Eric & Jen - Yep definitely - We just need to find more time to take it out, we
have a 4 year old who’s too little to stoke but too big to tow in the
trailer very easily.
David & Felicia - Our relationship has not changed, it is always good.
Miguel & Andrea - I’d say so. No more waiting for the other person to catch up to the other.
Brett & Lisa - We bought our first tandem when we were engaged. She still married me! And we’re still married!
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5. Would you ever want to change places ie. Stoker to Captain or reverse?
Ray & Steph
- I definitely would not be a stoker today. Did a ride once and fought
the captain all the way. It was a habit of trying to steer from the
rear and his Italian made tandem was flexing like a wet noodle! 
Rich & Mary Ellen
- Mary Ellen said no way and Rich would stoke for another captain.
However, due to our size differential and the sizing of our tandem,
Rich must be the captain for our team.
Dave & Lisa - Can’t, bike won’t fit.
Jack & Wife - NOOOOOOOOOOOO
Eric & Jen - Sure. She’s gotta learn to shift STI though. Little known fact:
Tandems are controlled from the back, they just happen to be steered
from the front 
David & Felicia - We would not change positions as she has no interest in working so hard in the front.
Miguel & Andrea
- We do it regularly. Typically I captain for about 90% of the ride.
Thanks to our equal heights, we can switch places if desired. I just
switched with her after descending 84. My hands were a little numb from
gripping the bars and I was able to stretch out for about 20 minutes in
back.
Brett & Lisa - Nope.
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6. What made you decide to purchase a tandem?
Ray & Steph -
I bought the tandem in 1986 so that she would be able to do the group
rides with the guys. Otherwise she’ll be sitting home waiting for me.
LOL It was our best investment at the time and our tandems have brought
us many happy and fun adventures. In the past, we have done a few
camping trips with our Kuwahara tandem too. Such romantic times!
Nowadays, we ride so we can
simply do some exercise together. I’ve gain so much weight since
starting a family and being lazy. I have been trying to lose a few
pounds this past year and lost 25 lbs and hopefully another 30 for 09.
We’ll see………
Rich & Mary Ellen
- 1981…Mary Ellen and I were both running and she was focusing on
marathons and I was focusing 10K. We were both cycling but I was more
into cycling than running. When we would cycle together, I would want
to go faster. I would either ride behind her or slow down and lead. I
got the idea to get a tandem to equalize abilities. A friend of mine
and I rented a tandem at Pacific Beach and tried it. It was terrible
and when we applied power the frame twisted and the bike snaked along
the PB boardwalk. A local bike shop arranged for us to try a real
tandem and we test road another couples Santana. We bought the Santana
and the idea of riding as a team was born.
Dave & Lisa - N/A
Jack & Wife - She can not ride a bike on her own.
Eric & Jen - Jen wanted to spend bike time with me and she’s not up for road
riding on a solo bike (yet!). I started researching tandems and the
bug caught us.
David & Felicia - We bought the tandem to spend more time together.
Miguel & Andrea - Being able to cycle
two-gether. You really can carry on a conversation in a more relaxed
atmosphere of not having to worry about riding 2 abreast. Also, the
model we purchased will allow our family to grow into the bike with us
and hopefully ride as they get bigger. I have already hooked up my 7
year old in the stoker area and put my 3 year old on the trail-a-bike
for one long train.
Brett & Lisa - N/A
If you want anything changed or added let me know-pm me or email best, taxi777@pacbell.net
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