Learning to ride a Recumbent Tandem as a team.

basso97

Over the weekend my wife and I picked up a BikeE E2 recumbent Tandem.
On Sunday we road it for about 1 hour.

I tried ridding the BikeE tandem with Lisa Sunday. We road up and down the
path for about and hour. This is not going to work. I cycle at a 90 to 100
cadence. Lisa seams to cycle at a 50 cadence. She soft peddles and is not
really contributing to the effort. She always leans to the left so she can
see what is in front of us.

We rode on the bike path and when ever someone is passing us, either
in front or from behind she stops peddling.

What really set me off yesterday was when we were going up a hill and she
told me " You are going too fast", meaning cadence is too fast. I told her I
have to go this fast to get up the hill, going any slower kills my knees.

>From talking about this later I found out that she was soft peddling that
whole time. She did not think I needed her help. I do not mind the soft
peddling except for when we get to the hills. I think that we could work
this out with better communication.

She loved the bike she could not believe how soothe and stable it was, when
compared to the DF bike tandem that we rented last year on vacation.

I just need to compromise and learn to have a lower cadence and she need to
contribute a little more on the hills, and I think we could make this work.
I did not even mind her leaning to the left all the time except for the fact
I could not see behind me with my mirror.

Her leaning will not work on the road I need to be able to see the
approaching cars from behind. Now the question would be with my wife's need
to control how do I get her on to a country road with cars, and not lean to
the left? The ideal solution would be to get her to be the captain, but I do
not feel she would be comfortable with that yet.

That being said she like the ride and bike. It was really stable and easy
to start.

Now She want me to bet both the E2 and your other BikeE AT, so she can
ride alone.

This is going to cost too much.

Any opions on wich way to go? Do you think we will be able to learn to ride together?

LioNiNoiL

Hard to say: riding a tandem can either "make or break" a relationship. One of my tandems was purchased from a divorced couple, and I've heard horror stories about other couples who just could not get along on a tandem. Your best course of action is to take it slowly at first, do short rides at a slow pace, and let her get accustomed to the bike at her own pace. Riding a tandem at a faster pace requires a surprising level of teamwork, and that takes time to develop. Good luck to the both of you.

__________________
"If they can make penicillin out of mouldy bread,
they can sure make something out of you."
-- Muhammad Ali

basso97

That is what I am going to do. Now I need to find out how to transport this thing with my motor home.

tecln

Hi, I have a recumbent tandem and have had many stokers come and go,, only one or two was compatible on the first ride. I suggest that you give it a bunch of rides and see if she is still motivated to ride, if not, either get rid of the bike,, or your idea of riding with her, haha.

I know its not funny at all, and I can tell you that tempers have flared with mine on a number of occassions. There is a theory of tandem riding and I suggest that you two subscribe to it,, its goes like this,,,,,,,,all problems on a tandem are the captains fault,,,,,unquote,,,,,,If youz are having trouble getting centered on how to ride, its your fault for not training the stoker right,,and I am sure you can get the drift of this as time goes on. This sounds kind of dopey, but as far as I can see is the only way to go with a tandem. That theory is expounded on ,, on Santanas web site is my recollection, and I suggest that you both study it fully, and agree to it before you go much further. Regarding the leaning issue, and the mirror watching issue, you need to train her to not lean, if she cant handle it in a reasonable time, then rethink where you ride or if you ride the tandem at all. Also see my blurb below regarding mirrors on the right side of the bike. I have ridden the E 2 and its an easy bike to ride and balance. Much easier than mine.

I also suggest that you ride the bike alone extensively if youre having trouble with handling it. You may want to put a glasses mirror on the right side of your glasses,, it will work that way but you need a top quality mirror for glasses or helmet use. I have one thats mmade from ss,, and high quality optics, they are extrmely adjustable, they sell for under twenty bux the last I knew. They arent really made to go on the right side, but will work that way and quite well. I know this because a couple of years ago i lost my vision in the left eye and had to put it on the right. It works fine.

Ok,,,,,,,cadence,, you can use different chainrings to get her cadence to match yours. Its not easy, but it can be done, I suggest you start with a timeing ring thats about eighty percent as big as hers. I think you will find that she will gain cadence capacity over time. You can always gear down severely, if you need to keep your cadence up,,maybe lower gears will help. When and if she gains cadence capacity, just switch up to bigger chainrings for you.

I am wondering how you happpened to start on a tandem with such apparently widely varying skills in riding. Did you both ride singles together? If so, I imagine she was substantially slower than you and maybe you thought the tandem would keep you together.

I personally put my tandem,,,,,,,IN the motorhome when traveling, its a real pain, but it can be done with mine at least. At night, just chain it to the motorhome so it doesnt get away from you. I hope this helps, and would really like to hear how this thing works out. Have fun you two. Smile.

basso97

I just got back off of my Vacation, and we took the tandem with us.

I am doing this and it works. She is alway right and I am wrong and she is starting to ride with me.

We talkes about the leaning issue and she is doing it a lot less. If I comunicate when I will need her not to lean she doesn't. I think as we ride more this will get better.

I quit trying to ride my cadence, again she is right. We are not in a race. We got a tandem to ride together.


I ride alot and she does not ride except for maby once a year. I got a tandem so we can ride together.



If I took the seats off and the handel bars I was able to slide the bike into the underside of the MH, it fits great.

Thank for the help..