Tandems

Back in the 1970′s tandems almost disappeared and were barely kept alive by a handful of custom builders, mostly British. In recent years they have made a comeback and are now mass-produced by most good manufacturers in many different styles such as road, touring, hybrid/trekking and mountain bike with some even having full suspension. One of the downsides to buying a tandem is the price as they usually cost the same as two bikes and often more as a result of the engineering involved.

Tandems are ideal when you have two riders of different abilities or ages, as they are able to ride together. People choose to ride tandems for many different reasons and the benefits are numerous but above all else, tandem riding lets you experience the pleasure of cycling together and most importantly, it’s fun.

The most important measurements are:

• A – Top tube, i.e. reach. You don’t want to be overstretched or ‘bunched up’ on the bike
• B – Standover height. You should have at least and inch clearance when standing over the top tube (this does not mean that you’ll be able to touch the floor when sitting on the saddle, as this is a different measurement)
• C – Frame Size. See relevant bike type sizing charts.