To think tandems are naff and embarassing and to not want to go on one?

[skirt]

I like cycling for fun and my dh likes cycling competitively. He's really encouraging though and will happily cycle along with me on my lady bike for an afternoon. We've always wanted to cycle round Holland (nice and flat, you see) but last night he came home from work, full of excitement. His friend has offered to lend us a tandem. I think I would die of embarrassment.

I get that I cycle slower and I like to look at the scenery etc. I get that he likes to go a bit faster and I may hold him back a bit. But a tandem?

Would you get on such a shameful item, behind your dh?

Compromise with a rickshaw? Not so silly looking, DH can cycle as fast as he likes, you can look at the scenery!

If you're in another country at least you won't see anyone you know and die of embarrassment!

See, I have cycled on a tandem in Belgium and Holland - wasn't embarrassed at all. You see more of them than you would in the UK. It does require a certain amount of teamwork to get used to it though - generally we found it was best for the person on the back not to lean in much, since if the front person has no idea what you're doing, everyone falls off.

Why is it shameful?

There's an infinite variety of bikes, stunt bikes, cargo bikes, trikes, reclined bikes, trailers, rickshaws. What makes that particular one shameful?

Not at any price!

Oh god, I can't even believe someone has actually done it. Why would I want to go on a tandem though when I can pootle along on my own bike at my own pace?

A tandem - that's not normal, surely it's not normal.

That's why it's shameful tweedrun.com/?page_id=10

YABU

I would love to ride one!

Tandems are really good fun. The best thing about them is that you don't need to pedal very hard, just sit on the rear seat and make noises that would suggest you are exerting yourself.

I know the people that are saying woo what a good thing tandems are, are the same people who would point and laugh and tag me on facebook.

You're assuming that people who enjoy a tandem cycle understand what "tag me on facebook" means.

ahahahahahaaaaaa.

Oh do it, it'll be amazing fun to see the pictures

Everyone waves at people on tandems! I was at a dog training class the other day and even the dogs looked pleased to see these people going past.

I am absolutely certain that if DH and I tried to coordinate tandem riding it would end in divorce. Absolutely certain.

I think tandems are cool

I love tandems! Go on, give it a go and post the pictures so we can see them

YABU - i would die of embarrassment.

Should be saved for comedy sketches and yogurt adverts

What you need is a Pino.

www.kinetics.org.uk/html/pino.shtml

You get to lie back and relax and if you can't be arsed pedalling you don't have to (unlike on a normal tandem where you have to pedal at the same speed as the person on front as pedals are linked)

What you need is a Pino.

www.kinetics.org.uk/html/pino.shtml

You get to lie back and relax and if you can't be arsed pedalling you don't have to (unlike on a normal tandem where you have to pedal at the same speed as the person on front as pedals are linked)

i've got a tandem! Wouldn't be seen dead on it with dh, but i ahve been known to take ds to school on it. But then, i loathe the whole sweaty, stinky, deeply unflattering lycra-fest that separates the cyclist from the pootler. i'm definitely a pootler. purely A-2-B only.

oh no. no no no.

My DH & I sound a bit like you (except mine doesn't compete but rides loads). We had a go on a tandem last summer, him at the front, me behind - it was awful!

First problem was getting on - I mount from left, him from right. Once on I struggled with lack of control as I freely admit that I like to be "in charge". I couldn't relax because I couldn't steer or break. We only did a lap of the park and that was more than enough! Avoid at all costs!!

Dont find anything embarrassing about it. But they are tricky to start and stop on - altho maybe thats cause my only experience is with me on the front and a friend on the back who cant ride a bike!! Was beyond difficult! But hilarious at the same time.

Lol! Yanbu, but YAB hilarious. If you go, please follow up this post with pictures!

Agree only if you ride in front...

I thought my OH was joking when he said we should try a tandem (from the bike hire place at a local park). But then I saw one on his watch list on Ebay .

I have resisted so far. I think they are a bit , but maybe because I am a child of the '70s and grew up watching The Goodies.

I remember reading that Kate Winslet went on one on her honeymoon with her first husband.

Mind you, that marriage didn't last, did it?