Pedaling Preferences TANDEM BIKES I would rather ride with a friend then by myself any day of the week. You can talk to each other, and just spend time together. If you like to ride bikes with a friend, then a tandem bike is the perfect bike for you. You cannot only ride bikes with your friend, you can ride the same bike! Most tandem bikes go very fast if they have two experienced riders riding them. Tandem bikes can go off road or on the road. Basically they could go most places you want to go. With a captain and a stoker, the tandem is a nice bike, but... good tandems start at $1,500. Tandems are also great when one of the bikers is smaller than the other one, like an adult riding with a child. There are lots of options that you have if you want to ride on a tandem with someone who is smaller or bigger than you. FRAME This bike's frame is pretty heavy so the bike is weighted down. Also, the frame is very large since it has to support two seats, two sets of pedals and two sets of handlebars. GEARS The gears on this bike are plentiful. Like a mountain bike, the tandems gears are used at different times for different things. TIRES Tandem bikes have huge tires and wheels. This helps the bike balance while it has two people on it. The tires also have very good traction so they grip pretty much whatever they want. BRAKES The tandem bike as very powerful brakes. It can stop extremely fast.  WHEELS The classic tandems wheels are big, just like the tires. Their traction and balance is great so the bike can't tip. HANDLEBARS Tandem bikes have a front set of handlebars for the captain and a rear set of handlebars for the stoker. The captain's handlebars are very upright and easy to steer. The stokers are affixed right behind the captain's seat and are very low. To learn about Recumbent Tandems, click here. Back to Index Of Bikes   HOME | Preferences | Protection | Parts | Pros | Past | Pleasure | Performance | Puzzles | About Us | Bibliography | Links