OPINION
‘THE UK TANDEM CLUB, WHICH STARTED IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE SUPPLY OF TANDEM-SPECIFIC PARTS, HAS
GROWN INTO A LARGE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON THE BACK OF THE HUGE GROWTH WE HAVE SEEN IN LEISURE CYCLING.’
Peter Weeks and his wife, Jenny bought their first tandem as a new activity when they retired. They are now on their third tandem, which gets used for day rides with a local tandem group, tours and longer trips abroad. They have tandemed around the UK and Europe, including Scandinavia and down the Mississippi. Peter is the Chair of the Tandem Club, one of the largest special-interest cycling clubs. and thinks that cycling with your partner is twice the fun of cycling on your own.
stokers, there are kiddyback tandems. Many families find these easier than tag-alongs for young children. You can fit crank extenders or pedal blocks to enable short legs to help pedal. Alternatively, for young stokers, you can fit kiddycranks; a third chainring high on the seat tube driving a chainring on the rear bottom bracket via a short chain. Blind and visually-impaired cyclists revel in the pleasure of being able to cycle on a tandem when any other kind of cycling is not possible. Even people with medical conditions affecting their balance or muscle control, which might prevent them from riding a solo bike, often manage fine on the back of a tandem. A nationwide charity that loans out tandems to people with disabilities is Charlotte’s Tandems. Tandemists take part in all kinds of cycling events from organised bike rides to full-blown Audax and Sportif competitions. Tandems are at their best on the open road, and touring by tandem is a great way to see the countryside, which means that many tandem couples are avid cycle travellers. If you want to try a tandem, JD Tandems in Gargrave, Yorkshire and the Tandem Experience in Ironbridge, Shropshire are two specialist tandem dealers. If you are confident enough to go it alone (well, with your partner!) then you can always look into hiring a tandem for the day. Finally, if you see a tandem go past, please don’t say,
like they all do, “She’s not pedalling on the back.” Riding a tandem is a 50:50 proposition. She’s probably pedalling harder than you. ●
42 | July 2025
www.bikebiz.com
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