Success!

[topaz]

Left Kendall: 4:55pm
Arrived Mosaic: 8:50pm

moominmolly warned me that riding a tandem means communicating constantly about everything. So true! Braking! Shifting! Turning! Stopping!

In our case it was particularly about shifting, since changing gears unexpectedly is really mean to Beth's ankle. By the end of the ride I was getting a lot better at doing it smoothly, but still need practice.

And pedaling! Pedaling needs to be coordinated. The cranks on a tandem are locked in sync, so you can't coast unless your partner does too. So weird!

Notes:
• tighten shifter cables
• swap seats
• rotate stoker handlebars up a bit
• thank Molly and David profusely

On Sunday, a couple of 30-mile loops to see if we think we can make it the whole way to Ptown. Onward!

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

Comments

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

FYI, make sure the shifter cable is slotted & threaded in and through all the appropriate things before tightening.

Also, wheeee!

[arfur]

yow!

have fun! *grin*

-bb of the limited userpics these days so no biking pic here.

[starphire.livejournal.com]

That's a nice way to ride to P-town. When I did it some years ago, I think we were the only tandem on the ride. Other than the Wellfleet hills, it was apparent that we enjoyed a clear advantage most of the time.

[inseriatim.livejournal.com]

Wow, you guys are awesome.

[xuth.livejournal.com]

blk and I take my tandem out periodically. After the first ride with her, almost all of our tandem specific conversation happens non-verbally. Since the pedals are locked in sync you can pass along quite a bit of information that way. The biggest thing is don't start and stop pedaling suddenly (unless it's at a time that it's expected like on hard turns where dragging pedals would be bad). But almost everything that the stoker needs to know about will feel fairly distinct in the pedals (including bracing for bumps) and I make a point of exaggerating those motions when possible.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think we were starting to do the same. It's a little more important to do this right for Beth since she's recovering from a broken ankle, and unexpected ankle motions are really unpleasant for her right now.

Not being able to start and stop pedaling suddenly without announcing it is really disconcerting!

[blk]

The pedaling was the biggest trip up for me when I first went out on the tandem. Even just little things like the captain needing to reposition the pedal for starting off while we were stopped, and I would, without thinking, resist the movement. Because we were stopped!

When I started thinking of it as a dance, I found I could trust my body to respond instinctively if I kept "frame" in my legs -- specifically involving keeping more of my weight on my arms (than if I were riding solo), but slight tension in my legs, so I can feel any external change in pedal pressure and adjust immediately. This weight re-balancing also helps with unexpected bumps, as I can absorb the shock a lot better with my arms. Our shifting is still a little bumpier than it could be, IMO, but I think practice will help with that.

I bet by the end of your trip this'll all be second nature to you. :)

Isn't it FUN?!

[slinkr.livejournal.com]

You're going to ride a tandem all the way to Ptown? That's so cool!