Do you have questions about off-road tandeming? If so, see below for some answers to the most frequently asked questions. If you don’t see the question or answer you’re looking for, email your question to us here at MTBTandems.com. And we’ll be adding the best questions and answers to this page regularly.
Are you an experienced off-road tandem team? Have some tips or info that might be helpful to others, especially new teams? Feel free share your knowledge! Just email us with you $.02 worth.
Because it’s fun – what better reason?
For most of us, so we can share the fun and camaraderie of mountain biking with someone. Sometimes it’s because two riders who want to ride together are of different skill and/or fitness levels (at least when they start riding tandems; tandeming seems to bring both partners to a new level together!).
The tandems we sell are completely assembled and test-ridden prior to shipment. Once your tandem is complete, tested and inspected, we will pack it into our tandem shipping box.
Complete tandems are shipped via LTL Truck Freight. Our complete tandem shipping boxes are 88″ long x 10″ wide x 34″ tall, and the packed tandem box weighs 55-60lbs. Your tandem LTL freight shipment is trackable via the carrier’s website, but those systems do not always contain real-time tracking info like small package tracking. LTL shipments are delivered within a scheduled appointment time window, and a signature is required from the recipient at delivery. LTL shipping generally runs between $250 and $350 for CONUS destinations. Remote destinations and residential addresses sometimes incur surcharges.
Shipping quotes can be provided when you order your tandem, and you will be provided with an actual shipping quote when your tandem is complete and ready to ship. Shipping charges are payable before the tandem is shipped from our warehouse. Any additional charges incurred by the recipient (delivery appointment no-show or excessive appointment reschedules) are the responsibility of the recipient.
Please contact us with any questions regarding tandem shipping!
Yes. By choosing the terrain and the weather conditions, you can ride lots of off-road trail and stay clean. However, the first time you come home covered in mud, chances are, you won’t be able to stop grinning, you’ve had so much fun.
Both of you. The captain brakes and changes gears, but both have control over pedaling, steering, negotiating obstacles, etc.
Lots. Tandeming is a team effort and doesn’t work if both members don’t take part. Apart from negotiating the trail (see skills section), the stoker can also navigate, feed the captain, operate the cycling computer, give the captain a back/neck/shoulder rub, switch water bottles for the captain, take photos and ride no-hands.
You’ll see a large price range in just about any sport. Basic pricing for tandems is higher because it’s a small market and subject to the basic laws of supply and demand.
It’s fun.
If your spouse rides off-road and you don’t, it’s a good way to get the same enjoyment he/she does.
If your spouse rides off-road and you don’t, it’s easier to pick up the skill on the back of a tandem than on a single bike.
It’s way more interesting than road riding.
As off-road as you want it to be. there are all sorts of trails, from wide, double-track dirt roads to narrow single-track trails. If a single biker can do it, so can a tandem, in most cases. In some situations, a tandem can negotiate obstacles that a single bike can’t.
This is probably the hardest thing to get used to. You have to trust your captain. It’s in his/her best interests to ride according to your comfort level. If you’re not enjoying yourself, you won’t continue to do it. In some cases, you can use curves in the trail to look ahead to see what’s coming. You can also lean out and look around the captain, as long s you tell him/her first. Sometimes, it’s more fun not knowing what’s coming.
Cooperation, communication, consideration.
While having good mtb skills makes the transition to tandeming off-road easier, it’s not necessarily a requirement. After all, learning new skills and experiencing new thrills (or spills) is at least half the fun. Many teams of average or even below-average skill have become very good off-road tandem teams.
Why? COOPERATION, COMMUNICATION, CONSIDERATION. Are you beginning to see a theme here? Lemme ‘splain…
COOPERATION: A tandem bike reacts to the actions and movements of both riders. So unless both riders are cooperating, the bike gets confused. Neither rider can make a tandem do something very well if the other rider isn’t helping. Something as simple as starting and stopping the tandem can be much more complicated and difficult if both riders don’t cooperate.
COMMUNICATION: Since the stoker can’t always see what’s coming up, the captain has to communicate obstacles, larger bumps, dips, drops, neck-deep water crossings, and anything else that may affect the stoker. It may be something as simple as a small log across the trail, or something more interesting, such as log truck across the trail. After all, it’s much easier to make a tandem do what you want it to do (ride over logs or log trucks, for instance) if both riders are trying to do the same thing.
CONSIDERATION: Some riders are stronger, braver, more skillful, and/or less sensible than others. If you’re sharing a tandem, you must consider your partner’s level of strength, courage, skill and common sense when deciding where, what, how long to ride. After all, it has to be fun for both riders. If you aren’t considerate of your partner, you probably won’t be riding tandems together for long!
On the Proper Training of Tandem Captains
Refer to the skills section. Remember, communication is vital.
You have to communicate what that comfort level is, but you also have to trust your partner when he/she says, “Trust me.” Off-road tandeming is a give-and-take activity; you have to be willing to give a little and your partner should take heed of your concerns.
The captain holds the bike steady while you settle yourself in the saddle and clip in (or position your feet on the pedals). The captain then gets on and starts riding like on a single bike. (My favourite.) Both you and the captain clip in, then, on the captain’s cue, push the pedal down and place your butt on the saddle. The second foot is clipped in when convenient after the bike is moving. This method is the most like getting on a single bike for both the captain and the stoker. The captain starts riding slowly without you. You run beside the bike, grab the handlebars, then launch yourself onto the saddle. (This is a very advanced technique and is included here to show you just what is possible.)
The captain unclips and puts a foot down to steady the bike. He/she gets off the saddle and puts both feet on the ground. You dismount. (My favourite.) Both you and the captain unclip simultaneously and put the same foot on the ground.
You unclip and launch yourself off the back of the bike, hitting the ground running. Very fast but tricky method for getting around un-rideable obstacles in the shortest time.
You don’t. Chances are, you’ll be the only tandem in the race and it is really just an opportunity to ride in a festival atmosphere. What makes it fun is all the looks and comments you’ll get. Not to mention everyone’s cheering each time you ride through!