Re: [CR] Why are tandems relatively unpopular?

(Example: Bike Shops)

From: <"spike@sprocketscience.com">
To: verktyg <verktyg@aol.com>
In-Reply-To: <4D3364A7.5040803@aol.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2011 13:44:45 -0800
References: <C958C9C3.1869D%mdschmidt56@verizon.net>
Cc: "spike@sprocketscience.com" <spike@sprocketscience.com>, Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR] Why are tandems relatively unpopular?


Tandems are NOT "Divorce Coaches". They simply take your relationship where it is already going. My wife and I love our tandem.

On Jan 16, 2011, at 1:35 PM, verktyg wrote:
> My neighbors in New Mexico in the 70s had what was supposed to be
> the last lugged Reynolds 531 tandem built by Rene Herse.
>
> They were classical musicians who had lived in Paris for may years.
>
> The woman was the captain. She was about 5'4" tall. Her husband, the
> stoker, he was about 6'2" tall and totally blind.
>
> They seemed to do quite well together.
>
> Chas. Colerich
> Oakland, CA USA
>
> Michael Schmidt wrote:
>> There is a reason why they call tandems "Divorce Coaches"
>> My wife and I have known several cycling couples have the worst
>> fights on a
>> bike ride. They all sounded like this - Captain: "Work harder"
>> Stoker:
>> "I am working as hard as I can" Captain: "No you're not. This is
>> not
>> working, let's sell the tandem" Stoker: "Fine"
>> When you see couples on a tandem that are smiling, you know they're
>> not
>> married.
>> I think Paul & Rita Lee are the only two people that I know that
>> ride a
>> tandem and don't fight on a bike ride.
>> My .02
>> Michael D. Schmidt
>> Millington, NJ From: alex m <alexpianos@yahoo.fr>
>> Looking through period photos and magazines, and as a Rene Herse
>> Alex Singer
>> etc collector, I notice that tandems were really popular in the 50s
>> and 60s
>> in France. Always husband in front, wife behind. Sometimes a little
>> trailer
>> behind for the offspring.
>> Why is it you never see a tandem on the road nowadays?
>> Something to do with people being more individualistic? Or women's
>> liberation? The radical decrease in the number of tandems produced
>> and
>> ridden must say something about the history of social relations.
>> Are there any tandem riders on the CR list? Peter (Weigle), have
>> you ever
>> made a tandem?
>> Alexander March
>> Bordeaux
>> France