Tandems and pedals?

Chris Eilbeck wrote on 23/01/2007 21:28 +0100:

Quoted message said:

Do people on tandems use platform pedals, or toeclips etc., or
clipless systems? Never having ridden a tandem I've no idea. I guess
you need your partners co-operation to unclip?

Just a bit of idle pondering ;o)

Any will work according to your preference. The only time the stoker
takes their feet of the pedals is to get on or off. So you only need to
worry about the captain unclipping and that's no different from riding a
normal bike.

--
Tony

"...has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least
wildly inaccurate..."
Douglas Adams; The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

"Chris Eilbeck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Do people on tandems use platform pedals, or toeclips etc., or
clipless systems? Never having ridden a tandem I've no idea. I guess
you need your partners co-operation to unclip?

I rode what I used on my half-bike at the same time - ie toeclips/straps at
first, spds now. Wife/stoker hasn't used anything but clips/straps.

I can clip/unclip whenever I want. Wife is a little more limited - mainly
trying to get back into her toeclips while I'm still pedalling having gone
over a bump :-)

So the basic answer is, as Tony says, it doesn't matter.

cheers,
clive

Chris Eilbeck said:

Do people on tandems use platform pedals, or toeclips etc., or
clipless systems? Never having ridden a tandem I've no idea. I guess
you need your partners co-operation to unclip?

Just a bit of idle pondering ;o)

I prefer without, as I find straps and clips a pain to get your feet
out of quickly. I've just gone clipless on my mountain bike so can't
really say for myself but a friend of mine went through a phase of
swapping his tandem pedals to clipless and swapping back at the end of
the ride (bike were borrowed).

peter

naked_draughtsman wrote on 24/01/2007 09:03 +0100:

Quoted message said:

I prefer without, as I find straps and clips a pain to get your feet
out of quickly. I've just gone clipless on my mountain bike so can't
really say for myself but a friend of mine went through a phase of
swapping his tandem pedals to clipless and swapping back at the end of
the ride (bike were borrowed).

I think it is unwise to not have clips or clipless for the stoker. Its
very easy for the stoker to lose their footing on the pedals and the
results can be painful as the crank and pedal hits their leg, not to say
the disruption to the pedalling while the captain stops pedalling for
them to get their feet back on. For the captain it is less important
but there is an advantage with clipless of being able to position the
pedals right before starting off. I personally wouldn't use clips as a
captain unless they were not done up which kind of defeats the object.

--
Tony

"...has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least
wildly inaccurate..."
Douglas Adams; The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Chris Eilbeck said:

Do people on tandems use platform pedals, or toeclips etc., or
clipless systems? Never having ridden a tandem I've no idea. I guess
you need your partners co-operation to unclip?

My tandeming pals use clipless. The stoker actually learned to ride a
bike by being the stoker and didn't seem to have any trouble graduating
very quickly to SPuDs (subsequently upgraded to ATACs).

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Tony Raven said:

The only time the stoker
takes their feet of the pedals is to get on or off.

.... unless you use a different technique. My wife and I ride more like
on single bikes, in that when we stop, we both put left foot down; when
we start both shove left foot in pedal toe clip. It's something you
get used to and works well with good communication (and why ride tandem
if there is no communication...?!)

We've done this for the 10 years we have been regular tandem riders.
The one time we tried "stoker stays", I found out the hard way that I'm
not strong enough to hold a loaded tandem that's starting to topple
over single handedly.

PhilD

--
<><

Quoting Chris Eilbeck <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Do people on tandems use platform pedals, or toeclips etc., or
clipless systems? Never having ridden a tandem I've no idea. I guess
you need your partners co-operation to unclip?

We use toeclips.

For the stoker, it makes very little difference, because we use the
conventional approach where the stoker keeps their feet on the pedals
unless actually dismounting. They want some kind of retention - otherwise
they might come off a pedal and be whacked in the calf as the captain
pedals.

I see a small attraction to the sort of multi-sided clipless pedal that
can just be stomped on. Normally a second's coasting so the captain can
get their left foot in is no trouble, but up very steep hills that isn't
the case. I got sore feet from hill starts in Cornwall because I sometimes
had to pedal some distance on the flip side of my left pedal.

Hill starts are generally a bit tricky. If you're in too low a gear, the
first stroke is finished by the stoker in a fit of enthusiasm before the
captain's got his bottom on the saddle (which normally he uses the
resistance on the first stroke to do). If you're in too high a gear, you
can't move.
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> Distortion Field!
Today is Gloucesterday, January.

"David Damerell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

We use toeclips.

....

Quoted message said:

I see a small attraction to the sort of multi-sided clipless pedal that
can just be stomped on. Normally a second's coasting so the captain can
get their left foot in is no trouble, but up very steep hills that isn't
the case. I got sore feet from hill starts in Cornwall because I sometimes
had to pedal some distance on the flip side of my left pedal.

I wouldn't be without double-sided clipless on the MTB tandem - it really is
an awful lot better than clips/straps for getting in/out quickly. But I also
wouldn't mix them between bikes - the action for one is the wrong action for
the other, so picking the wrong one can lead to an unplanned sideways
landing (BTDT). Fortunately I'm now well used to them, and use the same on
all bikes.

cheers,
clive

"David Damerell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

We use toeclips.

....

Quoted message said:

I see a small attraction to the sort of multi-sided clipless pedal that
can just be stomped on. Normally a second's coasting so the captain can
get their left foot in is no trouble, but up very steep hills that isn't
the case. I got sore feet from hill starts in Cornwall because I sometimes
had to pedal some distance on the flip side of my left pedal.

I wouldn't be without double-sided clipless on the MTB tandem - it really is
an awful lot better than clips/straps for getting in/out quickly. But I also
wouldn't mix them between bikes - the action for one is the wrong action for
the other, so picking the wrong one can lead to an unplanned sideways
landing (BTDT). Fortunately I'm now well used to them, and use the same on
all bikes.

cheers,
clive

David Damerell said:

Quoted message said:

We use toeclips.

For the stoker, it makes very little difference, because we use the
conventional approach where the stoker keeps their feet on the pedals
unless actually dismounting. They want some kind of retention - otherwise
they might come off a pedal and be whacked in the calf as the captain
pedals.

I see a small attraction to the sort of multi-sided clipless pedal that
can just be stomped on. Normally a second's coasting so the captain can
get their left foot in is no trouble, but up very steep hills that isn't
the case. I got sore feet from hill starts in Cornwall because I sometimes
had to pedal some distance on the flip side of my left pedal.

Hill starts are generally a bit tricky. If you're in too low a gear, the
first stroke is finished by the stoker in a fit of enthusiasm before the
captain's got his bottom on the saddle (which normally he uses the
resistance on the first stroke to do). If you're in too high a gear, you
can't move.

put a length of elastic cord between the two sets of pedals, it keeps
the pedals level and means the captain can get in the toeclips very
easily. It's also useful if you occassionally have no one on the back
(e.g. school run) as it stops the clips dragging.

We used this method many years ago before going to SPD type pedals

Tony Raven said:

Chris Eilbeck wrote on 23/01/2007 21:28 +0100:

Quoted message said:

Do people on tandems use platform pedals, or toeclips etc., or
clipless systems? Never having ridden a tandem I've no idea. I
guess you need your partners co-operation to unclip? Just a bit of
idle pondering ;o)

Any will work according to your preference. The only time the
stoker takes their feet of the pedals is to get on or off. So you
only need to worry about the captain unclipping and that's no
different from riding a normal bike.

Ok then, next one. Do you have to pedal in-phase on a tandem? Is
anti-phase a big no-no? Could independent drive trains work
i.e. individual hub-gear-alikes in the bottom bracket with a chain on
either side to a single sprocket?

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck

Chris Eilbeck said:

Tony Raven said:

Chris Eilbeck wrote on 23/01/2007 21:28 +0100:

Quoted message said:

Do people on tandems use platform pedals, or toeclips etc., or
clipless systems? Never having ridden a tandem I've no idea. I
guess you need your partners co-operation to unclip? Just a bit of
idle pondering ;o)

Any will work according to your preference. The only time the
stoker takes their feet of the pedals is to get on or off. So you
only need to worry about the captain unclipping and that's no
different from riding a normal bike.

Ok then, next one. Do you have to pedal in-phase on a tandem? Is
anti-phase a big no-no?

In phase is the normal arrangement.

But I have a friend who has the cranks at 90 degrees. The captain has a leg
problem which means only one leg gives significant power, the weak one gives
a tiny push. His wife stokes with both legs. The arrangement works for
them, and I didn't notice it when I tried their machine out with my partner.

Quoted message said:

Could independent drive trains work
i.e. individual hub-gear-alikes in the bottom bracket with a chain on
either side to a single sprocket?

I guess it could. I wouldn't be surprised to hear its been done. But it
sounds quite complicated.

- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

"Chris Eilbeck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ok then, next one. Do you have to pedal in-phase on a tandem? Is
anti-phase a big no-no?

Some people prefer 90 deg out of phase. It's fine.

Quoted message said:

Could independent drive trains work
i.e. individual hub-gear-alikes in the bottom bracket with a chain on
either side to a single sprocket?

You mean like this :

http://www.davincitandems.com/dv2.html

?

cheers,
clive

Clive George said:

"Chris Eilbeck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ok then, next one. Do you have to pedal in-phase on a tandem? Is
anti-phase a big no-no?

Some people prefer 90 deg out of phase. It's fine.

Quoted message said:

Could independent drive trains work
i.e. individual hub-gear-alikes in the bottom bracket with a chain on
either side to a single sprocket?

You mean like this :

http://www.davincitandems.com/dv2.html

?

Sounds similar but I'd guess a little more complex than I was talking
about, but also avoiding the problem of a long chain from the captain
which'd probably need idler wheels.

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck

Chris Eilbeck said:

Do people on tandems use platform pedals, or toeclips etc., or
clipless systems? Never having ridden a tandem I've no idea. I guess
you need your partners co-operation to unclip?

Just a bit of idle pondering ;o)

Chris

I use spd's on the front, because thats what I use on all my bikes. I
wouldn't fell safe with paltforms. The back has clips and straps because
beckys too young to get spd shoes that fit. She picked up the use of clips
no problem I would worry about the her feet sliping or the pedals hitting
her without clips.

She only puts her feet down once we've stopped and I say so.

--
Andy Morris

AndyAtJinkasDotFreeserve.Co.UK

Love this:
Put an end to Outlook Express's messy quotes
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--
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------->>>>>>http://www.NewsDem

in message <[email hidden]>, Chris Eilbeck

(') said:

Tony Raven said:

Chris Eilbeck wrote on 23/01/2007 21:28 +0100:

Quoted message said:

Do people on tandems use platform pedals, or toeclips etc., or
clipless systems? Never having ridden a tandem I've no idea. I
guess you need your partners co-operation to unclip? Just a bit of
idle pondering ;o)

Any will work according to your preference. The only time the
stoker takes their feet of the pedals is to get on or off. So you
only need to worry about the captain unclipping and that's no
different from riding a normal bike.

Ok then, next one. Do you have to pedal in-phase on a tandem? Is
anti-phase a big no-no? Could independent drive trains work
i.e. individual hub-gear-alikes in the bottom bracket with a chain on
either side to a single sprocket?

Some tandems - certainly some American ones - have a separate freewheel for
the stoker so that the stoker can stop pedalling. This presumably means
that when the stoker resumes pedalling (s)he will be out of phase. The
vehicle on which I observed this did not have a separate freewheel for the
captain - if the stoker pedalled, the captain's pedals would rotate.

Some recumbent tandems have entirely separate drive trains for the two
riders, with the captain driving the front wheel and the stoker the rear.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; Friends don't send friends HTML formatted emails.

Quoting Pete Whelan <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

David Damerell wrote:

[tandem pedals]

Quoted message said:

put a length of elastic cord between the two sets of pedals, it keeps
the pedals level and means the captain can get in the toeclips very
easily.

I've seen that on a blind stoker's bike, but it hadn't occurred to me that
it might help the captain. Thanks. Which part of the pedal should it
attach to?
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> flcl?
Today is Leicesterday, January.

Quoting Chris Eilbeck <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Ok then, next one. Do you have to pedal in-phase on a tandem? Is
anti-phase a big no-no? Could independent drive trains work
i.e. individual hub-gear-alikes in the bottom bracket with a chain on
either side to a single sprocket?

Independent is a big no-no on any ordinary frame because the keel tube isn't
long enough to keep your feet from whacking into each other. This also
precludes 180 degree out-of-phase.

Some people are 90 degrees out of phase. In-phase worked for us so we
never felt the need to change it.

You should probably take a look at http://sheldonbrown.com/tandem/index.html
That was an invaluable resource when we were putting ours together.
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> flcl?
Today is Leicesterday, January.

In article <[email hidden]>, David Damerell
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Quoting Chris Eilbeck <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Ok then, next one. Do you have to pedal in-phase on a tandem? Is
anti-phase a big no-no? Could independent drive trains work
i.e. individual hub-gear-alikes in the bottom bracket with a chain on
either side to a single sprocket?

Independent is a big no-no on any ordinary frame because the keel tube isn't
long enough to keep your feet from whacking into each other.

I just searched for 'tandem' in Google Images the first hit is a picture
of a tandem with the cranks 180 degrees out of phase. It's being
ridden, so presumably it works.