# Where can I hire a tandem?



## Tink1978 (11 May 2014)

Hi
Hubby and I are cycling to London in August for Charity and are looking to hire a tandem from London the weekend before and then we will return it after our charity ride.
I found a great company but all their tandems are already hired out for August.
Can anyone help?
Thanks
Karen


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## ufkacbln (11 May 2014)

Your best bet is the Tandem Club for advice


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## ufkacbln (11 May 2014)

_*NOT*_ being negative...... offering advice

Please be aware that doing any lengthy ride on a bike you are unfamiliar with, and which is not tuned in to your comfort is a completely different thing from doing the same ride on a bike you know.

Tandems, by nature have a heavy toll on the pilot's arms when steering


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## Tink1978 (11 May 2014)

Thank you, I will try Tandem Club. Thank you also for your advice. It is appreciated. The issue I have is that my knees aren't very strong and I am worried that after 3-4 hours they are going to be hurting a lot and we thought that maybe riding a tandem would help me out. I wouldn't leave the peddling to my husband but it would help me to keep going, rather than having to do it alone on my own bike. We are currently training but after 3 hours my knees are getting very sore. It's something that all the women in my family have so I don't think extra hard training is going to help. They are going to hurt regardless unfortunately.


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## srw (11 May 2014)

Speaking as a regular tandemist - if you want to do a big ride in August on a tandem, _get one now!_ It will take that long to get used to it. Somewhere on here there's a recent thread from @GrumpyGregry about ebay tandems (which can be surprisingly good value if you know how much they cost new). I'm not sure that a tandem will help, to be honest - although you can have some difference in input power you can't have all that much. And it's impossible to leave the pedalling to one member of the team (unless you've got a very exotic machine) - the two sets of pedals are permanently linked together with a chain.

I'd also suggest talking to a professional trainer about your knees. As I understand it (and I'm not an expert) apparently weak knees are often a symptom of weak leg muscles, which can be strengthened with a careful programme of squats, lunges and the like. Sore knees on a bike are often a symptom of a poor setup.


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## GrumpyGregry (11 May 2014)

Tink1978 said:


> Hi
> Hubby and I are cycling to London in August for Charity and are looking to hire a tandem from London the weekend before and then we will return it after our charity ride.
> I found a great company but all their tandems are already hired out for August.
> Can anyone help?
> ...


I assume you've tried http://www.totally-bikes.com/tandem-bikes-hire/ from whom I've hired Circe Helios three times now, twice for charidee rides?

As to the knee thing, my money is on your saddle being too low, a very common mistake, and you may be pedalling in too high a gear, ditto.

As to the jump on a tandem and ride thing, my experience is a little at odds with cunobelin tbh. If the captain is a regular cyclist there is no reason, with the right bike, like a circe, and the application of a good deal of common sense, why a complete but fit beginner (even someone who has never cycled before) can't get on the back and enjoy a 100km or so. The two stokers I've towed for charidee are both blind and one had never ridden a bike before in his life. Sure, I had to work hard on the second half but we both had a good time. Frankly the most tiring thing was having to keep up a running commentary, not swearing at the close passes and the other "cyclists", and being economical with the truth about how close some of the London buses got.


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## Tink1978 (11 May 2014)

Hi all, thanks for your help and input. 
The sore knees thing is a hereditary condition that is on my Mum's side of the family so although the position of my saddle might not be correct it is not the sole cause of my knees hurting. 
We are watching a tandem on ebay at the moment as we are considering buying one so we can start training now.
I am also doing some knee exercises to help them get stronger.
We are riding for 2 great charities that have affected both my Sister in Law and a very close family friend so I am doing the ride to London whether it kills me or not, as we want to show our support. LOL!
We will get there one way or another.
I will check out totally-bikes now.
Thank you, really appreciate all the comments and replies.
You are the people who know what you are talking about. 
xx


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## biggs682 (11 May 2014)

@Tink1978 if local to Wellingborough Northamptonshire you could always come and have a couple of rides on our MTB style tandem if it helped


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## Tink1978 (11 May 2014)

Thank you, we are very close to Wellingborough. We used to live there. We are in MK now.
Is it your personal tandem or one you rent out?


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## biggs682 (11 May 2014)

Tink1978 said:


> Thank you, we are very close to Wellingborough. We used to live there. We are in MK now.
> Is it your personal tandem or one you rent out?


its our personal one


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## alans (12 May 2014)

GrumpyGregry said:


> Frankly the most tiring thing was having to keep up a running commentary, not swearing at the close passes and the other "cyclists",
> .



I too have discovered this in the last few weeks of piloting a blind stoker


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## Tink1978 (13 May 2014)

biggs682 said:


> its our personal one



Thank you, that is very kind. We actually ended up purchasing a second hand one that we are picking up at the weekend, so we have 3 months to get used to it before the big day.


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## srw (13 May 2014)

Hooray! Hope it goes well for you. Don't take any nonsense from him up the front.


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