Electric Tandem Bike Guide - ElectricVehiclesFAQs.com

Tandem bicycles are a fantastic mode of transportation for urban and rural areas. An Electric Tandem Bike in Seattle is double the fun and relatively simple to operate. There are also many benefits of these bikes, such as they include a battery, allowing you to take a break from vigorous riding to take in the view.

However, choosing the right Electric Tandem Bike in Seattle can be a tough nut to crack.

Table of Contents

How Do They Work?

You may configure Tandem bikes in various ways to transfer leg power to the ground. The Crossover Rear Drive is the most common of them. The way this works is that a chain of the same size runs from the front chainring to the rear chainring.

Usually, the left side of the bike is down. An example of this is a timing chain. A chainring on the rear crankset’s right side connects to the rear wheel and drives it.

The two cyclists may cycle at the same interval since the left-hand chainrings are the same size. The right rear chainring and chain effectively transmit the force of both riders to the back wheel. Most tandem motorcycles on the market need both riders to pedal simultaneously and at the same speed.

However, certain bicycle designs provide separate pedaling by different riders. Now that we understand the fundamentals of a tandem bike’s operation let’s introduce electricity.

This requires collaboration; The rider at the front, known as the captain, is alone in charge of the brakes, gears, and steering. However, because the rear seat has a little view up front, the captain must avoid abrupt directional changes and communicate any adjustments to the stoker.

Important things to watch out for are sudden changes in speed, anything that could shake the stoker, and notably impending bumps and potholes.

The stoker’s duties include pedaling, waving at passersby, making fun of the captain, and generally taking in the surroundings. Additionally, they may be responsible for signaling, snapping photos, and setting the pedals up before taking off.

The stoker must maintain a reasonable level of stillness; if they start to bounce around, the bike’s balance can be badly compromised. Nowhere is such cooperation more crucial than when the stoker is partially sighted.

Tandems are used by several organizations around the nation to introduce cycling to blind and partially sighted persons.

If one is trailing (or weaker), the other should use it as a chance to get in a greater exercise and make the experience more pleasurable for their partner. Both sides must recognize that the other may have a different capacity for effort.

Once you have permission to move forward, you must fight to keep your excitement during the early growing pains. The best way to do this is to ensure your partner has fun on every trip. This entails more than simply agreeing to go to a bar or coffee shop; it also involves avoiding inconveniences like broken machines, unpleasant seating, and other unnecessary pain.

Travel in Speed

Although a tandem contains two riders, it only has slightly higher aerodynamic drag than a solo. This implies that a tandem bike is somewhat faster than a solo on level terrain and significantly quicker on descents.

Before the invention of derny cycles, tandems—sometimes with as many as five riders generating the power—were employed as pacers for track racing and the 600-kilometer Bordeaux-Paris race. It’s not difficult to get well over 50 mph on a reasonably modest descent.

Tandems are reputed to go more slowly upward than soloists. To get the perfect power-to-weight ratio that’s lower than a fit cyclist on a solo, tandem cyclists often keep one fast and one slow rider. The only thing a pair of fit, experienced, and accustomed riders will reveal to solitary on hills is their capacity to accelerate swiftly.

Unsurprisingly, tandems are getting electric assistance as solo cycles do, and the benefits are the same. It is crucial to remember that the 250-watt maximum power output per bike, which two riders will obviously share, nevertheless restricts your ability to move.

On that premise, you could believe that two powered solo cycles, each with 250 watts of additional help, made more sense. However, you would miss out on the tandem experience’s other advantages.

On tandems with electric assistance, you will also discover that the cranks are not kept in sync (save in a few uncommon cases). This will seem strange to seasoned tandem riders and makes getting off of the seat with them more difficult.

Choosing the Right Tandem Bike

Even though many tandem bikes are available, it might be challenging to decide which one is best for you. Here are a few criteria you may use to shorten the list. The persons who will be operating the cycle are the most crucial factor to take into account. It may occasionally be planned for an adult to go with the youngster.

In this situation, you should get a bike with smaller wheels so your youngster can easily get on and off the bike. Match the bike to the rider who will use it the most frequently based on their height. This manual will show you how tall the wheels need to be.

Features

Choosing the right fit for your new tandem is maybe the most crucial step. Tandems are entirely adjustable, much like singles, but often available in fewer frame sizes. This might make it difficult for certain riders to obtain the ideal fit.

Since most tandems are built for “average”-sized couples, significant adaptations can be needed, for instance, if the captain is exceptionally tall and the stoker is relatively little.

Regular bikes and tandems vary because the captain needs more standover space, and the stoker requires less. This is because the captain must stretch their legs wide to support the bike when it is stopped.

On the other hand, since she usually stays seated while the stoker holds the bike, the stoker doesn’t need to worry as much about standover clearance. Reaching for the stoker is a specific source of worry. They can feel strained or confined if the frame is too short or lengthy since they are crammed too close to the captain.

Ideally, there will be enough space to reach the handlebars when riding both seated and standing easily. Many tandems include movable rear stems, allowing the bars to be moved to the ideal position.

The Frame

A few flexy flyers gave two-up bicycles a bad name in the 1960s and 1970s, a time when tandems were hard to come by. These bicycles had subpar frame designs and were built of inexpensive steel.

Because of this, the under-built motorcycles were challenging for the captain to handle. The front rider is referred to as the “captain” and the back rider as the “stoker”.

However, these early tandems had a valuable contribution: they showed current designers how to create sweet-riding frames. Additionally, tandems are now incredibly effective, stable, comfortable, and fun to ride.

In fact, because of significant advancements in tandem design, motorcycles have become more popular and are now available from more manufacturers than ever before.

Another fantastic development is that you need not bother about frame design when considering tandems. Every model we sell is excellent for the use for which it was designed. We advise discussing your riding preferences before making a purchase decision. We’re convinced that after a few rides, you’ll get addicted.

Tire Size

Choosing which wheel size is one of the key considerations when looking for an electric tandem bike in Seattle. The majority of tandems use 26-inch or 700c wheels. The former is often found on comfortable, off-road, and all-purpose tandems, while the latter is seen on twofers designed for use on pavement.

It’s crucial to realize that 26-inch wheels also function perfectly on the pavement. Additionally, additional tire options are available for these wheels, making it simple to mount slick tires for the street and knobby tires for usage in the dirt.

Due to their increased thickness and ability to absorb some road shock, the 26-inch tires provide a smoother ride. They also have a lower chance of puncturing. For these reasons, if you’re buying a tandem for general riding, you’ll choose 26 inches.

However, you should think about 700c wheels if your notion of tandem fun involves century riding, long-distance touring, or racing for the same reasons that real roadies love them. Since these hoops are lighter, quicker, and more effective, more of the energy you expend pedaling is sent forward. Use the 700cs if this is crucial to you.

Because a tandem bike carries twice as much weight as a solo, the wheels have a shorter lifespan. Most tandem wheels operate under the assumption that a wheel with more spokes is stronger.

Hence “good” tandem wheels have at least 40 spokes and, for heavy-duty use, even 48. But having more spokes won’t make up for a poorly constructed wheel, so it’s better to aim for both.

When using smaller wheels and usually using less equipment, 36-spoke wheels may be acceptable if the wheel is appropriately constructed and the components are of high quality: Despite only sometimes traveling over tough terrain or utilizing the same 36-spoke 26-inch wheels.

Other Features

Like with any ride, comfort is king, which is one of the best things about contemporary tandems. Because they sit in the center of the long frame, which flexes to absorb road shock, captains have always been comfortable.

Stokers, however, can have certain disadvantages due to their position virtually immediately above the rear wheel and susceptibility to damage from impacts. You can’t always brace yourself by getting out of the seat and bending your knees when you’re in the rear since you’re less likely to detect potholes.

However, many electric tandem bikes in Seattle today include suspension seat posts, which lessen the force of hits on unforgiving trails and highways. There are also tandems with dual suspension that provide both riders with bump control.

Combining and matching tandem components to suit both riders is a cool benefit. For instance, several designs have distinct handlebars for the front and back riders, so they may spread out and move about to feel comfortable.

Choosing between flat and lowered handlebars might be difficult for some purchasers. Flat bars offer an upright riding stance for trail riding, cruising, and touring. Additionally, they provide you with better control when pulling trailers.

Lengthy-distance or racing tandems are likelier to have dropped handlebars because they provide riders additional hand locations to manage the bike and reduce pain on long trips. Drop bars also provide a more aerodynamic riding position, which is advantageous for headwinds, drafting other cyclists, and reaching peak speed down slopes.

Components for tandem bicycles have advanced significantly, much as other bicycle parts. Derailleurs and brakes now shift and stop wonderfully. There are triple cranksets with low gearing that make climbing simpler, as well as shifters located on the handlebars that let you change gears while keeping your hands on the bars.

Ending Note

You should be able to find an electric tandem bike in Seattle from any number of respected brands. A tandem bicycle (and hence, a tandem electric bicycle) is not designed for mountain biking or anything that requires more effort than a straightforward ride down the shoreline on a warm summer afternoon.