Are you weighing up whether a Tandem bike might be for you? We had a quick chat with Adelaide about her new Tandem bike and how her and her children are finding it!
Hi Adelaide! So, first things first – why did you decide to try a Tandem bike?
We had been using a Christiania bike, but my children aged 6 and 8 were getting too big for it. I was finding it hard work to physically pedal the Christiania. That’s when a friend told me about his kiddy back tandem. I loved the freedom we had with the Christiania bike and I really didn’t want to lose this. We tested the Tandem and it felt good and pretty natural so we decided to give it a go!
The Tandem is great. I think the best thing and the biggest change from the Christiania bike is that the child is not a passive rider. As it’s a tandem not a tagalong they have to cycle with you, their feet are in toe straps so their legs are always going round. My oldest girl can cycle herself as she is 8, but my youngest is less road aware and not as confident riding. It makes for a really good ‘in-between’ phase. You can keep them safe on London roads, but also get places and exercise at the same time. 💪
You can go wherever you want! As you are on the bike too, you can ride it anywhere you feel confident cycling yourself. It’s perfect for school runs and for weekend trips. There’s enough space on the bike to fit a pannier, so can carry your swimming things, picnic bits – anything you fancy! 🏊🍦
On the advice of my friend we picked ours up from online web store SJS Cycles. You can also get second hand tandem bikes on eBay.
Be brave! It’s not as odd as you think, it doesn’t feel much different to riding a regular bike and so much less work than a tagalong.
