Her hand healed and the couple went back to their single bikes, but they'd had such fun on the tandem, they knew they were onto something more than a backup bike. They bought their own tandem five years ago as a wedding gift to each other. She works at Quantum now, and his employer is Compaq, and after-work rides are still a ritual they love. There are 161 tandem teams, or pairs, signed up for the rally, said another organizer, Brad Willard of Ashburnham, who rides a tandem with his wife, Diane. N.H. Tandem dealers will have displays at the hotel, and folk singer Vance Gilbert will entertain on Saturday night.
Couples say that riding double, like any joint endeavor, depends on communication and trust.
The captain has to announce every move, such as when to start pedaling, when a bump in the road is coming up, when he is going to shift gears. We can pretty much feel each other's moves and anticipate. The stoker, giving up control, must have faith in the captain's judgments. It's funny because in the car I'm a backseat driver. But on the tandem I'm absolutely complacent.