Tandems are slow, especially on hills. Tandems with two strong riders can outdo the athletic feats of any solo cyclist. Tandem teams have double the engine power at half the wind and rolling resistance, big speed benefits. Two ordinary riders can easily cruise at speeds in the mid-20s, and because of increased mass, hill descents on a tandem are blazing. Tandem captains, usually guys, think they'll have to ride slower for their stokers, usually women.
Tandems can actually favor weaker riders in a team.
Because each partner's share of the bike weighs less, and wind resistance is halved, the amount of energy it takes to ride a given speed is considerably reduced. What the rear rider visually loses because of the captain's caboose is more than compensated by freedom from control. The stoker has the window seat and is an unencumbered sightseer who can use binoculars, camera, and do map checks in the calm slipstream of the captain. All rights reserved.