My wife & I joined the tandemaniacs this fall with the purchase of a 1980ish Bob Jackson in red & yellow. I bought it for no explicable reason, other than love at first sight. (You know, those guys did some mighty fine lugwork! The paint & componentry were in excellent shape, and it sported two Brooks Pro saddles, male & female models. The kicker was the brake system: Cantis supplemented by the controversial, very cool and rare Phil Wood discs, all operated by a pair of duplex Modolo levers. I could not resist.) A little suspicious at first, my fierce & delicate wife has taken to it with great enthusiasm. I have maintained her interest and her trust by not dumping us both. Yet.
When we first got it, the word from more experienced tandemites was: wherever your relationship is going, a tandem will get you there faster. We've been together over 35 years, so I don't think it'll do us much harm. Still, I can see that a tandem requires a level of mutual trust, communication and forgiveness that is not commonly found.
--
Michael Shiffer
EuroMeccanica, Inc.
114 Pearl Street
Mount Vernon, NY 10550
(914) 668-1300
euromeccanicany.com