Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index

Tandem bicycle

The tandem bicycle is a form of bicycle designed to be powered by more than one person. Originally the 'tandem' was composed of welding two bicycle frames together to form a two-person bicycle. Modern technology has improved component and frame designs and many tandems are built as well as modern high-end road bikes. While a tandem has double the pedalling power, it has nowhere near double the weight, so the power to weight ratio is higher than a single rider bicycle. This can make them very fast.

Other forms of tandem bicycles are 'triples', quads' and quents. These are three, four and five person bicycles.

Tandem bicycles are used in a special cycling competition for blind and vision-impaired cyclists, with a fully-sighted rider on the front navigating the cycle.