Tandem Bicycling
How can a couple exercise together when one is much stronger?
Many couples don't exercise together
because one partner is much more fit than the other. Riding a
tandem bicycle is a great equalizer. The amount of work you do
on a bicycle depends on how hard you push on the pedals.
Pushing twice a hard on the pedals takes twice the work, so a
world-class bicycle racer can ride with a novice and still get a
good workout. Even a beginner will be able to keep up with the
spinning pedals, no matter how fast they go. The less-fit partner
just applies little or no pressure so he or she will not get tired.
No matter how hard one partner tries to leave the other, you will
always be together.
You can go faster together than the faster person can go
alone. The more experienced rider sits in the front seat. If both
are equally good riders, the taller one usually sits in front. The
person who sits in the back copies the motions of the person in
the front. At first it may seem strange not to have any control
over steering, shifting or braking, but the you have the big
advantage of being able to exercise only as hard as you like
while enjoying the scenery.
Checked 9/29/08