If you're not a tandemista, you don't know what I'm talking about. A tandem's cranks are either In Phase (IP) or Out Of Phase (OOP). If you're IP, the front and back cranks are at the same angle. If you're OOP, the cranks are 90 degrees 'out of phase' in relationship to each other. We have always ridden IP (as do 99% of tandem riders). IP allows you to stand up as you ride the bike, which is really handy when you're riding unloaded in hilly country to help you power over the smaller humps. But with loaded touring, there is no standing. So, kinda on a whim, we decided to give it a try. Although the change is far from an 'Oh Wow!' difference, we have decided to keep things OOP for a while. Martha likes it because it gives her a pedal resistance feel more like on her single. I like it as Barney seems a little smoother and stable at ultra low speeds (as when we're climbing something really steep). Something new that we hadn't expected. That Barney. What will he think of next? Tomorrow a.m. we board the S.S.Badger (a car ferry) to cross Lake Michigan. Check page 8 of this journal for a previous post with details about the Badger. We've been thinking about the Badger a long time and are excited about some sailing action. Maybe the Badger captain will let Martha steer for a little while? Or not.
Waiting for our lunch order to come up. Larry got happy then.
Check out those cranks. Barney's OOP!
Congratulations on your OOP, Barney! Just be sure and take care of Martha and Larry while you're OOPing! I can't relate to tandems, but it sounds like fun! God bless ya! Enjoyed the post!
ReplyDeleteWe ride out tandem OOP as well. Living in the Ozarks, we're subjected to a lot of standing climbs at relatively slow speeds, which is just what you described. Looks like you've got your captain leading by about 90 degrees. We get the same affect from a 45 degree lead, and it makes starting and stopping much easier for the stoker.
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