Tandems.co.uk

After receiving two shiny new knee joints, courtesy of the local hospital, I thought my cycling days were over.
I have cycled solo with my wife and daughter for a good many years and we have toured in most of the european countries so if I was finished with cycling it would be a great personal loss.
However in the midst of all the gloom and despondency a friend turned on a very dim light with the question : WHAT ABOUT A TANDEM? A fantastic idea !
Now the next problem was where to find a tandem. In Denmark tandems are about as common/popular as talking fish and the only tandems that can be seen and tested are sit up and beg or handicap models. After many years of touring I was looking for something a bit more advanced.
While browsing through a catalogue from Bil Tema, the Danish/Swedish equivalent of Halfords, I saw that they had a tandem in their bike range, aluminium frame, 7 hub gears, 26 inch wheels. That would do for a start.
Finally it was weekend and off we went to buy the bike. Home again, unpack and assemble. In the middle of the afternoon we were ready for the first test ride. A strange feeling but we both survived the first ride and after a few minor adjustments we were ready for a longer trip. Everything went well and we were hooked. Why had we waited so many years before buying a tandem?
After the first year and quite a lot of kilometers we decided to sell the bike and buy a new more advanced model also from Bil Tema. We sold the bike for the same as we had paid for it a year earlier. The new bike has aluminium frame, 26 inch wheels, 24 gears and touring luggage racks front and rear.
So far we have only covered about 750 klm. and there have been no problems, only minor adjustments, cables, chain etc.
Now in the dark winter months in the cold north, the bike is stripped down and being upgraded from A to Z for the next touring season. (Judging by the weather at the moment 7 degrees centigrade and sunshine the season could start tomorrow) A cycle shop have checked the frame and given it top marks although some of the welding is´nt that pretty but I can live with that.

Cheers from Jeremy and family in Denmark.