Welcome
About YorkshireThe historic county of Yorkshire covers an area of approximately six thousand square miles and is the largest county in England, located to the north east of England. Yorkshire has a population of approximately five million, with Leeds being the fastest growing city in England and the second largest populated city.
York is a joy for cyclists,as it has very few hills. York also has a fantastic network of cycle routes, and this is a feature of the city which is increasing all the time. What is Tandeming?Tandeming is simply a term coined for two people riding the same bicycle 'in tandem' i.e. at the same time, the same pace, working together and experiencing the joy and fun of cycling – together. To many the pleasure or riding with a loved one and reaching the destination, the top of the hill, together, rather than being many yards behind, can only be appreciated by the many hundreds you see out there dragging up the hill, at the back, trying to keep up! However tandeming is not for everyone. It has been said that 'buying a tandem is probably a greater commitment than marriage', it can certainly test the strongest relationship. Tandeming is what you make of it. To some it's a gentle ride in the country, stopping at their favourite pub for lunch, or at their favourite picnic spot for a summer picnic. Alternatively it can be a way of you getting fit together. For people with a disability, or people with impaired vision, it can be a superb way, or the only way, of getting into the great outdoors and experiencing the smells and tastes that you just can't get in a car Tandeming terms.The front rider, or pilot, is in charge of the steering, braking, manoeuvring and the gears. Usually it is the taller and heavier part of the team. The person on the back is called the stoker. The majority of stokers are women due to their size and weight. Your first time on a tandem is going to be a wobbly affair; you've got to learn how to balance all over again. It's a new set of bike skills. Use a low gear and keep the momentum up, slow manoeuvring can be difficult. Stopping - Before you get on the tandem, work out how you will be stopping at traffic lights and so forth. The stoker, if light, can stay seated, with the pilot having one foot down and keeping the bike upright. Alternatively, both the stoker and the pilot can put their feet down at the same time (and on the same side). This has to be at the call of the pilot - always. Co-operation - The pilot and stoker have to learn to co-operate. For the pilot it's easy to forget he's riding a tandem (the stoker never forgets, there's a bum in the way!) After a while, the stoker will be able to sense when the gears are about to be changed from the slight slackening off on the chain tension felt through the pedals. Contrary to popular myth, the stoker cannot have a 'rest' at the back. The stoker, however, can slacken off and let the pilot do all the work and this is a constant gripe from the front. The stoker should only add pressure to the pedals when the pilot does so first. And if the stoker has independent rear brakes she must only use them when specifically asked to do so by the pilot. Braking without telling the pilot may well result in an unconfortable jolt to the the surprised pilot! The pilot however has a responsibility to keep the stoker happy. A stoker who is afraid of downhill's - or mixing it with traffic, will soon vent their feelings with a stiff dig in the ribs. To prevent this, it's far better for the pilot to moderate their riding style, until the stoker has total confidence in the pilot's abilities.
|
The City of York attracts over four million business and leisure visitors a year and is regarded as one of the country’s premier cycling cities. York has been designated a Cycling City from 2008 to 2011 and launched its Cycling City status on 10 December 2008. York’s Cycling City project wants to encourage people of all ages to get cycling and £3.68m of government funds have been made available to improve facilities for cyclists in the City over the next two and a half years.