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Video: Ridebyside, the side-by-side tandem

Bloody cyclists, always riding two abreast

It’s a blast. It’s a gas. It’s awesome. It’s ‘way fun’. That’s not me saying all of that – because I’m from the United Kingdom – it’s the folk appearing in the promotional video for the RidebySide, a tandem bike where you ride side-by-side.

Welcome to the second instalment of our (apparently) annual feature Stuff We Noticed On The Web.

The RidebySide is, as far as we can tell, an actual thing.

According to the website, Steve and Karen Teerlink had the idea after renting a pedal driven cart in Bear Lake in Utah. 

“It was great sitting side-by-side talking as we explored the area around the Lake. From that experience, the idea came to us; wouldn’t it be fun to ride side-by-side on two connected bikes.”

Most people would answer that question by saying: ‘No, it would not be fun. It would be 100 per cent the opposite of fun’ – but Steve and Karen pressed on anyway.

They came up with a thing that allows two people to ride side-by-side in much the same way that two cyclists are already able to ride side-by-side, but which also anchors them together, forcing them to endure one another’s inane chatter about whatever the hell they read in the news that morning.

They priced it at $2,450 – albeit that also seems to include two Specialized Alibi Sport bikes.

Going off the video, the RidebySide does actually seem to work and one of the testimonials even goes so far as to proclaim it, “much more fun than expected.”

The video does raises a couple of scenarios where the device would be very beneficial and there’s a fella on their Facebook page waxing lyrical about it because it allowed him to take his blind friend on his first bike ride in years. We can’t fault that.

That’s the most recent update on the Facebook page and it’s from 2016, while the website’s still listing a 2017 version of the product. The video at the top of the page, appealing for investors, is from 2015.

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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9 comments

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David Dansky | 5 years ago
1 like

Cycle Training UK run a project for people over 60 or who are visually impaired or struggle with mobility to enable them to make trips of thier choice using a side by side cycle.

we currently run this in Hackney and about to start this in Kensington.

Get in touch via our website if you want more information

So far, sicne spring 2017, we have helped people make over 200 trips to the shops, for fun, to familiy and many other reasons on the porjects cycles

 

 

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maviczap | 5 years ago
0 likes

I can just envisage car drivers shouting out their window "Single file! Single file!" 

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BehindTheBikesheds replied to maviczap | 5 years ago
6 likes

maviczap wrote:

I can just envisage car drivers shouting out their window "Single file! Single file!" 

And ironically ignoring the fact their conveyence takes up at least twice that.

Avatar
HowardR | 5 years ago
4 likes

"....Most people would answer that question by saying: ‘No, it would not be fun. It would be 100 per cent the opposite of fun’ – but Steve and Karen pressed on anyway."

"....two cyclists are already able to ride side-by-side, but which also anchors them together, forcing them to endure one another’s inane chatter about whatever the hell they read in the news that morning."

Brilliant! laugh  - More reviews in a similar vein - please! 

That said I've seen such machines used to enable riders to get out who otherwise wouldn't & for that they seem eminently suitable.

<As an aside…. Could A.S.O be persuaded to use a fleet of these for a new format of team time trial??>

 

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Yorkshire wallet | 5 years ago
4 likes

Can you hoon around a corner like a sidecar with one set of wheels off the ground?

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iandusud | 5 years ago
7 likes

North Yorshire County Council will love these! Maybe Caroline Patmore should be made to ride one.

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kil0ran | 5 years ago
3 likes

Side by sides were popular a hundred years ago https://goo.gl/images/2LXJ2y

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to kil0ran | 5 years ago
1 like

kil0ran wrote:

Side by sides were popular a hundred years ago https://goo.gl/images/2LXJ2y

That looks like it'd be tricky to balance on.

Edit: Found this on YouTube:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDBHO550rdw

Maybe it's not as tricky as it looks.

Avatar
whobiggs replied to hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
0 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

kil0ran wrote:

Side by sides were popular a hundred years ago https://goo.gl/images/2LXJ2y

That looks like it'd be tricky to balance on.

Edit: Found this on YouTube:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDBHO550rdw

Maybe it's not as tricky as it looks.

 

I've ridden something similar at the York cycle rally and it is surprisingly easy

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