TANDEM Diversity
Our Tandem Touring History
Elsewhere on our website I've posted a listing of the various tandems we've owned over the years, many of which we still own and ride. This was not just bragging, though we are indeed proud of our fleet. Rather, it was largely to demonstrate that we have the experience to be credible advisors when it comes to tandem selection. We've owned, ridden, and traveled with enough tandems to have a good feel for what works and what doesn't, and where pitfalls may lie.
Along the same lines, what follows here is a summary of tours we've taken over the years. The list includes tours, rallies, and multi-day events done on tandem. There are a few with other stokers, but most are with me as captain and Chris as stoker. Not included are single day events such as fund raising rides, club rides, centuries, etc. Also not included are tours that I have done on my single bike.
The totals you see may not always agree, due to things like mixed modes of travel on any given trip and because sometimes we ride more than one tour once we have arrived at an international destination; the totals do not include taxi/shuttle rides to and from airports, but all other movement between locales is included in the summary. Hawaii is, of course, included in domestic flights.
Why are we putting this information out? It's not meant to be bragging. It is meant to show you that we have the experience as tandem travelers to be credible advisors about tandem travel. Traveling and tandem cycling have become passions for us; together on tandem we are seeing the world, bit by bit, always learning, always trying to stretch ourselves a little, most often trying to take the Rick Steves approach of travel through the back door. Our tours represent a mix in terms of organization; some are with organized tours, some are just the two of us, and some are groups we have organized ourselves.
Since we began touring in 1982 we have ridden 84 tours, rallies, and/or multi-day events. Here is how those shake out in terms of details: (updated as of September 28, 2024)
Total Tours: 84
Domestic Tours: 49
International Tours: 35
Locations of International Tours:
New Zealand (1)
Canada (4)
Colombia (1)
Turkey (2)
Vietnam (1)
Europe - includes UK (25)
Central America (1)
Countries other than USA where we have ridden tandem (with links to the pages for appropriate years):
Austria (2012, 2010, 2008, 2004, 2003)
Colombia (2015)
Costa Rica (2020)
Croatia (2012)
Estonia (2019)
France (2024, 2018, 2011, 2002, 1997, 1996, 1995)
Germany (2012, 2010, 2008, 2004, 2003, 2002)
Italy (1998)
Latvia (2019)
Liechtenstein (2004)
Lithuania (2019)
Mexico (1999)
Netherlands (1997, 2002, 2015)
New Zealand (1995)
Nicaragua (2020)
Panama (2020)
Portugal (2010)
Romania (2012)
Serbia (2012)
UK (2016)
Vietnam (2017)
Modes of transportation used:
Air: 41 tours (37 round trip flights)
Train: 7 tours
Car/bus: 50 tours
Boat/ship: 14 tours
Out the back door: 9 tours
International flights (round trip) flown with a tandem: 25
Domestic flights (round trip) flown with a tandem: 12
Brands and models of tandem we've flown with:
Brand and model International flights Domestic flights Total
Tandem TwosDay (Bike Friday) 5 1 6
Co-Motion Java (older model Java, not coupled) 0 1 1
Bilenky Custom, coupled 1 1 2
Rans Screamer, coupled 0 1 1
Co-Motion Speedster (2001), coupled 6 4 10
Co-Motion Speedster, Rohloff, belted, coupled 4 0 4
Co-Motion Mocha, Rohloff, belted, coupled 1 1 2
Co-Motion Speedster (2007), coupled 0 1 1
Co-Motion Primera Ultra, coupled 3 1 4
Co-Motion Equator Co-Pilot, coupled 4 1 5
Co-Motion Carrera Rohloff Co-Pilot, coupled 1 0 1
Total miles ridden on these tours: 21,544 miles
Total elevation gain on these tours: 919079'
Longest tour (distance): 1060.3 miles, Lands End to John o' Groats, UK, 2016
Most elevation gain on a single tour: 79,868', Lands End to John o' Groats, UK, 2016
Future possibilities: We are always thinking and planning about where to go and what to do next. And we are always researching - looking for places to tour and ways to tour comfortably and safely. We do our best to get that information out to you, our customers, and to assist you in any way we can.
Will you join us? Will you contact us and let us know where you are interested in touring with your tandem?
How can we help you? Be sure to get in touch and let us know how we can help you realize your tandeming and traveling goals and dreams. mark@tandemdiversity.com
See you on the road!
Tour specifics: The following links will take you to a few details and photos about individual tours:
2024 (Arizona; France; Midwest Tandem Rally; Pennsylvania; West Virginia; Maryland)
2023 (Gulf Islands of British Columbia, Canada; Midwest Tandem Rally; Wisconsin and Illinois)
2022 (Northern California Redwoods; Ohio to Erie Trail; NW Tandem Rally; Albania)
2021 (US National Parks; Midwest Tandem Rally)
2020 (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama)
2019 (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia; Idaho; Eastern Oregon; Vermont)
2018 (France; Wisconsin/Michigan)
2017 (Vietnam; Spain; Seattle, Washington; Albania)
2016 (Orcas Island, Washington; Lopez Island, Washington; UK)
2015 (Colombia; Holland; San Juan Islands, Washington; Eastern Washington/Oregon; NW and Midwest Tandem Rallies)
2014 (NW Tandem Rally; Lopez Island, Washington; Turkey)
2013 (Big Island of Hawaii)
2012 (NW Tandem Rally; Austria; Germany; Slovakia; Hungary; Croatia; Serbia; Romania; Danube River)
2011 (Turkey; Switzerland; France)
2010 (Germany; Austria; Spain; Portugal)
2009 (Wisconsin; Big River Trail)
2008 (Germany; Austria; Slovakia; Hungary)
2007 (Tennessee; Arkansas; Louisiana; Colorado)
2005 (Canada - British Columbia, Alberta)
2004 (Canada - British Columbia; Germany; Switzerland; Austria; Liechtenstein)
2003 (Washington; Oregon; Germany; Austria)
2002 (Hawaii; Netherlands; Belgium; France; Germany; Door County, Wisconsin)
2001 (Hawaii; Oregon; Canada - British Columbia)
2000 (Washington - Skagit County, Lopez Island)
1999 (Arizona; New York; Washington; Mexico)
1998 (Arizona; Italy)
1997 (Belgium; France)
1996 (France; Spain; Oregon)
1995 (New Zealand; Canada - British Columbia; France; Oregon - Lane County)
1994 (Oregon)
1993 (Oregon)
1982 (Oregon)
(During the years 1983-1992 yearly family vacations almost always included biking - usually we took single bikes as well as a tandem - and there were numerous one day events and recreational rides on the tandems, but no multi-day tours or rallies were done on tandem during those years. 2006 was similar - a year with lots of tandem riding but no multi-day tours.)