SDTC Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Where can I buy a tandem in San Diego?

Where can I rent a tandem in San Diego?

I have a tandem I'd like to sell. Where can I post an ad?

I'm new to town. Where can I get my tandem fixed?

Where can I find out about tandem rides in San Diego?

I signed up for your e-mail list. Does that make me a member of the San Diego Tandem Club?

Do I have to be a member to go on your rides?

We're going to be visiting San Diego. Where's a good place to ride in the area?

Do both riders on a tandem have to be the same ability?

Isn't she supposed to be pedaling? (More commonly, “She's not pedaling!”)

Why do tandemists wear matching jerseys?

Where can I buy a tandem in San Diego?

Beyond that, your best bet is probably to check out the Web sites for the various tandem manufacturers to find their local dealers. Popular tandems in the club include Co-Motion, Santana, Cannondale, Raleigh and Bike Friday's Tandem Tuesday. Da Vinci Designs is also represented, as are Burley (which is no longer making bikes) and KHS. There are also a number of brands, like Da Vinci, Meridian and Rodriguez, which are available directly from the manufacturer.

If you want a used tandem and know what you're after, the best place to start is the online classifieds section of the Tandem magazine Web site. Tandem magazine suspended publication several years ago, but its classified ads remain alive and well. The bike of your dreams may be clear across the country, but you can have it shipped it for a reasonable price through Danzas. (See if they're still offering the Santana Roadmaster rate—the bike doesn't have to be a Santana).

Where can I rent a tandem in San Diego?

The availability of rental tandems in town is always changing, and since we all own tandems, we don't tend to stay up on the rental market. But here are some good places to start:

Cheap Rentals, Mission Beach (cruisers)

San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina (rents Burleys) 

Alan's Bike Shop, Oceanside

Hi-Tech Bikes Clairemont Mesa (rents Co-Motions)

Kirk's Bike Shop, Ramona (rents Tandem Tuesdays and sometimes other makes)

You might also want to check out the larger bay and beach resorts; some of them have tandems in their rental fleets.

I have a tandem I'd like to sell. Where can I post an ad?

The best place we've found is, again, the classifieds section of the Tandem magazine Web site (the only part of the site that is current). You can also try a site like The Recycler, which has free classifieds for Southern California and environs. Some members have had success selling tandems through the Union-Tribune 's classifieds section.

I'm new to town. Where can I get my tandem fixed?

You're in luck. Even though there are no dedicated tandem shops, a number of bike shops have excellent service departments and will take good care of your tandem. Click here for some of our members' favorites.

Where can I find out about tandem rides in San Diego?

Right here. Or, better yet, join our e-mail list for the latest information.

I signed up for your e-mail list. Does that make me a member of the San Diego Tandem Club?

Nope. It just means you'll receive all the messages sent to the list and that you can post to it. Actual members of the club are those who support it with their annual membership dues. The dues pay for a variety of activities throughout the year, as well as insurance and the club's membership in the League of American Bicyclists, which is a prerequisite for purchasing insurance. A small portion also goes to our club membership in the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, which means you also become a member of the coalition when you join the SDTC.

Do I have to be a member to go on your rides?

Nope again. We're happy to have you join us whether you've paid dues or not. Our club tends to sell itself once people ride with us, so the best way we've found to recruit new members is to have them meet our current members. We will ask you to sign a waiver, however. Also, on some rides, like our rally, or some of our planning parties, the club picks up the tab for food for paid members only, not for guests, who are asked to kick in to cover expenses. So if you decide you'd like to ride with us more than once or twice, it's really most cost-effective (and spiritually rewarding) for you to join formally, and it means you'll be helping to support the activities in which you're taking part.

We're going to be visiting San Diego. Where's a good place to ride in the area?

See our route slip archives. San Diego has some of the best cycling in California. There are a number of routes we like enough to ride several times every year. Rancho Santa Fe is a haven for cyclists if you know the best roads, and we always enjoy climbing up to Point Loma from Mission Bay Park (the downhill is fantastic). There are some especially marvelous rides in East County if the weather isn't too hot—or cold. Peruse our files, and pick one, or ask the experts on our e-mail list.

If you have an aversion to traffic, call 1-800-COMMUTE (266-6883), option 3, to request a regional bike map that shows official bike lanes. Then check out Philip Erdelsky's Red Routes site for a description of the individual routes.

Do both riders on a tandem have to be the same ability?

No. In fact, some of our teams rely on their stokers to push them up the hills. The beauty of tandeming is that both captain and stoker can ride as hard or easy as they want. (That isn't to say that spirited on-bike negotiations about gear choices and effort don't take place, however.)

Isn't she supposed to be pedaling? (More commonly, “She's not pedaling!”)

Ha.Ha.

Anyone riding a tandem for more than two weeks has probably heard variants of that comment so many times that we tend to ignore it or shoot daggers at the “comedian.” For the record, people at all familiar with tandems know that apart from a couple of models with unique drivetrains, like the Da Vinci or Bilenky ViewPoint, it's impossible for just one person to pedal, as long as captain and stoker's feet are both on the pedals. We're joined at the ankles. So on behalf of tandemists everywhere, we beg you, please cut the comedy and try a tandem yourself, or we won't let you draft us. Ever.

Why do tandemists wear matching jerseys?

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