Tandem Vs 2 | Who’s Faster, 2 Roadies Or A Tandem?

We've seen the Tandem bike going against 1 rider, and it was pretty one sided, but how about a 2 up? Are tandems actually that much faster than individuals riding together? We've roped in a TT expert in Jonathan Schubert and Conor has chosen a trusty teammate to see whether the tandem can be victorious again!
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Leave us a comment below!

[@gcn]

Would you race a tandem? Let us know in the comments 👇

[@mbstrix]

Yes

[@kedarkulkarni3030]

Filipo ganna doesn't come Connor: what is the next best thing: Alex Person who won silver at tt championship:😑😑

[@PrzemyslawSliwinski]

Been doing that for the the last ~30 000 miles... (Gotta say it loud!) I mean "riding" not "racing". ;) BTW: Will Ollie be a captain next time?

[@kevinomeley3043]

I do every weekend against solos, winning more often than not with a 30 minute handicap over 50kms

[@Pshady]

As a tandem owner, I would love to. Never seen a race I could enter on one : /

[@tiagosantos6273]

Tandem vs Si's TT bike would be a clash of the year

[@gcn]

Watch this space...

[@joachimschranzhofer5566]

We need this to fill the void between TdF and the Olympics!

[@cryskabarchenowa3000]

Will be waiting for this!

[@MrAyley7]

CLASH OF THE TITANS

[@sepang87]

If the tandem was only 5 seconds faster than 2 roadies, then I would expect this to be a walk in the park for the Siborg and his TT bike. Nonetheless, totally looking forward to it!

[@jonlee7440]

2 Tandems, Si on his TT bike and Manon in the Recumbent. This would have to be the finale 😂

[@jonlee7440]

And maybe Hanks dad on an ebike 👍

[@laurenzetheok]

And hank on a bmx

[@bernieboi8943]

And someone's dad on a derestricted e-bike

[@dezoksiribon]

I figured it out about Olli. Not a professional, but ok, many can relate to him. Olli is GCN's 105! The presenter of people!

[@jendralhxr]

perhaps more like Ultegra? since he's got doctoral degree. Dan (nowadays) is the 105

[@dezoksiribon]

@@jendralhxr nope, you didn't get it. And Dan is more like Ultegra that never worked properly since the first day you bought it😁

[@denverspin]

sticky cables

[@cikguhadi3673]

We love Olli so much

[@jendralhxr]

@@dezoksiribon Dan apparently was Dura-Ace [that never set up properly] , he rode for *you know what* Cervelo Test Team in a world tour. Nowadays, he rides with his family rather than competitively; that's why the 105.

[@carldowningphoto]

Some clear UCI rule-breaking aero positions in this one 😆

[@DeathSc00p]

Good job the UCI are not setting the rules!

[@bobbysilver272]

The UCI can go *%&" themselves.

[@Rover200Power]

Climb and descend Mt. Ventoux, tandem vs Hank vs Hank's Dad.

[@gcn]

😮 Brutal!

[@joachimschranzhofer5566]

Would probably violate the Geneva Convention...

[@Rover200Power]

@@joachimschranzhofer5566 Give Hank's Dad the most overpowered e-bike on the market to even things up.

[@marianneoelund2940]

Descending Ventoux on a tandem would be utterly frightening. We have a 10% grade in our area, and even with my friend and I on our tandem (we're a relatively light team) it will hit 55+ mph.

[@Rover200Power]

@@marianneoelund2940 need to get some big rotors on there for this challenge then 😉

[@viktorgirkejrgensen2344]

You shoukd try tt bike VS tandem

[@gcn]

Nice idea!

[@iancuk]

It's only a matter of time 😅

[@mariop8101]

Only the TT has at least 12 kg and made of steel.

[@iancuk]

@@mariop8101 not necessarily, just make sure it's Oliie on the TT bike😂

[@CliffGraham]

FWIW, my wife found this more interesting than any of the other 300+ hours of cycling events and videos I’ve shown her. Kudos!

[@matthewlewis2072]

"I was paid to carry water bottles" Such agonising honesty from Conor...

[@leslie7922]

We need six seater tandem GCN vs GTN

[@agunlogisteam]

Add Martyn Ashton +Blake on random tandem just for extra chaos🤣

[@jojoanggono3229]

That would be awesome! perhaps we should do gravel tandem as well, don't you think?

[@OperationDarkside]

New Channel "Global Tandem Network"

[@nigeldepledge3790]

This sounds brilliant, but it'd be a bit one-sided. GCN would beat GTN on bikes. But when it comes to swimming and running, I think GTN have the edge.

[@notpablo8369]

Manon's recumbent vs tandem + time trial + roadbike draft

[@glharlor]

"I was paid to carry water bottles" hahahahahahaha

[@timclark4931]

Best line of the video! Lol

[@emszabi]

Would like to see what time the 2 pros can make on the tandem.

[@Quevallyn]

Great video. That final line up at the fence is like seeing Legolas with the hobbits 😂😂😂

[@DavidMackenzie]

Ollie wins again! Now we need the tandem vs recumbent!

[@thelonesculler]

Me: *sees the title* Ah s***, here we go again

[@Bettys_Eldest]

I used to time trial my Jack Taylor touring tandem, fitted with 27x1 1/4" high pressure tyres in the mid 80's. My stoker was useful, having won the Mersey 24 hour, but I was very much a middle marker. In '85 we won the Newmarket & District Tandem 25 in around 55 minutes, beating the winner of the solo event by over a minute (he had placed third in the National 25 the previous weekend). We rode well together, and would beat many pairings who individually would have wiped the floor with us. We were well matched and made the most of our talents. The tandem here would have been a couple of seconds quicker if the stoker had started with his feet clipped into the pedals, rather than the pair wobbling away from the start.

[@jedricmercado7126]

This "vs" series is unfolding great, if we wait long enough maybe we'd see Manon on a recumbent, Si on his TT bike, Ollie on the tandem, Hank's dad on an e-bike, and the rest on a road bike train

[@jedricmercado7126]

Atleast three of them in one grand vid

[@jujuryan9632]

And we need some pennyfarthing, too 😆

[@thinksimon]

I ride tandem with my wife and hills are much more difficult than riding a single bike, but we have rather different training level. It would be interesting to see how tandem with two strong riders performs on a hilly/rolling course.

[@Bettys_Eldest]

I had heard that tandems were hard work up hill. On our first ever ride it was killing me trying to get up any hill, until after an hour in when we flew up a long steep hill. When I mentioned this to my wife, she admitted that she had been so scared to start with that she had not been pedalling, only letting the pedals drive her feet around. I always enjoyed rolling, or lumpy rides, where you could power through the bottom of the hill and up the next. Steeper and longer hills need a different approach, picking the right gear and cadence, so as not to die on the hill. Back in the 80s, my racing partner and I could ride out of the saddle, though he (as stoker) would rise first and I would join him a few pedal revolutions later. I have ridden alongside pairs who could both rise together without even a word, they were so in tune that it was unreal.

[@jetthamilton8131]

Connor wouldn’t have been able to hold Ganna’s wheel😂

[@ipang0957]

Hell yeaa another vs episode 🔥🔥💪

[@brannmacfinnchad9056]

I would be curious to see power numbers, and particularly how much further tandem went with having to take the corners wide.

[@beastmaster_6426]

More tandem content please

[@gcn]

Plenty more to come! Let us know what else you'd like us to pit against the Tandem!

[@beastmaster_6426]

@@gcn Maybe 4 seater tandem vs 4 cyclist.

[@prudenciomangaoangiii403]

@@beastmaster_6426 4 cyclist no diff

[@michaelclements2885]

@@gcn That was a fun video. Tandems are super fun and fast, yet so few cyclists know much about them. Ride a 40ish mile road course with some climbs, descents and flats, one tandem crew, one pair of road bikers. Then ride it again the next day, swapping the bikes. Then see how the times compare, and see what the riders say about the experience.

[@glenbartholomew1058]

Speaking of tandems vs a team. I once rode in the back of a tandem recumbent with a yellow faring (The Banana) during a local bicycle fundraiser. In front was the 60+ year old, retired engineer, designer of The Banana. Our main rival was a 4 man team; 3 amateur and one ex-pro. The equalizer was as hill in the middle of the circuit. We did well on the flat and screamed down the hill. But they blew by us going uphill, it’s hard standing up on the pedals in a recumbent. So if I remember right it was close, but the bike team beat Team Banana.

[@marjorieboissinot2037]

That was mega! Maybe a similar challenge on a hill climb? But one with a proper scientific one not like the one Hank and Ollie did for the “secondhand” cheap bike challenge. 😂 That was just scary! 🙈🙈

[@flageolett]

@Ollie: you can have a quicker and more controlled start if the captain initially stabilizes the tandem, you get up and get already seated with your shoes already clicked in and one pedal at 10 o'clock position. Then the captain also clicks in on the low side. To go off, the captain only has to click in on one side while you are already pedaling. Works great!

[@pauls9440]

Next time try the tandem uphill :) we used to seriously struggle on ours after motering past the top riders on the flat and downhill....

[@madwank]

I love GCN, thank you for making bikes even more fun!

[@Condemakoto]

Nice vid! I was hoping for Ollie's team to win so we can see the tandem vs 3 next time xD

[@thomasoei7089]

Amazing! They all look blooming smooth whipping around that track.

[@maxdonaldson861]

We need to see what a tandem can do on hills

[@michaelwillis4528]

The end bit by the fence looks like one of those forced perspectives they used in lord of the rings to film hobbits

[@martinandersson5833]

That was fun to watch. Great video. Thanks guys👍😃

[@gcn]

Thanks, Martin! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@janchris7947]

Ollie not being dropped and actually winning? I can see how happy he is. :D

[@R6ex]

Awesome stuff! The tandem riders are in perfect sync and aero!

[@ericspokas9122]

Gcn at it again answering questions nobody would ever ask

[@FlatSpinMan]

But now we all know. GCN - boldly expanding the boundaries of human knowledge.

[@mikaelh4743]

Yey another bantervideo, nevermind the cycling :P

[@christopherlauriat]

Hill climb next please (tandem vs. 1 rider), plus Ollie explaining the physics.

[@Justin-zv4cm]

That was a pretty solid 'Merica voice, Ollie!

[@bubblesezblonde]

Conner and Alex defeated, wow! Now I REALLY feel good about smoking that tandem I 'raced' on the trails last fall....Great race really enjoyed it!

[@goncalocapao1246]

Really nice vibe on this tandem race !! I woukd love to see some review on those DMT shoes they look neat!!

[@iangreenstreet1407]

Enjoyed the tandem content 🚴🚴

[@Originaltwins]

You guys are were the cycling Fab Four! Great fun!

[@yosefu5326]

The more GCN presenter involved = more fun video

[@gcn]

Glad you enjoyed this one, Joseph!

[@walcottav]

More tandem! And cowbells. 🐄🔔

[@davidmckenzie4092]

What a great intro... sorry Ollie, I laughed so much, I peed myself

[@FlatSpinMan]

It was epic.

[@kathyerickson9402]

Loved Ollie's lead in voice...ha ha! This was great fun to watch and I think a great challenge would be pedal pub races.

[@joeyr4869]

Top quality video production boys

[@TheLinessCompany]

Could you maybe do some footage from above the track with a drone? That would be really cool, the close ups are great but a view of the full track would be lit. :) Also thank you for the awesome videos! Hope to see Manon soon in another one she is so cool

[@simontapley3294]

Horrible to picture Si in his TT suit again but definitely tandem v Si! And Hank and Hank’s Dad on the tandem vs Lloydy on one of the EBay bikes!!

[@gcn]

Ha! Great ideas!

[@danjee464]

I'd like a thorough rundown of the tandem, like you used to do with pro and presenter bikes

[@davideferlin8053]

I was really hoping to see Ganna joining the race 😢

[@thommomonk]

2 Races now & Ollie still not dropped….. #props

[@ukaszzyka6279]

I literally had a dream about meeting road tandem today, and here we are :D

[@GotDamBoi]

don't let em get to you Oli, that voice IS cool

[@Jon-Lewis]

"Hey mate" - Top video, good banter.....LOL

[@saajan8600]

all the love from india fellas

[@vesalehtinen4534]

Little and large, batman and Robin, you guys crack me up 😂

[@e46t]

That Bob Jackson tandem is so blooming cool.

[@andypughtube]

How about a carbon aero triplet or quad? Maybe too expensive. I built a trandem as a student, back in the 80s. You can't use standard wheels or bearings (by which I mean 80s conical race bearings and steel 36 spoke wheels) if you want speed. The trandem was quick two-up but slow three-up as the parts started to struggle. It took a skilled pilot to not fold the front wheel in half setting off from rest. Back then I just brazed three bike frames together. I reckon that it would not be as difficult as you might imagine for a carbon frame repairer to do the same with a set of cheap eBay frames. If you want to go with this idea I will make the hubs (with oversize bearings) and eccentric BBs (for chain tensioning) for free.

[@saddleweary9709]

I wander if putting the cranks out of sync at 180 degrees would speed up the tandom. Out of sync kayak racing is faster. Would love to see if there's a difference. Fun vid fellas

[@saurinsavla9310]

Hearing Ganna was coming to GCN made me so excited!!!

[@yonklovesskin]

I would like to see the two pros on the tandem

[@nousphabmixay986]

Good storytelling.

[@sonicx059]

Although he did even better this time around... That was awesome.

[@alex31721able]

That Tandam fact was cool

[@1999vizz]

Ollie at 1:57 giving me major Hermione vibes

[@FlatSpinMan]

This part was my favourite. It really cracked me up.

[@dlevi67]

Well, he _does_ have a PhD...

[@dennistay9980]

Yay! Ollie! Congrats!

[@magnusmandel]

I can't wait for 5 cyclists VS TT bike VS recumbent VS tandem VS Hank's Dad.

[@mikebarrett91]

Hanks Dad on his electric Bike! with Boost Button... like ermm.. like ohhhh ... DRS that's it... Hank's Dad can use DRS in the straight during certain points on the circuit!

[@dudeonbike800]

With a non technical course, the tandem would have done even better. It would have been great if they had done two runs with each on half bikes and on the tandem. That would have clearly showed the tandem's advantage. But having the S-curve in the course definitely threw a wrench in the test.

[@tallulahbeaverhausen4382]

Suggestion : Tandem vs TT vs Recumbent.

[@thedudewithpedal]

Had me in the first half. Damn connor!

[@stevemawer848]

Get a tandem trike - that'd be worth watching! I remember back in the 1960s they had trike and tandem trike races (and bicycle, of course) races at HMS Daedalus at Lee on Solent. The trikes were awesome, especially when one rider rolled his tubs off on a corner! You know you want to ....

[@mitchrich5015]

At 0:33 - Is Conor so tall that people have literally started using him as a lamppost now?!

[@dmv4554]

Love ollie’s accent!

[@fergo308AE86]

Three-way challenge required. Tandem vs. 3 ex-pros vs. SI on his TT bike. Si needs a 20sec handicap of course given his previous performances however.

[@haideralibd]

vs episodes are the best

[@gcn]

Glad you enjoy them! What do you want to see VS next?

[@raymondo162]

shared a tandem with a mate in the 70s. tremendous fun messing with the driver by leaning the wrong way in bends!! it was a Sun Wasp - a beautiful piece of engineering. yeh

[@lincolnm3890]

It seems like a battle between drag power versus muscle power. I would be interested to see the results using a less linear pedal system on the tandem bike.

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

Johnathan and Ollie on the Tandem versus Hank's Dad on the unrestricted e-bike!

[@Evgen-Evgen-Evgen]

Of course we want tandem VS 3 VS 4 VS 5))

[@simontapley3294]

Or get the old band back together!! Lloydy and Matt “the ears” Stephens on the tandem vs Slippery Si and his TT machine!! I’m sure Sigma Sport could lend you Matt for a day!

[@kevinomeley3043]

The tandem would always be quicker than the 2 solos because it is more aero than the solos. Once they are wound up the speed of the tandem is hard to beat. Me: 2021 Australian National Champion ITT tandem.

[@alexheney]

I can't believe I never knew there was a race track behind the karting centre. I've ridden past there quite often, without ever noticing

[@escamunicha4276]

Riding a tandem bike with Filippo Ganna would probably be like riding an e-bike

[@perun_macej]

climb some big mountains on the tandem pls

[@tesmith47]

A damn tandem!!!!!

[@mrsmith4662]

It's got to be a cross country challenge - tandem v. solo.

[@sherwinsalvatori6997]

Maverick and goose vs viper and jester. You never , ever abandon your Wheelman

[@rnghwdbcs]

Do some descending with it! Actually, anything montaneous would be interesting

[@volkanbekdas]

It's great!!

[@333wheeler]

Tandem pursuit on the track against 3 or 4 .

[@-P-Z-]

Nice one

[@christiansusilo6847]

Great content more please😂🤣👍

[@awolasap4554]

I’m waiting for tandem tour de france

[@VAustin89]

Tandem on the velodrome perhaps???

[@johndorney7812]

Next race has to be a hill climb with tandem ;)

[@rameshkadem5612]

Hi This is Ramesh and I am a cycling enthusiest. I do cycling everyday for 30KM and follow all the guidelines suggested by GCN. Most of the accessories used by GCN team is not available in India. Can we get some accessories for cycling use in Indian roads and provide the feedback to GCN. So, GCN can understand the performance of different accessories at different road conditions.

[@JMcLeodKC711]

“Little and large”…..good one

[@jacobandmaggieable]

big'n'small, batman&robin - great friendly insults