Would a tandem bike be faster than a single seater?

"Goggles Pizzano" (gogglespizzano) 09/13/2014 at 14:44 • Filed to: None

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The current record for a bike being ridden behind a car is 166mph. Would a tandem bike be faster? I've thought about it (probably too much).

Can't seem to find it, but I had a cool infographic showing the effects of weight on top speed. The short of it though:

Let's say you have a 3000lb car with 400hp. The car tops out at 150mph. If you could add another 3000lbs of weight without effecting aerodynamics, the top speed would still be somewhere around 140mph (or even slightly faster). The bike in question would be just a bit more than double the weight of a conventional bike and rider, but...with double the power.

Did some reading on tandem bikes racing among singles as well. The general consensus is they suffer on hills where lower speed balance becomes a significant problem. I don't believe this would have effect the bike in question. The faster the wheels turned the more the bike would want to stay upright due to the gyroscope effect.

Given that weight is of no matter, solutions to gearing and synchronization problems could be very complex and heavy (flywheels).

I'm convinced the bike would fly. It sounds ridiculous, but if the current record is 166mph, 240mph should be in order. Of course, at this speed downforce generating wings protruding beyond the slipstream effect of the car would be needed.

Anyone have a welder? A 250mph car to use?

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Goggles Pizzano 09/13/2014 at 14:47

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I think drag would be much more on a tandem, not to mention that you would need 2 really strong cyclists instead of one.

Corey CC97, MAZDA DPI IS STILL BAE JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV VISIT FLORIDA RACING LIVES FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS > Goggles Pizzano 09/13/2014 at 14:51

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Well, you're gaining one humanpower but adding roughly 200 lbs. depending on the person. I'd say it wouldn't be much faster.

Goggles Pizzano > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 09/13/2014 at 14:52

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I found this while reading up too. In this example though (with the car) there would be almost no drag as the car splits the airflow.

Goggles Pizzano > Corey CC97, MAZDA DPI IS STILL BAE JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV JOESTACTIV VISIT FLORIDA RACING LIVES FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS 09/13/2014 at 14:56

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This gave me trouble too, but after a week of thinking I gave in to the fact that weight has very, very, little effect on top speed.

samssun > Goggles Pizzano 09/13/2014 at 15:04

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You definitely wouldn't go from 166 to 240 mph by adding a rider. Wind resistance increases with the square of speed, so it takes more and more power to achieve diminishing returns.

Pitchblende > Goggles Pizzano 09/13/2014 at 15:04

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Well, with more power and virtually the same air resistance, yes it would be faster. However it does suffer from power delivery problems, you have to get both cyclists in complete sync for it work properly (imagine two engines without a common crank).

As for 240mph, no, there are other problems that would arise such as the surface , the distance needed to reach that speed, not to mention increased friction on components.

Goggles Pizzano > samssun 09/13/2014 at 15:08

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Behind a car. Virtually no air resistance.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Goggles Pizzano 09/13/2014 at 15:10

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But, with the tandem being so much longer, how much drag does the car in front have to have in order to provide clean air for the tandem?

SmoresTM Has No Chill (O==[][]==O) > Goggles Pizzano 09/13/2014 at 15:11

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I'm laughing to myself because this box, which is not a very large box, is exactly where the second riders face would be and where the first riders butt would be.

I'm mentally a twelve year old. I know.

Goggles Pizzano > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 09/13/2014 at 15:13

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Now we're talking (thinkin'). :-)x

Goggles Pizzano > Pitchblende 09/13/2014 at 15:18

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The problems with power delivery could be cured with some engineering know-how.

Great points on all else. Solid tires would be a must, and you're right, components that could withstand the friction would most definitely not be available off the shelf.

Distance needed and driving surface could be a huge roadblocks.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 09/13/2014 at 18:26

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I think the gap between the two bodies would be the spot to work with. The length might have an effect but probably nothing compared to the gap between the people.