History (tandem bicycles)

Originally tandems bicycles were built by welding two bicycle frames together to form a two-person bicycle. First patents related to tandem bicycles date from the late 1800s. Modern technology has improved component and frame designs, and many tandems are as well-built as modern high-end road and off-road bikes.
While a tandem has double the pedalling power with only slightly more frictional loss in the drivetrain, it has about the same wind resistance as a single bike. High performance tandems may weigh less than twice as much as a single bike, so the power to weight ratio can be slightly better than that of a single bike and rider. Tandems bicycles can reach relatively high speeds, especially downhill and on flat to rolling terrain. They are not necessarily slower on climbs, but are perceived as such, in part due the need for a high level of coordination between the riders, especially if the physical abilities of the two riders are very different, requiring a compromise on cadence.
On conventional tandems bicycles , the front rider steers the bicycle and is known as the captain, pilot, or steersman; the rear rider is the stoker, navigator, or rear admiral. On most tandems bicycles the two sets of cranks are mechanically linked by the chain and turn at the same rate.