Tandems

You'll Get Twice the Enjoyment on a Tandem
Tandems are great fun and offer a whole new dimension in cycling. Thousands of people have already discovered the pleasure that tandem riding brings and that number is increasing year-on-year.

A tandem weighs less than two solo bicycles but, with almost the same rolling resistance and air drag as a solo, the tandem can travel significantly faster. It's a great way to travel, whether you're just out for a short ride or undertaking a lengthy tour.

Tandems also allow people with impaired vision or balance difficulties to enjoy the benefits of cycling. Indeed, tandem racing is an official Paralympic discipline in which Scots woman Aileen McGlynn MBE has been one of the Great Britain Cycling Team's most successful competitors. Aileen's impressive palmares includes many Paralympic, World, European and British titles.

Tandem Advice
Here at Walkers our resident tandem experts, company directors John and Susan Walker, have traveled extensively by tandem including a tour of Canada and the epic ride from Land's End to John o' Groats. John and Susan will be happy to advise anyone thinking about tandem riding.

Or, for comprehensive information on all aspects of tandem riding we recommend a visit to the Tandem Club website.

Dawes Tandems
We supply Dawes tandems - visit the Dawes web site for full details of their current models.

Some of the Tandems and Trailers we can supply:
	Shown above: Bumper Explorer Solo for one child; Duo model also available to seat two children.
Dawes Discovery Twin Tandem	Bumper Explorer Trailers
For touring or leisure this tandem features full chromo-plastic mudguards, and alloy 'V' style brakes. Shimano Acera gear mechanisms, EZ Fire gear shifters and a Truvativ Firex 48/38/28 chainset provides efficient 24 speed gearing. 48 spoke, double wall wheel rims.	Well designed trailer for one or two children. Padded seat belts. Fold up fly screen. Sun roof! Folds flat in seconds. Converts to buggy with third wheel and push handle supplied.
Dawes Duet Tandem	Carry Freedom Y-Frame Trailer
The Duet has a smaller frame sizes in 20/16" or 20/13" with a lower rear seat specially designed for the child who has outgrown their trailer bike. Shimano RevoShift 21 speed gears. Tektro alloy 'V' style brakes. Mudguards and rear carrier rack fitted as standard.	Designed by a local Ayrshire company. Available in two sizes to carry maximum loads of 45 or 90kg. Alloy frame, quick release wheels and handle for easy storage.

Trailers & Trikes
The humble cycle trailer is often overlooked as a method of transporting all sorts of cargo. In countries like China and India cycle trailers are a common sight with everything from livestock to car engines being ferried around town and country. In the UK we're a bit more conservative in what we carry on our trailers but here are just some of the loads they're used for:

• children
• dogs and cats (not both at the same time though)
• the weekly shopping
• DIY supplies
• camping equipment
• small items of furniture
• canoes, scuba diving gear and other sports equipment
• that car boot sale 'bargain' that's going to end up gathering dust in the garage
• enough Chinese/Indian take-away meals to feed a family of 23

OK, we made that last one up - but hopefully you get the idea. The range of things you can carry by trailer is limited only by the imagination - and its total weight!

Don't Forget the Dog!
Trailers can be simple, wheeled flat-bed platforms, upon which a variety of loads can be secured with straps or a cargo net, or they can be specialist units purpose built to carry a specific load - like the Carry Freedom bArk ™. There are numerous manufacturers who market 'off-the-peg' solutions as well as custom manufacturers who design and build bespoke trailers.

Our Trailer Suppliers
At Walkers we can supply child trailers by Bumper while cargo carrying is catered for by the superb, innovative range of Carry Freedom trailers which are designed to exacting standards right here in Ayrshire.

Please contact us to discuss your trailer requirements. We also stock, or can order in, a range of trailer parts and accessories including tyres, tubes, visibility flags, rear lights and reflectors, spare hitches and luggage straps.

Adult Tricycles
Many - but by no means all - of our adult tricycles are sold to customers who have a physical impairment such as cerebral palsy or the effects of a stroke for example. The stability offered by a three wheeler allows the rider to cycle in confidence with much less risk of mishap. We have access to the Mission Cycles range of trikes and can advise you on the most suitable machine for your needs. See our Special Needs Cycles page for more information. Please contact us to discuss your adult tricycle requirements.

Some of the Tricycles we can supply:
Mission Trilogy Adult Trike	Mission Piggyback Trike Trailer
Ideal for handicapped persons, those with special needs, balance problems or just don’t have the confidence to ride a conventional two wheeled cycle.	For teenagers and young adults. Specially designed coupling enables the trailer to turn and manoeuvre on uneven ground while remaining upright.