Sociable

Two-person bicycle with side by side seating

The sociable or buddy bike^[1] or side by side bicycle is a bicycle that supports two riders who sit next to one another, in contrast to a tandem bicycle, where the riders sit fore and aft. The name "sociable" alludes to the relative ease with which the two cyclists can speak with each other, unlike on the tandem.

History

Bicycling through Time by Paul and Charlie Farren has a picture of a sociable with a frame under each rider and two wheels between them from 1897. The Ford Museum in Detroit has a similar sociable on display. More modern single framed sociables may have started with Australian cyclist Hubert Opperman,^[2] although in its basic form the design has been around for longer, since the end of the 19th century. It was originally marketed by the Punnett Cycle Company. Historically it has been used as a courting bike; gentlemen would be able to spend time with ladies in an activity that allowed proximity.^[3]

Present day

For several years the Taiwanese "Buddy Bike" sociable was available on Ebay. There are currently^[when?] no commercially available sociable two-wheelers, although there are plans in circulation by which a person with welding and metal fabrication skills could make one. There are some sociable three- and four-wheeled machines (quadracycles) on the market, however.

References

^ "Weird Bike Stuff - The Buddy Bike". Charlie Kelly. Retrieved 2012-07-17. All the disadvantages of a tandem and none of the advantages!
^ "Australians Ride Side by Side on a "Bicycle Built For Two"". Modern Mechanix. August 1934. Retrieved 2012-07-15. In Australia an odd "two-seater" bicycle has been invented by Hubert Opperman, famous distance cyclist.
^ "The History of Side-By-Cycle". SideByCycle.com. August 2007.

External links

A YouTube video of a Sociable in action.
How to build your own Sociable.
A You Tube video of Two Sociable Bicycles in Action

Patents

US4,178,008—Side by side bicycle— Robert C. Barrett

Human-powered transport

Land

Pedal power	29er Bicycle (outline) Bicycle trailer BMX bike Boneshaker Cargo bike City bicycle Cold-weather biking Cruiser bicycle Cycle rickshaw Cyclo-cross bicycle Downhill bike Enduro Fatbike Flat bar road bike Folding bicycle Go-kart Glossary of cycling Hybrid bicycle Motorized bicycle Mountain bike Mountain biking 27.5 Downhill Singletrack Party bike Penny-farthing Porteur bicycle Prone bicycle Quadracycle Recumbent bicycle Road bicycle Roadster Safety bicycle Sociable Small-wheel bicycle Tandem bicycle Touring bicycle Track bicycle Trailer bike Tricycle Unicycle Utility bicycle Velocar Velocipede Velomobile Wheelie bike
Electric motor assist	Electric bicycle Pedelec Motorized bicycle Motorized scooter
Treadle power	Treadle bicycle
Other foot power	Balance bike Dandy horse Kick scooter Kickbike
Hand power	Handcar Handcycle Hobcart Invalid carriage Wheelchair
Row action	Rowing cycle
Board	Brakeboard Caster board Freeboard Freeskates Longboard Skateboard Snakeboard Street luge
Pushed/pulled	Baby transport Baggage cart Bath chair Cart Flatbed trolley Hand truck Pulled rickshaw Shopping cart Stairclimber Stretcher Toy wagon Wheelbarrow
Carried	Litter/sedan chair Scoop stretcher
Weight shifting	Trikke Pogo stick
Snow and ice	Cold-weather biking (ice cycle) Kicksled Sled Snowboard
Gravity	Gravity racer

Water

Hand power	Canoe Kayak Paddleboarding Rowing (fixed seat) Punt
Hand and foot power	Rowing (sliding seat) Rowing (sliding rigger)
Foot power	Hydrocycle Hydrofoil Pedalo

Amphibious

Amphibious cycle

Air

Non-vehicular Transport

Foot power	Inline skating skates Roller skating skates Running Stair climbing Walking Stair climbing
Snow and ice	Crampons Ice skates Ski Alpine touring skis Cross-country skis Telemark skis Snowshoes