Relationships come and go. The ones that stay often test us, and I suppose life would be terribly boring if we all got along 100 per cent of the time. But we do strive to get along most of the time and consciously avoid situations that we know may rock the boat.

So with that in mind, I timidly set out on my first tandem ride with my partner Kevin last week.

Tandems are a notorious breeding ground for arguments – I have even heard them being used as grounds for divorce.

Considering most of our usual bicycle rides encounter at least one disagreement, I had expectations of furious fisty cuffs, in such a spectacular manner that people would stop and watch, even take photos.

Contrary to what I believed would happen, for most of the ride I was surprised to experience serenity.

We were naturals, our starts were a collaboration of screaming, ‘one, two, three’, Kevin up front had the foresight to warn me of potholes, and when on a long road with nothing to do but pedal, we were naturals at small talk.

I would recommend it to anyone. You double your pedalling power with only a slightly higher frictional loss in the drivetrain and you can go faster than you can on your own on a single bicycle.

But it’s so nerdy isn’t it? Tandeming has always conjured up images of couples in beige riding super slow, stopping for a biccie and a cuppa every two miles.

I never thought in a million years it would be me tandeming and enjoying it. Back home I found myself googling tandems and technique, slowly learning more about the mechanics and adjustments that can be made to enhance your ride.

And then I stopped. I realised I was taking it too far. I had become a tandem geek in just a day. I didn’t want to start tandeming all the time.

Cycling for me is mostly a solitary pastime, I like being alone with my own thoughts, even if you are cycling in a group you can slip away into your own mind and have a conversation with yourself.

I also don’t like having severely limited vision behind someone else and I certainly don’t like not being in control.

It’s fine when you’re pedalling the flats, putting all your energy into the pedals, but when your’re descending at what feels like twice the speed from the back and you have no control of the brakes, a control freak like me is petrified.

But regardless of these feelings I loved riding in tandem and I will do it again. Despite the utter loss of control, there seems to be a nice community of tandem couples out there, there is even a national club, The Tandem Club, www.tandem-club.org.uk who make it their aim to help those already tandeming or looking to start. If you have ever fancied trying a tandem in Oxford you can rent one at Bainton Bikes, www.baintonbikes.com or Summertown Cycles www.summertowncycles.co.uk.

Oh and take my word for it, you should still be talking to each other at the end of the ride.