Tandems of the forum

Hi

Looking for a tandem project for me and the missus. I think it could be cool riding it around town on nice an sunny days. Any "connoisseur" here that could advise help picking one? I see the claud butler seems rather popular on the bay.

Ideally I would love something retro and vintage looking but would consider anything really as long as it fits. I'm 5'10 (ride 53-56cm seat tube) and the missus is 5'1.

Last one, I don't want to break the bank. Don't might paying up for something that would hold its value though.

Thanks

Hi There,

I'm not sure how much assistance I can be in terms of picking the right bike but I have recently purchased a tandem that I think fits your description (my wanted advert is here: https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/296423/#comment13344933).

Despite the difficulties that you may encounter with regards to fixing any mechanical issues ((currently) irregular sized wheels/ nuts/ rear spacing), I'm glad to have bought an older tandem, than the newer aluminium bikes that are in some cases, comparable in price.

@dkmike - do you still have your tandem available?

Realising at the moment that if we go the cargo bike route for child carrying, then the tandem will become redundant and problematically space consuming...
This is a little sad as we've hardly been riding the Orbit...
The child seat on the tandem option is less appealing to us... Any experience people can share on that subject?
Would love to keep it though...

Does anyone know roughly what the wheelbase of a normal sized 700c tandem is? I'm trying to work out if it'll fit in the boot of an estate car with the rear seats down (on the car) and the wheels off (on the bike, not the car). Google is not being my friend today and my GoogleFu is weak.

Depends if it's modern or a bit more retro - but a Dawes Galaxy fit in a Golf Estate with the front wheel of (and front seat down)

normal sized

No such thing, but if you add the stoker's top tube length to the wheelbase of an equivalent solo bike you'll be there. Mine (short at the back) is about 157cm, there's not likely to be much that's any shorter than that. Something with a spacious passenger compartment and bigger clearances could easily be 20cm longer.

Hhmmm, @Cycliste will be with me. She might object to the front seat being down. I suppose she could sit in the back with half the split rear seat down.

180cm a good working guide then?

180cm a good working guide then?

Most things should be shorter than that, but not by much in the case of a larger modern touring frame.

Cheers. Car keys and a tape measure to find...

220cm diagonally. I reckon we're good to go.

I've managed to get my touring bob jackson in a golf hatchback. Had to take both wheels off and put the seat down though...

Pics or all your effort was for nothing.

Tandems in cars is a faff.

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Why does it say SEWAD on the fork?

Is this anyone on here?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1960s-French-Tandem-Bicycle-/142421661823

My tandem has a gigantic 203mm rotor on the rear, plus Avid V-brakes on front+rear. It's been built years and years ago by knowledgeable people on a tandem-specific shop. However, I always found a bit strange that the dual rear brake is set up as rim=drag and disc=regular.

I'd have thought that the benefit of Hope's massive rotor is how well it copes with heat, making it ideal for drag break duties. Also it'd take heat away from rims, which can only be a good thing. Or am I missing something?

I'm doing some work on it this week, could take the chance to invert setup if knowledgeable people on here advice so.

My thoughts echo your own.

I'm also fettling the tandem this week - come mid-July we're taking it up and down the alps around France and Italy. I was looking into getting a disc fork made up for easy improved stopping, but ran out of time and motivation so instead am pursuing a dynamo front wheel as a useful upgrade (just not useful for stopping...). The bike's been making some annoying creaking over the last few rides, so time for new chains all round and a bit of disassembly/grease/reassembly. It also needs a new headset fitting as we've split the lower cup on the old one. Thankfully got one in the cupboard, somewhere...

Oh, Summer, time to pamper tandems.

If I'm not mistaken my tandem was built by these guys. It's not the one pictured, but I can see that V-brake as drag is their modus operandi. Weird, but they must know something I don't.

Downhillers still manage to cook 203mm discs though.

Arai drum master race

Shameless plug for my own tandem sale

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercian-Super-Tourist-Tandem-Summer-Trek-Expedition-Adventure-/282541877956?nav=SELLING_ACTIVE

what's the front and rear tt sizes?

Cross post from the wheelbuilding thread but I know plenty of people on here who have had rear wheels rebuilt.

The rear wheel (40h, 13 gauge spokes, DT Hugi hub, Mavic M3CD rim, drum brake) on our tandem has snapped two spokes in as many rides. The first was NDS and was repaired before we rode again. The second is DS, and on the other side of the wheel. I've had a feel of the other spokes and some feel worryingly lacking in tension, seems to me like it's time for a rebuild, with a wider rim this time(bought second hand).

Backstory over, my question is this. Who would people suggest to build a tandem rear wheel for a heavyish (170kg) team that would be suitable for touring and what rim would you suggest? Bonus points if they're London so I can drop the hub off in person as we need it ready to roll by 30th July...

Rad Bikes, New Cross, are building me a 40h Rigida Sputnik (double wall double eyelet!) onto SON front wheel. Our 40h 719 set was built at Brixton and got us through 8 heavy weeks without fault, but it's looking like the usual Mavic weaknesses are coming to the fore in the rear so will probably ask RB to rebuild it onto a Sputnik (assuming the front behaves itself) when we return. Picking RB over Brixton as much because they're close to home as anything else, but they're doing free wheelbuilds for the summer if you're feeling cheap.

Sputnik was definitely on the cards and its useful to know it's still available in 40h (for the time being. Have seem some slightly deeper rims suggested too - Velocity Chukker by DCR, Alex G6000 by JD Tandems. I guess the idea is the rim rigidity helps the wheel, but they all look pricey compared with the bombproof Sputnik. I guess there's my answer...

On another tack, is this for your Dawes? We have an A319 (25 mm external) running on the front and the V-brakes are sitting very wide to fit around the 25 mm rim. Are you just going with it or have you done something exciting to overcome that?