Tandems of the forum

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  • Ideal solution. #idiotbusesunited!

    My tandem [from on here] came with British cycling stickers I nearly removed. Most of them say “#weridetogether” but I kept them because one says “#weirdtogether”

  • Anyone got / had a Thorn Voyager ? I’m looking at options for a child back tandem

  • Yeah. It's great fun when I can be bothered to get it out


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  • Nice. It’s looking bloody expensive to build up from parts, even as a semi-professional bargain hunter.

    What is the general rule of thumb when working out what rings you need for the LH drive? Do they need to match the middle ring of the triple??

  • What is the general rule of thumb when working out what rings you need for the LH drive?

    Some or all of the following, in this order:
    Whatever you can get that fits, bigger is better, tooth count an integer multiple of bolt count to make clocking them easy, same make and model just in case somebody fucks with the clocking although you can dial that out to be close enough.

  • wow, barely understand the above, and wouldn’t want to contradict but we’ve done many many miles on old school mtb middle rings (36t 104bcd) or slightly less old DH outer rings. both are cheap and I have a stack of replacements. They have the same number of teeth of course but are generally a mix of brands. 36t lasts well especially the dh rings. we run ours so the captain’s crank slightly leads the stoker’s.

  • wouldn’t want to contradict

    You didn't - you're in compliance with the prime directive 🙂 (and the third one too, with 36T/4-bolt)

    captain’s crank slightly leads the stoker

    Since it's impossible to have the cranks perfectly phased outside a physics experiment, this is what most crews would aim for, even if only the odd few degrees which can't be eliminated without recourse to vernier sprockets.

  • good to know!

  • Yup, recommend!


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  • Tandems are such a vibe

  • Very cool ! Is the voyager spacing 100 /135?

  • Not 100% on the spacing, fairly sure I just fitted decent MTB wheels.

    I also upgraded the fork, (available from Thorn) to a disc brake version.

  • Might be pushing it but is anybody here based near Bristol and has a tandem that they’re willing and able to let two tandem novices have a go on for a test ride?
    Planning on doing a tandem cycle tour for a holiday but want to give it a go first - partly because we’re quite different in experience levels when it comes to cycling but also height (I’m 6’3 she’s 5’3). Figure it might be easier to look out for a tandem on the cheap here and take over to Europe than rent abroad given our comedy couple proportions.

  • I haven't got a tandem at the moment but I don't think you'll find it hard to find one that works with your respective sizes.

    I don't disagree with your conclusion about buying one rather than renting though, as long as you are happy to do the work that is normally required to get a cheap tandem in good enough shape to handle a tour.

    What is much harder is getting one where the two riders are similar size or, as is the case when I ride with a blind friend, the stoker is bigger.

  • I wonder if the awesome @6pt and @tricitybendix might be willing to help. Near you ish in Froome I believe.

  • Thanks, good to hear re sizing and yeah happy to put in a bit of work to get things ship-shape. We wouldn't be a super heavy team (Guessing 140kg or so with me being the majority of the ballast), won't be trying to pin it downhill, and wouldn't be bringing any camping gear - if all goes well should we be looking for a bike with a 3rd brake?

  • Ooh that would be great if both would be willing? We'd just like to do a small 30 min test ride to see if both our brains can compute pedalling at same time, and whether she'd be happy to stare at my back for a week!

  • Froome

    Where?

  • We're in Frome – I reckon you'd fit fine on the front (6'2" and the reach is if anything too long for me) but the back might be too big for your stoker (set up for 5'6" on the back and the seat post can't go much lower. Reach can be brought in if you've got a stem longer than 80mm though)


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  • Haha ask that Chris Frome guy

  • I'm not in Bristol (London), but my Thorn Voyager might work. It's a kiddy back, I've got an adult saddle for the back.

    If you are your stoker ever venture near Leyton you're welcome to have a go

  • Cheers for the offer @6pt - I think that might be a little too big as you say, as with the height between her and 5'6 stoker (she's not used spds so would need flats and even lower saddle). Randomly been looking for ideas for tandem routes etc in northern france/spain and think I came across your travel blog which is useful though!

    Thanks also @doubleodavey - even wondering about this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285820154356? which might work if I wouldnt be too cramped. One good thing about being near somerset is plenty of second hand thorns seem to come up

  • if all goes well should we be looking for a bike with a 3rd brake?

    Two properly-adjusted brakes should be fine, but the faster you go downhill the less you need brakes!

    If you are worried about heat after a lot of braking then you can just stop for a minute and let things cool down. I've done that on a solo on long, steep, twisty descents.

  • We've rarely needed ours, but it's been nice on long descents to free up my focus. They're also remarkably useful outside of slowing down, eg as a parking brake (especially if it's a loaded tandem).

  • if all goes well should we be looking for a bike with a 3rd brake?

    There's been lots of times when I thought one would be nice, but I would say only once when we really needed one (and it wasn't even in the Alps! Or Dartmoor. Just a poorly judged lane on the approach to Jumiège). Still, we didn't die in its absence, but I did have to calm down a bit once we eventually reached a stop.

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Tandems of the forum

Posted by Avatar for edmundro @edmundro

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