Tandems of the forum

I was very very wrong.

I have entered tandem showdown - @Miitch @6pt @Hovis + others get your entries in.

Maria can't get the day off work anymore for reasons outside of her control so we cannot participate anymore. Gutted

We were going to sneak the TT in before doing birthday things with rosie's parents in London, but now they're doing things in Devon we can't get away with doing both so are also out. Which is a shame, doubly so because we now have matchy lfgss skinsuits.

you missed a trick not getting your stoker a skinsuit in the last order btw!

Stoker is racing as AeroCoach - and there's no chance we'll be in skinsuits in December!

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/326684/products/ex-hire-orbit-tandem-bike.aspx

seems like a good deal.

Just picked this up. Not one for long journeys I think but hopefully good fun for short jaunts. Any tips/ideas welcome.

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/297788/#comment13385163

Uh oh...

Picked up this Chris Paulson tandem from a forumer a few months ago (it's a beaut!).

I took it out on its first >10 mile excursion and the rear axle broke (no one was hurt). I suppose this is to be expected from a bike of this age. Unfortunately - as with everything else on the bike - the axle size is irregular. I've been to my LBS who've stated that the options are to 1) Replace the wheel (maybe losing the drum brake?!) 2) Re-weld the axle, or 3) Get a new axle machined.

My preference is currently 3 (2's a non-starter as my gf will be on the back). Does anyone have any experience with getting a new axle made? Are there any metal turners that you'd recommend?

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@mdcc_tester is best to ask. He has experience with machinists and tandems

Show me the axle, I have some lovely 12mm steel in the cupboard and a friend with a lathe, we might be able to help.

Having said that, if it's a screw-on freewheel, it might be better to cut your losses and get a modern hub which has a bearing within shouting distance of the drive side dropout

Thanks!

I won't be able to get a picture of the axle until tomorrow evening (it's at a shop) but do know that - to accommodate the drum brake - the axle is thicker in the middle. Once I pick up the axle, I'll take some calipers to it...

I'll have a look for hubs. Are there any that you'd recommend with a drum brake that would accommodate a six speed shimano cassette? All those that I've seen have internal gearing (there's nothing in the Tester Approves thread).

Any reasons why you wouldn't want to upgrade to say 8 speed or higher? Tandems.co.uk sell hubs / rear wheels with threading for a drum brake that could work?

If you're getting a new hub you're best looking for a freehub - you'll just keep on bending/breaking axles if you stick with the screw-on freewheels. The axle on our suzue hub bent way too easily so we got a newer hub with many more bearings.
Is your drum brake part of the hub itself or does it look to be a screw-on type? If the former you may find this is your option to get some new technology involved.

Guys,

Thanks for all your help. I think a new wheel is out of the question because the current wheel size is 32-630 (27 * 1 1/4). - Is now the time to change this?

In terms of my preference for a screw-on 6-speed freewheel - I've had very little (no) experience with gears and am aware that nearly every part on the bike is bespoke, so thought the best options would be to try and keep as much of the wheel constant as possible. As has been alluded to upthread, this will likely mean slowly changing every part of the wheel in succession as it fails...

So... my next steps will be to determine whether my current drum brake is screw-on and to buy a new hub. Given the potential for a catastrophic failure and my wish to do some light touring with my significant other on this bike, I think it makes sense to change the hub.

@mdcc_tester - Thanks for your kind offer nonetheless.

Changing wheel size will have implications on your brakes though (are they canti's?) Also you don't want a smaller wheel on the back than the front because no.

I suspect you can quite easily upgrade to more gears. I see downtube shifters, are they friction or indexed? If the former then it should work straight away with a new cassette and rear derailleur. Otherwise it might be worth updating the shifters to indexed 8 speed or higher.

If you do go for a new rear hub and need a new drum, I have an arai drum brake sitting in the cupboard that would like a new home.

the current wheel size is 32-630 (27 * 1 1/4). - Is now the time to change this?

Only if you want a project rather than a repair 🙂

630 rims and tyres remain available, so there's no need to change sizes.

Yes, they're canti's. Agreed re. the permanent uphill...

The downtube shifters are friction. I will get this confirmed by a LBS, but I assume that this means that the rear mech will be able to shift the extra few millimetres for the greater number of cogs? Once more, I assume that they don't just push the cogs closer together (?!)

I may take you up on the aria drum brake. I will seek to use the existing drum though because it's not worn and the drum to frame spacing (for the attachment) is likely to be irregular.

I definitely want a repair. It's great as it is (minus the rear hub).

Once more, I assume that they don't just push the cogs closer together (?!)

The spacing is closer on an 8-speed, total dérailleur throw would need to increase by 20% compared with 6-speed but most can handle it.

Think so too. I managed to accidentally drop the chain off the largest cog twice.