Vernon Barker 531 tandem - rescue from the woods

This is nice. I had a fairly similar tandem a while back. I didn't think it was lacking braking power, until I needed it to come to a stop on a descent. That said, if you adjust your riding style to this, having a little less backing power isn't really an issue IMHO. Or just buy Magura HS33.

Just caught up with this, it's like a rescued puppy story where it turns into your best mate. Really pleased for you it's just a great project. I even love the paint now which I couldn't get my head around in splendid isolation.

Or just buy Magura HS33.

Or in this case find one of the OG Hope brakes it was desinged to have a drag brake.

I rounded off the V brake bolt as it tightened onto the fork so I'm stuck with these Deore brakes for now.

An OG hope disc brake would be awesome but I can probably just drill the OG plate and attach a modern disc brake. Would be a good project to do before, say, a tour across Europe.

An OG hope disc brake would be awesome but I can probably just drill the OG plate and attach a modern disc brake. Would be a good project to do before, say, a tour across Europe.

Probably worth shooting hope a messaging and asking about spacing etc, they've been very responsive when i've emailed before about asking for bearings on old hubs etc

Absolutely stunning, wow. Mad props for this build, lovely.

Thanks!

I'm looking forward to dragging my housemates on some rides soon. Still planning to fit drop bars for some extra oomph...

Just had a look at the first post, with an abandoned wheelless wreck surrounded by cow-parsley. Lovely bike!

Tandem upgrade incoming.

Step 1: Stronger/wider wheels with proper 135 mm OLN rear hub. Deore hubs to 36h Mavic A319.

Ordering spokes....

Have you experimented with offsetting the position of pedals front & rear? Also, what's the reason for the chainring tensioner, you had trouble with the assymetric BB housing?

Yes I offset one of the rear pedals by 3-4mm using pedal washers. Works a treat. I think that pedal still wants to go outboard by another 3-4mm to be symmetrical but I can't be taking the mick with the threads.

The floating chainring is, first and foremost, huge fun. Even if it does jump off when it gets clipped by my heel. But yes I discovered that the eccentric BB did not change chain tension quite enough, even though the BB housing worked perfectly when overhauled. Chain wear has now been enough that I could probably remove a link and shelve the ring, but where is the fun in that?

New tandem setup loading.

I built a pair of 36h Mavic trekking rims (A317 I think) onto 100/135 Deore hubs. Rear has space for a disc rotor, ready for whenever I figure out mounting a disc caliper on this frame. These wheels feel very solid! And the 28mm Paselas are, pleasingly, only a shade wider than the rims.

Bars are 44cm Deda Piegas for the captain and 47cm Profile bullhorns for the stoker. Shifters are recent Sora 3x9 STIs. I gotta dig out the travel adapters tomorrow when I cable it all up, as this is now mixing road levers with MTB V-brakes.

I cannot wait to ride it in anger.

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This is fantastic!

Very promising. Keep the pics coming!

Very cool!

Such a cool bike

Ridiculously lovely.

Road reincarnation complete.

Rode to Epping Forest and back. It behaves beautifully above 20kph. So smooth.

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Looks stunning

Looks awesome. That chainring trick is gold, too!