New bike. Vintage tandem.

Just bought this from http://www.spokes-uk.org/

I saw it in there a few months ago and they were reluctant to sell it because it wasn’t complete.
It’s got Trivelox three speed gears, an odd system where the chain stays in line and the sprockets slide across the hub on splines.

The shifter looks very much like a Sturmey Archer.

It’s been bodged with a Simplex derailleur.

I’ve got a spare Rohloff tensioner, which is intended for 1/8″ chain and doesn’t move side to side, so I’ll have a go and see if I can get it working with that.

They think it’s a Sun, going by the design of the head tube lugs, and that it’s 1930ish, going by the Trivelox gears and mixture of chrome and nickel plating.

You propbably know this but every picture you post looks as though it’s taken though a layer of vaseline. Your “camera” is either knackered or needs a clean.

Like it!

Sure its not a Maclean ?

I like that. how much was it?

Yes, it’s the lens on my phone camera. It’s a bit scratched through being carried everywhere in my pocket.
I ought to see if it’s replaceable.

Edit due to cross posting.
Could be a MacClean. I don’t know, it’s just that the guy at the shop said it looked like Sun lugs on the head tube.

£200. It could well be worth more than that, but I think we convinced them that we want it to ride, not to sell on at a a profit, so they were glad to see it go to a good home.

Wow, a Trivelox! That was the British answer to those derailleurs that Johnny Foreigner was bringing out, but done properly to keep a straight chainline.

that does seem like a good price (not knowing anything about vintage bike prices or tandems).
hope you enjoy it!

That’s look like it would be awesone fun for sunny pub runs. How heavy is it though, looks like a tank.

We only got it home an hour or so ago and I’m still researching it, but it looks like Trivelox was a better idea in theory to derraileurs.
Once everyone realised that in practice, there wasn’t much in it and you could get more sprockets with derailleurs, they became obsolete.

http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/TriVelox_derailleurs.html

http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/TriVelox_-_brochure_1931.html

It doesn’t seem any heavier than my solo delivery bike, that really is a tank. if I pick it up by the handlebars, it hangs level. 😕

retro tandem: check 🙂

Mine was free from a guy at work though 🙂

also got this beauty for t’missus from a car boot sale:

Now sporting a wicker basket and a brooks-a-like saddle… not bad for £30

Dave

That looks ace, would really like an old tandem, must try harder.

You propbably know this but every picture you post looks as though it’s taken though a layer of vaseline. Your “camera” is either knackered or needs a clean.

I just put it down to the fact the frame was weeping because it’s now with “STW Framewrecker” 😆

My 1930’s Maclean….hammerite yellow 😆

Gets used as our pub bike…its off to Normandy in June – a group of us. It has panniers and will have a BOB yak trailer attached.

I’d love to tour on mine, but it is SO FLEXY!!! I think it’d bend in half if I put panniers on it 🙂

Dave

I was given mine !

I cycled from Chichester to Dorset to watch the Olympic sailing last year.. Asked a cafe owner if I could put up my tent in the garden of the cafe.

Turned out to be a top bloke..ex cyclist… We got slozzled on good wine.

He gave me the tandem as he wanted it to go to an enthusiast .

Yes, it’s the lens on my phone camera. It’s a bit scratched through being carried everywhere in my pocket.

if it is a HTC desire do what i did, knock the scratched lens out of the back cover – have just a hole still protects the actual sensor lens underneath – far better than the original design

Are you sure it’s not freddie-grubb. I had an identical one, save for the gears on mine were complete.

It’s an HTC Wildfire. I’ve prised the lens out, I’ll take some better pictures tomorrow.
It would be nice if it turns out to be a Freddie Grubb, simply because I like the name.

Nice to see another old one still in use, brack.
In case anyone is interested and wants to join the STW 1930s tandem niche, there’s a Scott on ebay at the moment.

It’s not something I’d ever really thought about before until I noticed a common feature of all three bikes, but I guess the idea of left hand timing chains for tandems only came in with front derailleurs.
In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the first ever 2xwhatever geared solo was inspired by a tandem chainset. Then when tandem riders wanted double chainrings as well, they had to move the timing chain to the left.