Tandems. Show & Tell

Those videos are great Jon!

My stoker is my wife, who isn’t mad on cycling but enjoys a pedal on a sunny day. The shock of the extra power when I had a proper bike rider adding some extra torque on the back was quite something!

She says she tried to hard on the hill back from town the one time we did our shopping on it. I felt like I had a hernia coming on, but it does have only six years.

Here is mine, built by Lee Cooper of Coventry. A bit small for us and mad configuration: 135mm rear spacing with forward facing adjustable dropouts (which we have bent riding), odd seatpost sizes, 1″ steerer fork (weighs a ton), classy columbus ORO tubing, was SO cheap on ebay… we absolutely love it.

Any suggestions for components that will make it steer better or fit better are welcome. Sorry there is no saddle in this very sunny shot.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/04vi7gzec11nlfe/20160915_093636.jpg?dl=0

edit: awaits people saying that qr seat post is a bad idea and that timing rings are too small.

I did a trip from Texas to Montana including the newly opened GDMBR (1998?) with my sister on a Cannondale tandem. Wouldn’t use a tandem if I had to do it again, the climbs were just too slow. Coming down some of the passes with irc Kujo dh tyres and v brakes was a bit scary!

we owned a mtb tandem when the kids were younger. a orbit i think.
rode llandegla on it including the berms and bridge. did some good rides on it. when the kids stopped wanting to go on it, my wife decided to try it with me. she hated it, especially offroad. because i am so big, and her small, she could not see anything but my back, and she got very dizzy with things flashing past at speed but nothing to focus on.

we sold it on.

Where do I look for second hand child back tandems?

There are two on Ebay at the moment. A Dawes “Twocan” which I would buy if I were you (have one of my own) and also a rather odd looking Bob Jackson.

The Twocan came in Small and Large sizes. IThe one on the bay looks like a small (mine has a straight top tube all the way to the rear.

EDIT and a Thorn

Should get you started. Tandem Club has classifieds on Facebook too.

We’re on our third tandem now, gradually upgrading along the way as we’ve got more adventurous.

This clip shows us at Swinley. Gareth who made this video is on our old Lapierre tandem behind us.

Hi, We just started tandeming July last yr. No doubt it takes the right pairing but for us it’s has transformed our riding and racing. We did the Selkirk Marathon this year and hope to do some more longer distance stuff next yr. It is amazing what you can ride on it. We have had success at all the 7 Stanes Scottish centres on the reds and blues. I’d highly recommend going full suss for off road. It will make it much more comfortable for the stoker!

Do it! Tandems are so much fun.
I’ve ridden MTB tandems for many (20?) years now, starting with a Dawes Double Edge with cantis, then a front disc, then full discs and bought a 26in Cannondale tandem three or four years ago. Just so much fun.

I’m happy on the front or back, but I tend to be put on the front. The quality of DH and Enduro components now means that upgrading bikes to decent brakes and forks is pretty easy – and Guy Kesteven has a full 1×11 setup on his, which I might look into doing.

However, any mountain bike tandem is great fun and they’re surprisingly capable, both up and down. I did many Polaris events on mine (yes, that was us) and still enjoy getting ours out on local trails when things need spicing up…

Is it time we arranged another STW tandem gathering? Next, er, May perhaps? (Other months are available…)

Whilst on the subject of tandems anyone know what front pannier rack will fit a dawes discovery twin or double edge rigid fork – I have a Blackburn MTF-1 but the fixings are too narrow for the forks 🙁
Edit – needs to be one with top rack, Blackburn outpost might work but don’t know if fixing points will be wide enough

I’d like to ask what tyres people like for offroad. This is for a 26″ Cannondale with limited clearance at the stays.

One someone on heres recommendations I have just fitted maxxis larsons front and rear – dual ply rear. Not ridden on them a huge amount yet but I am pleased with them. I have a high roller for the rear for muddy conditions as well

Not sure I could cope mentally with being the rear rider and not clearly seeing where I was going, I’ll wait for a catamaran style tandem with three wheels!

As Dickyboy’s pic shows, that doesn’t happen unless the pilot is teeny compared to the stoker. Visibility is normally fantastic. I’ve got one in the shop if anyone wants a go 😉

Chipps- myself and NBT. Would love to be part of another tandem weekender.

I now have have toe straps which aren’t ideal as a stoker on an mtb tandem, does anyone else ride with these?
Is it just a case of having tight straps?

We might be persuaded to bring ours out for a T-meet.
It’s currently in the naughty corner, but with a little work I’m sure we can get going again.

My Dad used to race on tandem back in the sixties/seventies, briefly held the 50 mile straight out record IIRC. Kiddy cranks fitted and I was brought up riding on the back of it until I was big enough for a solo.

The missus & I have a Santana road tandem now, not ridden it much but with a trailer in tow you get some real funny looks from passers by !

Just bought though my to get bits for a frame I have had for about 4 years!

Hub (just ordered)
Spokes to build rear wheel
Chains and cassette,
Rotors,
Disc mounts.

So close! Once the rear wheel is built excuses get harder to make!

Used ours to go on lots of tours around France (and occasionally in the UK), though mrs aracer hasn’t been on it in over 10 years, and now I ride it with my kids.

The trouble is they’re now both too big for a kiddy seat on the back, so it tends to only get ridden when one of them is off doing something else. Need a triplet.

A tandem meet, yes please.

IMG_9747 by Tony Whittle[/url], on Flickr

Our tandem is currently set up for touring and day rides on road, but I’ve got suspension forks so we can take it off road

Tandem Evolution by Notoriously Bad Typist[/url], on Flickr

Would enjoy another tandem meet – was trying to organise one last year but after Mrs NBT’s injuries, riding has been curtailed fver the past couple of years. back on the bikes now and it looks like there may be some modicum of keen-ness to attend tandem shenanigans

HT550
plenty of tandem stupidity from us here

Enid’s just a bog standard Raleigh, but we’ve loved her very much over the years and have had some great adventures. We went out for ice cream last weekend, (no ginger beer unfortunately), but it took me a fair wee while to do all the system checks!

HT550 on a tandem. Utter respect to the highest level!!!

Bought a cheap tandem of the STW classified a couple of years back and its the most fun i’ve ever had on a bike. Doesn’t get used much because it breaks everytime – but christ its funny.

Doing normal trails with groups of friends make your stomach muscles hurts from laughter!!

[/url]DSCF4362 by boltonjon[/url], on Flickr[/img]