Buying a tandem, maybe. Clueless.

[weisan]

Clueless? Perfect place to start.

This piece of "junk" had been in the family for over 10 years. Won it new on ebay for $50 (1 bid) and cost $100 to ship. Every one of the six children have sat on it, guests who were visiting have jumped on it. If I can record all the silly conversations, giggle and laughter of the people while they were on it, it will become the best seller.

[Bradford]

Buying our tandem was one of the best things we ever did. We went to Wheelworks and rode a few. One, a popular brand, was awful and rode like loaded U Haul. Then we rode a Co-Motion, which felt like a nice bike.. We bought the Co-Motion and it still ride 13 years later, although I'm on my 3rd stoker: my wife, then my son, and now my 7 year old daughter.

Tandems are great, beyond great really. But not all are created equally, and getting the wrong ride will likely be the difference between using it and selling it in a couple of years, so ride a few first.

We have V brakes and a drag brake that uses a bar end set to friction. I got the Tandem up to 55 one day, then the wife made me buy the drag brake soon after, now I keep it under 35. V brakes are fine, but they V brakes alone will over heat a rim on a long decent, so you will need a drag brake if you ride in the mountains. Hills are fine with V brakes, but long, steep decents are too much. But even with disks the roters can warp, so I'm not sure how much better that is.

I'm indifferent about the coasting system, but suspect it will lead to more work for the captain. My wife would have liked that, but I think it is better to turn the pedals together.

You also need to know how to keep your stoker happy. Call out all bumps, don't fart without warning, don't go over the stoker's speed limit, only get out of the saddle on a "1, 2, 3, up" count...and when your stoker says ease up or "I'm done," listen and obey.

[makoti]

Originally Posted by Bradford

You also need to know how to keep your stoker happy. Call out all bumps, don't fart without warning, don't go over the stoker's speed limit, only get out of the saddle on a "1, 2, 3, up" count...and when your stoker says ease up or "I'm done," listen and obey.

Thanks for all that, but this last part I suspect is key. The one & only time I rode a tandem, I captained (sp?) for a blind woman. She owned the tandem, but obviously only rode when she could get a captain. The first 5 miles took some adjusting, but we did something like 50 and it was really fun. She told me afterwards that she had never been as comfortable as quick on it as she was with me. Made me feel good & gives me hope I won't muck this up. Much.

[carpediemracing]

Before the Missus and I got married I bought us a tandem, and told her flat out that this was basically a relationship test.

We ended up loving riding the tandem. She'd prep it, wheel it out, and having it waiting for me when I got home from work so we could ride it just a bit longer.

We did maybe an hour in a 4 turn block stopping at the 4 stop signs, going again. We got a Thudbuster shock post (best thing ever, period, for a tandem).

A stiffer frame makes captaining a bit easier. Even a Cannondale like we have feels like a noodle at times. I can't imagine a bendy frame.

Disc brakes are nice.

Make sure contact points match to single bike, so same pedals, saddle, and similar bar position.

If you put location in your profile someone may offer to lend you theirs. Folks that like their tandems want to share their passion.

Finally anything that allows a disconnect between the captain and stoker (independent coasting, brake lever in rear) is usually a bad thing. We did a tandem-only ride (somehow got invited to one, didn't know anyone) and they were joking how they know if a tandem couple will make it or not. The most obvious thing was a brake lever on the stoker's bar. Guaranteed the couple would split up, according to them.

Tandems require a lot of cooperation, a lot of compromise. I never put the 55T on the tandem because the Missus's comfortable speed limit on a descent was 35-38 mph. On the flats though we once hit about 49 mph as she didn't mind sprinting that fast. They're fun though. I just reminded the Missus we haven't ridden the tandem in a while, since Junior was born. Time seems to get away from us.

[Bostic]

That Tandem is way way overpriced. I bought a new Cannondale Road Tandem 2 in Jan 2012 for just under 3 grand. Granted, it was a closeout but still. It's been an awesome investment, but rent first or ride one beforehand. Where ever you are in your relationship, a Tandem will get you there faster for good or bad. We test road a Cannondale Mountain tandem and were won over so I grabbed that Medium/Small road tandem at another store before the sold out.

I prefer to ride the Tandem over my single bikes but I realize my wife is not at the same level of "must bike" as I am. For me, it's exponentially harder, not just double. You will feel every single percent grade of difference on the road. Once you start descending, it's like a roller coaster. We have dual discs with large 203mm Rotors. I'd love to test a really light Calfee or Paketa just to see the difference. Our Cannondale is 38lbs.

[zennmotion]

Our wedding limo was a tandem, which saved us a bundle- enough for a sizable deposit on our Burley that we still ride 15yrs later

The advice on the thudbuster seatpost is sound- the stoker's spine is directly over the rear hub and they take a lot of shocks especially since they can't see the bumps coming. Ours has a softride beam- fugly but it works a treat, especially for my petite 105lb wife. Unfortunately I don't they're made anymore, too bad and the only application for the beam that ever made sense. If tandeming sucks it's the pilot's fault. Always. Pace, cadence, distance, stand up/ sit down should always be her choice, you'll soon learn to anticipate. Cadence will be slower, especially when a relative novice is on the back- get used to it, the pilot needs to adapt. For us, tandem rides are social affairs, definitely get a rack and a trunk bag big enough for a bottle of wine and a picnic, don't worry, you'll still get your workout while you take time to smell the flowers Take it easy in traffic, your comfort distance from cars (or other riders) may be different than hers. Articulate your intentions at intersections and such, and ride conservatively- she has to trust you, and there's nothing worse than when the pilot decides to speed through an intersection and the stoker decides to stop- scary. So talk. Our tandem allows me more guilt-free ride time and we both love it. And BTW, they're great on gravel roads, they handle better than singles IMO.

As far as setup and equipment, if you have cables, bar end shifters rule- extra long cables stretch more, I switched from brifters and it made life easier. A size or two wider handlebar in front than your normal road bike makes for better steering on a heavy feeling front end. Softer saddles than your road bike(s) too, you sit more and tend to move around less. Put the computer/garmin/cue sheets on the back so the stoker can navigate. It's really great up front to get turn by turn directions without having to look down. If you ride MUPs get a bell. A real loud bell, tandems can freak pedestrians out, it's like being passed by a semi, so take it easy and give warning. Panaracer TourGuard 37c's are our go-to tires for both pavement and gravel, we only have one set of wheels, overkill for pavement, but still plenty fast and great on gravel- but pump them up! (we use 50-60psi on gravel, flats really suck on a tandem rear wheel with a drum brake)

Looking at Ebay, there are several Santana's that look really nice at a much better price than the OP's craiglist link. Shipping is a pain and expensive, but if the seller is willing... This one looks really nice for example (if it fits) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Santana-Nove...QAAOSwd~RZUGiS

[Tandem Rider]

You've gotten a lot of good advice here. Independent coasting would be a nightmare for us. Think about it, you position pedals to facilitate easing over bumps, cornering, starting from a stop etc. Hold out for a better performing tandem. Santana, CoMotion, Cannondale, etc. If you can test ride several and THEN find one with a Softride beam, buy it you will be a hero. We have one on our gravel/touring tandem and it sees the most miles, MrsTR swears by it.
We have brifters on all 3 of ours, work fine if you keep good cables on it. Remember, tandems eat parts. Tires, chains, brake pads, and cables all wear rapidly, I keep spares on hand and buy in advance. Keep fresh tires on it, use the slightly worn tires on your single. Run your tires about 15-20% higher pressure than your single because pinch flats suck.

[pdmtong]

Buy the CHEAPEST cannondale road tandem you can find...def <$1,000

go ride...

if you like the idea....THEN sell it for something less...think of the "loss" as your extended rental/trial fee

then go look for some thing nicer.

as for tandems...yes have some experience

[marciero]

That DaVinci is too "unique". I would strongly discourage getting something with independent pedaling. In my mind it detracts from the whole experience, is heavy, inefficient, problematic when cornering, etc. Look on the tandem forums. The teams using this are a very small minority, and typically are teams where the stoker is more a passenger. Do you want 26" with flat bars? If you want a road bike with drop bars, this aint it. The couplers are nice but add expense, and it sounds you are in the "trying out" phase. Will you want to fly with this bike? So makes sense to buy something cheaper. I've seen plenty of older Cannondales for under $1200, or Comotions for $2000. I would advocate spending more on a bike if you are certain you are going to like tandeming and you have a clear idea of what you want.

[carpediemracing]

Originally Posted by Bostic

That Tandem is way way overpriced. I bought a new Cannondale Road Tandem 2 in Jan 2012 for just under 3 grand. Granted, it was a closeout but still. It's been an awesome investment, but rent first or ride one beforehand. Where ever you are in your relationship, a Tandem will get you there faster for good or bad. We test road a Cannondale Mountain tandem and were won over so I grabbed that Medium/Small road tandem at another store before the sold out.

I prefer to ride the Tandem over my single bikes but I realize my wife is not at the same level of "must bike" as I am. For me, it's exponentially harder, not just double. You will feel every single percent grade of difference on the road. Once you start descending, it's like a roller coaster. We have dual discs with large 203mm Rotors. I'd love to test a really light Calfee or Paketa just to see the difference. Our Cannondale is 38lbs.

+1 on the Cannondale.

We have a 2006 Cannondale road tandem, same size even. Basically stock, Shimano 9s drivetrain, discs. We changed out contact points (saddles, bars), added the Thudbuster, and put Campy 10s levers on for me (no other changes necessary to work with Shimano drivetrain). Closer ratio cassette. Done.

[zap]

Go to Larry Blacks shop in Mt Airy MD http://www.bike123.com/ and test tandems. Great area to ride.

Do this first.

Wife and I have been riding road tandems for some time now. Did some TT's but mostly fast riding (with singles) in MD and VA and now in NC.

Our tandems are setup similar to our singles. Types of brakes depends on terrain - flat to rolling rim brakes are the best.....hilly to mountains disc due to safety. We just recommissioned our 24 year old CoMo Double E with rim brakes and gosh, that thing tracks like a slot car and rim brakes are fantastic.

700.........no question.

No suspension seatpost for us...........my wife would smack me on the back of my head if I mention it. Every so often I screw up and don't catch a big bump in time. She can feel the front wheel smack a hole and lift off the saddle a bit just as the rear wheel hits hard.

Now, call Larry to see what he has in stock...........

[GregL]

Lots of great advice in this thread! My $0.02 based on ten years of tandem cycling with my wife (plus a few rides with my daughter and a blind athlete):

- Rule No. 1: the stoker is always right. If the stoker is wrong, refer to rule #1. Your tandem ride will never be pleasant if the person on the back is not enjoying the ride.

- Maintain your tandem meticulously. Nothing imparts fear to the stoker more than a sketchy bike which they have no control over. Braking, shifting, tires and wheels should be in excellent working order. Tandem braking and shifting can and should work perfectly. Brake/shift levers are better than separate controls because they allow the captain to keep his/her hands on the handlebars at nearly all times. Quality cables and installation will ensure good operation. I like Jagwire Road Pro cable sets.

- Ride like you are chauffeuring the most important VIP in the world - because you are! Safety is everything when it comes to stoker confidence. That means being extra careful at intersections, on wet corners, and on fast downhills (just to name a few places). That doesn't mean you have to ride in a slow, boring manner. Once your stoker is confident in you, you may find that you ride faster and corner more "sportingly" than you ever imagined. My wife has actually encouraged me to contest town line sprints on our tandem, and she loves to drop single bikes who can't corner as fast as our tandem...

Bottom line: tandem cycling can be a blast! It will take a while to acquire skills and confidence, but it's well worth the investment of your time.

Greg

[PeregrineA1]

I've got a friend with a Santana Visa that is for sale. Nice bike. Used to be mine. I'm sure it could be had for well under a grand. In OC.


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[Drmojo]

best for buying and selling tandems
great deals
no need for couplers unless flying it around alot

[zennmotion]

+1 for Larry Black's shop/ Mt. Airy bikes in MD. Also Tandems East in NJ- both East Coast shops but worth a trip if you can or a phone conversation if you can't. Tandems and tandem riding is unique and different enough from singles that it's worth seeking out a specialist shop if you can- both these shops have trial day events once or twice a year where you can test ride a lot of bikes in an afternoon, including used models. They would be good for advice and parts on setting up a used tandem as well. They hold value well (compared with singles anyway) but deals can be found as a result of relentless technology and fallout from bad relationship juju, or kids growing up to ride their own bikes. Don't get anything too cheap though- a noodly tandem that doesn't shift well or, worse, doesn't brake well is not a good experience anywhere except maybe as a beach cruiser- forget the vintage Schwinns and cheap crap chinese junk on Ebay if you want a real tandem experience. And there's no such thing as a too-stiff tandem frame- they twist, get a stiff frame together with cushy tires, saddles and (maybe) a suspension seatpost.