# Compact Crank for Your Tandem?



## onespeedbiker (May 28, 2007)

I picked up a Burly tandem for my wife and I about 8 years ago and it has gone through several alterations over the years, the last was a switch to a compact crank. I have always had an issue with the Cyclone triple cranks (30/42/53), which worked until they sucked (chain suck that is), and it drove my stoker/wife to "I don't care what you do, just fix it!". I considered upgrading to a better triple, but a switch to a double would pretty much eliminate any chance of chain suck. Cost was also a factor and my stoker didn't want to lose our low gear. Fortunately, the rear cassette was an 11/30. I ended up with a 48/34 compact and changing the rear cassette to a 32. It works great and no chain suck!


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## pcfithian (Jul 2, 2010)

Funny, I just did the exact same thing, replacing the problematic triple 52/42/28 with a new Sugino Compact Double 48/34.

I've got a lot of experience working in bike shops and I never could get the triple to shift right without dropping the chain at the upper or lower end. So we ended up riding in the middle 42 gear all the time.

Now that it's got a double, it shifts great and the chain stays on.

The Yellow Jersey in Madison, Wisconsin modifies Sugino triples with a square shank to make up a great compact double. Wish I'd have done this to our Burley Softride years ago.


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