# Anyone here ride a road tandem?



## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

Thinking about getting one. I'm about 6'2" and the wife is 5'2"...is this gonna be possible? How do they size road tandems? We have a cruiser tandem now that works with a long seatpost for me, but assuming a good road setup will need to be a lot more precise. What price range am I looking at for something that isn't junk and what brands would be recommended?


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

We are more than happy with our Santana.

Expect to spend $3000+ (ours was $9,000+ and well worth it) for anything you want to ride a lot (figure a tandem is going to cost about 3X a similar quality single). Used tandems tend to hold their value but e-bay is always worth a look.

Santana, Co-Motion, Trek, KHS, Cannondale.

Plan to get a bike that fits the captain well. The stoker doesn't really need standover since they can get on and off the thing as they would a horse while the captain holds the thing upright and steady.


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## FrontRanger (May 19, 2004)

You should be in good shape. My wife and I are roughly the same height and every tandem we have found has been for people of your proportions. Tall captain/short stoker. Cannondale has a nice one price right around $2500.

<IMG SRC=https://www.cannondale.com/bikes/07/CUSA/geo/tandem.gif>


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## Mr. Peabody (Dec 8, 2005)

I considered a tandem for my wife and I, but decided against it. I looked at a number of companies while researching the possibilities, and I spoke to the folks at CoMotion on a number of occasions; they were patient, knowledgable, very friendly, and free with their time and information, which I appreciated greatly. So, I'd certainly recommend talking to them first. Good luck in your tandem search, they look like a blast to ride.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

Mr. Peabody said:


> I considered a tandem for my wife and I, but decided against it. I looked at a number of companies while researching the possibilities, and I spoke to the folks at CoMotion on a number of occasions; they were patient, knowledgable, very friendly, and free with their time and information, which I appreciated greatly. So, I'd certainly recommend talking to them first. Good luck in your tandem search, they look like a blast to ride.


Curious...why did you decide against it?

My wife and I ride our cruiser tandem all the time--she is in great shape, but doesn't like to ride her own bicycle that much. She much prefers to be the stoker and let someone else do the driving. Thinking this would be a good way to get into some more serious riding without having to leave her behind. The cruiser tandem is great for around town, but it's too heavy and undergeared for any real riding.

//A search turns up this [sorta] LBS in Denver specializing in tandems. Might have to pay them a visit:

http://www.tandemcycleworks.com/our_shop.html


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

MB1 said:


> We are more than happy with our Santana.
> 
> Expect to spend $3000+ (ours was $9,000+ and well worth it) for anything you want to ride a lot (figure a tandem is going to cost about 3X a similar quality single). Used tandems tend to hold their value but e-bay is always worth a look.
> 
> ...


ANother question...how do you transport it? Is there some kind of special rack that works for a tandem? I rode the cruiser tandem home from the shop and we've never had to drive it anywhere, but assume there is a product that makes that possible.


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## FrontRanger (May 19, 2004)

Check with Boulder local Rocky Mounts. They have or have in the immediate works a sliding tandem rack. Works for a single or expands to hold the tandem. Locking skewer as well if I recall.


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## phil. (Aug 3, 2004)

If you have a hitchrack that holds bikes by the top tube w/ two arms like Yakima or Thule make, then you can transport a tandem like this easily. It sticks out a bit, but not too bad w/out the front wheel on and if you really wanted to keep in from sticking out you could remove the rear wheel also.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Bocephus Jones II said:


> ANother question...how do you transport it? Is ....


At first we carried it in the bed of my pickup with the front wheel off, the fork in a bed-mount clamp and the tailgate down.

Finally we rode the tandem to a auto dealer to test fit the thing in a variety of vehicles. Now it fits in the back of our minivan with both wheels on standing upright between the 2 middle seats (we removed the rear bench since we would never use it).

What we do now is just ride from home-the easiest way of all to transport it.


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## phil. (Aug 3, 2004)

As MB1 mentioned you can fit it inside some vehicles, w/ mini-van being ideal. I can actually fit mine inside of my Trooper w/ the front wheel off and secured via a forkmount mounted at the rear of the vehicle. The 60% of the rear seat has to be removed (it doesn't fold flat, instead it folds and flips) and the rear wheel sits on the rear portion of the front center console, no lowering of the bike seatposts are required.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

If I take the wheels off, I can fit my tandem in my subaru impreza wagon.

The best advice I ever got for riding a tandem is that the stoker is never wrong. Communication between the captain and stoker is really important. The first time you ride together, you're going to feel ridiculous when you tell your stoker every single thing you are doing- shifting, turning, stopping pedalling (that's a big one)- but it really helps. After a while, you figure out what's more important to communicate, but at first, tell them everything.

Good luck!

Also, check craigslist in your area for used tandems- we got a Santana for around $500, and it was only a couple miles from my house. It's an older fillet-brazed steel sovereign, but it's in great shape, the components are serviceable and if we found out that we just plain hated riding together, we'd only have been out whatever it costs to sell it again.


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## thinkcooper (Jan 5, 2005)

I'm waiting for the right tandem deal, same exact reasons as yours.


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## wayneanneli (Jul 8, 2004)

Great thread BJ. Anneli and I are roughly the same height and I've always thought that getting a tandem might be a way for us to ride more together, since she's not into cycling as much as I am.


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## Chain (Dec 28, 2006)

Bocephus Jones II said:


> Curious...why did you decide against it?
> 
> My wife and I ride our cruiser tandem all the time--she is in great shape, but doesn't like to ride her own bicycle that much. She much prefers to be the stoker and let someone else do the driving. Thinking this would be a good way to get into some more serious riding without having to leave her behind. The cruiser tandem is great for around town, but it's too heavy and undergeared for any real riding.
> 
> ...


BJ. It's been a few years, but my wife and I checked out that shop. Pretty nice folks and some really nice bikes. They also had some used bikes in the shop for sale, but would order and build anything you want. I'm 5'11" and My wife is in the 5'2" range and they said it wouldn't be a problem. 

I think they also used to do some demo days or let you take a bike and go cruise around Wash park with it. Worth the trip to go check it out. There's also a bar next door for the post ride debriefing.


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## innergel (Jun 14, 2002)

BJ, judging by the tandem riders I've seen, if you get one, you and the Mrs will have to get matching kits with some Gawd awful design on the jersey. And when I say matching, I mean socks, gloves, shorts, helmets, shoes, everything. One of you will have to have a helmet mounted mirror, and possibly some SPD sandals, too. 

I love my wife, but I can think of nothing worse than buying a tandem and then having her complain that we're going too fast, or there are too many hills, etc. I've always heard if you have any issues in your marriage, getting a tandem will only make them worse. If she doesn't like to ride next to you when she can control her own pacing and effort, what makes you think she'll all of the sudden love it when she's staring at your ass for 2 hours as you hammer up some giant climb? Either she likes riding or doesn't. The bike won't change that.

I'd say stick with the tandem cruiser. That actually sounds fun, esp. when you have a margarita holder built into the stoker bars.

YMMV


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## Mel Erickson (Feb 3, 2004)

Do it, it's great. My wife and I have a Santana and it's great fun. I'm 6'2" and she's 5'5" with short legs and there's no problem. We got ours used about 6 years ago from a fellow in Colorado that worked for Schwinn at the time. The model is the Rio, which was sold as more of a mtb tandem. Originally we had it equipped with a front shock and knobbies but it's since been converted to more of a road tandem with flat bars and a rigid fork (original rigid fork came with the deal). All tolled we got three pair of pedals, the shock fork and original fork, two sets of tires and some Schwinn socks along with the XT equipped Rio for $1500. It was/is in perfect shape. Sure, it's 8spd but it doesn't make any difference. I've considered converting the captains seat to road bars since I've got a pair of 8spd Ultegra brifters sitting around but haven't gotten up the gumption yet, maybe this winter.

Works great for more than the wife, too. A bunch of my friends also have tandems and we do an annual April century tandem ride to a resort owned by one of them. We usually have 6-8 tandems on the ride. Santana sponsors a bunch of tandem vacation rides all over the world with several in the US each year. Never been on one but they look like a blast. My wife and I want to do a Napa valley tandem tour sometime. We also do a "triathlon" each year. It's actually a fund raiser for a local lake association. A walk/run, then a paddle and finish with a bike ride. We're the only ones that ride a tandem.

As for transporting, just about every rack maker has a tandem mount, either roof or rear rack. One of the best I've seen for a tandem is a Draftmaster http://www.draftmaster.com/t.html I put ours in my Honda Element. I just remove the front wheel, put the rear wheel between the front seats and close the hatch.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Mel Erickson said:


> ..... Santana sponsors a bunch of tandem vacation rides all over the world with several in the US each year. Never been on one but they look like a blast. .....


We have done 2 (Arizona and Hawaii). The deal is that Bill and Jan like to provide a great experience on and off the bike although if you are like Miss M and I there is nothing stopping you from getting in 100 miles a day. 

Another neat thing is that on their trips everyone is couples and fairly successful in life (the trips ain't anything like cheap but everything is first class indeed). Lots of good folks to hang with.

Next year we are doing their Danube trip-should indeed be a blast. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## Keeping up with Junior (Feb 27, 2003)

*Looking Down*



Bocephus Jones II said:


> ...I'm about 6'2" and the wife is 5'2"...


I look down on my wife too, 6'0" to 5'0". Most tandems are designed for a taller captain and have a pretty broad adjustment range for the stokers. In addition the stoker can sit up a bit higher as you are blocking a good deal of wind for them. My wife cannot touch the ground when we ride as someone else noted. I would figure on $3k new with all the extra toys, rack attachment (assuming you have the rest of the system), pedals, saddles a couple of computers (if you are into that), bottle cages, a normal cassette.

Comotion, Erickson and Santana would be on my short list if shopping but may be budget busters. Burley is not making tandems now but would be a good value if you found a used one. Cannondale and Trek also make quality tandems at a starter level price in that $3k range. Used is a good option too. If you buy new a tandem will hold its value pretty well too as I got a good price out of my old tandem when we upgraded.

Go to this link for a wealth of information and links to other tandem related sites. Also consider working with one of the tandem dealers listed if you do not have a LBS that has some real experience with tandems. Root around and you can find some listings of used tandems too. 
http://www.thetandemlink.com/

We have a great time on our tandem and still spend plenty of time riding our singles. Our experience is two serious cyclist who met, married and started riding a tandem together. The tandem closes the small gap in our abilities and together we can put the hurt on all but the fastest racer boys.


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## Mel Erickson (Feb 3, 2004)

If you want to try one on for size in the virtual world you could subscribe to [email protected] http://sdcc3.ucsd.edu/home-pages/wade/tandem.html

It's a glimpse into the esoteric world of the tandem enthusiast. This listserv is populated by a group of erudite tandemers. You'll probably feel right at home, even though you may not know what's going on.


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