Thanks; much appreciated.
To put it simply, we love to ride, and hands down our preferred mode is a tandem. Combine that with the spectacular scenery of New Zealand and the company of like-minded friends for a week or more and it's as close to heaven on earth that I can imagine. Two years ago we rode with the same group from Mt. Cook (highest point in New Zealand) to Christchurch over eight days on an even older tandem; an 1895 Victor "Victoria" lady-front, double-steering model. The story behind that bike is quite amazing: sold new in Denver, Colorado, by the local Victor dealer to the first Dean of Denver University. The bike fell into disrepair in the mid-20th-century until I rescued it from the trash compactor ten years ago. Hauled it to Christchurch on one of my earlier trips and left it with Robin Willan of Willan Cycles in Christchurch, who restored it brilliantly. We rode it for eight days with no mechanical issues, which is quite a testament both to the original builders as well as Robin Willan's consummate skill as a top-flight restoration expert. This is the bike that was, at least in part, the impetus for the V2r's right-sided timing design (and appears on the Paketa web site as well). As with most good ideas, there's nothing new under the sun. We have the advantage of better materials and the experience that many decades lends, but if you can think of a good idea today, chances are someone's tried it before. This doesn't bother me in the slightest; I enjoy reading and learning about old bikes and then thinking about how to apply those concepts in a contemporary context.
Next on my list is to resurrect a circa-1970 Alex Singer randonneuring tandem that we picked up recently. It's a fabulous machine that is equally deserving of being ridden and used the way it was meant to once again soon.
