Originally posted by JohnC
If you had to to do again, would you spend all that money or would you make do with a few upgrades?
If buying a new or a newer used tandem is within your budget and you feel as though you would enjoy riding more and, therefore, end up riding more, then it's absolutely worth it.
A newer tandem with a better frame design, lighter overall weight, lighter wheels and current technology 9 speed components will feel like a Grand Prix motor car (way too much time watching Bob Roll comercials on OLN) compared to your Burley IF you are attentive to things like bike feel -- your comments suggest you are. Technology hasn't progressed that far over the past few years so a tandem that's one to four years old (9 speed vintage/model level) is still "current" in my book so it may not be essential to go for the "new-new" tandem if budget is a constraint OR if you'd like to try a barely used higher-end, softride-equipeed or aluminum-framed tandem for the price of a new mid-range steel model.
Back to your comments, let me suggest that it's hard for anyone to "justify" a newer bicycle for anything beyond convenience or desire UNLESS they make a living from it. After all, there are folks who still ride ordinary (aka., Pennyfarthing or high wheeler) bicycles on Century rides. More specifically, while frame-flex can be disconcerting and make a tandem harder to control, it's not necessarily less efficient than a super rigid one unless you're doing a lot of sprinting or hard climbing. High performance 26" tires can be purchased that have comparable rolling resistance and performance to high performance 700c tires. Weight is a bad thing when it comes to rapid acceleration and climbing but is otherwise "negligible" once you are cruising along on flat to rolling terrain. The drive train can be a big consideration if you are riding for fitness, difficult terrain or long distances and need either close or wide-range ratios but, otherwise, call to mind that at one time the Tour de France was ridden on single speed bikes, then four speed, five and eventually 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and now 20 speed machines.
We've structured our social lives around tandems so our equipment is pretty important and a quick look around our garage would suggest that our tandems are more important than our cars. Therefore, I'm hardly unbiased when it comes to my taste in tandem hardware. However, I will tell you that I began the upgrade game with a two-year old Santana Arriva and quickly figured out that no matter how much I spent on shiny, lightweight parts the things that bothered me the most -- steering geometry and stoker compartment -- would still be the same. So, we sold the Santana ($3,900 sunk cost) for $2,950 after 2 years and 4,500 miles and added the proceeds to another $3,250 for a custom, dream tandem that we've been riding for 4.5 years and well over 12K miles. Was it worth it? We still grin from ear-to-ear everytime we get on it. Has it withstood the test of time? I just did some upgrades this past year -- carbon fork, new wheelset, carbon seatpost, new 9 speed rear derailleur -- that have kept it fresh.
We also did the upgrade or replace decision model on a '98 Cannondale MT3000 off-road tandem. As I contemplated the addition of disc brakes and a few other features it dawned on me that there was no way that rigid rear triangle was ever going to be upgradeable to a full-suspension rear swingarm and the only option was a full bike upgrade. A few years later after acquiring a top of the line, full suspension tandem it was time for a few upgrades and once again it was more cost effective in the long run to sell and replace with a new tandem that came with all the goodies I was considering.
Again, this is just my take and I probably represent a group of tandem enthusiasts that make up less than 1% of all tandem owners. However, I think the logic may still be valid for the majority of tandem & cycling "enthusiasts" who appreciate the feel and performance of "nice" equipment.