TandemGeek

Yes, there's a very good reason and it's not unusual either. Like most first time buyers, the initial test rides are a bit shakey. We started out on a properly fitted Santana Arriva and it felt very unusual at first - barcons made it all that much more awkward as I was a long-time downtube & STI guy. The only Co-Motions available for test rides were a Co-Pilot that was too big and a Cappuccino (Softride Beam) which stoker's either like or don't -- Debbie didn't. There was no way to get a favorable impression from either of these two bikes, even though the Co-Pilot was fitted with Sach's Ergo's (Campy Chorus w/Shimano 8 speed shift disc). We also test rode a Bilenky, a Cannondale, a Santana Sovereign, a Santana Arriva Stow-away, a Burley Duet, looked at an Ibis EasyStreet frame, and then re-rode the Arriva towards the end of the day. Alas, there was no properly fitting Speedster on the premises to compare the Arriva against. So, the best of the bunch was the only tandem that really fit properly and it felt rock solid to boot. I helped my dealer change out the barcons & Diacomp brake levers for the Sach's Ergo shifters (ca-ching), and we took it home that day in August '97. I changed out the rims (Araya for Mavic T217) and tires (28's to 23's) the next week and we proceeded to ride the wheels off that bike. The following spring we read a tandem review in Tandem & Family Cycling Magazine http://www.tandemmag.com/roadtest/erickson97/. The comments about stoker fit struck a chord with me as I was never happy with Debbie's riding position on the Santana as well as some handling issues that I discovered as we began to push the upper end of the performance envelope (hard cornering and high-speed, e.g., 40 - 55 mph descents). After talking to Glenn, seeing an Erickson and talking with owners we ordered our first Erickson in June '98 and took delivery in December '98. Simply awesome is the only way to describe how that tandem fit and handled. A few months later I finally had a chance to ride a Co-Motion Speedster that fit. Damn, it handled a lot like the Erickson! And, the more I looked at it and fiddled around with it the more I liked it.

Bottom Line: If we had been given an opportunity to test ride a Speedster in our size back in Aug '97, we would have gone home with a Co-Motion and would probably be riding one to this day... albeit a custom with an extended stoker compartment. So, my default recommendation for folks who are in my estimation predisposed to be performance riders is the Co-Motion. I have other default recommendations as well, all tailored to budgets and how the tandems are likely to be used. However, all of them are tempered with, test ride before you decide and if at all possible, test ride a Co-Motion.


Don't get me wrong, a Cannondale is a fine product... best value by a mile. It's my default for value-shoppers looking for a first tandem who want a new tandem with "the good stuff" as well as for teams who are above average in weight or who are pedal mashers who just want to go as fast as possible all the time: they're the sturdiest lightweight production tandems on the planet. However, IF you:
a). Consider yourself to be someone who is sensitive to how different bicycles "feel" and know what 'good flex vs bad flex' is as well as what 'stiff and too-stiff" feels like, and
b). Have developed an affinity for higher-end bicycles, and
c). Are an accomplished cyclist who logs a lot of miles each year, and
d). Have a permanent riding partner who is enthusiastic about trying this tandem thing, and
e). Are not necessarily budget constrained and look at this purchase as an investment in your relationship....

...my personal belief is you will be better off on the Co-Motion. But, that's just one man's opinion... and I'm a beer lover who rather drink water than Budweiser. So, take it for what it's worth.