Question

Elvish Legion

Well I am looking into the purchase of a tandem so that when my girlfriend wants to come riding with me she doesn't feel like shes slowling me down. But theres a problem.

Shes 4'11 or 5 foot (Barely) and I'm 5'8.5" -5'9"

Now I've never ridden a tandem before, but roadbike sizeing I'm a 54 regular bike or a 52 sprinters bike, and shes a 47. So as you can see theres at least 5 cms there.

My question is would we be able to find a tandem that we could both ride comfortablely?

I haven't looked at their sizings to see as LBS only has one and its hung up.

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galen_52657

M/S Cannondale should do...

http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/06/geo-30.html

rmac

M/S Cannondale should do...

http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/06/geo-30.html

Only problem is that you may have to get a new seatpost for the stoker. Since the stock seatpost is a suspension one, it doesn't have much adjustment downward.

TandemGeek

I'm 68.5" tall with a 30" inseam and the small size tandems from most of the major builders are an OK fit. My wife is 62" tall with a 28.5" inseam and has also been able to fit on most of these bikes. On the bright side, tandem builders are building their tandems with shorter stoker seat tubes and more steeply sloping top tubes so even someone at 60" in height may be able to straddle the top tube.

Here are some specs from another post to give you an idea of what's out there. Some of these may be a little out of date, but they're pretty close:

Cannondale's dimensions for Med/Small size frame (Captain / Stoker) in inches are:
Seat Tube: 19.0 / 17.0
Top Tubes: 21.5 / 27.1
Standover: 28.3 / 26.6

Santana's aprox. dimensions for Small size frame (Captain / Stoker) in inches are:
Seat Tube: 20.00 / 18.0
Top Tubes: 21.00 / 27.5
Standover: 28.35 / 27.15

Co-Motion's dimensions for Small size frame (Captain / Stoker) in inches are:
Seat Tube: 21.00 / 18.0
Top Tubes: 21.75 / 28.5
Standover: 29.80/ 27.25

Elvish Legion

I'm 68.5" tall with a 30" inseam and the small size tandems from most of the major builders are an OK fit. My wife is 62" tall with a 28.5" inseam and has also been able to fit on most of these bikes. On the bright side, tandem builders are building their tandems with shorter stoker seat tubes and more steeply sloping top tubes so even someone at 60" in height may be able to straddle the top tube.

Here are some specs from another post to give you an idea of what's out there. Some of these may be a little out of date, but they're pretty close:

Cannondale's dimensions for Med/Small size frame (Captain / Stoker) in inches are:
Seat Tube: 19.0 / 17.0
Top Tubes: 21.5 / 27.1
Standover: 28.3 / 26.6

Santana's aprox. dimensions for Small size frame (Captain / Stoker) in inches are:
Seat Tube: 20.00 / 18.0
Top Tubes: 21.00 / 27.5
Standover: 28.35 / 27.15

Co-Motion's dimensions for Small size frame (Captain / Stoker) in inches are:
Seat Tube: 21.00 / 18.0
Top Tubes: 21.75 / 28.5
Standover: 29.80/ 27.25

Well sometime this week we're going to go tandem hunting and see if we can't find one. We have two very different fitness levels clearly, but this is just going to be something to spend time with each other

TandemGeek

For what it's worth, you have two a very active Tandem Club there in the Dallas / Fort Worth Area called, "Dallas Area Tandem Enthusiasts" or "DATES". You might want to check out their Web site: http://www.doubledates.com/

Last year's president & this year's membership coordinators are very good friends Kevin & Linda Vinson who can fill you in on what the club does and also give you some good tips on where to shop for tandems in the DFW area, as could just about any one of the other club officers. In fact, if you happen to call on Pat & Charlie say "hi" for myself & Debbie. We just spent 3 days with them at the Southern Tandem Rally in Kingsport, TN... in fact, even Don & D'Ann were at STR. Guess this means we're about due for a trip to the SouthWest Tandem Rally.

Anyway, just recognize that you have a great resource there in your local area via the members of DATES and their Web site. Heck, they even have a fairly good selection of used tandems (with photos) listed under on the classified ad page.