Riding a Road tandem off Road

[ou98dtbiggs]

I have a Tsunami Ti-Boom tandem and for a lark I bought some hybrid tires that were 42mm to ride the bike on dirt roads and the C&O canal path. First off I was shocked that the big 42mm tires actually fit on the bike. The front was really tight, so tight I had to push them though the brake pads but surprising that with the front carbon fork and mini-V brakes it was able to fit. The back fit fine I am suprised that they made it so wide back there. Nice to see that the bike is a little more versitale then most roadbikes where a 25mm tire is tight. Has anyone ridden with this Tread http://www.nashbar.com/profile_moreimages.cfm?category=121&subcategory=1196&sku=1966&brand= on a tandem on dirt roads? The bike looks like a monster truck with these tires on it.

[zonatandem]

While not having used a tire that w-i-d-e on a road tandem, we did use a Cyclocross rated knobbie (27x1 1/4") on the rear of our tandem way back in the 80s to cross a wicked 14 mile stretch of dirt/rock-strewn, with mountain curves, road by Roosevelt Lake in Arizona.
It was on the Grand Canyon to Mexico Tour and having done that tour five times, we did have some issues with the back wheel a-slippin'/slidin' out from under us (fortunately without going down) with a 27x1 1/8 inch wide rear road tire the year we did the inaugural tour. By the second tour, we packed a Cyclocross tire (27x1 1/4) for rear of tandem only and put it on the bike the night before we did that nasty stretch of so-called road. Fortunately, that road is now fully paved!
Most of the C&O Canal trail is not bad at all compared to our experience in AZ.
So definitely, a road tandem can be ridden off-road but would not attempt any single track stuff!
Pedal on!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

[merlinextraligh]

We have a Burley Duet. For a while we had 35mm Avocet cross tires on it, with inverted tread. On the road they're supposed to ride like slicks (albeit heavy slicks). Off road the inverted tread (deep grooves) acts a little like a knobby. we road like that a fair amount on dirt roads, and some modest single track.

[stapfam]

Cannot comment on these tyres or for your final use on your tandem, but if this tread was on a mountain bike tyre then it would be called a semi slick. I know of mountain tandems that use the semi slick all year round, although the winter use is never actually on anything slippery like mud or even damp grass. In the summer though, on dry full offroad trails, Semislicks do work, no loss of grip, but being this narrow, stay away from any soft ground.

Good luck and enjoy cleaning down the stoker on your first foray off road this winter.