Tandem Cycling - Tandem Porn

Tandem is finally road ready here are some clickable images (images are large, modem users beware).

[/URL] (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/bhmmrtn/Stuff/DSCN2296.jpg)
[URL=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/bhmmrtn/Stuff/DSCN2294.jpg]

The first thing I did was to move my workarea from the Family Room to the Dining Room, but my wife objected, so this is the new workarea, the kitchen.

All cables were shortened, seatposts replaced, saddles replaced, Stoker stem replaced, Stoker handlebars replaced, in-line brake cable tensioners moved, in-line derailleur cable tensioners replaced with Jagwire Rocket Adjusters, Avid Rollamajig added to rear derailleur cable, longer lighter stem for better bike fit. Water bottle cages installed, Shimano Flight Deck Wireless installed. Pedals installed.

I am currently working on modifying a Magellan Bicycle GPS mount to fit under the Captains saddle, lots of Dremel work.

Goddammit, I thought you and the Stoker were trying out some new positions.

what part of the bike is clamped in the work stand???? Not the frame I hope....

what part of the bike is clamped in the work stand???? Not the frame I hope....

It is not clamped at all. In order to take the pictures it is actually balanced on the clamping arm.

Goddammit, I thought you and the Stoker were trying out some new positions.

If the Stoker was my wife then maybe, but she told me, in no uncertain terms, that she will never ride the tandem with me.

SO get that ba0d boy out on the road and scratch it up a little!!! HAve fun...

what part of the bike is clamped in the work stand???? Not the frame I hope....
On the MT3000 we bought in 1994 was a sticker stating the bike should be clamped on the horizontal tube, roughly under the stoker's handlebar. Apart from that: if you clamp a bike by a seatpost that is inserted more than, say, 4 inches, not much harm can come from this, can there?

All cables were shortened, seatposts replaced, saddles replaced, Stoker stem replaced, Stoker handlebars replaced, in-line brake cable tensioners moved, in-line derailleur cable tensioners replaced with Jagwire Rocket Adjusters, Avid Rollamajig added to rear derailleur cable, longer lighter stem for better bike fit. Water bottle cages installed, Shimano Flight Deck Wireless installed. Pedals installed.

I am currently working on modifying a Magellan Bicycle GPS mount to fit under the Captains saddle, lots of Dremel work.
One learns something new every day! I never figured out what these barrels in the shifter cables of our 2004 RT were good for ..... thanks to your Tandem Porn I now know they're shift adjusters :rolleyes: The effect is minute however, so perhaps I'll change them for these Jagwire Rocket Adjusters someday.

About the dark gray cable on your tandem: are these standard C'dale or are they new? Our RT shifts great but the brake feel is a bit mushy. I'm not sure whether this stems from the cable (bright silver/metal ones) or from the STI levers.

Happy new year in advance; on this side of the Atlantic we'll celebrate this a few hours before you do :D

One learns something new every day! I never figured out what these barrels in the shifter cables of our 2004 RT were good for ..... thanks to your Tandem Porn I now know they're shift adjusters :rolleyes: The effect is minute however, so perhaps I'll change them for these Jagwire Rocket Adjusters someday.

About the dark gray cable on your tandem: are these standard C'dale or are they new? Our RT shifts great but the brake feel is a bit mushy. I'm not sure whether this stems from the cable (bright silver/metal ones) or from the STI levers.

Happy new year in advance; on this side of the Atlantic we'll celebrate this a few hours before you do :D

Those inline adjusters are only there to take up some cable slack, you are correct the effect is minimal, so that's why I replaced them. First Cannondale puts cables on that are way too long and then they put those really big adjusters on them. Besides that I would question whether anyone would every adjust them while riding, so why put them directly in formt of the rider. Take another look at the front wheel picture, I moved the adjuster closer to the brake and out of the way. I figured that since my single Dura-Ace brakes have their adjuster on the brake itself, why couldn't Avid. Yes the cable housing is new, it was easier to use new stuff cut to length before installing than removing and cutting and replacing cable housing.

I noticed the same thing, but please remember that disc brakes do not require the same amount of strength to actuate as side pulls, cantilever or VBrakes, it is much more efficient with less force than any other brake technology, so it is a lighter touch. But if you are like me and only know how to tuck in going downhill then brake really hard at the bottom while praying you don't hit any cars (I have decended a small climb at about 72 mph, 115 kph just for you.) then disc brakes takes some getting used to. I remind myself to compare it to older Campy brakes vs. Shimano brakes, Shimanos were made to stop you, Campys were made to just slow you down.

Nice setup. Does the rollamajig make a big difference with your shifting?

I have one on my single bike that I am currently riding, since the Tandem hasn't been on the road yet. Why is because we are almost a 500 lb team. I have GB surgery tentatively scheduled for Jan 13 so by the summer I will be about 75 lbs lighter. Road bike wheels are built to take my 350 lb weight. On it shifting seems crisper. It is the same principal as SRAM uses on it's R.Derailleur, try to make the cable path straighter to avoid the big loop at the end, and it works for the SRAM derailleurs. So the Rollamajig shortens and straightens the cable housing at the derailleur end making for a little less slop in the cable. It is a marginal increase in shifting efficency but at less than $10.00 anyone can afford a marginal increase. What really made a difference were all the changes combined, in ascending order of benefit: 1. Shorter cable run (although minimally shorter) 2. Rollamajig (for reasons mentioned above) and 3. Changing rear derailleur to the new low normal Shimano Rapid-Rise STR (RD-M960-SGS which makes shifting to a lower gear increadibly easy even under load as you are spring assisted in that direction).

MTBR has many reviews of the Rollamajig and for the most part they are favorable, even for people who like to cover their entire bike with mud (personally I do not like to get that dirty so I hardly ever ride trails.) Many of the bad reviews were probably due to setup, when I first put it on the last piece of cable housing was about .5" too long and the performance was worse than without it. In the picture above the housing is near the ideal length, if anything shortening it another .25" would probably make it perfect. With the rollamajig it seems to be better short than long.

Take another look at the front wheel picture, I moved the adjuster closer to the brake and out of the way. I figured that since my single Dura-Ace brakes have their adjuster on the brake itself, why couldn't Avid. Yes the cable housing is new, it was easier to use new stuff cut to length before installing than removing and cutting and replacing cable housing.
There's a difference: we have the extra brake levers on the handlebar, these have a built-in brake adjuster. Any ideas on make/type of the cable (just curious)?


But if you are like me and only know how to tuck in going downhill then brake really hard at the bottom while praying you don't hit any cars (I have decended a small climb at about 72 mph, 115 kph just for you.) then disc brakes takes some getting used to. I remind myself to compare it to older Campy brakes vs. Shimano brakes, Shimanos were made to stop you, Campys were made to just slow you down.
115 kph?! And we thought we were fast once at 84 ..... Anyway: bicycles are made for riding, not braking :p