[mudmouse]

Hi everyone,

We are planning to do a little touring this year. Just weekenders, really, but some rides may include longer climbs (mtns/Oregon coast). We are planning on using our Santana Tandem & towing a nomad trailer. What we need is some advice on lower gearing for the tandem. Right now it has the 11-34 that came with the bike. The granny gear/chaingring is a 30. We're not strong riders, and I just think we are going to need some lower gears. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated - thanks!

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[senior_banana]

Well, you're not going to be able to go any higher than 34 in the back, but you could probably change the granny in the front to something smaller. Currently, we've got 26-38-54 in the front with a 11-34 in the back. Seemed fine touring the coast in CA.

[dubbelop]

Well, you're not going to be able to go any higher than 34 in the back, but you could probably change the granny in the front to something smaller. Currently, we've got 26-38-54 in the front with a 11-34 in the back. Seemed fine touring the coast in CA.
Is this combination (26/38/54) on a 'racing' triple like Ultegra? We considered changing the 30 on our 30/42/52 Truvativ set to an 28. Our LBS - who generally is very knowledgeable - claims that this will give bad shifting, because the chain wouldn't be picked up properly by the 42. Your combination has a similar 12-tooth step from the small to the medium chainwheel, ours would be 14 teeth. But if it shifts properly, I think we can take a chance on the 28.

[mudmouse]

That's kind of what we figured - that it would be the chaingrings we would be changing. I'm just wondering what else, if anything, we would need to change, along with the rings.

It seems like every time we do one little thing on the bike, it leads to another change here, and another change there...:)

[zonatandem]

Your gearing should/could suffice; seeing that you'll be hauling a trailerload, try keeping the weight down a bit and you are talking weekend tours, that should be rather easy to do.
We have toured with panniers and carry a total of 22 lbs of gear . . . and a credit card (no tent, cooking gear, etc.) with mountains and with approximately your kind of gearing.
Try a one day ride with trailerload with your current gearing. You may be surprised on how well it works out.
Enjoy!