Tandem Cycling - shopping for our first tandem

(Very strange.......my first post disappeared and so did my login/user name.)

I did get a chance to read 2 or 3 of the replies. Thankyou.
ElRey, I really appreciated your comparison between your Cannondale and the Co-Mo Supremo. I'll be in Columbus, OH in the new year, and my "co-captain" and I plan on taking a trip over to Baer Wheels. They're listed as a dealer and we've heard that they always have a few in stock. Hopefully the weather will permit us to take one out for a test ride.

Has anyone had any experience with this dealer?

When I lived in Columbus Baer always lent mechanical support for organized rides. That says alot in my book. As for choice in tandems I've been very pleased with my Cannondale R1000 for 8 years now. Had trailer bikes on it on Tosrv and it performed flawlessly. Plus it handles like a big road bike.

Good/knowledgeable tandem dealers are a bit rare; folks on this list know most of the 'good ones.'
Check out current/back issues of Recumbent and Tandem Rider Magazine for some rather unbiased reviews of current tandems available. It also lists tandem dealers.

We just got our third tandem for the family, its one fine ride. Due some medical issues with one of the stokers and the age of the other we opted for a daVinci coupled with ICS this time around. You owe it to yourself to give one a try. After 4 months of loaded touring with our KHS aelite and many more miles just about, I had been pleased with the performance and its bang for the buck value, (some modifications were made over the miles which improved it from stock). Our new daVinci is much much better. Tod makes a stiff frame thats comfortable to ride, gear range is unmatched, the ICS is good for beginers but equally valuable for seasoned teams, good low speed handling and rock solid at the top end. There are a lot of good tandems, heck any tandem is better than none, but for my money the daVinci is the one, my only regret is that I did not buy it sooner. We bought one of the new frame style, odd looking, but heck get over it!

We were at a group ride last month where 2 other couples also had new tandems, (no names mentioned to protect the inocent) ours was A-1 out of the box not so in the case of the other two, attention to detail pays.

I just HAVE to add the idea of a RECUMBENT TANDEM TRIKE!
I have a Greenspeed GTT and it's something the whole family enjoys!
I captain, the 12-yr-old Stoker, the 6-yr-old rides on the rack (with special seat) and the 4-yr-old twins ride in the Burley trailer. We can all go for many miles and nobody gets "dropped" and we don't fall over. (also very efficient at starts as you don't have to put a foot down when you come to a stop cuz it's a TRICYCLE)
Something to consider anyway.
I have a friends Ice X2 that he is trying to sell. Similar to the Greenspeed, but the seats adjust.
And we haul ours around on a Honda Accord with a Hollywood rack (about $50)

I captain, the 12-yr-old Stoker, the 6-yr-old rides on the rack (with special seat) and the 4-yr-old twins ride in the Burley trailer. We can all go for many miles and nobody gets "dropped" and we don't fall over.
I have a friends Ice X2 that he is trying to sell. Similar to the Greenspeed, but the seats adjust.
And we haul ours around on a Honda Accord with a Hollywood rack (about $50)

Dr. D, what will you do when the younger ones want to move up to a pedal position? Which your 6 year old I guess is doing or will want to be doing soon.

Dr. D, what will you do when the younger ones want to move up to a pedal position? Which your 6 year old I guess is doing or will want to be doing soon.
Well, I think I have that covered. My 12-yr-old has now started to ride the Greenspeed GTX (my Ferrari) and the 6-yr-old has taken to Captaining the tandem. (I have reins so I can steer and brake if needed)
And the twins are taking turns on the rack seat, leaving the "loser" to ride in the trailer!
And when they are ALL bigger, I have 3 other recumbents for them.:D ...:rolleyes:

...silly Papi!

Well, I think I have that covered. My 12-yr-old has now started to ride the Greenspeed GTX (my Ferrari) and the 6-yr-old has taken to Captaining the tandem. (I have reins so I can steer and brake if needed)
And the twins are taking turns on the rack seat, leaving the "loser" to ride in the trailer!
And when they are ALL bigger, I have 3 other recumbents for them.:D ...:rolleyes:

...silly Papi!

lol, 2 of mine argue over the stoker position. The third tries too to be stoker, but there is not a chance I'll let that one stoke (2.5yrs).