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counselguy
 
Just picked up my Calfee Tetra Tetra from Hubub in Cleveland. Ordered it in early December - didn't arrive until the first week of March. However, it is very much worth the wait.

Equipment is Wound-up fork with carbon crown, Dura Ace shifters and front derailleur, XTR rear, FSA Mega-Exo crank and bottom bracket, IRD rear cassette, Rolf wheels, Paul front cantilever brake (for future larger tire if necessary), Avid mechanical rear brake with 8 inch rotor (wanted Winzip but they could't get the calipers to fit on the rotor and several adaptors didn't correct the problem). My wife wanted the bike to look traditional and to have 4 bottle cages, so we spec'd laterals, as well as couplers. (Rumor has it that S&S will be dramatically raising their coupler prices over the coming weeks because they have been losing money on this small part of their business. Our couplers cost $2500(6)- they will now cost over $4000. If you are thinking about getting a coupled bike, you may not want to wait much longer.

Have been able to ride it about 40 miles thus far. Previous bike was a Santana Team Niobium which had great paint and was a very nice bike. The Calfee seems quieter over the road and bumps, and definitely feels more rigid. Can't tell if there is an acceleration difference between the bikes - still dealing with our 35 degree days and winter fitness levels. My stoker says it feels more solid to her and she doesn't feel "whipped" around as much. Might be do to my being a better captain than last year.

Calfee's paint and fit and finish are superb. We picked a Cabernet Fade and are extremelly pleased with how well it turned out. Fit issues were the primary reason we sold the Niobium. Brian and Diane at Hubub did a great job on the fit for the Calfee.

Once I have several hundred miles on it, I will update the forum. Our friends have a Niobium and he will compare the bikes for the Forum in the near future. When I figure out how to link the photo of the bike, I will submit a quick post.
Counselguy


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lhbernhardt
 
My wife wanted the bike to look traditional and to have 4 bottle cages, so we spec'd laterals, as well as couplers.

When I figure out how to link the photo of the bike, I will submit a quick post.
Counselguy

Yes, I was going to say "where's the pictures?" as the Calfee is one of the few tandems that I would have any interest in considering to purchase. Also curious to see how he did the laterals. Anyway, I figure you must be really stoked; that's quite the bike...

- L.


zonatandem
 
Have test riden a Calfee, with lateral, for just over 100 miles . . . we were impressed!
Compared to the Santana Beyond, which we test rode this week, the Calfee is every bit as good and pounds lighter.
Great choice for a go fast/light/comfortable top-o-the-line- 2-seater.
Enjoy!


masiman
 
Some have already raised their S&S prices.


zonatandem
 
If S&S costs become prohibitive, an alterantive method will surely appear.
Tom Ritchie had a prototype tandem out a couple years ago with a different system.


cornucopia72
 
We always tought thet the S&S couplers were expensive. How long have them been around? Maybe the patent is about to expire... time for some not so expensive generics.


oldacura
 
I know this is OT for the Calfee thread and I don't know how much installed S&S couplers add to the cost of the bike. I seem to recall it is about $200 per coupler.

Knowing what medium-volume machined parts cost, this seems like a relative bargain. I don't know if they are covered by patents but I'd be surprised to see anyone else jump into the market & provide such high-quality parts in the volume that these are sold and make much money at it.


dbohemian
 
There have been many other coupling systems throughout cycling history. Some as simple as a beefed up seatpost type clamp (used on older Rene Herse's)

I am sure others could be made to work, but with that being said, the S&S torque coupling is a nearly perfect piece. When considered at just a brilliant piece of machining is it a great value, even at its new pricing. If it went on an aircraft it would cost 20 times as much.

I don't think anyone will really copy the exact concept even when the patent expires just because it is a very difficult piece to make. A simplified version maybe, but not as it sits right now.

I will say that personally I would not feel as comfortable with anything else, going down a hill at near 50mph as I do with those.

Beautiful tandem by the way. Please tell us what you think after some miles on her.


zonatandem
 
If we recall correctly, Tom Bruni had some kind of slider joining system although it was not designed like S&S to fit into hard/soft cases for travel.
While a knock-off S&S system apparently has come from China, it does not mean that look-alikes will be of the same quality as the originals.
Montague had a folding system on tandems using a seat tube within a seattube. Worked fine, but was quite heavy. Then S&S came along and supplanted that idea.
Other systems have been around too and we're sure if S&S becomes cost prohibitive something else will take its place.
Quality costs, quality lasts!


cornucopia72
 
We went and looked up the original patent. We had forgotten how elaborate the couplings are. After looking at the drawings we have to admit the the couplers are not expensive. The patent was filed on 7/12/93 and for a utility patent that is the date that the 20 years start counting from. Still, 6.5 more years of patent protection.


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