Tandem Cycling - Its Done!

Howdy all,

Wanted to post some pictures of our newest tandem that is all wrapped up except for some minor adjustment and final brake bleeding.

Here's the specs:
Frame: LaPierre X2 Team
Fork: ATC Racing T5 (Thanks to Linc Clay!)
Brifters: Shimano XTR Hydraulic
Brakes: Shimano XTR Hydraulic Disc (8" front/6" Rear)
Cranks: Tsunami Carbon
Wheelset: Velocity Aeroheat Tandem Disc (36/40)
Front Derailleur: Shimano XT
Rear Derailleur: Shimano XTR
Seats: Terry Liberator
Stoker Suspension Seatpose: USE SX

I wanted to thank Alex Nutt from MTBTandems.com and Dean from ATC Racing for their help during this build!

Hopefully we'll see some of you Florida MTB tandem owners on the trails sometime soon!

Very well done...are those CF water bottle cages? I like the look.:)

Very well done...are those CF water bottle cages? I like the look.:)

Hey Hermes,

Yes, they are CF cages, which normally would be a significant indulgence for me, but when I was pricing out aluminum cages, the Profile CF cages popped up on Jensenusa.com for $7.99 each... I figured they would look nice with the matching colors, so I spent the extra dollar. I still think they must have been mis-marked as I've seen them on other sites for $45 each.

The 5th cage is a nashbar side-entry on the captains mid-tube - that way I can get a 28oz bottle in that small space.

Thanks for the comments!
Steve

Handsome bike. You should have fun.

I had eyed one of those frames for a build project last winter. How is the weld/finish quality? Do you by chance know the locus of manufacture?

Let us know your impressions after a few rides.

Handsome bike. You should have fun.

I had eyed one of those frames for a build project last winter. How is the weld/finish quality? Do you by chance know the locus of manufacture?

Let us know your impressions after a few rides.

The finish quality is actually not bad at all. The welds are not Cannondale or Santana smooth, but definitely solid and relatively nicely done. I like the finish itself a lot (it's flat black) and the paint seems to be fairly thick -- it has stood up to being moved (and dropped) around the house while being built over the last few months. We'll see what happens when we get it out on the trail. For $385, I feel like the frame was a steal.

LaPierre is a french company, but I'm not sure if they manufacture their frames in france or if they are made somewhere overseas. I had never heard of them before I started doing research into this frame, but now have seen them popping up in reporting on cross on the continent and I believe at least one of the pro teams is riding them (from what I remember off pezcyclingnews).

Here is what I found on the lapierre website: http://www.cycles-lapierre.fr/lapierre/en/VTT/product/specifications/X2-Team

I'll be happy to post a report after a few rides. We are complete n00bs to offroad tandeming, but I've been riding mtn bikes for 20+ years and we enjoy our road tandem, so hopefully the learning curve won't be too steep.

I'll be happy to post a report after a few rides. We are complete n00bs to offroad tandeming, but I've been riding mtn bikes for 20+ years and we enjoy our road tandem, so hopefully the learning curve won't be too steep.

Nice bike. One addition you could make for offroad is a Front fender as in the attachment. It is surprising how many stones come from in front of the forks offroad and this fender works. Keep most of the crud and grit away from the pilots face

The frame's price alone suggests that it was made off-shore... and everyone who "sold" the frame still made substantial margins along the way, i.e., the factory, wholesaler, and the retailer. You can't get one of these frames repainted domestically for what you'd pay per unit for a small production run.

M1,

Nice looking tandem! It should be a lot of fun. Any chance you've got a direct link to those cages? I'd love to go CF on my new bike, but don't really want to spend the money that they normally cost.

Thanks,
Rick

M1,

Nice looking tandem! It should be a lot of fun. Any chance you've got a direct link to those cages? I'd love to go CF on my new bike, but don't really want to spend the money that they normally cost.

Thanks,
Rick

Hey Rick,

Here you go!
http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/HY308C02-Profile+Design+Carbon+Cages.aspx

Thanks man! I just picked up a pair of the black/silver ones. It almost looks like they might be fake carbon fiber, but in any case, at that price who cares.

Rick

Glad you snagged some. They are carbon fiber - even came with a cute little sticker admonishing me to not tighten past 30 inch/lbs.

Stapfam, thanks for the suggestion, I think I will pick one up next time I place an order!

My Goodness that's a fine price for a MTB Tandem Frame! Looks alot like my Fisher Gemini Frame.
Are there any specs on what comes with this frame? The Eccentric BB looks close to the one I have in our bike now. If this had slightly wider rear wheel spacing, it might make a nice new frame for me also.

Nice Job!

Thanks for the bottle cage link! Just ordered 4 for my Tandem. They are $50 MSRP and I priced them on other web sites for $35 to $40.

Dwayne

Wow - I love the look! A little red on what appears to be a flat black makes for a nice looking machine. Congrats! :)


... Brad

Thanks Brad!

Just took it for the first little spin around the neighborhood... VERY stable, nice and light, but MAN do I have some work to do bleeding the brakes. Anyone got any tips for bleeding XTR Hydros?

Also attempted our first tandem bunny hop tonight... sweet, sweet candy. Can't wait to get it on the trail.

FYI on the bottle cages, I got mine yesterday. While I can't for sure say they aren't carbon, they're definitely not a close weave carbon like you'd normally think of and feel a lot more like plastic. However, for $8/each they're light, look nice, and should function well.

Rick