Tandem Cycling - Please advise - part list on used Burley Tosa

I'm a new member to the site - thx for lots of good info.

My wife and I are marathon runners and want to get into tandem biking. Before jumping into the $5000+ "real deals", we would like to start with a used, quality, starter bike. I've been looking on-line for approx 8 months. Her and I are both 5'9".

I have found what seems to me to be a decent bike:

Burley Tosa Limited Edition 2004

Front fork: lightweight, chrome, cyclocross fork
Wheels are 40 spoke. Spokes are straight, 14 gauge, stainless steel.
Rims are by Fusion and have machined brake surfaces.
Hubs are unmarked.
Front brakes are full-sized, Avid "V" brakes.
The rear brakes are Tek Pro Mini-V.
The triple crankset is Truvativ Elita.
Front handlebar and stem is Ritchie-X.
Derailleurs are Shimano, 9 speed, Deore XT.
Brake/shift handles are Shimano Ultema.
Aerolite titanium pedals.


So a couple questions....
1) At what price would this bike be a fair deal? A good deal?
2) Are these components quality components?

I realize Burley is no longer making tandems. I hope that won't be an issue.

Thanks

We ride a '05 Burley Duet, which is the steel cousin of the aluminum framed Tosa. Both bikes come spec'ed with mid range components, which are more than adequate for us. I think the '04 Tosa would have been priced just a little over $2500 new, so depending on the condition you might be able to get it without breaking the bank. If you go out to The Tandem Link (http://www.thetandemlink.com/usedhome.html), there is a calculator that might help you decide what is a reasonable price to pay.

I'm assuming you mean that the shrifters are Shimano Ultegra...this bike would have come from the factory with Shimano 105 shifters, so if those are Ultegra's, they've been upgraded a notch. Everything else looks like it's probably stock from the factory.

Make sure the bike fits you properly. I'm 5'6, and my wife is 5'0", so we ride a small sized frame. From your heights, I would expect that you probably need to to be looking at a medium or large sized Burley frame. In addition, the stoker's compartment on the Burley's are shorter than you typically find on a single bike, so you want to be sure she is comfortable.

Good luck!

Thanks for the info - all very helpful. We plan on a test ride before purchase, this weekend, to ensure comfort.

FWIW the Aerolites retail at $550 for two pair, kinda spiffy for
a midgrade tandem. My curiosity bump was twinged at the
descriptor TI for these and I was concerned about weight
limits, (though you sound like a 5% fat type), but Aerolite does
not put any weight limits on their pedals, unusual for Ti. If you
like the pedals you might want to transfer them to your upgrade
tandem in a few yrs. I would echo the cramped rear, I stoke
on a Burley Rumba, and at 5' 6" I have to be careful when
standing not to bump my knees on the bars. Capt is 6' 2" so the
frame is large. The saddle is all the way back on the rails.

So a couple questions....
1) At what price would this bike be a fair deal? A good deal?
2) Are these components quality components?


Assuming it's in very good condition, a fair deal would be around $1,800, good condition around $1,600, and if it's a bit tired around $1,400. A good deal would be anything less.

Yes, the components as spec'd were all premium-quality or "good to very good (Ultegra/XT)"; no junk. Again, current condition will dictate their reliability and performance.