Pix of new ride

[sch]

For those not on the T@H list I posted a few
pix of our new ride at Picasa:
www.picasaweb.google.com/sch1943/Macchiato

Plan 3 centuries next three weekends and a ride
report later.

[Smooooth]

Very nice:) Did you get a weight on it with water bottle cages and peddles?

[Knubby]

Congratulations on your beautiful new tandem! I love the color............I'll be waiting for the ride reports too! :)

[zonatandem]

Quite the 'upgrade' from a Rumba to a Macchiato!
The "M" should weigh in just over the 25 lbs mark, about 14 lbs less 'hefty' than the Rumba.
Enjoy the 3 centuries over the next 3 weeks . . . by the third century you should have the bike dialed in perfectly.
Enjoy the ride TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

[rjberner]

Awesome ride! For the privilege of making us all drool uncontrollably on our keyboards, you owe us some serious ride reports on that bad boy. A good number of us cowboys are anxious for some real feedback on the mysterious Macchiato. Enjoy!

[mrfish]

Yum. It looks a great bike. Enjoy the ride and tell us about it once you've done a few miles.

[Tommy Peters]

Great bike SCH - My dream is a Moots ;) - I've been on the Alite for 12 years - Long hauls mainly - in Malaysia where tandeming is rare - Water issues were solved with Minoura's mineral water bottle cage. Any comments on the double track chain? - On solo rides the power transfer is sweeter :) with the double track.

[TandemGeek]

Any comments on the double track chain?

Please don't take this the wrong way, but why?

The sync chain only transfers your power to the rear cranks at a 1:1 ratio. It is perhaps the least stressed of all chains on any bike.

The "sweet" power transfer comes from the additional drag and 500gr of mass sitting on your timing rings which probably has the same net effect of a flywheel, with and especially without your stoker aboard.

Seriously, if you like it then whatever works, but what was your rationale for adding the second sync chain?

[Tommy Peters]

Thanks for the insight TandemGeek - Whats definite though is the eccentric - The thing never needed adjustment since I installed those twin Suginos 10 years ago.

[zonatandem]

'No adjustment on timing chain in 10 years' . . . about how many miles/what brand of chain would be more significant/informative.

[mrfish]

What are those? :rolleyes:

It's a bottle cage designed to hold a 1.5 litre mineral water bottle. Nice for touring or similar long journeys. See here for examples of similar.

http://www.extrauk.co.uk/product/list/all/Bottle_Cages/

[Tommy Peters]

Mrfish - thanks for the link - The Topeak XL appears to be a replica of the Minoura which was available in the early 90s - The max it can hold is the 1.5l standard mineral water bottle. The sliding adjustable clamp allows for the 1 liter or even the 0.5l bottle.:)

[Tommy Peters]

Zano – Ha! You got me there. The chains are Taya all round. The first 2 years she was busy off-road during which kinks were ironed out. The next 10, she was treated like a baby. The odometer on the machine reads a mere 1810kms over this period which amounts to 1 or 2 hauls yearly at 100 to 150kms per haul.

Not much actually for all that noise, ya - but before every ride, I never fail to lubricate and re-torque with the eccentric lock bolts receiving special attention. Perhaps that’s why the eccentric held up all this while, besides as opposed to a single, twin timers take longer to stretch. I note that because of the sheer length, a stretched ‘singular’ timer is common even with the best of chains and eccentric design and on base models, I note the unsightly chain tensioner is common.

I have spoken to an engineer and he shares TandemGeek’s sentiments, in that twin timers are unnecessary, but you have to experience it to feel the difference, especially when ascending solo in rock and roll fashion. The weight penalty is not an issue.:p

Several years ago I modified a front rider pull trishaw for a friend and he is a happy man. He has had no stretching issues since but given that, he collects trishaws and treats them like babies but agreed that the mod was so subtle it is hardly noticed but definitely felt.:D

Cheers Peace Love - Tommy:)

[Tommy Peters]

Is there a thread on FCR's on this forum?