Tandem Cycling - Anybody ride a size M/S Cannondale Road Tandem?

Hi,
I've found a 2005 Cdale Road Tandem size M/S for sale that would have to be purchased sight unseen. I have tried ,unsuccessfully, to find one at any of the LBS in our area for a fit comparison. According to Cdale, this bike has a seat tube length (center to top) of 19/48.3 and a standover of 28.3/71.9 for the captain. The current captain is 5'6". I am 5'8" with a 31 inseam(measured using the book in crotch method). Considering the standover of 28.3" would give me 2.7" clearance and seems about right, should I be concerned that the bike may be too small? The road bike I ride is a 54cm. Stoker geometry seems right on. The next size, L/S, has a captain standover of 30.3".

for me i don't care what the seat tube length or standover height is. like many riders nowadays, i use the length of the top tube length (or virtual length if the bike has a sloping top tube) to size the bike. on a tandem the rear top tube is usually the same for most frame sizes and standover is less important than on a single. my tandem has the same basic top tube length as my road bikes with a little shorter stem and a little higher bars since it puts a lot of weight on my hands. my dad has a cannondale tandem which is too large for me and being stretched out while trying to control the tandem is very awkward and tiring.

I’m sure not a bike fit expert, but I do think the size frame you are considering should fit you with some fine tuning of a component or two …here is why:
We are similar in size as I’m just over 5’10” with the same inseam as you at 31”. I also happen to ride a 54 cm road bike as well.
We have an older model C’dale road tandem with a larger 20.5 inch seat tube length for the captain.
Our tandem’s stand over height is a bit higher than the one you are looking at but works fine. While I would not want it any taller, a shorter one would obviously be OK.
The key area of my C’dale that needed the most ‘fit adjustment’ was the handle bar stem length and height. If anything my top tube length is just a little long for me. Fortunately, the combination of seat tube and head tube angles along with that top tube length gave me plenty of room for adjustments by moving my seat setback and stem lengths around a bit. I’m pretty convinced that if I had the next size down frame, like the size you are considering, that it would fit as well with some similar but smaller adjustments.
Good luck with your search and congratulations.
Bill J.

Scube, we have 03' Cannondale M/S RT3000. I am 6'-0" with a 33" inseam and my wife is 5'-3'3/4" (don't recall her inseam at the moment). My single is a 61cm. The Cannondale is a great fit for her, and it is just "OK" for me. I use an offset seat post to give me a bit more room up front. That said, it's still a bit cramped for me, but it was our first tandem and we've put 1000's of miles on it both locally and touring. I think it's a great bike for the $$$. We've recently upgraded to a 2007' Co-Motion coupled Supremeo that is a L/S, and the fit is much more comfortable for me. I Incidently, I'd have to add that having a Shimano Flightdeck and STI shifters was (and still is) extremely useful in learning to manage a tandem. If the C'dale doesn't already come with it as mine did, I'd suggest you consider adding a Flightdeck. I think the M/S sounds about right for you, fit wise... enjoy the bike! D.R.

I'm 5'9" and we have a M/S 2004 Cannondale road tandem. I also ride a 54 single. The only problem I had was that the stock stem is very short. I replaced it with a 120 stem and now have the exact same geometry as my single.