Hi! My uncle tells me that my grandfather used to compete in ten-seat bike races from Providence to Boston, in the late 1800s or early 1900s. Does anyone have any info on this, or know where I get more nfo? Thx! SharonM

The only 10-seat tandem that I can recall is the Oriten, created as a promotional bike by the Orient Bicycle Company. That bike is now owned by the Henry Ford Museum. It's quite possible that your grandfather participated in one of the demonstration events.

More on the Oriten and an interesting photo (more so than the one that is normally shown) can be found here:
http://www.colcohist-gensoc.org/photo_month/Dec_2004.htm

It's also mentioned in this extract of an 1898 publication I host on my Website:
http://www.thetandemlink.com/articles/History2.html

4 (quad) and 5 (quint) seaters, on the other hand, were routinely owned by bicycle clubs and used for pacing solo bikes on the track and road. I'm sure there were occasionally races as well, if only to promote more conventional bicycle races and the sale of consumer bikes.

Thanks so much! Had never even heard of a ten-seater. Will check out the links you gave, and let you know if the family comes up with more info. I live near Boston, but have family in Woodstock and Roswell, GA. Thanks again. Sharon

I've seen that picture of the ten-seater before, and have always wondered about the different sized chainrings. It doesn't make good intuitive sense, but there must have been a reason. Anyone know what it was?

Rick

Anyone know what it was?


Apart from showing their entire stock of chainrings?

Possibly somebody's idea to cope with the progressively greater torque, equalising chain tension to some extent.

I've seen that picture of the ten-seater before, and have always wondered about the different sized chainrings. It doesn't make good intuitive sense, but there must have been a reason. Anyone know what it was?

It's hard to see, but there are 9 pair of equal size timing rings connecting the 9 synch chains connecting the 10 riders and so that the riders will all remain in sync. However, the size of the timing rings is progressively increased to reduce the load on each subsequent sync chain to deal with the progressively higher torque that each rider adds to the final drive.

The progressively larger timing rings ability to reduce the stress on the individual sync chain rings would have also helped to reduce the bending (wind-up) effect that the entire right side of the Oriten experienced when being pedalled under load given that all of the sync chains were on the same side of the tandem.

Also not evident in most photos are a collection of wire stringers and riggings attached to the frame and that were most likely added to help manage the massive frame flex that this thing likely developed.