Tandem Cycling - transporting a tandem

we are just starting to ride a tandem and have two carriers a strap type and a 3 bike hitch mount type is there a better way to transport a tandem

...is there a better way to transport a tandem

That depends on how you define better. If the rear-mount racks are working for you -- with or without the tandem's wheels attached (removing wheels for rear portage can add stability by reducing wind buffeting) -- then there's no real reason to go to one of the other options which, in ascending order for cost include:

1. Buy a tandem-specific rear horizontal hitch mount
2. Buy a sports rack for the top of your vehicle & fabricate a tandem mount
3. Buy a sports rack for the top of your vehicle & buy a standard tandem mount
4. Buy a Draftmaster vertical receiver mount for your vehicle
5. Buy a sports rack for the top of your vehicle & buy a pivoting-type tandem mount
6. Buy a pick-up truck and put a fork mount on the front of the bed or just tuck it in cross-wise
7. Buy a small wagon or SUV (Honda Element) and put the tandem inside with the rear wheel between the front seats, or with both wheels removed and laying on the rear floor with back seats down.
8. Buy a mini-van or SUV and stick it in there.

You'll occasionally find the tandem mounts on Ebay and Craigslist for a fair price.

8. Buy a mini-van or SUV and stick in in there.

The ultimate tandem bicycle accessory.

FWIW, I have an old style Thule roof rack tandem mount that I'd let go for the cost of shipping. It requires removing the front wheel. The rear axle clamps into a steel V. It's very stable. You need to provide the rest of the roof rack system.

PM me if you're interested, otherwise it's going into the dumpster.

do you mean by the rest of the carrier the regular roof mounts like on a jeep where you can put skis luggage etc

I've seen and used these a little:
ATOC racks (http://www.atoc.com/)

We toss our tandem inside a '97 Accord station wagon . . . pretty well out of sight and out of the way of the elements too.
A hitch mounted rack is usually sturdy and carry the tandem with 1, or 2 wheels, removed to reduce width

I've seen and used these a little:
ATOC racks (http://www.atoc.com/)

That is the one I chose to haul ours around at first on top of a RAV4.
Got a Tacoma a month later so now it is safe inside the shell and I don't have to worry about it on top.
Guess I should get around to selling the ATOC( Thule) this spring.

We have a Draftmaster, 4 position, that can carry 2 tandems and 2 singles. Have pictures but they're pretty much the same as the ones on the website - even same vehicle!

We get questions everywhere we go because of its odd look. I like it because it completely removes from the vehicle when you don't need it.

The ultimate tandem bicycle accessory.

FWIW, I have an old style Thule roof rack tandem mount that I'd let go for the cost of shipping. It requires removing the front wheel. The rear axle clamps into a steel V. It's very stable. You need to provide the rest of the roof rack system.

PM me if you're interested, otherwise it's going into the dumpster.

Does it pivot and/or have a full tray?

I've got a tacoma and our cannondale goes in the bed with a fork mount bar at the front of the bed. Works well but the tandem is so long that the tailgate won't close.

If you get a top mount rack make sure you can lift the bike up there reliably.

Sheldon

we fit the burley in our civic wagon. The screamer goes on the ATOC tandem topper. I did bring it home inside the car, but didn't care for having the cranks amost in the windshield.

I've got a tacoma and our cannondale goes in the bed with a fork mount bar at the front of the bed. Works well but the tandem is so long that the tailgate won't close.

If you get a top mount rack make sure you can lift the bike up there reliably.

Sheldon Is this the newer style Tacoma? I have an '07 and have put our Santana in the back and can close the tailgate. Before the shell came in I could put it in by backing it in diagonally and using a fork mount. After the shell I had to put the front in first but can close the gate and the hatch.
I did have to make a sliding mount so I didn't have to climb in to attach the fork.

5 vehicles 4 methods 1 tandem over 17 years (I drive too much).

1. 78 VW pop top. Stuffed it in the back.
2. 91 Toyota pickup. Fork mount in the back. Seems like I could close the tailgate.
3. 92 Volvo wagon. 3 bar Yakima rack. Used the wide bars for the canoe and the tandem mounted to a conventional Yakima fork mount. Used the other bar for singles and the cargo box.
4. 94 Land Rover/06 Suburban. Yakima Hitch mount. A bit wide but effective.

Someday I hope to justify the expense of a Yakima tandem mount and at 6'3" I don't have worries about muscling it on top of the Suburban for the added stability.

IMHO nothing beats a fork mount on the roof for stability. Nothing beats up a vehilcle interior and a tandem like stuffing it in the back of a vehicle. That said I would do it without a second thought if it meant going to a fun destination to ride.

Retro Grouch, If you are serious about tossing your tandem mount and Larry H is not interested please let me know. If it is functional on my Yakima bars, I would gladly pay shipping to save it from the dumpster and put it to use.
Thanks, T.

Nothing beats up a vehilcle interior and a tandem like stuffing it in the back of a vehicle.

I strongly disagree with that one - at least if you have the right vehicle.

Most of my tandeming friends own minivans and transport their bikes with a fork mount screwed to a piece of plywood. The bike is locked in the car so it's relatively secure and it's away from the weather and road grime. I've never noticed any car interior damage either. Last summer we bought a Honda Element because it's exterior length was short enough to fit comfortably into our garage but the interior will hold our tandem upright with the back wheel between the front seats. We took it on a couple of 1,000 trips last Summer and were quite satisfied.

Years ago we owned a couple of huge station wagons. Our tandem would fit inside but only by laying on it's side because the roof height was inadequate. That wasn't nearly so satisfactory.

I build my own roof racks with a fork mount in front attached to front cross piece of standard minivan and tire channel anchored to rear cross piece. For a tandem I had to turn it around and put the fork in the rear because the rear tire was extending back to far --preventing the rear hatch for fully rising.

(I get six people and full luggage inside a minivan with space for 7 bikes outside (4 on back, 3 on top).

I build my own roof racks with a fork mount in front attached to front cross piece of standard minivan and tire channel anchored to rear cross piece. For a tandem I had to turn it around and put the fork in the rear because the rear tire was extending back to far --preventing the rear hatch for fully rising.

(I get six people and full luggage inside a minivan with space for 7 bikes outside (4 on back, 3 on top).

dbg and guest on last outing... :beer:

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=66494&stc=1&d=1204658938

Retro,
Well you got me there. I have yet to own a mini van but probably will some day. Can't argue the piece of mind of securing a bike inside the vehicle while running into the grocery for post ride munchies. Guess I should have elaborated on my personal experiences more. Many of our tandem rides are off road and the bike is covered in mud when we finish. Even wiped down, I would not want the knobbies on the carpet. When we do mellower rides as a family the back seats are filled with 3 boys and a dog (thus the tanker family vehicle we currently drive). I would still stand by a roof mount as my favorite way to transport bicycles. Hopefully you didn't take my statement literal as far as "nothing beats up a vehicle interior like a tandem". I know the bricks I was loading in my brothers car last month were worse. Shoot, on a good Saturday even driving the kids and their friends home after a muddy soccer game can be messy.

Retro,
Many of our tandem rides are off road and the bike is covered in mud when we finish. Even wiped down, I would not want the knobbies on the carpet.

Our road bike can get pretty wet and dirty too when the weather doesn't fully cooperate. I have a hand cut sheet of very thick vinyl (kind of like industrial strength plastic carpet runner) that rolls out on the floor to protect the carpet when we transport the bike, then it rolls up and stows away when we don’t need it.

Retrogrouch: What kind of gas mileage do you get on the Honda Element?
We lay down our tandem in back of our Accord station wagon. Taking off front wheel and tandem fits inside. A big piece of scrap carpeting protects the interior. Our '97Accord gets up to 32 mpg on the highway and 27 mpg in town.

I have a yakima base system and the Yakima Sidewinder, and I absolutely love it. It is incredibly easy to use, requires only removing the front wheel, is stable and secure, and only requires (in fact is much easier) one person to load the bike. All of this on top of a 1994 Honda Civic.

:)

Charlie

Retrogrouch: What kind of gas mileage do you get on the Honda Element?
We lay down our tandem in back of our Accord station wagon. Taking off front wheel and tandem fits inside. A big piece of scrap carpeting protects the interior. Our '97Accord gets up to 32 mpg on the highway and 27 mpg in town.

EPA says 26 highway 21 city. I get 25 on the highway. I can get 26 but I have to drive to Iowa first to buy gas that doesn't have any ethanol in it and that's not cost effective. I've never cared enough to calculate my city mileage but that 21 EPA number sounds pretty close.

Our tandem fits into our tiny new 2008 Honda Fit, with the front wheel off and both passenger side seats all the way reclined and folded up. With the tandem bike in the car, the driver and passenger have to sit in tandem, which is a little strange. The 36 mpg city and 42 mpg highway milage is very nice, for an interior tandem-hauler.

I got the idea from the Blayleys: http://www.blayleys.com/articles/cars/index.htm.

It was a little fiddly to work out how it fits in the car the first time, but not the Fit just fits.

We have a Yakima Sidewinder rack that works really well on our Toyota Prius. However, the mileage drops from about 52 to 30 mpg with the tandem on the top. The Prius seems very sensitive to changes in its aerodynamics.

With the rise in gas prices, we have been, more and more, putting the tandem inside after removing both wheels. The waxed chains help keep the inside from getting destroyed.

Retrogrouch: Thanx for posting the mileage numbers.
Amazing that back in the 70s the Honda Civic could achieve 50 mpg; our '84 Accord Hatchback got 43 mph on highway.
With today's petrol price$ smaller cars with better mileage will become the norm . . . and like the FIt, they'll be able to handle a tandem.

Retrogrouch: Thanx for posting the mileage numbers.
Amazing that back in the 70s the Honda Civic could achieve 50 mpg; our '84 Accord Hatchback got 43 mph on highway.
With today's petrol price$ smaller cars with better mileage will become the norm . . . and like the FIt, they'll be able to handle a tandem.

We considered a Fit among several other cars. The tandem seating arrangement required for the Fit with a tandem on board was a deal breaker for me. We'd save around $120.00 per year with a car that gets 10 MPG more on the highway. If anybody else cares (and I don't know why they should) the additional convenience offered by the Element is well worth that to me.

I take the front wheel off and slide it into the back of our Ford Expedition. Locked up safe and sound. Otherwise, the Expedition is used to haul around a horse trailer.

We are using the sidewinder, I like the ease of use with the pivoting fork mound, but yes, big mileage drop with the tandem on the car.

I was also wondering if there was a protective cover or tarp available to cover the tandem (or even single bikes) while on top to protectfrom the elements?
We are going to Virginia next month and a 12 hours one way and back, would love to cover the bike for that.
http://membres.lycos.fr/burns302/Velo-Tandem/tmpphpBf9r87.jpg

I was also wondering if there was a protective cover or tarp available to cover the tandem (or even single bikes) while on top to protect from the elements?

If you're talking about something to cover the bike while enroute, about the only thing you can reasonably do is to use a 'bike bra' to cut down on the wind/grit/rain blast effect associated with forward motion, perhaps shower caps strapped around the saddles to keep them from being soaked, and if you're really concerned about your drive train there's a think called a Pygmy Pack (http://www.pygmypack.com/products.html).

However, there several downsides to these things:

1. If you think your gas mileage takes a hit with bikes on the roof, just know that putting these types of covers on will make an even bigger impact to your fuel economy.
2. As you add things that will catch more wind drag, cross winds, and wind blast from large vehicles the less stable your bikes (and car) become. Just having three tandems on top of a Suburban without any covers made for some dicey moments when passing semi-tractors.
3. One these things get soaked they can create more problems than they solve if you don't remove them as they trap moisture and ****** the natural drying effects of wind and sunlight.
4. As these things collect dust and grit it gets trapped between the fabrics and your bike's finish and the mechanical action of wind-driven fabric flutter can cause marring of your bike's finish.
5. Once you get where you're going you now have a nasty, grimy fabric thing to deal with.

As for the full cover, absolutely not... the wind drag at highway speeds and/or wind blast from trucks would tear your bike off the rack... or the rack and bike off the roof of your car. It's just a function of surface area x speed = psi loading that goes through the roof when you're essentially sticking something the size of a small mattress vertically into the wind stream of a moving car.

Just some things to think about.

We have a Yakima Sidewinder rack that works really well on our Toyota Prius. However, the mileage drops from about 52 to 30 mpg with the tandem on the top. The Prius seems very sensitive to changes in its aerodynamics.

With the rise in gas prices, we have been, more and more, putting the tandem inside after removing both wheels. The waxed chains help keep the inside from getting destroyed.

We have an Audi Avant with a Yakima Sidewinder and room for it and 4 other bikes if we want. We normally get 30mpg without the racks or bikes and 24mpg with the tandem on top. :D

We weren't sure it would go, but we've managed to stuff our Burley in the back of our Prius for the trip from Springfield, MO to Mackinaw City, MI. Had to take off both wheels, the rear rack, and use some of the luggage to hold it high enough for the rear derailleur to clear the console, but it can be done.



We're off to the League of Michigan Bicyclists West Shorline Tour! (http://www.lmb.org/pages/Events/ShorelinePages/west.htm) Our goal was to drive the Prius at 45 mpg instead of the pickup at 16 mpg. With the money we save, we'll be able to afford a nice steak someplace!

77647

77648

Bringing the tandem home for the first time I had my son in my Mazda MPV with me. I put the front passenger seat forward, folded the 3rd row into the floor, folded and removed the right side 2nd row captain's chair, and put the complete bike in standing up. The bike had full fenders and touring racks F&R, so even pulling the front wheel didn't seem like it would help much.

To transport it in the future, I'll probably pull the front wheel (the racks and fenders are off) and the front seat of the bike with the stoker's bar and just run it up the middle of the van. I'm also seriously considering a RockyMounts tandem roof mount (http://www.rockymounts.com/tandem) for the Protege5, since it already has a Yakima rack set-up.

Our favorite solution is transporting the tandem inside the car (Skoda Superb). We have highways without speed limit in Germany! And economy is also an important factor. The most amazing thing is: There is no need to change our front seat setup in the car. We use the max. length seat position for our long legs and the C'dale is in J/L size. (My height is 6'9" and Katrin is 6'2" tall) The rear disc brake is in the near of my right shoulder, but it don't disturbes me. Sometimes I have to re-adjust the disc brakes after inserting the wheels.

We weren't sure it would go, but we've managed to stuff our Burley in the back of our Prius for the trip from Springfield, MO to Mackinaw City, MI. Had to take off both wheels, the rear rack, and use some of the luggage to hold it high enough for the rear derailleur to clear the console, but it can be done.
I would like to see a picture of the front of the car, which I guess is the back of the bike. This looks extraordinarily dangerous, but I applaud your ingenuity.

Installed the RockyMounts Tandem Mount R4 today. Nice!

http://gofast42.smugmug.com/photos/343426054_Kk6cq-L.jpg

I bought a hitch mounted tandem rack from HitchRider http://www.hitchrider.com/carriers.htm and we carry our Bilenky tandem with our 2001 Toyota Avalon. Since the bike is so long, and I don't want to remove the front tire, I just turn the front tire and secure it. It rides fine. Here are pictures. The rack is $300. The other picture is of the same rack holding our other Burley tandem currently for sale on Craignslist in the SF bay area (https://post.craigslist.org/sfo/S/bik/eby/53/bxLaYbwOzI9PTBPY/aph46). Note that in the picture of the Bilenky, due to the angle of the picture, it looks like the left side of the bike sticks out 3 or 4 feet, and with the Burley, it looks like it's sticking out on the right.....but again, it's just the picture angle. I secure the bike to the rack with large rubber coated twistie's I buy at Lowes, they work great.

Foolish,
What do you use to hold the bar? Is it a Rocky Mount part or something you came up with yourself?

Rocky Mounts tandem tray comes with the strap to keep the bars straight when using the rotating fork mount.

Here is our Rocky Mounts on the Corolla. It works really well and is easily adaptable to regular bikes as well. Slick unit and is cheaper than Thule or Yakima.

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q157/DrDover/P6280050.jpg

Installed the RockyMounts Tandem Mount R4 today. Nice!

http://gofast42.smugmug.com/photos/343426054_Kk6cq-L.jpg

Looks nice. Can the Rocky mounts extend to fit a triplet?

I'd recommend either removing the handlebar strap or securing the tail end as it will slap around and eventually damage the paint. Although being on the roof, you may eventually get some sort of foreign object strike on the bike.

We are in NoVa also. PM me if you are interested in doing a ride sometime.

Where can I buy just the handlebar strap? I found a Yakima part number listed in the parts list for the sidewinder. Waiting on a reply from Yakima unless someone knows where I can order one.



Steve

Foolish,
What do you use to hold the bar? Is it a Rocky Mount part or something you came up with yourself?The Thule/ ATOK also comes with a strap to keep the bars from moving with the pivot mount.
Would be a hairy task without it.

Foolish,
What do you use to hold the bar? Is it a Rocky Mount part or something you came up with yourself?


Rocky Mounts tandem tray comes with the strap to keep the bars straight when using the rotating fork mount.

^What he said!^


Looks nice. Can the Rocky mounts extend to fit a triplet?

No clue.


I'd recommend either removing the handlebar strap or securing the tail end as it will slap around and eventually damage the paint. Although being on the roof, you may eventually get some sort of foreign object strike on the bike.

That picture was just a test-fit. I didn't worry about the strap 'cause I wasn't going to drive anywhere. Thanks for the warning though. I'll be sure to watch out for that next time.


We are in NoVa also. PM me if you are interested in doing a ride sometime.
That would be great. I'll PM. :D


Where can I buy just the handlebar strap? I found a Yakima part number listed in the parts list for the sidewinder. Waiting on a reply from Yakima unless someone knows where I can order one.
Rockymounts.com has a lot of spare parts for their various racks, but not that one. You could call them and ask if it can be ordered.

Call these guys.
http://www.atoc.com/

We flew to Albany, NY with the almost-vintage Kuwahara tandem to see some operas at Glimmerglass (near Cooperstown) and then to attend the Eastern Tandem Rally at Durham, NH (near Portsmouth) before heading back to Albany via the Berkshires. In order to transport the tandem, I was forced to rent at least an SUV. Managed to get a Dodge Nitro for $50/day. (A van would have cost twice that much). Mid-size SUV's give you as much room as my Subaru Legacy wagon - you have to take both wheels off to get the tandem in the back, and you're driving with a handlebar touching your shoulder. But after you've done it a few times, you and your stoker can get really good at loading the tandem into the vehicle.

My Subaru has got the ATOC tandem rack with the swivel fork mount. I really like it because you can take off the back section of the wheel trough in order to carry a single and open the rear hatch completely. Things to note about this rack:

- You will likely need to open the front door to give enough room to get the tandem close enough to the car to get the forks into the swivel mount (with the rear wheel still on the ground). With practice, it's actually faster and easier to put the tandem on the roof rack by yourself.

- The swivel doesn't work unless the handlebars are held in place relative to the rest of the bike. You can use the straps provided to hold the handlebars in place, but I prefer to use a neat little telescoping tube with rubberized attachments at each end (I forget who makes it, but it's available in bike shops and it's really quick and easy to attach and has yet to fall off at 70 mph). I used to use a Park fork holder, but it doesn't work if you're using one of those carbon fiber handlebars with the flat section on top.

- The rack will start to get "wobbly" after a while because the bolt holding the swivel starts to loosen. The way you tighten it is to first pop both plastic covers. There's a bolt holding the swivel section to the main section. You hold the top of the bolt from above with a 1/2" socket attached to to a 1/4" ratchet with 3" extension and a universal joint. Got that? (A 3/8" ratchet will not work; a 1/2" socket in 3/8 is too big to fit past the quick release housing.) The lower nut can be held with a 1/2" spanner.

Everybody's got a 3/8 ratchet set. I had to go out and buy a 1/4" ratchet just for the ATOC rack. Good thing I like buying tools.

- L.

but I prefer to use a neat little telescoping tube with rubberized attachments at each end (I forget who makes it, but it's available in bike shops and it's really quick and easy to attach and has yet to fall off at 70 mph).

Sounds like the gizmo that comes with an Ultimate Support work stand.

I bought a fold up trailer for about $280. Then cannabalized my thule t2 rack, came up with this setup. Takes about 3 seconds to load, less to unload. Farthest trip so far has been from Olympia, WA to Boise, ID with no issues..

http://www.bikerubbish.com/rubbish/july2008/haul.jpg