Tandem Cycling - New to the forum.

Hello,

I'm new to this forum and semi new to the Tandem scene. My wife and I have been riding our tandem for about 6 months purchased last year in august. It is a Cannondale, specs are linked here: http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/07/cusa/specialty/tandem/model-7RT.html

I have a couple of questions and hope to find some advice while I search through past threads as well.

1) I'm looking for a set of Racks front and rear for our tandem who all makes a front and rear disc mount other than the Old Man Mountain, I'm looking at the Cold Springs for front and rear. I will then search for a set of panniers.

2) my wife would like her handle bars to set up a few degrees higher does anyone make anything like that? She is a masage therapist and really pushes body mechanics and would like to get a few more degrees of an upward angle.

We plan on doing some day/ weekend trips this year as we have gotten comfortable riding around together. I plan on getting all kinds of goodies over time as the cash flow allows.

Thanks.

Craig

Santana makes a stoker stem extender that points in almost any direction and is 50mm long. It's called the "ASX-50." That might be just what you need. I think you can find it on their website.

1. Tubus may have racks you seek.
2. Check TandemsEast or Precision Tandems website for a variety of adjustable stoker stems.
If you have already raised stoker stem to the max on pilot's seatpost, loosen up bolt holding stoker bars. Rotate the stoker bars up (so cowhorns are up higher) ; that may/may not be sufficient.
Just our suggestions!
Pedal on TWOgewther!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

Thanks, checked out the precision tandem site to cehck out the ASX-50 and found this that would be perfect: http://www.precisiontandems.com/cat_pics/smhiriseandboom.jpg. It includes a long boom and the short one. We have gotten rid of the stock bar for one that has a small rise more like a mountain bike .

Any links to Tubus products I'm off to work for the day and didn't have enough time to search for them.

Craig

here is a link for tubus racks http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.aspx?PART_NUM_SUB='3588-00'

here is another....http://www.wallbike.com/tubus/tubus.html

good luck

Mike

The Topeak Explorer disc rear rack bolted right up on our 08 disc equipped C'dale tandem.

The Topeak Explorer disc rear rack bolted right up on our 08 disc equipped C'dale tandem.

+1 on the ToPeak Explorer disc brake compatible rear rack. Just make sure you're looking at the right one because it's easy to confuse with the non-disc Explorer.

http://www.topeak.com/products/Racks/ExplorerTubularRack_discMount

All they do is flare the legs out to avoid the disc brake caliper, then add two little chips of aluminum that reach back to the frame. It looks a little lumpy and the panniers hang out in the breeze, but it works. I had to take about five swipes with a file to the rack mounting point where it meets the frame on the right hand side. One of the rivets attaching C'Dale's steel derailleur hanger wanted to occupy the same physical space.

The ToPeak isn't the only solution. There was another disc brake compatible rack at the bike shop but it was much more expensive and the salesman pointed us toward the TPk. I don't remember the name.

If you get a TPk, take a look at their trunk bags. They have a cool feature that allows you to quickly slip the trunk bag on and off. If the trunk bag is going to be more or less permanent then you won't care so much, but if you start commuting the convenience might be desirable.

Before you spend a bunch of money at Precision Tandems, make sure you know the diameters. Unfortunately, several different seatpost diameters exist. Cannondale uses 27.2 mm. If the base of that stoker stem is something else you'll have to screw around with shims. Considering the amount of leverage your stoker will have with the extra length, that makes me a little nervous. You'll also want to know the diameter at the handlebar end, although that's less likely to be a problem.

How tall is your wife? Mine's only 4'11". We're riding a 2005 C'Dale RT1000 X/S. At first she was thinking she needed more stoker stem length. I extended the stoker stem out to the limit, brought the assembly up as far as it would go on my seat tube, and slid her seat forward on its rails. She seems happy with that. I checked out the reflection as we rode past some big store front windows; her position seems pretty good - not cruiser style straight up but certainly not a racer's crouch.
Something else to think about - the more upright the position, the more weight transfer to the buns. You might "solve" one problem only to create another...