Tandem Cycling - Cheap Tandem vs LBS

Hi guys,

Question for you all. I am an avid road cyclist, however, I may be a bit odd as I don't need the best components or frames. I'm just happy to ride. I currently have an Ultegra level bike from Bikesdirect. Many people will argue about the quality of those bikes, but I'm happy with mine.

So, I'm looking to get a tandem. To help someone else gain fitness so that we may ride together more often.

The LBS has a ralaigh companion in our price range. It's a nice bike, however it's a steal frame and more of a hybrid with 26" tires, etc.

While looking online I found this Aluminum Tandem. Doing some research it seems the folks on here think it's not a good option. I ask why? I have read reviews on amazon, namely one from a ex triathlete and another from someone who has a more expensive tandem and they are both very happy with this. Is something like this not going to last? Why is it a bad buy?

By the way, are the LTIX shifters, like my STI shifter on my roadie?

Thanks a lot!

Special Features:

* Frame: Custom designed 7005 Aluminum Tandem
* Fork: 700c Steel
* Drive-Train: Shimano TZ31 Front Derailleur and TZ30D Rear Derailleur
* Wheels: High V Profile Alloy Rims 700C
* Saddle: Custom Designed with Lamborghini Style
* Brake Levers: Shimano Sora ST-33047 LTIX Levers

Full Specs:

* Color: Custom Lamborghini Pearl White
* Frame: Custom designed 7005 aluminum
* Frame Size: Front- 20", Rear - 16"
* Fork: 700C CS-9217 Steel Painted
* Geometry: Front - 31" Standover with 21" Top Tube Length, Rear - 28" standover
* Headset: VP-H692W Black
* Stem: HL Alloy Ext:100mm x 7Degree Alloy Satin Black
* Handlebars: HL-DR-8B W:430mm, Steel Black
* Bar Tape: CB-0108 Black Soft Wrap
* Brakes: Promax TX-117 Alloy Black Linear Design
* Brake Levers: Shimano Sora STI ST-33047-21SP
* Front Derailleur: Shimano TZ-31
* Rear Derailleur: Shimano TZ-30D
* Shift Levers: Shimano ST-33047 STI-21SP
* Freewheel: Shimano MF-TZ07 14-28T
* Chain: KMC Z51
* Crankset: A105PP40T Steel Black 28/38/48 x170mm Alloy Silver Crank
* Bottom Bracket: VP-B33 Steel
* Pedals: VP-990S Resin Body
* Wheels: High V Profile rims alloy 700C, Brass Nipples
* Tires: Kenda 700 x 35C Black with silver line AV
* Saddle: Custom Lamborghini with white stitching
* Seat Post: Kalloy SP-233 300mm alloy silver

I have read reviews on amazon, namely one from a ex triathlete and another from someone who has a more expensive tandem and they are both very happy with this. Is something like this not going to last? Why is it a bad buy?

It's all about perspective and expectations.

The majority of 'regulars' here on this forum and many others are enthusiasts who have logged in some cases tens of thousands of miles on tandems. When someone asks "what's a good tandem" most responses are framed along the lines of, if you're looking for good performance and long-term reliability stick with a better quality tandem from a reputable brand. However, this assumes that someone is actually looking to do some serious riding on the tandem and will put the types of demand on the frame and components that will test the durability far beyond what would be needed for a bike path cruiser or the occasional fun ride.

Clearly, the excess bicycle production capacity in Asia has pushed some of the better quality materials and factories towards the internet market place so the frames on these types of tandems may be on par with the lower-end mass marketed brand name models, e.g., KHS or Raleigh (before they stopped marketing tandems). Therefore, if we assume the frames are OK for light-duty the next thing to look at are the wheels which are traditionally a weakness with lower-end tandems and the other drive train components. While the Sora shifters are a recognizable model from Shimano's road group, the rest of the build kit appears to be on par with low-end department store / mass marketed bicycles. Therefore, you are getting what you're paying for.

So, if you don't plan to put a lot of hard miles into the tandem and can do your own maintenance, perhaps something like this would be a good way to get your feet wet. As for the on-line comments of others, I'd be hard pressed to know if they're real people or not or if they were in some way compenstated for their 'review'. After all, I can still vividly recall ads for the AutoBike where it was being put through its paces by a professional mountain biker who had all kinds of nice things to say about the bike. Given that I knew a couple who had a pair of these that they used on the bike paths in Dayton, the praise afforded the bike in the ad was dubious at best and I would have very much liked to have seen how out of round the wheels were after the photo shoot. Then again, perhaps their expections and use of the tandem fell-in line with what it was designed to do, in which case it may have been a good value that was worthy of the favorable comments.

Bottom Line: It's all about perspective and expectations.

I think you have to completely discount the Amazon review system. Sadly. The cheap tandems a la "Lambourghini" are not high performers. You seem to be comfortable and happy with the BikesDirect "name knockoffs" which are simply low-cost Chinese frames with mostly viable transmissions; they skimp on things like headsets, bottom brackets, wheels. These are the things that will fail first. The tandem is even lower-end than that. You get what you pay for. In this case, you are not getting much. With suitably low expectations, you might not be unhappy. I couldn't stand it for one mile. Life is too short to put up with junk.

Bohh...if you are going to put miles on the tandem..then absolutely buy quality.. be it new or used. If you are only going to ride it for two or three miles on the weekend, a few times a year, then buy anything and enjoy the time together.
Good luck and have fun.

Bill J.

Lots of good used tandems available out there.

Go ahead and buy that cheap tandem . . .
In 6 months let us know how well you like it.
. . . and don't tell us we did not warn you!

Go ahead and buy that cheap tandem . . .
In 6 months let us know how well you like it.
. . . and don't tell us we did not warn you!