Tandem Cycling - Tandem Bike Specialty store in So. Cal

I've convinced my wife that we need to get a tandem so we can enjoy this wonderful sport together. Does anyone know of a tandem specialty store in Southern California, preferably in Orange County? Thx!

I've convinced my wife that we need to get a tandem so we can enjoy this wonderful sport together. Does anyone know of a tandem specialty store in Southern California, preferably in Orange County? Thx!

Check out

http://www.thetandemlink.com/dealers.html

And while you're there (actually up a level), you'll find all sorts of other useful information as well.

I am in OC and we got our Santana Arriva at Buds in Claremont. They were /are the major outlet for Santana bikes and will give you a pre-sales demo including you riding on the stoker position to see what its like and then you get to drive your partner around on one to determine if it's really what you want. They took a good 1.5 hours with us.

I am in OC and we got our Santana Arriva at Buds in Claremont. They were /are the major outlet for Santana bikes and will give you a pre-sales demo including you riding on the stoker position to see what its like and then you get to drive your partner around on one to determine if it's really what you want. They took a good 1.5 hours with us.Bill sold the shop and it is now a JAX.
I found this out when a few years ago i went up there to buy a Santana. I ended up calling Santana direct and bought and picked it up at the factory.
The best selection of Santanas I've stumbled upon recently is here:http://velopasadena.com/
Kings in Seal beach has some Comotions and most trek stores will have a trek and have seen some cannondales at Performance.

Moved out of Socal (Long Beach/OC) about 9 years ago and lost track of who had a good Tandem shop. Back in the day Downey Cyclery was outstanding but sadly they are gone and I lost track of where that expertise went. However, we were down in Newbury Park a month or so ago for the "Cruzin the Canejo" ride and Registration was held at the Newbury Park Bicycle shop. I was very impressed with their extensive inventory of tandems, particularly the many Santana's on hand.
I realize the Valley is a long ways from you but if you're in that area their shop is worth the look.

Bill J.

You could take a long weekend and head up to Crank2 in Pleasanton, CA. Bryon Price, store owner, gave as a wonderful, low pressure demo experience. He handles Co-motion, Santana, daVinci and KHS and is open both Saturday and Sunday (closed Monday). Obviously, if you're heading up that way speak with Bryon in advance and set up a block of time for a test ride session. He'll do a trial fit and set up any of the bikes you want to ride. URL is www.crank-2.com (http://www.crank-2.com). He has a great selection of bicycle gear as well.

Newbury Park Bicycle shop


Large shop, good selection. Friendly staff. The mechanics don't look at you funny when you bring in a tandem and actually know what to do with it. I very much appreciated the fact that the mechanics were willing to talk to you.

A good place to go for a test ride.

I did have a problem with a couple of special parts that I ordered. They took my deposit and kept telling me the part was coming. After six months of waiting I got the parts I needed at http://www.precisiontandems.com/ with one phone call. A little frustrating.

Bill sold the shop and it is now a JAX.
The best selection of Santanas I've stumbled upon recently is here:http://velopasadena.com/
Kings in Seal beach has some Comotions and most trek stores will have a trek and have seen some cannondales at Performance.

I've been lessed than impressed with everything about Velo. Probably mostly because it is a very long drive (or ride) for us to go back while they fix their mistakes. I'll probably give Kirk's (in Ramona) http://www.kirksbikeshop.com/tandems.html a try next time.

A little closer to home: http://www.edgecyclesports.net/ is a Seven and Calfee dealer (though they are not a tandem shop).

I've been lessed than impressed with everything about Velo. Probably mostly because it is a very long drive (or ride) for us to go back while they fix their mistakes. I'll probably give Kirk's (in Ramona) http://www.kirksbikeshop.com/tandems.html a try next time.

A little closer to home: http://www.edgecyclesports.net/ is a Seven and Calfee dealer (though they are not a tandem shop).I've never dealt with them just noting the selection of Santanas compared to every other store I've been in lately. Also like to look and admire all the vintage bikes hanging EVERYWHERE.:love:
If I were not able to do all my own wrenching Edge would be one of the few around I would let touch my stuff and it's just a few minutes from my house.

Sadly, most of the bike shops that used to carry tandems have gone over to the big chain stores. Circle Cycle in Torrance used to sell Santana, Burley and Cannondale. It's now a Performance. Same for one of the shops in Ventura, I think it was Rincon.
I never cared for Downey. They had a great selection, but when I went there the person I spoke with had an attitude. He pretty much treated me as if I knew nothing of bikes, and what I did, was wrong. Never went back. I'll have to check out Newbury Park.

Gold Country Cyclery
Tandems/recumbents in Shingle Springs, CA
Owners Rick & Ann Steele, long time tandem riders; largest selections of tandems (not just Santana) in SoCal.
530-676-3305 or e-mail @ tandems-recumbents. com

Gold Country Cyclery
Tandems/recumbents in Shingle Springs, CA
Owners Rick & Ann Steele, long time tandem riders; largest selections of tandems (not just Santana) in SoCal.
530-676-3305 or e-mail @ tandems-recumbents. comWhere in the heck is Shingle Springs??
Lived in SoCal for 45 years and never heard of it.

Where in the heck is Shingle Springs??
Lived in SoCal for 45 years and never heard of it.

Not close to LA for sure actually its not in So.Cal.

Shingle Springs, CA is about 20 miles east of Sacramento. So Cal? Why not some people think San Francisco is in Northern California...:roflmao2::roflmao2:

Check out

http://www.thetandemlink.com/dealers.html

I really need to update that. The So Cal bike shops that carry tandems have all changed since I created that list and seem to be a bit of a moving target.

Give the guys at World Cycles (http://www.worldcycles.com)a try. They love tandems and actually really ride them. Almost every time I go in to the shop I see tandems (maybe customer's) they also build custom tandems.

Shingle Springs, CA is about 20 miles east of Sacramento. So Cal? Why not some people think San Francisco is in Northern California...:roflmao2::roflmao2:
Where do YOU draw the line between SoCal and NoCal?;)
For us here in OC it would be a closer drive to AZ than to Sacramento.:thumb:

Where do YOU draw the line between SoCal and NoCal?;)
For us here in OC it would be a closer drive to AZ than to Sacramento.:thumb:

Weeeell, I put Central Cal between them. ;) If you look at a map, So Cal goes from my home town of San Diego up to somewhere around Santa Barbra/Ventura then Central Cal goes from there to San Fransisco and No Cal is everything north of there.

Weeeell, I put Central Cal between them. ;) If you look at a map, So Cal goes from my home town of San Diego up to somewhere around Santa Barbra/Ventura then Central Cal goes from there to San Fransisco and No Cal is everything north of there.
I just draw a line at SB and everything above that is NoCal to me.:lol: