Tandem Cycling - Looking for a Tandem

My wife and I recently got a test ride on a new Santana and enjoyed it very much. But even the base model Santana is about double what we feel comfortable paying to step into a totally new area of cycling. I've been searching the web for used tandems, but either they're out of our price range (which is @ $1500 or so) or they're all out in California - a long way from our home or up in the Adirondacks of New York - near Lake Placid. We'd be willing to travel - say a half days drive -to get the right bike. I'm 6'2" with a 31" inseam and the stoker is 5'6" with @ 30" inseam. We'd like to find a nice "starter" tandem but so far no luck. So, any suggestions - or leads?

Tom
Saranac Lake, NY

Are you set on getting a road tandem, or would a 26" wheeled street tandem fill the bill?

PK

Actually the Santana we tried was a Celantro -a 26" "mtb" type and we loved it. We're not interested in speed, so a mtb-tandem would certainly be a possible choice. Got one or know of one?
Tom

Try the Tandem Magazine website classified section (search tandem magazine).

The best search tool I found is jaxed.
Use the following link to directly access the bike section, use the top section to specify the brand you are looking for. Enter 'tandem' in the filter box for brands that offer many type of bike products (Trek, Cannondale), and click GO.

You will see all current (and some obsolete) Ebay, and Craigslist tandem listing in the country. The location and price of the item are listed on the list. Click on the item description to look at the details.

If that Santana you tested wasn't at Gear to Go Tandems, you ought to at least pay them a visit, as they just moved to Saranac Lake.

That said, try crazedlist.org, select for sale/wanted, bicycle, type "tandem" in the search field, and in the pull-down menu on the top left, select "north east" or perhaps "new england". Or you can select every city you think is within a half-day's drive.

With your proportions you should stand a very good chance of finding something that fits well to within a stem swap, without going custom.



My wife and I recently got a test ride on a new Santana and enjoyed it very much. But even the base model Santana is about double what we feel comfortable paying to step into a totally new area of cycling. I've been searching the web for used tandems, but either they're out of our price range (which is @ $1500 or so) or they're all out in California - a long way from our home or up in the Adirondacks of New York - near Lake Placid. We'd be willing to travel - say a half days drive -to get the right bike. I'm 6'2" with a 31" inseam and the stoker is 5'6" with @ 30" inseam. We'd like to find a nice "starter" tandem but so far no luck. So, any suggestions - or leads?

Tom
Saranac Lake, NY

I may, not sure yet but will know by this weekend. Send a PM.

PK

Our ride was with Gear to Go. Rich and Lindy are great and very helpful, but as I said, their stock was just not in our price range:(.

I've got my Cannondale RT2000 on EBay with one day left at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270448588271&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

If no one picks it up, let me know and I'll make you an offer you may not be able to refuse ;-)

I've got my Cannondale RT2000 on EBay with one day left at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270448588271&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

If no one picks it up, let me know and I'll make you an offer you may not be able to refuse ;-)

Keep me posted. Your Cannondale might just do it for us if tha price is right;)

Keep me posted. Your Cannondale might just do it for us if tha price is right;)

Be careful. Generally speaking, a 21" frame, (which is what DanRH's ad says it is), is not the right size road frame for a guy who's 6'2". On the other hand, you say you've only got a 31" inseam?

I'd definitely run any sizing issues by Rich at GtG before I bought anything. Even though you're not buying a bike from them, I'm sure, (as they'll be sure), that they'll get some amount of your cycling business, so they won't mind answering your questions.

Actually the Santana we tried was a Celantro -a 26" "mtb" type and we loved it. We're not interested in speed, so a mtb-tandem would certainly be a possible choice. Got one or know of one?
Tom


What type of tandem riding do you expect to do to start out with? What type of single bikes (and level componentry) are you used to?


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What type of tandem riding do you expect to do to start out with? What type of single bikes (and level componentry) are you used to?
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Most of our riding I expect will be "road", but we have some pretty extensive old RR-bed trails nearby and we'll certainly be riding those as well. As to what type of single we ride, my wife has a circa 1999 Specialized Hardrock MTB, w/ twistgrip shifters. I have a circa 1998 Gary Fisher Tassajara MTB, t/g shifters. Both MTBs have been recently redone w/ new brake pads, cables, bottom brackets, rear sprocket sets etc. I also have a new -this past April - Surly Long Haul Trucker, w/ barend shifters, low bars, etc. I'm thinking more toward a MTB-type tandem - to handle the RR trails, gravel roads, and dirt bike paths.

Of course, if I can find a prime road tandem....:love:.....

Be careful. Generally speaking, a 21" frame, (which is what DanRH's ad says it is), is not the right size road frame for a guy who's 6'2". On the other hand, you say you've only got a 31" inseam?

I'd definitely run any sizing issues by Rich at GtG before I bought anything. Even though you're not buying a bike from them, I'm sure, (as they'll be sure), that they'll get some amount of your cycling business, so they won't mind answering your questions.

Thanks for the reminder. I think you're right... a 21" frame works out to @ 53 cm and I'm looking for something like a 58cm for me and maybe a 53 for my stoker. My Surly is a 58cm and that size works well for me - anything bigger and I'd have to sing soprono if i did a "get off" on the top bar:cry:!

Rich at GTG thought I'd be a medium to large on a Santana or Co-motion road bike, tho the Celanto we test rode had a lower reach typical of a MTB.

Check the Santana site to get an idea for sizing. I have a medium Sovereign SE listed on tandemmag.com

I've had quite a bit of response to my search and have several bikes "in view" right now. But I came across an ad for a Burley Duet down in New Jersey that I'm going to look at this weekend. I'll be down that way visiting family, so I thought , what the heck....might as well take a look.
Got a few details on the bike and would like some feedback on whether it's a fair deal. Here's the story -It's a 1993 Burley Duet bought new by the present owner. It's got a Shimano front derailleur and a Suntour rear -don't know which models -, bar end shifters, rear drum brake, Diacompe brakes, and 700 cm wheels . The owner says there are less than 500 miles on the bike and it "shows as new". Oh, color is gloss black with white logo lettering. He's asking $600 for it. I must admit that the price is a big factor - our limit is @ $1000-1200 for a "first-time" tandem. I don't want to shell out several thousand and find out a month later that my stoker/wife would rather paddle a canoe together than ride a tandem:(!

So, is this tandem a good buy, or is the age of the bike make it something to pass up? Anything in particular I should look for/be careful of on this bike? Need some feedback ASAP as I'm planning on checking out the bike Sunday. So........?

If the bike fits you and your stoker. If you can test ride it and do not mind the bar end shifters. And if the bike is in the condition described. Then I think it is an excellent deal because the price is right and you would be saving on freight. We own a Duet as the one you describe. We keep it a as rainy day tandem and to lend to friends. It is a very comfortable bike that is very easy to keep on a straight line.

If I were you, I would make sure I bring down a car or some means to bring it back home just in case.

a Burley Duet down in New Jersey that I'm going to look at this weekend ... The owner says there are less than 500 miles on the bike .... Oh, color is gloss black with white logo lettering .... He's asking $600 for it ... our limit is @ $1000-1200 for a "first-time" tandem

A good solid machine ...... Oh! You found a "dust catcher"! Cool! ...... Black is a fast color! :D ..... $600 is a right price, depending .... a reasonable limit, considering.

Now the "depending" part. It depends on what you plan on doing to the bike later on. It's probably a 7 speed cassette, which means it can't be upgraded to an 8, 9 or 10 speed, (which are all interchangable), without changing rear wheels, (and tandem rated wheels are expensive), and cranksets. If you do all that, you may as well upgrade the shifting to brifters, which means new derailleurs as well. Now you have an $1800 bike or so, (maybe only a $1200 bike if you buy all the parts used.)

If you just wanted to ditch the bar ends and upgrade it to brifters, you can find 7 speed brifters out there on eBay, but it's hard to get a pair that still work well, so that's not much of an option, but it is a cheaper one .... used brifters and derailleurs.

By now you get the point. IF IT FITS, and you're happy to buy it and ride it as is, go for it! It's a good bike and a good deal just like it is, but everyone has their preferences.

Just remember, no bike is a "good deal" if it doesn't fit and match the usage you intend to put it to. Pushing a heavy mountain bike around all the time while all your friends are cruising along barely breaking a sweat on their road bikes is NOT fun! It should always be fit first, usage second, and price last. Sometimes we are forced to turn that around and look at stuff within a certain price range, but once you're within that range, go back to fit and usage ahead of final price.

One additional note here: Most tandems/wheels will handle a 700X38 tire, which is roughly a 1 1/2" tire. MANY teams report doing quite well on pack dirt and gravel roads and trails with that tire size.

Disclosure laws require that I do inform you that I am a 35+ year roadie with a strong bias towards road bikes, however. :thumb:

I think, if the Burley fits, it would be a great first bike. Sorry to the Kent owners, but I would feel a lot safer on this bike than the Kents. With 500 miles on it, why upgrade? The parts should be like new. Brifters and more speeds would be nice but ...

Ride it for awhile to see if you like tandeming. If you do, then sell it and buy a newer bike. However, make sure you replace the brake pads, tires and tubes if they are not new.

Ride it for awhile to see if you like tandeming. If you do, then sell it and buy a newer bike.

Why even do that? Cornucopia72 has the exact same bike as his backup bike. As a matter of fact, a lot of us have a backup/loaner/foul weather/loaded touring tandem, as well as our go fast rig. If it fits and you like tandeming, just go get a new one and keep this one!

Why even do that? Cornucopia72 has the exact same bike as his backup bike. As a matter of fact, a lot of us have a backup/loaner/foul weather/loaded touring tandem, as well as our go fast rig. If it fits and you like tandeming, just go get a new one and keep this one!

Well that's true. We have a Cannondale we use for that purpose. I was thinking of the budget. But if a team finds out that they like tandeming the budget is usually thrown out. At least that's what happened to us.

Thanks for the reminder. I think you're right... a 21" frame works out to @ 53 cm and I'm looking for something like a 58cm for me and maybe a 53 for my stoker. My Surly is a 58cm and that size works well for me - anything bigger and I'd have to sing soprono if i did a "get off" on the top bar:cry:!

Rich at GTG thought I'd be a medium to large on a Santana or Co-motion road bike, though the Celanto we test rode had a lower reach typical of a MTB.

Looking at the combination of your height and inseam I'd say Rich is about right. Hard to say whether to put a long stem and seatpost on a medium or a short stem and seatpost on a large. I'm two inches taller but with three more inches in the legs and short arms (for my height). Making stock sizes a bit harder to fit. For me it's definitely a large with a tall but short reach stem (if used), or custom (if new).

The tricky thing about buying a used bike is that you probably will need to factor in changing the stem to get the fit right, and that's for after. Look at the stem on the bike - some older ones require removing the brakes and tape to change the stem. Think about what your most likely upgrades/changes will be and price them before you decide what you can spend. Given that it's a medium, they might be: saddle (nobody else's saddle is likely right), pedals (what standard do you ride?), stem (longer), bars (wider), tape (because of the bars), brifters (?). This should all be doable for under $500. I did all of the above, plus stoker bars, minus pedals, plus front brakes, plus suspension seatpost, front rack, and fenders, and seat bag on a used Santana (with its non-standard sizing) for around $800, to make it more-or-less fit my son (6'6") and daughter (not so much). And some of these may turn out to be fine already.

If you find the 58 cm bar height is at your limit for a single, drop at least 2 cm from that for the tandem standover at the point just forward of the saddle on the tandem. You need to be able to straddle with your feet spread far enough that the pedals don't hit your legs when the stoker is rotating them to get in/out.

The first tandem I tried out when shopping was an older Santana with a shortish quill stem - couldn't raise it far enough - and bar end shifters. I couldn't stand the shifters, but I think that's partly because the bars were too low. Some folks are very happy with bar-ends. If your bars are too low, you won't be, and that may colour your impression on the test ride.

Look at the stem on the bike - some older ones require removing the brakes and tape to change the stem .... The first tandem I tried out when shopping was an older Santana with a shortish quill stem - couldn't raise it far enough

All good points, Webster, but be aware that these days they make both a quill stem adapter (http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=K0123) to make it use threadless stems, and threadless stem risers (http://www.rei.com/product/700227) to get the bars up higher.

I have even used both items together on one wild fixie project!

If the bike fits you and your stoker. If you can test ride it and do not mind the bar end shifters. And if the bike is in the condition described. Then I think it is an excellent deal because the price is right and you would be saving on freight. We own a Duet as the one you describe. We keep it a as rainy day tandem and to lend to friends. It is a very comfortable bike that is very easy to keep on a straight line.

If I were you, I would make sure I bring down a car or some means to bring it back home just in case.
"If the bike fits ...can test ride it ...bar end shifters(gotem on my Surly LHT)...in the condition described..." That's what I hope to find out this weekend. Hmmmm...:rolleyes:I wonder if I can squeeze it into my Outback? Here's a pic of the bike

I wonder if I can squeeze it into my Outback?

Maybe, with both wheels off. But as a backup, an Outback has a roof rack, so take tools, especially a pedal wrench, lots of blankets, and rope! :thumb:

EDIT: Pic looks like it does have a quill stem, so before you go playing with stem length, you might want to get that quill stem adapter. Having to remove/retape one side of the bar and remove/replace/readjust one brake everytime you wanted to swap stems was a pain.

If I were you, I would make sure I bring down a car or some means to bring it back home just in case.

Anyone have an idea of the length of a tandem from fork blade end to rear sprocket? I'm guessing @ 66-68", but really have no idea. Just wondering :rolleyes:if I'd be able to get a tandem frame set in my Subaru wagon if needs be. Forks on the front seat counsol, wheels off, etc.

Your guess is correct, 65 to 68 depending how you turn the fork. I just bought a used tandem and could fit it, wheels off the frame, inside my Grand Cherokee with the rear seats down. It didn't have to go over the front seat. If you have a good rear trunk rack you can also fit the tandem by removing a wheel, it shouldn't be wider than the width between your side mirrors which is the rule in many states.

"If the bike fits ...can test ride it ...bar end shifters(gotem on my Surly LHT)...in the condition described..." That's what I hope to find out this weekend. Hmmmm...:rolleyes:I wonder if I can squeeze it into my Outback? Here's a pic of the bike

That frame looks te same size as mine. I am 6'3" and it fits me fine.. but I use a longer stem.

The bike comes with frame pump, 5 water cages, pedals, rack... Defenitely a good deal!

Several years after we bought the duet and we started doing some steep climbing we found the wheel set to be unrealiable. We upgraded the wheels and cold reset the rear spacing to 145mmm and now have it as a 9 speed rig. Depending on your terrain/usage you may never have to worry about that.

We just purchased a Burley Rock n'Roll for less $550 on craigslist - XT components, 8spd barcons, drop bar set-up - and it's going to work well for us for a long time.
Enjoy the tandem - we certainly are.

Hi BigBird2,
You'll nearly always get great advice from the folks here. This is an especially good place for new Tandem teams as there are so many different riders here with deep experience, much more so than at any LBS and no one here is trying to sell their product. I'll have to second Mikedrevguy on the Craigslist buys. We bought our first Tandem (a Raleigh Coupe, 26" Mtn bike with a second set of road tires) on Craigslist Asheville. We paid too much for it ($800)but it was maintained in perfect condition (nearly showroom) by very serious biking couple. Our second Tandem was a great buy, a one year old KHS, again perfectly maintained by a Fireman whose second job was working in a bike shop. It was absolutely mint, came with a RockyMount Tandem rack (the best for our Ford Focus wagon) for $1k....which we felt was just outstanding since we were looking at a new one for $1800.....If you are getting the idea that "size matters" you are getting the right idea. Cost was a consideration for us but a really good price matters not if the size is wrong as your Tandeming experience will be made or broken by how comfortable the two of you are. Might I add on the side of comfort that keeping your "stoker" happy is the key to enjoying life on a Tandem. Right now we have a total of three tandems, the Raleigh, the KHS and now, of all things, a TerraTrike recumbent Tandem which is just pure pleasure to ride Good luck to you...wish we'd have gotten into Tandeming when we were in our 30's but better late than never...ken

Well I missed out on the Burley. We were hoping to go down on Sunday afternoon to check it out, but the owner emailed me Sat evening that it was sold:(. So... back to the drawing board I guess. Still looking.......

Anyone have an idea of the length of a tandem from fork blade end to rear sprocket? I'm guessing @ 66-68", but really have no idea. Just wondering :rolleyes:if I'd be able to get a tandem frame set in my Subaru wagon if needs be. Forks on the front seat console, wheels off, etc.

It's going to depend on the tandem, but you can get to within 1 or 2 inches by looking at a dead-on side view, assuming you know the wheel diameter and use that for scale. I will say we got our custom Bilenky (somewhat larger than anything you're likely to find stock - I'm 6'3") into the back of our Prius with the wheels off, but that was before it had fenders and racks, and the car had a very small stoker compartment with the seat slid forward to fit the bike behind it :p. We had it on its side, with the forks/bars behind the passenger seat.

Now I "break it in half" first, since it has S+S couplers.

I don't know how the back of a Subaru wagon compares to the back of a Prius - I know how the front compares (I don't fit in the Subaru, I do in the Prius).

Good luck with the continued quest.