Tandem Cycling - Cannondale Mountain Tandem

We are about to invest in the Cannondale Mount tandem (our first tandem) primarily for a relatively sedate six month tour through Holland France and Germany (avoiding steep long ascents and descents where possible) carrying full camping gear. We will be pulling a trailer. I gather the disc brakes can require frequent fine tuning? Do we need an auxilliary brake? Any comments about this choice of tandem for this type of tour?? Thanks

We are about to invest in the Cannondale Mount tandem (our first tandem) primarily for a relatively sedate six month tour through Holland France and Germany (avoiding steep long ascents and descents where possible) carrying full camping gear. We will be pulling a trailer. I gather the disc brakes can require frequent fine tuning? Do we need an auxilliary brake? Any comments about this choice of tandem for this type of tour?? Thanks


I have an older MT2000 that is used aggressively off road, so I can vouch for the basic frame and fitments being up to standard. Not certain which brakes are fitted to yours, but I presume they are Hydraulic discs. Providing no long-steep alpine descents are on the cards, then these brakes will be suitable, However, Braking with discs and no drag brake, may require a modified braking system on your part. These are not brakes for applying continually on hills. If the hill is long, and you want to keep the speed down, then build to your maximum speed, brake sharply to get the speed down and then stop braking. When speed builds up again-then brake sharply again. If you are worried about the brakes being man enough, then get a larger disc fitted, and space the caliper out to suit.

As I have said, our MT is used aggressively offroad, and we do take in some long hills. Never had a problem with the disc brakes not being man enough, but then we do have 200mm discs fitted, and only use them when required. Points to remenber when touring though, are spare pads, and Tandem length cables. They are not available at local bike shops, so definitely will not be available in the middle of nowhere, when you cannot speak the language.

We have an MT800 which uses V-brakes. One of the reasons we got this bike is that it is built to accept a drag brake. Since my wife doesn't care for fast descents, I plan to install one before we go on our first extended tour which will be the C & O canal tow path. I know the main use for it on that ride will be as a parking brake, but it will keep my stoker happy and that is essential.

I may also eventually install a disc on the front if I decide the rim brakes are not doing the job.


Doc

Thanks for the advice/tips Stapfam. Most useful and reassuring. Go well. Pel.

Will look into a drag break too. Thanks Doc. Go well on your canal trip. Pel.

Before we converted to discs, we found V brakes completely suitable, except that 65 miles into a 100 mile trip offroad, (about 8 hours into a 12 hour ride) the pilot found that hand pressure required was a bit excesive. Whether this was due to contaminated pads, or just weak hands along with the rest of the body, is hard to say. Since changing to discs, we have had no problems and the 12 hour total has actually fallen to 11 hours for the same trip. May be fitness, but Disc brakes are only used when necessary, allowing a higher speed Downhill, and the adrenalyn rush of High speed off road, probably carried us up the nexr hill faster.

Thanks Stepfam. Sounds as though we are heading in the right direction. Go well. Pel.

We also have a tandem MTB, set up for off raod and touring, and we found the Avid disc brakes with 203mm the best choice so far. Spare cables and pads are cheap and easy to pack, whereas I worry about getting spares for hydraulics. At the very least, get the Goodrich (Goodridge?) braided steel lines, and go with a brake like Magura's that use mineral oil, instead of the toxic DOT fluids. That's my 2 cents.

Thanks Expatriate. Will bear in mind though looks as though I will have to stick with what ever Cannondale puts on the bike as standard component. Go well. Pel

I've seen some with Avid mechanicals, and some with Magura hydraulics. The Avids are no worries at all. We've bought the Magura's, but have not installed them yet, waiting on the new lines. If your bike comes with the Avids, it's a quick job for the dealer to upgrade to the 203mm rotors, and worth every penny. Good luck. I hope you post photos when you return. When are you going?