Touring on a vintage tandem Copenhagen-Berlin!
10-06-11, 08:10 AM
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Touring on a vintage tandem Copenhagen-Berlin!
Hi gang!
This summer my girlfriend and I took our 1978 Norwegian DBS tandem for a little spin - from Copenhagen to Berlin no less! 650 kilometers!
Unfortunately our camera succumbed to humidity (sweaty fingers?) the first day on the road. These pictures were taken fresh off the boat from Oslo to Copenhagen. Look at how happy we were!
I assembled the bike myself using all original components - down to the Atom large drum hub, better known for it's use in french mopeds.
We took the official Danish-German bicycle route through the eastern coast of Denmark (less wind), took the ferry to Rostock and breezed through the principalities of Northern Germany. Took us ten days at a leisurely pace. Hardly encountered any car road, only canals, woods and countryside. Highly recommended!
The crank snapped in half around Waren in Müritz, but a local welder fixed it in a jiffy. Other highlights: Sleeping in a beer keg, overtaking three kitted out carbon racers and getting invited by a German farmer to hold his newborn piglets!
The trailer is the classic Bob Yak. With this kind of wheelbase we hardly noticed it, except for when we had to haul everything down five stairs to the Berlin Central train station
.
My girl performed admirably - five years as a martial arts instructor has paid off in leg muscle! When she revved up the pedals just disappeared from under me.
Hope my little story cheered you up.
All the best,
Johan of Norway
This summer my girlfriend and I took our 1978 Norwegian DBS tandem for a little spin - from Copenhagen to Berlin no less! 650 kilometers!
Unfortunately our camera succumbed to humidity (sweaty fingers?) the first day on the road. These pictures were taken fresh off the boat from Oslo to Copenhagen. Look at how happy we were!
I assembled the bike myself using all original components - down to the Atom large drum hub, better known for it's use in french mopeds.
We took the official Danish-German bicycle route through the eastern coast of Denmark (less wind), took the ferry to Rostock and breezed through the principalities of Northern Germany. Took us ten days at a leisurely pace. Hardly encountered any car road, only canals, woods and countryside. Highly recommended!
The crank snapped in half around Waren in Müritz, but a local welder fixed it in a jiffy. Other highlights: Sleeping in a beer keg, overtaking three kitted out carbon racers and getting invited by a German farmer to hold his newborn piglets!
The trailer is the classic Bob Yak. With this kind of wheelbase we hardly noticed it, except for when we had to haul everything down five stairs to the Berlin Central train station
.My girl performed admirably - five years as a martial arts instructor has paid off in leg muscle! When she revved up the pedals just disappeared from under me.
Hope my little story cheered you up.
All the best,
Johan of Norway
10-06-11, 09:03 AM
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So, so nice! How did you plan your route? Did you use a guidebook (I can read German, but not Danish or Norwegian 
)? Have you posted a more detailed account somewhere else? That trip sounds wonderful, and I'd really like to try it with my wife.
)? Have you posted a more detailed account somewhere else? That trip sounds wonderful, and I'd really like to try it with my wife.
10-06-11, 09:13 AM
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Thanks for sharing the story. Sounds like a memorable experience.
Too bad about the busted crank, but good that someone was able to get it back together. So you slept in a keg?...
Too bad about the busted crank, but good that someone was able to get it back together. So you slept in a keg?...
10-06-11, 09:32 AM
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That's right, I slept in a keg! A crazy polack rented them out near the lake not far from Neustrelitz. He had fitted them with a little window, curtains, a table and two bunk beds. Looked like a hobbit house.
10-06-11, 09:58 AM
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Sounds like a blast! A shame about your camera. It would've been nice to see more photos.... I've never been to Denmar, but I love Berlin.
10-06-11, 10:07 AM
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Nice post!
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10-06-11, 02:33 PM
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Bought the official, German guide - I believe you can order it from here: https://www.bike-berlin-copenhagen.com/
That's right, I slept in a keg! A crazy polack rented them out near the lake not far from Neustrelitz. He had fitted them with a little window, curtains, a table and two bunk beds. Looked like a hobbit house.
That's right, I slept in a keg! A crazy polack rented them out near the lake not far from Neustrelitz. He had fitted them with a little window, curtains, a table and two bunk beds. Looked like a hobbit house.
I resemble that remark. Cool story.
10-08-11, 09:03 PM
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Bought the official, German guide - I believe you can order it from here: https://www.bike-berlin-copenhagen.com/
That's right, I slept in a keg! A crazy polack rented them out near the lake not far from Neustrelitz. He had fitted them with a little window, curtains, a table and two bunk beds. Looked like a hobbit house.
That's right, I slept in a keg! A crazy polack rented them out near the lake not far from Neustrelitz. He had fitted them with a little window, curtains, a table and two bunk beds. Looked like a hobbit house.
10-08-11, 09:53 PM
#11
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Johan, Thanks for sharing, makes me miss my Santana even more! Anyway I'm informally looking for a vintage tandem that I can mount a child's seat onto and also pull a trailer for the grandkids. 
Brad
Brad
10-08-11, 11:54 PM
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Thanks for sharing! You went from one cool city to another, and riding one of the most beautiful landscapes in northern Europe...sounds great! Takk!
10-09-11, 01:21 PM
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Haha, yes, my stoker is where it's at. Next summer we'll bring the circus to France! No offence meant by the "crazy polack" remark BTW - I'm crazy, and if I were polish I would be crazy and polish. It transcends borders.
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