Little-Acorn

Well, when it rains, it pours. Two days after getting my Schwinn Twinn Sport 10sp tandem, a guy called back on an ad I had called, saying he still had his Fiore tandem. Wasn't in good shape, needed work (understatement!), but VERY low price. I wound up grabbing it, ridiculous front handlebars, cheap ratcage pedals, 40# tires, lack of a front brake cable, and plentiful chain rust and all.

It's a seven-speed, mens-front/ladys-rear seat, 26" wheels. Rear cluster might be a 14-30 or 14-32, seems larger than normal, haven't counted it yet. Frame seems to be straight enough, wheels turn well, it shifts mostly. This is after several hours of preliminary work, pitched the front handlebar (a semicircle of electrical contractor tubing painted black, what was someone thinking) and replaced it with the non-original "up" handlebar that came on the Schwinn, put on a front brake cable, dumped a ton of Liquid Wrench on the chain and most reddish-brown areas, lots of WD-40 on most other areas to clean out the gunk, pumped up the tires (rear tire is a 40#er). For now I'm ignoring the broken-off kickstand, it's a bolt-on, shouldn't be hard to deal with, though a tandem without a kickstand is pretty awkward to work on in a driveway. I can't offhand imagine how one would break off a kickstand. Both seat posts and stoker stem are solid rust, haven't gotten them to move yet, fortunately the captain's seat was about right for me anyway. Wound up riding it around for several test runs, runs easily and straight, feels like a real bicycle!

Anybody know anything about Fiore (not Fiori) tandems? I could find very little info on the net. Obviously a low-end product, haven't weighed it yet but it's about the weight of the Schwinn which literature says is 52#. This one has been used, abused, and neglected, and still needs a lot more work before I can trust anyone I like on the back.

Maybe I'll start a tandem garden. They seem to be springing up all over.

zonatandem

The Schwinn is definitely the better choice.
But if you got lotsa time to tinker . . .

JTGraphics

Yep I had one of those it was given to me I fixed it up with parts I had and bought some on sale didn't spend to much on it, used it for the kids and people who wanted to go on a ride they used it. It actually rode quite well for short trips after I was done. Someone ended up buying it from me for what I had in it, I had fun with the project gave me something to do for awhile was built so anyone could ride it. I have photos of it Tandem Bike Project if you care to see how it turned out.

Little-Acorn

JTG, that's a great chronicle of your work on that bike. You certainly made a lot of changes! Do you have any listing of howmuch it weighed at the beginning, how much at the end, and at any intermediate points? You mentioned weight savings in a few areas, but no all-up weights.

And, where did you get the "child stoker" pedals that clamped to the seat bars? How much do they cost? I have a nine-year old son who could greatly benefit from some of those!

JTGraphics

Really not sure were I ended up on weight to tell you the truth it really wasn't a main concern on this bike. In the end I'd guess a still quite heavy 48 - 53lb range with everything on it because I added quite a bit of stuff so it could be taken as a around town bike to actually carry stuff home on. Before I added extras the basic bike was down to around 44lb's I know, I think it started at 48lb's most of the weight cam from the swap of steel parts to aluminum, but it was't a hole lot.
The kids crank was picked off ebay for $25.00. Child Stoker Kit at Chucks Bike's https://www.chucksbikes.com/store/ new.

But if your kids 9 you may be better off with a set of crank arm shortners like these.

If I can help email me directly and I'll answer any question's I can.
In any case have fun with your projects I did, I didn't mind spending a few bucks I was fun as I see it.

Little-Acorn

Got the Fiore cleaned up enough that I've ridden it with my wife on the back, and my son on the back. Not at the same time, obviously. :^) It rides easily, seems a solid bike, shifts easily and well to all seven on the rear cluster, which is indeed a 14-32. A little rust on the wheels and the captain's seatpost, is all that's left after I got done with the steel wool and Liquid Wrench.

Front tire is a 65# knobby, rear is a 40# not-so-knobby. Above 10mph I hear a strange buzzing from the front wheels, might be brakes but I don't think so. Doesn't sound like bearings, but I'm not sure what it DOES sound like. Sort of like something rubbing the tire, but nothing is. May have to pull the axle to look. Bearings feel smoth enough when turning.

Seems like not a bad bike overall. Can anyone recommend a decent pretty-high-pressure 26" road tire? I'll seldom if ever take it off road.

JTGraphics

These all will do on the cheaper priced side Forté City ST MTB Tire or Forté Fast City ST/K MTB Tire and Ritchey Tom Slick MTB Tire and if you want a slick Forté Slick City ST MTB Tire I have used them all at one time but these are on ours now and I like them Schwalbe Stelvio

Little-Acorn

Thank you, JTG, excellent advice! The ST/K MTB tire sounds like the one for me.

ken cummings

I get that buzzing sound at lower speeds from heavily lugged tires.