Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Tandem Cycling
Reload this Page >

Next Big Thing in Tandeming?

Notices
Tandem Cycling A bicycle built for two. Want to find out more about this wonderful world of tandems? Check out this forum to talk with other tandem enthusiasts. Captains and stokers welcome!

Next Big Thing in Tandeming?

Old 07-16-08, 04:46 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
embankmentlb's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: North, Ga.
Posts: 2,399

Bikes: 3Rensho-Aerodynamics, Bernard Hinault Look - 1986 tour winner, Guerciotti, Various Klein's & Panasonic's

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 159 Post(s)
Liked 372 Times in 160 Posts
Next Big Thing in Tandeming?

https://cgi.ebay.com/tandem-bicycle_W...QQcmdZViewItem
embankmentlb is offline  
Old 07-16-08, 07:08 PM
  #2  
Oldie. Boy, howdy!
 
Onegun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Shady Hills, Fl.
Posts: 1,003

Bikes: 2005 Trek T2000 tandem, Giant TCR, Eddie Merckx Majestic Ti, Fuji Team, Giant Revel 29er, Windsor Clockwork (Orange) fixie, and a BikTrix Juggernaut Ultra 1000 fat tire eBike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Sorry, but I'm afraid the "next big thing" has already come and gone! Do a search for "cyclemorph". Cool idea, though.
__________________
BICYCLE - [[I]bahy-si-kuhl] - Noun :> A medical device used to correct the common geriatric condition of OFS, (Old, Fat & Slow), in a manner that does not induce brain-decaying boredom like walking or running.

2005 Trek T2000 tandem, Giant TCR, Eddie Merckx Majestic Ti, Fuji Team, Giant Revel 29er, Windsor Clockwork (Orange) fixie, and a BikTrix Juggernaut Ultra 1000 fat tire eBike
Onegun is offline  
Old 07-16-08, 08:20 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
zonatandem's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 11,016

Bikes: Custom Zona c/f tandem + Scott Plasma single

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 77 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 19 Times in 11 Posts
That 'debuted' about 10 years ago and has since folded.
zonatandem is offline  
Old 07-17-08, 12:06 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
swc7916's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Machias, WA
Posts: 718

Bikes: Rodriguez Toucan tandem, Rodriguez Rainer Lite sport/touring

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
No.
swc7916 is offline  
Old 07-17-08, 12:45 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
Retro Grouch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225

Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.

Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 642 Times in 363 Posts
Originally Posted by zonatandem
That 'debuted' about 10 years ago and has since folded.
"Folded" Interesting word choice.
Retro Grouch is offline  
Old 07-17-08, 05:48 PM
  #6  
Oldie. Boy, howdy!
 
Onegun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Shady Hills, Fl.
Posts: 1,003

Bikes: 2005 Trek T2000 tandem, Giant TCR, Eddie Merckx Majestic Ti, Fuji Team, Giant Revel 29er, Windsor Clockwork (Orange) fixie, and a BikTrix Juggernaut Ultra 1000 fat tire eBike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Just for fun, here's another "instant tandem" widget!

https://www.x2cycle.com/
__________________
BICYCLE - [[I]bahy-si-kuhl] - Noun :> A medical device used to correct the common geriatric condition of OFS, (Old, Fat & Slow), in a manner that does not induce brain-decaying boredom like walking or running.

2005 Trek T2000 tandem, Giant TCR, Eddie Merckx Majestic Ti, Fuji Team, Giant Revel 29er, Windsor Clockwork (Orange) fixie, and a BikTrix Juggernaut Ultra 1000 fat tire eBike
Onegun is offline  
Old 07-18-08, 06:39 PM
  #7  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 13
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I've fiddled around with a similar idea... A fork with 130+ spacing, and a "rear" wheel with a slightly longer than normal axle. The special fork goes on the rear bike, the special wheel goes on the front bike, the two mate up and...

You end up with a three-wheeled tandem with two drivetrains. Of course, stoker-induced steering is a very real problem, three wheels isn't horribly efficient, and it looks just plain goofy. All the same, someone would buy it.
dangit is offline  
Old 07-19-08, 06:58 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
zonatandem's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 11,016

Bikes: Custom Zona c/f tandem + Scott Plasma single

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 77 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 19 Times in 11 Posts
X2Cycle was introduced at Interbike about a dozen years ago. Another 'genius' idea that went nowhere.
zonatandem is offline  
Old 07-20-08, 03:10 AM
  #9  
Oldie. Boy, howdy!
 
Onegun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Shady Hills, Fl.
Posts: 1,003

Bikes: 2005 Trek T2000 tandem, Giant TCR, Eddie Merckx Majestic Ti, Fuji Team, Giant Revel 29er, Windsor Clockwork (Orange) fixie, and a BikTrix Juggernaut Ultra 1000 fat tire eBike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Originally Posted by zonatandem
X2Cycle was introduced at Interbike about a dozen years ago. Another 'genius' idea that went nowhere.
Not surprising! It's a $10 collapsable STICK built into a $20 seatpost rack, and they want $120 for it!
__________________
BICYCLE - [[I]bahy-si-kuhl] - Noun :> A medical device used to correct the common geriatric condition of OFS, (Old, Fat & Slow), in a manner that does not induce brain-decaying boredom like walking or running.

2005 Trek T2000 tandem, Giant TCR, Eddie Merckx Majestic Ti, Fuji Team, Giant Revel 29er, Windsor Clockwork (Orange) fixie, and a BikTrix Juggernaut Ultra 1000 fat tire eBike
Onegun is offline  
Old 07-20-08, 07:26 AM
  #10  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
embankmentlb's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: North, Ga.
Posts: 2,399

Bikes: 3Rensho-Aerodynamics, Bernard Hinault Look - 1986 tour winner, Guerciotti, Various Klein's & Panasonic's

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 159 Post(s)
Liked 372 Times in 160 Posts
How about this onehttps://cgi.ebay.com/Tandem-Fat-Tire-...QQcmdZViewItem
embankmentlb is offline  
Old 07-20-08, 01:11 PM
  #11  
Oldie. Boy, howdy!
 
Onegun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Shady Hills, Fl.
Posts: 1,003

Bikes: 2005 Trek T2000 tandem, Giant TCR, Eddie Merckx Majestic Ti, Fuji Team, Giant Revel 29er, Windsor Clockwork (Orange) fixie, and a BikTrix Juggernaut Ultra 1000 fat tire eBike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Originally Posted by embankmentlb
And I thought a $120 stick was over the top! I wonder how come he has no bids on this 75 pound beauty with a starting price of $8500 plus $600 shipping and a "All Sales Final - No Refunds" sales policy?
__________________
BICYCLE - [[I]bahy-si-kuhl] - Noun :> A medical device used to correct the common geriatric condition of OFS, (Old, Fat & Slow), in a manner that does not induce brain-decaying boredom like walking or running.

2005 Trek T2000 tandem, Giant TCR, Eddie Merckx Majestic Ti, Fuji Team, Giant Revel 29er, Windsor Clockwork (Orange) fixie, and a BikTrix Juggernaut Ultra 1000 fat tire eBike
Onegun is offline  
Old 07-20-08, 01:43 PM
  #12  
Senior Member
 
zonatandem's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 11,016

Bikes: Custom Zona c/f tandem + Scott Plasma single

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 77 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 19 Times in 11 Posts
There's a couple tandem duos that have these 'real beach cruisers' . . . ultimate offroad riding in sand dunes and on beaches. That kind of lmiits usage/production. Now, maybe with outriggers it would float?
zonatandem is offline  
Old 07-20-08, 02:33 PM
  #13  
Oldie. Boy, howdy!
 
Onegun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Shady Hills, Fl.
Posts: 1,003

Bikes: 2005 Trek T2000 tandem, Giant TCR, Eddie Merckx Majestic Ti, Fuji Team, Giant Revel 29er, Windsor Clockwork (Orange) fixie, and a BikTrix Juggernaut Ultra 1000 fat tire eBike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Originally Posted by zonatandem
There's a couple tandem duos that have these 'real beach cruisers' . . . ultimate offroad riding in sand dunes and on beaches. That kind of lmiits usage/production. Now, maybe with outriggers it would float?
I'll say! We have 30+ miles of beaches here in Pinellas county, (St. Pete/Clearwater, Fl), and you're not allowed to ride a bike on a single one of them!

But with bigger tires for flotation and outriggers, I could pedal out to some of the islands! Now that would be a gas! (But still not $8500 worth!)
__________________
BICYCLE - [[I]bahy-si-kuhl] - Noun :> A medical device used to correct the common geriatric condition of OFS, (Old, Fat & Slow), in a manner that does not induce brain-decaying boredom like walking or running.

2005 Trek T2000 tandem, Giant TCR, Eddie Merckx Majestic Ti, Fuji Team, Giant Revel 29er, Windsor Clockwork (Orange) fixie, and a BikTrix Juggernaut Ultra 1000 fat tire eBike
Onegun is offline  
Old 07-21-08, 08:37 AM
  #14  
Full Member
 
72andsunny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 326
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 35 Post(s)
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Originally Posted by embankmentlb
I must have that. Walking on the beach is for suckers...
72andsunny is offline  
Old 07-25-08, 05:53 AM
  #15  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 17
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by zonatandem
X2Cycle was introduced at Interbike about a dozen years ago. Another 'genius' idea that went nowhere.
Why? does it not work well?

I'll forget the price if it works, hours of fun and taking kid to school riding instead of driving will pay off the tandem rack quickly.
mikalo is offline  
Old 07-25-08, 07:01 AM
  #16  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
embankmentlb's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: North, Ga.
Posts: 2,399

Bikes: 3Rensho-Aerodynamics, Bernard Hinault Look - 1986 tour winner, Guerciotti, Various Klein's & Panasonic's

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 159 Post(s)
Liked 372 Times in 160 Posts
mikalo, i think you answered your own question.
embankmentlb is offline  
Old 07-25-08, 07:36 AM
  #17  
Oldie. Boy, howdy!
 
Onegun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Shady Hills, Fl.
Posts: 1,003

Bikes: 2005 Trek T2000 tandem, Giant TCR, Eddie Merckx Majestic Ti, Fuji Team, Giant Revel 29er, Windsor Clockwork (Orange) fixie, and a BikTrix Juggernaut Ultra 1000 fat tire eBike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Originally Posted by mikalo
Why? does it not work well?

I'll forget the price if it works, hours of fun and taking kid to school riding instead of driving will pay off the tandem rack quickly.
Over the 35+ years I've been involved with cycling, I've seen 100's of these "brilliant ideas that were going to revolutionize cycling" come and go. Most worked marginally but had major drawbacks of one kind or another, and were usually invented by someone who had no real experience with cycling.

But in my haste to chuckle at what I see as yet another "wanna-be" bicycle or "instant" tandem invention, I sometimes forget that:

A. Others may not give a damn for my sense of "bicycle purity"
B. Others may actually have a functional use for such an item!

And this might be one of those instances. That "stick" may well suffice for taking a child a couple of miles to and from school every day and as such, offer both parent and child as many happy hours of togetherness as a $5000 tandem! That may be a valid application.

But personally, I fail to see it's purpose. You can't "tow" your child significantly faster than they are already able to go on their own, as they still have to steer their own bike. Go too fast and they'll either panic or simply lose concentration on the road, both possibly leading to trouble. So you wouldn't get there significantly faster than if the two of you just rode your own bikes.

The stick doesn't keep them in a straight line behind you either. Again, they are free to steer their own bike. And if they veer off too far to the side, (like kids often do), the stick will disconnect from your bike and drop to the ground while still attached to the front of your child's bike. Translation? A potential pole vault!

And lastly, it would appear the connection on both the stick and rack are very delicate bits of nylon or ABS plastic. I would not expect them to either hold for two adults, nor last very long even with a parent/child.

Still, it might have certain "useful applications". Do be VERY aware, though, that children tend to steer where they are looking. See a puppy on the other side of the chainlink fence? Off the sidewalk and into the fence the bike goes! But no harm done, (usually), because the little one is only capable of riding at 5 mph. Now tow the child with this stick and double their speed, but still leave them in full control of steering the bike ....... potential disaster.

So if you can't ride faster, you can't ride safer, and you'd have to "teach" them how to ride with this thing anyway, why not just teach them to ride their own bike properly and accompany them?
__________________
BICYCLE - [[I]bahy-si-kuhl] - Noun :> A medical device used to correct the common geriatric condition of OFS, (Old, Fat & Slow), in a manner that does not induce brain-decaying boredom like walking or running.

2005 Trek T2000 tandem, Giant TCR, Eddie Merckx Majestic Ti, Fuji Team, Giant Revel 29er, Windsor Clockwork (Orange) fixie, and a BikTrix Juggernaut Ultra 1000 fat tire eBike
Onegun is offline  
Old 07-27-08, 02:49 PM
  #18  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 17
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
That's a thorough answer that proved very useful. Thank you.
mikalo is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.