an interesting take on the tandem bike
 

Saw this interesting homebrew contraption on the local college campus recently. Looks like somebody bolted a spare front fork to the rear dropouts and then somehow added a seatpost & saddle on top.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8250/8...abf352a5_z.jpg
does not look safe to me...

If the stoker is a little kid it should be fine. It probably depends on the weight of the stoker. Two adults and the bike would be pulling a wheely unless the captain kept considerable weight on the handlebars.

It would properly be called a Donkey-Back bike or tandem.

Looks perfectly safe from a structural standpoint to me. Rideability, that's another question.

Really not that much different from having a pal on the back of a banana seat.

Safer than sitting on the handlebars!

The footpegs for stoker are nice; however I prefer a stoker that pedals!

Very ingenious. However, I wouldn't consider it to be a tandem since the rear seat is only for a passenger; there are no rear pedals or handlebars.

Sure its odd. But proabably works for someone (at least 1 pair). I would recommend changing the rear rim to something a bit wider if they intend to continue with the ballon tire. Design wise, it would be much better to turn that folk around so the dropouts are better aligned with the axle. And the chainline is obviously wacked given that the RD is pushed outboard by 1/4 inch...