timvan_78

Hi all,

Just picked up an old mountain tandem for a song on CL--a Norco Evolution! (Aussie kids rode it around the Yukon, then moved back to Aus, had his mate sell it for 'im.) The wife and I took it for a small spin last night & it was fun.

I'm pumped--it rides very smoothly, but needs a bit of love.

QUESTION #1:
The rear skewer is messed--it looks like someone got stuck without a proper nut so they bent the end of the skewer so it wouldn't slide out. The QR still operates properly.

Anyways, I have a spare long QR skewer/nut that came with my kid's Chariot bike trailer. Is there any reason I cannot use that as a tandem QR skewer? (It's long enough.)

QUESTION #2:
The bike has V brakes. I need a rear cargo rack: will a disc-brake compatible rack work? (because of the width?) Or should I take a regular rear rack and bend the legs outwards slightly?

texasdiver

If the skewer fits use it. Nothing special about tandem skewers except the rear are often longer due to the wider hubs.

Regarding racks, depends on where the disc brake is attached. On my Co-Motion the rear disk is attached to the chain stay and is forward of the rack mounting eyes so I can use any rear rack without interfering with the brake. On most single bikes and I guess some tandems you may have issues and will either need to get creative with bending or get a disc-specific rack. Same thing applies to fenders.

timvan_78

Sorry, clarification: the bike has V-brakes. I would only be getting the disc rack if it fit the wider spacing. There are no discs I have to worry about.

Can a regular rack fit the wider tandem spacing?

Chris_W

Don't worry too much about the spacing for the rear rack. If you are worried, go with a steel model like those made by Tubus instead of the aluminum models, which can break at the welds after a lot of use. The disc-compatible racks are normally designed for the same hub spacing as the standard racks, the only difference is normally that the support legs are shaped differently - so that probably won't help much. But as I said, I'd stick on any rack that you have handy and not worry about the spacing.

As stated above, if the skewer fits, then use it. There is nothing special about tandem skewers other than the extra length. Skewers with an internal cam mechanism give more clamping force for a given closing pressure than those with an external cam, but normally external cam models still give enough clamping force.

timvan_78

Perfect! Thanks for the responses! I'm using the Chariot skewer and a standard rack.

Philly Tandem

RE: the rack. Yes, most can be spread for tandem spacing. I've mounted many Blackburn racks on 160mm spaced Santanas, for example. The Co-Motion is "only" 145mm, so that wouldn't be a problem.

paulino

Hi, I noticed that you had a Norco Evolution tandem. I just bought one (in Australia).
Did yours have suspension forks on it? I dont know if this was standard.
I'm trying to work out the original axle to crown height.
I want to put solid forks on it instead of the suspension forks that are on it.
Thanks,
Paul

timvan_78

It came with the rigid fork. Let me know if you want me to measure anything.
Wide, mostly slick tires, at 65 psi it rides so smooth even on gravel paths and bumpy old asphalt roads. (I'm used to 100psi skinny tires of my road bike.)

fietsbob

If it pries out far enough ..


I vote ++ on Magura's Hydraulic rim brakes .. particularly when the rear Brake is at a long distance behind the lever ..

fits on the same V posts.