Originally Posted by TandemGeek
Regarding weight savings and tandems, about half of the reductions achieved over the past few years has come from the frame material and the other half from using lightweight components (wheels, fork, cranks, bars, etc.). In looking at your component selection, durabilty seemed to take priority over "bling" or lighweight.
Question regarding Spicer Cycles & your tandem: Did Gene fabricate his Ti frames in house or does he outsource the work to a third party? The frame's design features look very familiar and the issues you note with bottle placement also given me a feeling of deja vu.
Finally, regarding the differences between Ti frames, you can't usually see what it is that makes them different unless you put them side-by-side, cut them up, or has a desire to appreciate how each different builder approaches his designs. Santana, Litespeed, Seven, and daVinci's titanium tandems are as different as can be, both in how they look and how they perform. The same is also true of the aluminum, steel, and carbon frames produced by different builders. To many, the differences are neglible and often times masked by tire and wheel selection, riding style, or just a general lack of interest in trying to understand what it is that makes one tandem "feel" better to them than another.
1. Keeping this project on some kind of reasonable budget, but ending up with a safe, reliable, nice bike were my priorities. I wanted good quality parts, that were reasonably light for my budget. Thus I chose an inexpensive steel fork; I felt it would hold up better than the carbon alternative that I could afford. The "tandem rated" carbon forks were "unaffordium". The same with the wheels; I had the rims sitting around, and was willing to chance it that XT mtb hubs would hold up reasonably well for my style of riding, and the usage the bike would get. Some of the other parts--shifters, stem, headset, seat, and derailleurs were also sitting around from frames I had parted out & sold.
2. Gene has his frames produced in Taiwan. I have no problem about the design of the frame, but Gene warned me, that due to language barriers, to REALLY check the CAD drawings carefully for the little details.
3. What's the main difference between a Spicer Ti frame, and those by Lightspeed, Seven, and daVinci? Probably those other frames will be lighter, and will give an even better ride, and probably use butted tubing. The Spicer ti frame is all straight gauge. But the main difference is I can afford the spicer, and build up a very nice bike, whereas I cannot afford the others, or even come close to it. If I had all the money in the world, I would likely buy a Seven, or a Zona (I also like Carbon); but I don't have all the money in the world. So the choice is something I can afford, or nothing. As for the ride, one of my 2 stokers, who rides a Lemond Zurich steel/carbon, said she thought the stoker's position on the Spicer felt as smooth as her Lemond.
Rich