Originally Posted by
budhaslug
When you originally posted, I (and I think others) assumed this was for your own personal build. Is this actually just meant to be a show bike? If so, why the insistence on "reasonable parts"? Is it just so that the press calls it a "rideable lightest tandem ever!!!!"? If it really is a show build, buy whatever is lightest that won't fall apart on the show floor and call it a day. If you really want to build a rideable bike, hitting 20 lb is going to be nearly impossible, and basing it off a stock Santana build with things like Dura Ace are going to just make it harder and doesn't make any sense.
What are you really trying to achieve with this build and why are you doing it?
It will be ridden by my girlfriend and I on weekends at rallies, grando fondos, races, Santana Tours, and maybe shown at trade shows. I enjoy building nice, detailed, light bikes (but never delicate show queens) and always have, whether on my dollar or my sponsors. This one is being paid for by Santana and won't be owned by me but will be my personal bike during my time with them. The only real concession being made there is I'd prefer an XL frame with short stem but it's gonna be a large frame with 140 stem for me and swappable so other (shorter) people can use it.