View Single Post
Old 11-23-15, 02:46 PM
  #2  
jnbrown
Senior Member
 
jnbrown's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Encinitas, CA
Posts: 1,292
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 132 Post(s)
Liked 95 Times in 52 Posts
Originally Posted by BNB
I’m looking for information / advice on components for our new Co-motion Primera tandem (on order). The most important to us are brakes and bottom brackets in terms of potentially annoying noises.

The first line under the component is the Co-motion Primera ($3800); the second line is the Co-motion Macchiato ($9300); the third line is our Cannondale T2 ($3300 at REI).

Our LBS swapped out the Shimano brakes for Avid BB7 and we’ve had good luck with those. Our Cannondale FSA Gossamer rear bottom bracket failed and was replaced and the front bb is noisy/creaky. Light wheels would be nice. We are a 260 pound team.

Component
Co-motion Primera
Co-motion Macchiato
Cannondale T2

Brakes
Avid BB7 w/ 200mm Rotors
TRP Spyre w/ 180mm Rotor
Shimano R515 mechnical disc, 180/203mm

Headset
FSA Orbit
Chris King Inset 2, for Tapered Steerer
Tange Custom 1.5"

Cranks
TruVativ Elita Tandem Cranks
FSA SL-K Tandem Cranks
FSA Gossamer

Wheels
Velocity Dyad Rims; Co-Motion A-20 Tandem Hubs, 36h or 40h
DT 540 Disc hubs; Velocity Dyad Rims (Co-motion Speedster)
DT Swiss Tandem, 36-hole, DT Swiss Tandem
Brakes: We use just road caliper brakes (Mavic SSC), never felt the need for the extra complication and weight of disc brakes. But I understand if you are doing loaded touring you may want disc brakes. We weigh 250 lbs and have done some light CC touring.

Headset: Can't beat Chris King, worth the money many times over.

Cranks: We have Gossamer's on the rear and after 4 years no problems, the bearings are still good. SL-K are just a more expensive version and from my understanding actually weigh more than Gossamers. Crankset choices for tandems are really limited. Other options are Lightning (light, but expensive, large Q-factor), DaVinci (lots of options, reasonable price but use old style square taper BB)

Wheels: I build all my own wheels and have been for some time, I like White Industries hubs.
My current wheelset uses White Industries Mi6 hubs, Kinlin rims from Bike Hub Store C31W on from and C31OC on rear.
These only go up to 32 holes but since the rear rim has an offset reducing the dish of the wheel its stronger than a 36 spoke wheel using a conventional rim.
These rims are quite wide and deep making them strong and allowing a lower tire pressure.
jnbrown is offline