Folks,

I don't think LelandJT is criticizing Calfee at all with his comments. If a Ferrari tops out at 193 mph and a Lamborghini does 204 mph and has a touch more padding in the bucket seats than the Ferrari then yes, the Lamborghini is faster and more comfortable than the Ferrari. That's not to say the Ferrari is by any means SLOW or uncomfortable. Rich at Gear-ToGo Tandems had the opportunity, a few years ago, to put some miles on a Calfee and a Beyond at the same time. I am going from memory here for this was posted on Tandem@hobbes and Alex Whetmore's search engine is defunct so I can't quote verbatim, but Rich said they were both very nice bikes, the Calfee was a little "stiffer, quicker" and the Beyond a little more comfortable. Emphasis on "a little."
Regarding suspension seatposts:
We have owned Santana Arrivas (steel with aluminum seatposts), coupled and not, and have just recently received our new Beyond (carbon seatposts). We have ridden tandems for 15 years now and my wife/stoker has ridden without a suspension for the last 13 years. I know of two other stokers riding Santanas (Team Ti and a Sovereign) without suspension seatposts as well, and I don't ride with other tandems much (not by choice)! I suspect once teams have graduated to premium tandems (Santana Team bikes, Calfee, Paketa, Landshark, etc.) they use suspension posts even less.
Ride what enjoy and enjoy what you ride,
Charlie

P.S. Yes, Bill McCready can be a much at times, but I appreciate a person who speaks his mind and believes in his product. Bill just says what he thinks without being politically correct. That doesn't make his bikes any less than the good product that they are.