jethro00

We need advice on buying our third tandem.
Our first tandem was a Trailmate (red, wide tires, big fenders, classic look). Our current tandem is a Trek T900 we bought new in late 2003. We ride alone about 45 minutes every morning, 7 days a week. We have done this for over 20 years. We ride on the streets, paved paths, and occasionally on dirt or gravel roads or grass. We are in New Orleans, so it is all flat riding except for up and down the levee or a bridge over an interstate. Our roads have a lot of potholes. Our longest rides are about 4 hours on city streets where we load the bike with portable chairs and other gear to go to a park or outdoor festival. I am 5'10" and the stoker is 5'6." We each have a 32.5" inseam. So, no stock tandem fits us exactly. We prefer upright handlebars.

Our 13 year old Trek T900 needs parts replaced more frequently now and we are wondering if we should buy a new bike. The stoker will not go for a new T900 or a comparable KHS since she does not like the colors. Alas, it takes 2 votes to buy a tandem. We see no reason to spend big bucks on a tandem since we do not have mountains (or even big hills) and do not ride in a group where we would need to be able to keep up with the group. So, we are looking at the Hokitika Haka and the Santana Smooth. Both use 26" wheels. We have excluded from consideration tandems (such as the Co-Motion Bluebird) that use 700c wheels since we read that 26" wheels dramatically improve low speed maneuverability and have better bash-strength. The latter is a big factor for us since our roads in New Orleans are full of potholes.

Can anyone share experience going from a T900 to a Haka or a Smooth? Can anyone share their experience riding a Haka or a Smooth? I don't think we will make it to NJ to test ride a Haka. There is a tandem shop in Birmingham we might be able to visit to test ride a Smooth.

Can anyone explain what we would enjoy better with a Haka or a Smooth than we do with our T900 that would justify the cost of a new tandem? Our T900 is 18.5/14.5, which is small for the stoker. So, that might be one thing that would be better on a Haka or Smooth.

Thanks.