Originally Posted by
MikeAndJean
Until I followed your sensible suggestion and searched for "Bob Jackson tandems" I had not realized how unusual our old tandem was with its single set of diagonals. It was much stiffer than the older Gitane it replaced. That Gitane would flex a lot when we stood. We called it our "articulating frame." The Bob Jackson was a big improvement but only lasted a few years until the forks broke at the dropout (I mean actually broke). An extra set of diagonals would have made that bike stiffer but it would have done nothing for those inadequate fork blades.
My bet is that the mystery bike is French. Gitane, Peugot and Follis all made tandems, with a variety of configurations, back in the 70s and 80s. My guess is that the mystery bike is a repainted tandem from one of those manufacturers. That rear derailleur looks like an old Huret long-arm derailleur from that era.
Its that step down that makes it look English to me...don't recall seeing that on French tandems...I did a quick Google of Gitane, Peugeot and Follis tandems followed up by Le Juene and Motobecane, and I didn't see a step down on any of them. Mystery frame doesn't look too recent though it has braze ons...check of threads could confirm if it is French....it will probably end up being Japanese!
Many years ago I rode a lovely Gitane tandem, not an intro model but higher end with 531 tubing, double mens with one set of twin laterals running from head tube to rear hub. I have a weak spot for French bikes and tried to buy it but guy wouldn't even consider it (I wouldn't have either).