Upgrading Fuji Absolute Tandem (flat bar) to raod tandem
03-06-08, 04:00 PM
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Upgrading Fuji Absolute Tandem (flat bar) to raod tandem
Hi,
I purchased a used Fuji Absolute tandem - flat bar 8-speed triple- to ride with my wife or son. I'm more of a roadie and the flat bar puts me in an uncomfortable riding position. I'd like to upgrade to a road position. It looks like my options are:
1. Go with a set of Sora 8-speed shifters, but I've read a little on tandems and am worried about stopping power. Should I install the Sora as-is, add brake modulator/enhancer cam thingy (technical term), or forget this approach? Combined weight of riders is ~300#, and we wouldn't go creaming down any hills. Max speed ~35 mph.
2. Go with aero brake levers and bar end shifters to get better braking power, but I'm an STI fan.
3. Upgrade to 105 9-speed - would better STI shifters give any advantage? It would then mean new cassette and chain.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
I purchased a used Fuji Absolute tandem - flat bar 8-speed triple- to ride with my wife or son. I'm more of a roadie and the flat bar puts me in an uncomfortable riding position. I'd like to upgrade to a road position. It looks like my options are:
1. Go with a set of Sora 8-speed shifters, but I've read a little on tandems and am worried about stopping power. Should I install the Sora as-is, add brake modulator/enhancer cam thingy (technical term), or forget this approach? Combined weight of riders is ~300#, and we wouldn't go creaming down any hills. Max speed ~35 mph.
2. Go with aero brake levers and bar end shifters to get better braking power, but I'm an STI fan.
3. Upgrade to 105 9-speed - would better STI shifters give any advantage? It would then mean new cassette and chain.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
03-06-08, 05:15 PM
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1. Most road handlebars have a slightly larger clamp OD than flat handlebars, so you should consider replacing the stem or seeking out a Dimension or Nitto bar that has a 25.4mm clamp diameter.
2. What are you using for a front derailleur? STI's are reputed to not shift mountin bike front derailleurs well. The long tandem shift cable isn't going to help. Switching to a road style front derailleur will solve the problem but you might find you have top-pull vs bottom pull issue. Bar end shifters will also solve the problem with friction shifting.
3. What are you using for brakes? I suspect you have mountain bike style linear pulls. If that's the case, you will need a cable pull device, like Travel Agent, to work well with STI levers. Diacompe and Tektro have road style brake levers that are supposed to have enough cable pull to handle linear pull brakes.
2. What are you using for a front derailleur? STI's are reputed to not shift mountin bike front derailleurs well. The long tandem shift cable isn't going to help. Switching to a road style front derailleur will solve the problem but you might find you have top-pull vs bottom pull issue. Bar end shifters will also solve the problem with friction shifting.
3. What are you using for brakes? I suspect you have mountain bike style linear pulls. If that's the case, you will need a cable pull device, like Travel Agent, to work well with STI levers. Diacompe and Tektro have road style brake levers that are supposed to have enough cable pull to handle linear pull brakes.
03-06-08, 08:56 PM
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Upgrading Fuji Absolute Tandem (flat bar) to raod tandem
Retro Grouch,
Thanks for your help. I wasn't aware of the handle bar diameter or front derailer issues. I thought the big concern was the linear brake pull. I had seen tandems on line with and without the cable pull adapter, so I wan't sure how big of a deal it was. However, based on on what you said, it sounds like the easiest way is bar end shifters with long pull aero brake levers and a new stem.
Thanks for your help. I wasn't aware of the handle bar diameter or front derailer issues. I thought the big concern was the linear brake pull. I had seen tandems on line with and without the cable pull adapter, so I wan't sure how big of a deal it was. However, based on on what you said, it sounds like the easiest way is bar end shifters with long pull aero brake levers and a new stem.
