Stoker Stem?
 

New tandem couple, we have a 1999 C'dal RT1000. It has the stock coda adjustable stoker stem. It came with a 46cm bull horn bar that my wife thought was way to wide, so I installed a 40CM bull horn for her with out thinking that choice thru... since my er... behind is a tad wider than 40cm. So we tilted it up for some clearance which worked ok, then she wanted bar ends, which she likes but look really goofy and has lead to seat issues with her sitting so upright. I don't quite get the upright stance, since she is a long time roadie and does not ride her solo bike that way at all, but whatever keeps her happy. So, she dislocated her shoulder a couple of weeks ago and will be off the bike for about another month, and we are going to address stem and bar issue. The Coda stem does not have an open face-plate, so trying different bars is a pain, so we want to replace it. The captains seat post is 27.2. I have been looking at the stoker stems that are just a bar, so you can put a normal stem on at what ever height/angle you need. Seems to me to be more open to adjustment than just an adjustable stem with an open face plate. I have quite a few bars and stems to try, but I would value input from more experienced folks.

Tandems East has an extension you can use to replace the one you currently use which allows you to attach a standard tread-less style stem with the open face plate. We used this on our 1999 RT1000. It also allows you to set the bars higher, they also probably have a replacement extension with an open face plate option. Here is a picture of that bike. Tandems East Stems

The desire for a more upright stance may be due to one, or both, of the following: sitting in her standard roadie crouch would put her face in rather close proximity to your... exhaust pipe. There is stoker trust that needs to be immediate and there is stoker trust that is earned over time... ... equally likely, the reason may be that by sitting up she can see over your shoulders. As an experienced single cyclist she is used to an unobstructed forward quarter. I bought a tandem last week that had the stokers bullhorns flipped backwards so the tips of the horns pointed back at the stoker angled up at about 45*! No bar ends needed, and allows the stoker to sit rather upright. A place to start, I think, that does not require any investment in hardware. You may have bars already but stoker stems are really expensive! FWIW.

I used a stoker bar... that is a 1in 1/8 steering stem ... possibles are now endless.


see this thread for photos
http://www.bikeforums.net/tandem-cyc...tandem-ti.html

if you need my contact to order one in titanium PM me...

I'm not affliated but these folks have the best selection and photos of tandem stems.

... (EDIT) +1 for tandems east (EDIT)

http://www.tandemseast.com/parts/stems.html

Or this plus shim: https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/stems/th...170mm/?geoc=AU