ElRey

Bought my Cdale road tandem 8 weeks ago and did our first century yesterday. I'm used to the distance on a racing bike, but have to say it was harder on a tandem. I looked like Spartacus in the salt mine after about 75 miles... had to battle home from there. Was a real powerhouse for about 65 miles.... maybe 20mph. If you took into account the stops after 75 miles, I probably averaged 17 from then on. The stoker was fine, but she's not exactly Eddy Merckx. Marathon running women aren't known for their huge thighs.

My take so far:

The Cdale is a pretty nice frame. I fully expected to buy this thing and sell it in a short time, going to an upgraded frameset. I don't think I will. I snapped a couple of Kestrel frames when racing so can flex a BB pertty well (this can be read as a real indictment of their "no seattube" design concept!). But not THIS BB.

I have changed out the fork to a Reynolds and that was a hugh improvemtn in handling and comfort. Better still was going to a set of Bontrager tandem wheels w/ Gatorskin 28s. Not only are they a big difference in handling and aerodynamics, my stoker agrees with me they're more comfortable by a good bit.

Shedding the stock seatpost, saddles, bars, cassette, and stems for upgrades (which was conveniently sitting in my bins of racing gear), and adding a good set of aerobars has completed the deal so far. The thing has lost about 5 lbs.

If I can just keep some donuts in me, this will work out fine. I was thinking of putting a salt block between the aerobars to address the hyponatremia. It's been far more fun than I ever expected.

woodcycl

ElRey,

Thanks for the info and tips with your new Cannondale. I, too, have the same bike and only have about 200 miles on it thus far ... and am really enjoying it. We are not racers ... I have 16yrs of road/mtb experience riding much of the time with the fast groups in our local wheelmen club. My GF is a first time cyclist this year with about 650 miles now on her single and the new tandem. I am 5'7" tall and 170lbs. She is onlly 5'2" and 120lbs.

Can you tell me a little more about what you did with the handlebars, seatposts, and the Bontrager tandem wheels to help lighten the overall weight and also make it more comfy? What is the cost of the Bontrager tandem wheels?

We have new saddles ... that match our singles and that works MUCH better. We also have stems that work for us as far as fit is concerned on the bike.

Thanks for any additional info.

ElRey

I put a pair of ITM Pro 260 handlebars on the back; didn't think the extra weight of the stock Deda 310s was necessary and she's used to ITM's ergo shape. I'l switch out the front when I'm sure a lighter set can be used safely. A Ritchey WCS seatpost for me; it's got to be 150 grams lighter and easier to adjust, as the bolts are on teh sides and can be adjusted without moving the stoker's stem. I left the back suspension post intact; I don't know squat about them so don't know if there's a good replacement. And she has yet to complain. Stoker stem to an all-alloy unit. My stem to an ITM carbon. Cassette to a 12-27 Ultegra. The Bontrager wheels are from Tandems East; Mel charged me $695 - he seems like a real good guy. They're a ton lighter than the stock 40 spoke/Mavic 520/Shimano hub wheels and have turned out to be more comfortable. They certainly make the bike feel like a racing machine... a hugh difference. Lots of weight came off with teh new fork: the steel one handled poorly and it weighs a ton. Saddles, go with what fits. I don't look to save weight on saddles or brakes. The loss of weight was not really my goal, performance was. Of course, most performance parts in teh bike world are better engineered with better materials, so less weight as well as performance: the daily double. But don't think I'll be getting a set of Zipp Clydesdales re-axled to 145 any time soon.

zonatandem

Sounds like a good ride/century! Learn to pace yourself a bit more so stoker doesn't have to push that tired pilot back to the finish line!

dubbelop

Ummm.... a steel fork on a Cannondale Road Tandem? That must be a pretty old one I guess. Also because the recent models have 40 spoke/Mavic A719/DT Hügi wheels. Probably the Bontragers are still way lighter than these, by the way ...... I certainly hope you didn't pay full price for an old bike

DHallaway

Cannon uses a Steel Fatty fork on it's 2004 and 2005 tandems because of the front disk brake. It weighs a ton but is pretty smooth riding.

ElRey

Yea, thanks; I thought dubbelop was a bit confused. Don't see that Cdale ever put a carbon fork stock on a tandem. As well, the funtional rotating weight difference between the Mavic 719/Hugi wheeels and the Mavic 520/Shimano wheels isn't significant. Any difference in their weights is related to hubs not rims. BUT, the functional difference between either and the Bontragers, with their weight advantge and huge aero advantage, is really big. Trust me (OK, so don't trust me, ask somebody else who you already trust who has them).