What would you do???
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Rural Watkins Iowa
Posts: 141
Bikes: 06 Bacchetta Giro 20
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
What would you do???
I'm going to be buying my first tandem before long. I'm looking for a good used deal or may buy new if that doesn't work out. Here's my issue...We live on a gravel road, .8 mile one way or 1.2 mile the other way to get to the pavement. When the gravel is freshly graded, I load my bike to get to the pavement, otherwise if a nice lane is worn smooth, I ride slowly with my road bike to get to the pavement. In getting a tandem, I'm thinking I might be best off with a bike with 26" wheels so I can put on a wider tire to enable us to ride to the pavement under pretty much all conditions. What's the opinion out there? How much will I sacrifice in road performance? I put road tires on my daughters MTB and I'm pretty surprised by how well she keeps up with me on the pavement. Can I expect similar good performance on the tandem?
#2
Banned.
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Towson, MD
Posts: 4,020
Bikes: 2001 Look KG 241, 1989 Specialized Stump Jumper Comp, 1986 Gatane Performanc
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I ride gravel roads all the time - 700 x 28 tires pumped up to 120 PSI. It's not an issue.
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 643 Times
in
364 Posts
I don't think that it matters very much.
Unless the gravel on your lane is really loose, 700c wheels/tires will be fine. I've found that a tandem, with it's longer wheelbase, is easier to ride on loose gravel than a single bike.
Unless you're raceing somebody who's a real close match, you'll never notice any performance difference between 700c wheels and 26 inch wheels.
Where exactly in Iowa is Watkins?
Unless the gravel on your lane is really loose, 700c wheels/tires will be fine. I've found that a tandem, with it's longer wheelbase, is easier to ride on loose gravel than a single bike.
Unless you're raceing somebody who's a real close match, you'll never notice any performance difference between 700c wheels and 26 inch wheels.
Where exactly in Iowa is Watkins?
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Rural Watkins Iowa
Posts: 141
Bikes: 06 Bacchetta Giro 20
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Watkins
Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
I don't think that it matters very much.
Unless the gravel on your lane is really loose, 700c wheels/tires will be fine. I've found that a tandem, with it's longer wheelbase, is easier to ride on loose gravel than a single bike.
Unless you're raceing somebody who's a real close match, you'll never notice any performance difference between 700c wheels and 26 inch wheels.
Where exactly in Iowa is Watkins?
Unless the gravel on your lane is really loose, 700c wheels/tires will be fine. I've found that a tandem, with it's longer wheelbase, is easier to ride on loose gravel than a single bike.
Unless you're raceing somebody who's a real close match, you'll never notice any performance difference between 700c wheels and 26 inch wheels.
Where exactly in Iowa is Watkins?
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 643 Times
in
364 Posts
Originally Posted by hawkijohn
Watkins is about 20 miles SW of Cedar Rapids.
#6
Co-Mo mojo
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Davis, CA
Posts: 170
Bikes: 06/07 Co-Mo Speedster, Cannondale Synapse, SR 800, Specialized Hard Rock
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
We live 1/4 mile down a gravel road and I take my Cannondale Synapse out all the time without a problem. I just ride slowly and carefully. I run 700 x 23 light hi-perf tires on this bike and only once in the past year got a cut in the tread -- but that was on a tire with 1500 miles on it. Of course, I also keep on top of road maintenance....
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Rural Watkins Iowa
Posts: 141
Bikes: 06 Bacchetta Giro 20
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Yes
Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
I wish that I'd known that a month ago. We were at the Midwest Tandem Rally in Cedar Rapids over Labor Day. We got rained on Sunday but it was one of those dry, Iowa rains. Loved the area! Did I see you there and not know it?
#8
Bicycle built for 5
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: 72.48007W, 41.94016N
Posts: 192
Bikes: '94 Mongoose IBOC Comp / '00 Burley Duet w/ Piccolo & D'Lite / '05 Redline Conquest Disc-R
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
We ride 700x35 tires on some pretty rough gravel at times. This tire is fast enough for our family on roads and paved trails. I am sure a 32 would work fine on gravel as well. We keep the front tire at about 70 psi and the rear at 80. I don't know how these tires perform at high speeds as I never go more than 30 with kids on the bike. As far as your daughter's performance on the tandem...either of my almost 4 year old twins can help me average the same speed on the tandem as I would alone on my commuter touring bike. Best of luck.
By the way, our tandem is a 2000 Burley Duet with Conti top touring 700x35 tires which we found used.
By the way, our tandem is a 2000 Burley Duet with Conti top touring 700x35 tires which we found used.