Calfee Carbon Tandem on eBay
 

Just found this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Tandem-bicycle-C...QQcmdZViewItem

Tandemgeek is selling his bike. :D

au contraire...

We make time to ride.
Ours has over 400 miles since Jan 12th, not 100 since ???
Ours doesn't have that extra tube.
Ours has couplers.
Ours weighs 31lbs, not 40.
Ours cost a couple G's less than that one purportedly** cost
** must have been $14k CDN a few years back
Ours fits us like a cashmire-lined, leather glove and is now a joy to ride.

However, if anyone wants some go-fast wheels with spare spokes and a nipple driver....

Bit on the heavy side @ 40 lbs and looks he overpaid a bit ($14,000 a few years back?).
However would be a sweet ride/deal for a new owner!
How come folks order a fancy twofer and then decide they don't have time to ride?!

Off the cuff, the replacement cost of that particular Calfee with a current open-frame model would be in the $7,500 - $8,000 range using similar components: $3,999 for the frame, $500 for a fork, and ~$3k - ~$3.k for the components, depending on wheels and cranks.

Assuming that's about a 2003 model, his asking price isn't that far off. However, if it's older than that then he's reaching.

I have a hard time understanding how that small frame bike can weigh 40 lbs even with pedals.... does not make sense. My large frame 15 year old steel Burley with frog pedals weighs in a little over 40 lbs!!

There are so many problems with that listing it's not funny...

stock or custom?
 

I can't tell if its a M-S (probably) or a custom.

I've tried communicating with the seller of this Calfee and have not heard any response. My questions were:

What year is the bike?

Is the listed weight accurate and how was it determined?

Along with a few others. I'm very interested to see if he answers.


KRhea

I was thinking the same thing. My 20 YO tandem with medium quality components only weighs 38lbs. Someone needs to bid on that thing if it is for real. Too small for us.
We got my stoker her first single last night, a CF Specialized Ruby Comp. Since my single is old school lugged steel (the comments I get on my single are slowly changing from: "what a tank" to "you should make that into a single speed" to now more "cool old classic") I was totally blown away by how light Carbon fiber bikes can be. No longer dependent on the tandem for a ride, sure hope she doesn't leave me for some roadie with bigger calves.


Happy bidding

I just got an email from the seller stating the frame is a year 2000 and he said he'd check the weight and correct the listing with updated info.

KRhea

My guess is he likely doesn't know many of the details. He bought a very high dollar bike he didn't ride so not surprising. Not everyone obsesses over stuff like those of us on the forums.

There weren't a lot of Tetra-Tetra's... so it's definitely an older frame.

If anyone is serious about buying the Calfee I'd ask for the serial number (inside the rear drop-out / derailleur hanger) and check the history with Calfee just to verify the year, see what team weight it was built to support, etc...

...the pendulum swung a little too much... now it is listed as 27.5 lbs???

Wow, 40 to sub 30lb, I'd have to see the digi scale myself to believe it I think.

KRhea

Again, anyone who is serious should get the serial number and contact Calfee to ascertain the pedigree and any particulars about this frame. I seem to recall that the very first Tetra-Tetras were, in fact, very light but I also seem to recall that a few had to go back to be beefed-up for added stiffness. It has been my assumption that as they gained more experience with the Tetra tandems more material was added to the bottom bracket areas and joints to preclude come-backs as those areas all appeared to grow in size on subsequent Tetra tandems.

As for 27.5 lbs, while I suspect you might be able to acheive such a weight with that frame, I'd be surprised if that was completely accurate given the added weight of the suspension seatpost, water bottle cages, and conventional 32h wheelset.

Again, Calfee would be able to provide the approximate weight for that size, style, and vintage Tetra-Tetra (again, there weren't that many Tetra-Tetra's made) and may also be able to advise if that particular frame is appropriate for a given team weight "as is".

I wish I lived close enough to go look. This just might be a bike poser hard up for some cash to pay the house payment.

Some of the early Tetras had issues with bb and needed extra cabon layering, all taken care of by Calfee.