Dean V

Who is running a double crankset on their tandem here?
It seems virtually everyone is using triples. Even on the high performance lightweight bikes they still seem to be using triples.
I can understand it if you live in the mountains but those must be in the minority.
Almost everyone gets by with doubles on single bikes (especially with the compact cranks now available) and although a tandem doesn't climb quite as well as a single it isn't that much worse.

Team Fab

Compact could give the low end gearing of a triple but then you would spin out on the high end to easily. I would assume more people live near hills than don't. Plus if I don't climb I don't get to descend. I leave my driveway and I am straight into a short 6% climb, try doing that without warming up all the time sucks even on a single bike.

ghoundz

We are running a compact double on our tandem. We live in a flat area and we spin high cadences. Compact setups is what we use on our singles, so we wanted to do it on the tandem as well. So far, this has worked out pretty good, but we don't have that many miles with this set up yet.

On our previous tandem, we did this with using an ISIS bottom bracket and buying a sinle bike Compact Crankset made by FSA. On the non-drive side we had the usual FSA tandem timing crank (40 tooth timing chainring) and then on the drive side, we mounted the Compact crankset side of the single bike crankset that we had purchased separately. (We did not use or need the non-drive side crank arm from the single bike crankset.) This actually worked pretty well. I don't know if others have tried this approach but from our limited experience, this seemed to be an acceptable way to end up with a Compact chainring crankset on our tandem.

On our new tandem, we ended up going with Lightning cranksets and we just specified what we wanted, i.e., we specified a compact spider for the drive side of the stoker's crankset so that we could use a double, compact chainring setup.

zonatandem

Last time we only had double chainrings on a tandem was on our Follis way back in 1975 when we lived in Michigan.!
All others since have been triples.
However, it should be do-able with a double compact crank set up like 50/34 chainrings and 11/36 cassette.
Just no quite as many gear choices as with a triple, but do-able.
More people live or travel to hilly/mountainous terrain than you may think!
We live at half-mile (2,640 ft) elevation here in the Sonoran desert in Arizona. Lots of ups/down/shifting for us.
The desert is not flat by any means!
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

DubT

Our new 1989 Santana Targa came with a double rear and Dura Ace RD/FD/Downtube shifters. It was one of their racing models, it was an 8 speed and if I remember correctly the rear gearing was 12-23. I was in race shape and we were 20+ years younger. Our current Calfee uses a triple and an 11-28 rear cassette. We rarely use the middle ring let alone the small ring, I believe we have used the small ring 2 or 3 times in 4,000 miles. I like close spaced gears and would not want a compact with an 11-36 rear cassette. The triple does not add that much weight and it shifts great.

I think the choice of using a double or a triple has to be based on the strength of the riders and the terrain that they ride.

For us, the triple allows us to have closely spaced gears and a bail out low gear if we need it.

Wayne

Tandem Tom

MAn, there are some days that I wish I had Quad chairing!!

JanMM

Even living in pretty flat Central Indiana, we needed a triple on our first tandem, a KHS, and absolutely need one with our RANS 'bent. There are a few hills around and we do sometimes visit very steep hills in Southern Indiana. 30-39-52 with 11-32 on a 559 rear wheel works for us.

Triples are much more common on single bikes than they were a decade or two ago.

rdtompki

It's all about age, condition and terrain. We used our 24-36 today on a few steep pitches. I'm sure a 34-32 would be fine on the tandem if we were 20 years younger. I've got a compact and an 11-32 on my single. I can do some pretty tough climbs (once), but when you get in your 60's and given the amount of climbing in some of the organized rides, a triple starts to look pretty good.

Ritterview

We don't live in the mountains, but sure do ride in them. A double would not have cut it on the Tierra Bella Century today. There was the Henry Coe hill climb, 6.8 miles, a highly variable 5.6% grade. On this climb, there is a section called the wall, with 11.1% grade, and 17% around a turn. I was not hankering for any double when our speed was dipping below 3 mph.

If you gear your double for that, with a more compact set up, then you'd be spinning out on the fast sections, like Santa Teresa Ave, with a slight downhill and a ferocious tailwind.

TheHen

Even when we were young and rode double centuries in eight hours on our singles we still had a triple on the tandem. There are times when even small hillswill beat your legs up for the rest of the day if you can't spin up them. YMMV.

waynesulak

My take on why triples on tandems:

1 Both riders have to agree to stand results in less standing on a tandem,
2 Higher downhill speeds require high gears if the team wants to pedal,
3 Tandem protects ego that prevents some single riders from using a triple,
4 Why not ? There is little downside, weight of total package so much greater and modern triples shift well.

Carbonfiberboy 

I don't live in the mountains, but there are hills. Around here, almost everyone except racers runs triples on their singles. Compact sets are becoming increasingly rare on singles, also. There is no good rationale for their use. Tandems are most frequently used by pairs with power differentials that prevent or inhibit riding together on singles. So of course everyone runs triples on their tandem. Heck, I have a single bike with a 12-25 cluster and a 26 granny ring. That's a great combo for an old man. So if one were part of a fast team, just put on a straight block cassette to use with your triple.

Ritterview

Triples on tandems are not crutches for the old, and infirm. Lets put that notion to rest, right now.

Note the Co-Motion being Captained by Brian Lucido, who placed first overall in the Low Key Hill Climb series, and stokered by Jennie Phillips, whose CA State Champ kit suggests neither is she a slouch.

They are finishing 8th out of 100 at Low Key Hill Climbs, Mt. Hamilton. With a triple.

PMK

We have that but hardly ever use it. It was done for our Tahoe ride a few years ago prior to my stoker sorting out not needing her allergy / asthma puffer drugs and so forth.

PK

PMK

Never gave it much thought, our first season on the Co-Motion had us typically running a lot in the big ring, 54 tooth.

We have since stopped riding big ring and unless needed for the added speed above middle / 8 or 9th, will always prefer the middle 44 tooth. This allows smaller jumps from gear to gear. also, there is no misalignment of the chain.

While participating in a Panthers ride, a captain behind asked why we ran the middle chainring constantly, until then I never noticed.

The 44 tooth middle nets us around 30 mph, and with a 26 tooth cassette we have enough gear range for almost all we ride in Florida.

PK

rdtompki

Great OP-counter post! I don't think there is any downside to having a triple, certainly not weight. Climbing in the small ring gives a team the opportunity to downshift on the inside of a switchback or an unexpected steep pitch (steep being relative of course) as opposed to muscling the bike. Flat-ish country (Florida) or two strong, evenly matched riders, a double might work just fine. I'll surely never know. Meanwhile, I'll stick with the quad chainrings on our daVinci

It's also interesting that the couple in the photo have the captain's cranks in the lead. My wife and I would like to experiment with slight OOP, but almost impossible to do on the daVinci.

Sprout97 

I'd still think that the compact would have a smoother shift & a better chain line. While the new R601/603 looks very nice, I periodically wonder about a compact set up. Assuming my LBS (who's pushed me in the past about a compact in the past) could order separate pieces, would a stoker's R603 timing crank fit the current Ultegra-Hollowtech II compact spindle/spider assembly? Then again, I'd also like to try the Campy 11-speed cassette in concert with the compact crank. (I've never ridden ANY Campagnola drivetrain components.) My other interest in the compact is be driven by the fact that it is flat up here in NE Florida. Unless we have a strong tailwind or are in a down hill, we struggle mightily on anything taller than the 53t chain ring/14t cassette (we've got a 25-12 9-sp out back.

Ritterview

With a 44t chainring, and an 11t cog, the cadence at 30 mph is 91.

A cadence in the 90's is common among professional cyclists trained in a high cadence technique (eg. this famously for Lance Armstrong), but for more typical cyclists, low 80's is preferred. So, a cadence of 91 is really just spinning out.

Cassettes with a decent range often have the smallest cog of 12t. At a realistic 28 mph (tailwind and/or downhill), a cadence of 85, this requires a chainring of at least 48t.

PMK

I'm pretty certain for South Florida we could go with a 1x9 or 1x10 and save the weight.

Seems one thing about riding here, that for as flat as it is, most visiting riders don't realize you can't stop pedaling or you almost immediately are dropped. Off-road or road, there are no brutal grinding climbs with long descents that allow a small recovery. This place is dreadfully flat, often windy along the ocean, most times hot compared to other places, and often a touch humid.

Although location makes no difference...fast riders are still fast.

If the OP believe a double will work for them, or even a double compact, they should test it and find out.

If it would fit and work well, why not run an entire right side drive, using the inner as the timing ring set?

PK

PMK

Great info that I never got to concerned with.

I would agree with your math. Last weekend, we were with a tailwind. Crossed an overpass that was not very high and had a shallow descent. Cresting the top at 26 ish, we were at around 34 and spinning easily at 100ish(?) if I remember correctly in the 44 / 12 gear

We have a 44 t middle and 54 t big. 12 t is the bottom of the cassette. Our typical riding cadence range is a low of 83 when just starting / warming up / goofing off around town to 85 / 90 ish for slow cruise. Most always when we are really riding with purpose the range tightens from 93 to 102. If the situation presents itself, we will if needed turn 110 but typically try not going over 105. These numbers are based off the Sigma computer.

Off-road, no electronics to measure, but realistically anything above low 90's disrupts the chassis, mechanical grip, and cornering.

The road tandem is so stable, and planted that for us it is comfortable to spin. I have a set of shorter cranks for the stoker that need to be installed. Dropping from 175 to 170 in hopes of letting her stay in a better rpm easier.

PK

Dean V

We have a double on our Bob Jackson with a 42/54 and 12-28. This works well for us in the rolling countryside around here. Climbs are usually under 10% and not longer than 1 or 2km. The triple on our C'dale is 30/39/52 with a 12-25. A compact 34/50 with 11-28 would give a very similar range to our triple so was thinking it could be a good option. I know if I was building a new tandem and had the money I would like to try a compact with Di2 and the timing chain inside of the inner ring as on the Paketa V2r.
Then you could use regular DA cranks and road derailleurs.

waynesulak

Do you ride mostly with a cadence in the 80s?
When Climbing?
When time trialing on the flats?

teamdonterri

We got to try out the little ring on our first ride with the new Calfee, turned a cornor onto a new road and was faced with a half mile climb at 18% It was nice to have a bailout!

rhino919

On our C'Dale, we have a 52/42/30 with an 11-28 cassette. We do like to spend a lot of time in the 42, but need both the 52 and the 30. When we are peaking for a race, we will do training sessions with 30 second all efforts. On flat ground we find that we can frequently spin out (115 rpm) the 52-11. This equates to 42.7 mph. So, on our new tandem, we are going to go with 54/42/30. At 115 rpm that will get us to 44.4 mph. I would hate to be in a race with a slightly downhill finish and come up short on gearing for the sprint.

By the same token, we also ride for pleasure. Grinding up a 14% grade in the 42-28 really isn't much fun. Spinning in the 30-28 is much nicer.

If I lived in Florida, or someplace similarly flat, I would choose a double.

Ritterview

Well, I thought I did, but Strava says otherwise.

On the Tierra Bella Century yesterday (with over 7000 ft of climbing), our cadence was only 62. I guess this averages in coasting.

Last weekend we went on three rides of 40, 60 and 55 miles, with cadence of 61,65, and
61.

Interestingly, on the hill climbs, we've had a higher cadence. Probably because these are more intense.

Kings Mountain , 77
Palomares Road, 75.