Tandem MTB
 

Thinking about pulling the trigger on a Ventana full suspension. Looking to ride mostly fire roads in our area due to the obvious problem on singletrack and that we would prefer to do on our singles. Have not read much here on off road tandems.
Anyone here with expirence with one and how long the learning curve was? Stoker is not yet convinced it will be as much fun as the road tandem. :rolleyes:

Check out the tandem forum on MTBR.com. Lots of good info. Also, MTBtandems.com is a great resource for all things mtb tandem. We started on the road tandem and had an "aha moment" when riding some fireroads on on our tadem. Fast forward a year and the road tandem does not see much use now. 4 years later, we are trying to get back into road riding...

Happy to discuss further. Feel free to PM me. If you are just going to be riding fire roads, you could get away with a hard tail mtb (like a Fandango) and could save you at least $1,500 on the frame alone. After you start riding the fire roads, you may just start venturing onto some easy singletrack... opens a whole new world!!! And you don't have to deal with cars!!! Good luck in your search! There are a few of us on this forum who ride the mtbs and I'm sure they'll chime in.

I just went back and re-read your post and wanted to comment on what you said, "Looking to ride mostly fire roads in our area due to the obvious problem on singletrack and that we would prefer to do on our singles." I will say that you would be surprised at what you can ride on a tandem. We frequently get those looks and comments from other mountain bikers, the most common one is this, "wow, I've never seen a mountain bike tandem on this trail!", or "did you actually ride that thing here?".

Point is that you CAN ride WAY more than you'd think, we do need to stop for most of the 180 degree switchbacks... That said, take it slow and ride what you and your stoker are comfortable. As with anything, what seems difficult early on will become easier as you become more proficient and more comfortable.

"Looking to ride mostly fire roads in our area due to the obvious problem on singletrack and that we would prefer to do on our singles."

As COLOTandem mentioned this is a typical yet funny line to read.Within this topic from MTBR are a couple of videos recently taken. These may give some idea of the limitations to a tandem on true technical singletrack.http://forums.mtbr.com/tandem-mounta...-824499.htmlPK

We test rode a Fandango 29'er iast spring at the AORTA (Appalachian OffRoad Tandem Adventure). The captain is an experienced mountain biker (still on 26" inch wheels) and I had no mountain bike experience. The riding was fairly technical for newbies and we did have a fall each day. Our biggest challenge was the much higher center of gravity.

We finally bought a used 26" wheel Ventana El Conquistador de Montanas a few moths ago. We liked the lower center of gravity (even though many people are going to the 29ers). So far, we've been very happy with it. We've ridden part of the trails that make up the Iceman Cometh race outside Traverse City, MI and joined the FART 2012 group in the Allegheny area of New York (they've been getting together annually for 19 years - we learned a lot from them that weekend).

I think the learning curve will be shorter if you ride with other experienced mountain bike tandem teams. We learned a lot at AORTA and FART. Also, if you are uncertain I'd recommend patience to find a used mtb tandem. We felt that if we didn't enjoy it, we'd be able to resell the bike for near what we paid for it.

2010 Calfee Tetra road tandem
2005 Co-Motion Primera Co-Pilot travel tandem
2002 Ventana El Conquistador de Montanas full suspension
.and Schwinn Twin cruiser tandem

Good:
Better:

I'm guessing we rolled a few miles together at AORTA 11.

PK

Thanks Ritterview! As usual, very insightful posts!!!

I need to get with the program on technology.

Better use Spellchecker then as a starter, or just be like so many of us and admit we can't spell. Just messing with you Colotandem.

PK

We have two Ventana ECDM's a 26" and a coupled 29r. The both ride great but different. We have done two extended trips in Moab , the White Rim(26") and the Maze in Canyonlands(29r). We think that very few tandems have done the maze and only a few on the White Rim. You will be amazed what you can ride on a mtn tandem. We ride a fair amount of single track here in Alaska. Frequently we will have a fast single approach from behind on single track and we tell them to pass on the next opportunity but they usually ride behind us for a while just to watch as they can't believe a tandem can do it. We get way more comments on the mtn tandem then the road tandem. I think the 29r is overall a better ride but the longer wheel base is a challenge in some single track.

Thanks. Actually, the tip on the MTBR forum was quite helpful, I had not known there was a tandem forum at MTBR. We are thinking of dipping our toe in the mountain tandem waters by putting some knobby tires on our venerable 26" wheeled Burley Rock N' Roll (which is now in urban tandem mode).

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7128/7...e19f60c1_z.jpg

Then we figured we'd try it out off road tandeming on the perfectly flat Alviso Slough loop. If we like this, then some rolling hills, and if we like it some more, then get a real mountain tandem, with disc brakes, suspension, etc.

Sounds like a good plan.

My lovely bride/stoker frequently tells the story of how we began off-road tandem riding, it goes something like this. About 5 years ago we were on a 4 day loaded (credit card) tour on our DaVinci road tandem (panniers etc.). We chose a dirt road route to our destination on day two and ended up on some less than smooth dirt roads. After navigating through some isolated and breathtaking views, we arrived at our destination. She apparently approved of the off-pavement option and proceed to say that we should see if we can turn our tandem into a mountain tandem and ride the Leadville 100. Well long story short, we did not alter our DaVinci but did buy a full suspension Ventana.

Some might say we're compulsive, some that we are nuts and they might be right on both counts. But within 4 months of that mini-tour we had our new (full suspension) Ventana. And about 8 months later, we completed that Leadville 100 mtb race!

We're hooked on the offroad thing. You can go to some amazing places and my wife would never experience the singletrack that we ride on her own. And as AKExpress noted, you get LOTS of attention on the moutain tandem. It's a great time! Many of the lady mountain bikers tend to say, "You sure must trust him, I'd never get on the back of one of those with my husband"!!!

Colotandem, cool insight into how it began. Our first tandem ride was rented tandem in Washington DC for an afternoon. Ultimately though, we started in the dirt, and a road tandem came later. The road tandem was the first road riding my stoker / bride had and has ever ridden.

Taken from your post...
"We're hooked on the offroad thing. You can go to some amazing places and my wife would never experience the singletrack that we ride on her own. And as AKExpress noted, you get LOTS of attention on the moutain tandem. It's a great time! Many of the lady mountain bikers tend to say, "You sure must trust him, I'd never get on the back of one of those with my husband"!!! "

100% true for this team.

AKExpress, we are planning our vacation days / rides for 2013, I need to email Rick at RTR about trails up there. Do you have any recommendations or should we plan trip(s) in the lower 48.

PK

We have ridden with teamdonterri on the road, and I'm pretty sure that they could ride a sheep past a wolf. I can only imagine what they would be like off road.

Thanks Mike :)

I watched some of the youtube videos posted and thats what got us thinking about the mtb tandem. We have gotten comfortable on the road tandem and have been riding mtb single bikes since the mid 80's. I can understand the thought of having no control on the back of a mtb tandem harder to accept than on the road witch is nice and smooth... :)

There are a bunch of videos on MTBR of off-road tandem riding. Some are really cool. The SS at Napa is a good one and the othervideo with the camera mounted low and almost ripped off by a rock is neat too.

PK

See the one with about 5 tandems completing obstacles during the ride and being scored on their performance? My fav was the gorilla in the stoker beer chug competition. :)

Well, I put the 2" knobby tires on the Burley Rock 'N Roll, and they fit. So we were in business for mountain biking.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8358/8...03052f60_z.jpg

I wanted the most milquetoast ride possible, so we went to the Alviso Slough, where San Jose's might Guadalupe River meets San Francisco Bay. Took the 9 mile loop. It was perfectly flat.

What was really neat about it, was how quiet it was. We could have a normal conversation while riding.

If we are to do more of this, a suspension will be needed. If we cotton to this, I'll have to look at a full suspension.

Quiet is a great getaway.

If you need a suspension tandem, they often come up used and reasonably priced for nice machines.

For that matter, you may be in Ventanas neighborhood and can hook up with that crew for some off-road rides and test ride one.

For immediate low cost relief, pick up a thudbuster long travel for the stoker, and see if Alex @MTBTandems.com has a closeout 9mm axle fork that will fit.

PK

Okay the deal is done, closed on a 2010 Ventana ECDM!!! Some highlights are; Sram XO code hyd discs front and rear, Fox Talas RC 36 150 mm fork, Sram X9 3x9 speed drive train. Should be delivered by Monday!

Thanks for all the good info and motovation to see this thru. :)

Congrats!! Looking forward to hearing about your new adventures!

Be sure to post up on mtbr too!

I know the thread is old but curious how teamdonterri have come along in their off road adventure. We are picking up our new Fandango in late Nov. Any pics, stories, video's teamdonterri??

Alan, Don and Terri have a bunch of posts over on MTBR. They built- a beautiful Ventana. Posted about many rides they were hosting or participating -in near where they live in SoCal. One of the last posts from him on MTBR is dated 08-13-2013, where he might be selling the Ventana.

DonP.

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Mine may be for sale soon



I have no further details on if it sold or why. I did a quick search here on Bike Forums, and he has not posted in over a year. Hope all is well with them.

PK

My wife and I know teamdonterri. They moved a while ago, but we hear from them regularly, and they seem to be doing well.

Excellent, are they still riding or has he sold the MTB Tandem or all of his tandems. Not being nosy, just curious.

PK

I'm pretty sure they have their road tandem, but I don't know about the MTB tandem.

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