Show us your tandem

[Aleman]

The old one was looking very tatty, and the sizing wasn't "perfect" for us meaning I was stretched out. The drops also meant my stokers nose was pressed up against my back more or less. We could also develop some whip in the frame especially when loaded, which felt weird. It only had a 6 speed freewheel, with no real chance of changing it to get a better range of gears.

I did start to convert it to straight bar, which worked well, especially fitting a Magura HS-33R rim brake, the only issue was that the clamp for the stokers bar also meant that I couldn't get my saddle height down where I needed it to be. The plan was to use it this summer, and then if we decided that we were going to continue riding tandem (We are!) then it would be stripped completely, resprayed, and rebuilt with a Rohloff hub, which I knew would be expensive. The other issue I noticed from the slightly higher seat position was that I was over extending my knee, which was causing pain, which was a bit of a problem that I had to solve.

While pricing various options up, and visiting frame builders for respray / repair / modification costs, I stumbled across SJSC site which had a deal on the old model of tandem at a ridiculous price ... actually less than rebuilding ours ... They had a frame in our size, so a deal was done.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

The old one was looking very tatty, and the sizing wasn't "perfect" for us meaning I was stretched out. The drops also meant my stokers nose was pressed up against my back more or less. We could also develop some whip in the frame especially when loaded, which felt weird. It only had a 6 speed freewheel, with no real chance of changing it to get a better range of gears.

I did start to convert it to straight bar, which worked well, especially fitting a Magura HS-33R rim brake, the only issue was that the clamp for the stokers bar also meant that I couldn't get my saddle height down where I needed it to be. The plan was to use it this summer, and then if we decided that we were going to continue riding tandem (We are!) then it would be stripped completely, resprayed, and rebuilt with a Rohloff hub, which I knew would be expensive. The other issue I noticed from the slightly higher seat position was that I was over extending my knee, which was causing pain, which was a bit of a problem that I had to solve.

While pricing various options up, and visiting frame builders for respray / repair / modification costs, I stumbled across SJSC site which had a deal on the old model of tandem at a ridiculous price ... actually less than rebuilding ours ... They had a frame in our size, so a deal was done.

Looks like you and I have the opposite problem with tandem sizing! Also, our view of "very tatty" is radically different - your old Dawes looks pristine to me. We went through a similar thought process, but got our machine refurbished in the end. Not cheap, but have managed 1500 odd miles this year, so well worth it.

What a pleasure it is to see so many beautiful and diverse machines on this thread, thank you for sharing.

 

[Ian H]

It's quite a few years since I've ridden it, but this is the Pete Tansley machine, with stoker John behind me. The occasion was a 25 south of Bristol on the A38.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

with stoker John behind me

He has an uncanny resemblance to John Noakes!

 

[FaustoCoppi]

 

[Tail End Charlie]

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Jeez, that's some hill!

 

[FaustoCoppi]

Jeez, that's some hill!

Ha ha ha , I’ve tried all sorts to rotate pictures before posting ( to no avail) any tips, I’ve turned the chosen pictures in my library through 90 degrees that does not work, so my avatar pic is on the skew also, I’m not very technically minded! Ha ha ha

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Jeez, that's some hill!

I'm getting me some of those tyres, they're grippy.

 

[FaustoCoppi]

Conti gatorskins with hot chilli compound sticks like s**t to a blanket 🤣 !

 

[HugoC]

Here's my Dawes Two Way Street (which is for sale) and my Mk III Thorn Raven Twin.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Here's my Dawes Two Way Street (which is for sale) and my Mk III Thorn Raven Twin.



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View attachment 569364

Lovely.

Where's photo #2 taken?

 

[HugoC]

Oman, in the mountains near Muscat

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Christmas present from the lovely Mrs T feat. us on the tandem:

 

[jongooligan]

Here's our Bob Jackson USWB. We paid £400 for it and got £200 trade in when we bought our latest tandem from JD at Gargrave.
It's a real parts bin special and has been (un)successfully repurposed as a touring tandem. It's pretty much as we bought it but as you can see from the height of the saddle and pilot's bars the riding position is really aggressive and it was this that made us decide to get something a bit more comfortable.

Bob Jackson USWB

The gearing was neither nowt nor summat with a touring triple on the front and a fairly tight racing block at the rear. We were under geared for the flat and over geared for the hills although we did manage to ride over Newton Fell to Slaidburn and Dunsop Bridge from Waddington.

Mrs. jg at Whitewell on the Newton Fell ride.

 

[jongooligan]

And here's the one we got from JD.

Mural is of Norman Cornish, the pitman artist. It's on the gable end of what used to be the weigh house at Sacriston pit. You can just see the remains of the weighbridge around the corner.