Brake cable from vintage tandem

[swansonj]

A couple of apologies - I didn't know whether to post this here or under "tandems", so sorry if I got that one wrong, and sorry if this has been covered before, though I couldn't find anything with the search function.

A friend's father is apparently restoring a vintage tandem, and knowing that I cycle a tandem, the friend asked me about the brake cable, with an ultimate (and perhaps optimistic) view to finding a replacement. Unfortunately I know nothing about vintage tandems.

Some pictures follow. It appears to split into two cables, so could it be a way of operating two brakes from one lever? Or could it be for some early form of cantilever with two arms? There are various springs inside but it's too sticky to work out what exactly is supposed to spring against what.

Any advice and information very gratefully received.

 

[wisdom]

Some motorcycle shops make up cables i used to go to them to make up obsolete cables for boat engines.You can buy boden cable and nipples and make your own up though.You just dissect the old one retain the adjuster and copy what you have got.

 

[growingvegetables]

"Dual cable levers" - about half way down this page, http://sheldonbrown.com/tandem-brakes.html.

 

[Ian H]

That looks more like a cable for a set of Resilion brakes. They required a special cable that split to operate two sides of the rim brake. The Tandem Club may be able to help.

 

[sidevalve]

More or less as above. The cable splitter unit was used on a few older m/cycles and all the parts to manufacture a new unit will be available from the suppliers in the classic m/cycle press. Most new bike dealers [unless you're very lucky] won't have much of a clue about making up cables. The other benefit of buying m/cycle cable is it's usually heavier duty and may give a more firm pull [usefull on a tandem].