Show us your tandem

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Aleman

Knees are FUBAR but I don't like to mention it
Location
Blackpool UK
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

self serving virtue signaller
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

Ancient randonneur
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.

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

jongooligan

Legendary Member
Location
Behind bars
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.
575356

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.

20180524_Bowland[1].jpg

Mrs. jg at Whitewell on the Newton Fell ride.
 
Top Bottom