Aleman
Knees are FUBAR but I don't like to mention it
- Location
- Blackpool UK
Bought this tandem way back in '88/89, and had fun on it with MBH for several years until kids came along, and time was dedicated to them. They never developed into bike riders unfortunately, and I couldn't sell them so the tandem has languished in a couple of sheds for 20 years. In the meantime MBH was still cycling to work initially on her lady galaxy, but then upgraded to something that was a bit more 'comfortable' a hybrid 
with suspension . Last year we decided to got out on the tandem a bit, but after even short rides MBH was complaining of pain in the hands, and around the saddle contact point. This is even though the saddle is the same as on her hybrid and it's set up to the same height and distance from the bars. It's that more aggressive, bent over forward leaning drop bar position that's causing the issue.
Apart from a few minor changes it's pretty much 'Stock' as we bought it 3 by 6 speed Deore XT groupset , Salmon Pink brake block, Sartori Elegance sus seat post for the stoker.
So after asking the question and much debate, it's been decided that N+1 is not (yet) an option ... (N+2??? N+1.5??? hmmm), dropping the best part of £4 grand on a new tandem, when MBH doesn't also want to part with the current one, is not really something we want to do, and anyway it's unlikely that we'll be doing full on self sufficient 'bikepacking', more the BnB, Gite and hotel style these days
. So the plan is to resurrect old faithful ... although I'm still not sure that it'll end up a bit like Frakenstiens monster!
A straight bar conversion should set us back around £350, and give us Indexed gears (which we have through bar end shifters, but cable stretch means they don't work that well ... important note!), possibly a 7 speed freehub, although that may be a squeeze, BUT we would have to move the drag brake to the stokers bars, something I'm not completely happy with. The wheels themselves could probably do with a rebuild to replace the spokes. The frame needs some care and attention, and I'm thinking a full strip down sand blasting and powder coating.
Upgrades, the gear range is poor even with a triple hills are an issue, and I can't help thinking that a Rohloff hub would be a significant change. It would mean ditching that crappy Arai drag brake, which has never been particularly effective as it works off the same lever as the rear cantilever anyway ... adjustment has always been problematical. It is however a significant amount of cash to layout assuming it can be fitted.
So asking for opinions, am I out of my tiny gourd, should I stick with the hubs I have, go straight bar and fit modern cantis and levers and forget about the Rohloff??
with suspension . Last year we decided to got out on the tandem a bit, but after even short rides MBH was complaining of pain in the hands, and around the saddle contact point. This is even though the saddle is the same as on her hybrid and it's set up to the same height and distance from the bars. It's that more aggressive, bent over forward leaning drop bar position that's causing the issue.Apart from a few minor changes it's pretty much 'Stock' as we bought it 3 by 6 speed Deore XT groupset , Salmon Pink brake block, Sartori Elegance sus seat post for the stoker.
So after asking the question and much debate, it's been decided that N+1 is not (yet) an option ... (N+2??? N+1.5??? hmmm), dropping the best part of £4 grand on a new tandem, when MBH doesn't also want to part with the current one, is not really something we want to do, and anyway it's unlikely that we'll be doing full on self sufficient 'bikepacking', more the BnB, Gite and hotel style these days
. So the plan is to resurrect old faithful ... although I'm still not sure that it'll end up a bit like Frakenstiens monster!A straight bar conversion should set us back around £350, and give us Indexed gears (which we have through bar end shifters, but cable stretch means they don't work that well ... important note!), possibly a 7 speed freehub, although that may be a squeeze, BUT we would have to move the drag brake to the stokers bars, something I'm not completely happy with. The wheels themselves could probably do with a rebuild to replace the spokes. The frame needs some care and attention, and I'm thinking a full strip down sand blasting and powder coating.
Upgrades, the gear range is poor even with a triple hills are an issue, and I can't help thinking that a Rohloff hub would be a significant change. It would mean ditching that crappy Arai drag brake, which has never been particularly effective as it works off the same lever as the rear cantilever anyway ... adjustment has always been problematical. It is however a significant amount of cash to layout assuming it can be fitted.
So asking for opinions, am I out of my tiny gourd, should I stick with the hubs I have, go straight bar and fit modern cantis and levers and forget about the Rohloff??
