Recommend Me A Tandem

[GarryDK]

As per the thread, cheap, cheerful for the wife and me to pop to the pub.

[47p2]

Click

[GarryDK]

47p2 said:

Click

who said anything about being on a road

[GarryDK]

anyone?

[Disco You]

If all you want is cheap and cheerful, then keep an eye on ebay for the first functioning tandem that comes up.

Drunk tandeming sounds like a terrible idea, to me, though!

[Justin S]

Dolan do some nice tandems . i considered one to get the wife out on a bike, but luckily she's a short arse , so it would look weird and I know I would be working for 2..............

[lufbramatt]

Took wifey for a ride over the Golden Gate Bridge last week, she's not a very confident cyclist so I suggested we go for a tandem as then all she had to do was pedal a bit and look at the view. I've ridden tandems before with a group that worked with blind and partially sighted people so I though it should be fine with Mrs Lufbramatt . . . after 10 mins of terror I thought I might be taking it back to the rental place, but once I calmed her down she loved it and we got really good at setting off etc. One of the best days biking I've had in ages, so much so that I got straight on ebay when we got home to see how much they go for. Go for it, you'll love it!

The handling is weird though, you get used to it but it's like going from a sports car with power steering to an old classic car with non-power steering and recirculating ball steering box. Suprizingly the V-brakes fitted to ours stopped us fine though. Have to think ahead and anticipate what's coming a lot more.

The one we hired was a Raleigh Companion, middle of the road cro-mo frame but the size worked well for us as they come up as 19" on the front and 16.5" on the back. Have a feeling they are a USA only model though. Heavy things but don't forget you have twice the power and half the drag- we overhauled a roadie in replica team kit on the climb up from Sausalito on the way back. The look on his face gave us a good giggle

Edited by lufbramatt on Friday 13th June 12:19

[GarryDK]

Thanks for the comments guys. I've been looking around alot of the second hand ones all seem to be 20 years old? is that normal?

[GarryDK]

was looking at this one

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/tandem-bicycle/1...

Thats about the budget I am looking at.

[Watcha]

May I present you with the 'tanderminater'



Made by Nicolai.

[lufbramatt]

GarryDK said:

was looking at this one

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/tandem-bicycle/1...

Thats about the budget I am looking at.

Something like that won't depreciate so you'll always be able to get your money back if you don't get on with it. I'd take the toe clips off for the first few outings though!

There seems to be either new, cheapo stuff or uber high-end racing tandems available when I looked. I'd probably go for something more classic. Claud Butler were a decent brand back in the day, although I think I'd want something with wider, flat bars as the steering is very heavy on these.

[Bonefish Blues]

Try tandeming first, assuming you haven't as yet - will give you a better idea about how much or little you might want to spend?

http://www.cyclehiresouthampton.co.uk/CycleType.ht...

ETA
...but if you have, and you're looking at that sort of price point, then this is much better, I think:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dawes-Super-Galaxy-Tande...

Edited by Bonefish Blues on Saturday 14th June 00:50