I need a tandem

[Maffie]

Ive been looking at tandems and really really need one. Will mean my partner and I can go further afield and im smitten with them. Hoping to go try one on sunday so any advice on what you would look for/avoid or what you wish you had known efore buying one.

 

[Charlotte]

1. Tandems are Not Cheap.  Buying a cheap one, either new from a "discount" bike warehouse or second hand from eBay is a recipe for having to shell out a lot more in repairs, upgrades and accessories.  Budget for at least £500 for even a cheap second hand one.

2. Don't be tempted to buy a "vintage" tandem unless that's exactly what you're after.  The parts will be hard to get and it'll be a pig to ride.

3. Avoid downtube shifters if you're a novice team.  You'll want to keep your hands on the 'bars as much as possible.

4. Look at the wheels VERY closely when buying a tandem.  36 on the front and 40 on the rear is a minimum.  Tandems break rear spokes like crazy if the wheel's not up to scratch.

5. Unless you're getting an exotic confection like our new Santana, a drag brake is a must.  Descending with only standard solo brakes can be hairy. 

6. Never buy a tandem with a disk brake on the front.

7. Erm...

That's all I can think of right now.  I'm sure a more experienced tandemista will be along inna minute 

[Martin109]

I've heard good things about The Tandem Experience.  I think it's probably a good idea to get some tuition and experience from experienced tandemists before making a purchase.  I think they give some kind of discount if you subsequently get a tandem through them.

[Polar Bear]

I'll definitely second Charlotte's points 1 and 2 above.   Bikes can be money drains anyway but a vintage or cheap tandem will suck your cash faster than a timeshare salesman!   

I was given a vintage tandem.  It was a rolling heap of oxidising metal.   Heavy, very very heavy, too few gears and brakes that simply didn't.  I acquired a cheapo Orbita which has cost me a good deal of money in decent wheels as per Charlottes point 4 above as well as some quality brakes.   Probably spent in total the £500 minimum that Charlotte alludes to.       

Definitely try before you buy.   You may find that you and your intended tandemista are not compatible.  Cadence rates, weight distribution, etc play a big part.   

[Maffie]

We are looking at popping down to The Tandem Experience thought that sounded a good idea

[Ian H]

Lot's of useful stuff at the Tandem Club.

[PloddinPedro]

Try before you buy is a must. If I'd known my wife's vertigo/balance issues would prevent her from riding a tandem, I'd have saved a lot of money/grief!

I still have a barely used (60 miles only) Cannondale alu tandem frame hanging up in the garage which I must get around to selling. It's probably no use to you as it's a larger double gents size and you'll do better buying a complete machine.

[fiendish]

We did a tandem experience kind of thing with JD Cycles in Ilkley - it was brilliant.  They taught us the basics, let us try a few different tandems and showed us some of the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.  They even let us take a lovely Santana out for a morning after the initial 'experience' unchaperoned, which was great.

That weekend taught us a lot about tandeming and really influenced our later purchase - we had a much better idea about what we wanted and what to look for. 

Sadly, our budget didn't stretch to the Santana, but we did find a SH Dawes Galaxy that suited.

[ABlipInContinuity]

I think we maybe trying The Tandem Experience some time soon then.

I know the proprieter, so probably more than worth a visit.

[Julian]

My parents did the Tandem Experience and by the sounds of it, had a great day out.  They did actually get a tandem shortly afterwards.

I can thoroughly recommend JD Cycles in Ilkley for a day out trying tandems.  They are astonishingly patient and interested in finding you the right bike.  And of course you get to go and ride up and down Curly Hill on tandems all day. 

[sg37409]

Good move !  They are fantastic.
I agree with most of Charlotte's points, but in my experience,
- drag brakes are not a must - they are useful for heavier loads and longer climbs
- disk brakes on the front: co-motion flog some very nice tandems with these

Try first is god advice, again not essential.
We got our first tandem on a spur of the moment decision after reading some sunday supplement review of a cycling weekend. First couple of rides were an eye-opener - my fault.....   but now I realise that "the stoker is always right"  is true.
Enjoy.

[Elleigh]

I did Tandem Experience in Ironbridge, Shropshire

I can I recommend it.

[drossall]

I'm not an expert, but have some idea of the implications of different frame designs (marathon, twin lateral, etc.) Essentially, a tandem is a very long bike (obviously). This means it will tend to flex unless the additional structural reinforcement is good.

When we bought one, we had the choice between a Claud Butler Majestic II and really stretching ourselves for a Dawes. We went for the Claud, which is a twin lateral. It's been OK, but we've only used it lightly, and we were on a budget. For heavy riders, extensive use and loaded touring, I think we'd have regretted not waiting and buying the stronger Dawes. A Mercian or Longstaff, of course, would have been great but out of the question

That said, I am not sure that twin lateral designs are much used now.

[Wowbagger]

The need for a drag brake depends upon your rims. We have these bloody great tungsten-reinforced jobbies (are they Thorn exclusive?) and the Shimano XTR brakes stop us very effectively, very often quite noisily as well! When they were new, they were v. high decibel. We turned a lot of heads when we were slowing down.

[eck]

That said, I am not sure that twin lateral designs are much used now.

Oh, I dunno, we use ours a fair bit. 
That said, I must admit it is undoubtedly bendy.

[PaulR]

So (being rather cheeky) does the panel consider I would be very foolish to consider (strictly for occasional unloaded non-touring on-road use) a machine with the following characteristics:

steel frame of considerable age, painted yellow

stoker's top tube is a dropped one - at a slightly shallower angle than the pilot's down tube, joining the stoker's seat tube about six or seven inches above the BB

hydraulic brakes at front and back

new wheels and tyres

six speed freewheel, single chainset

chain tensioner device on timing chain - it appears to be part of the original design, as it's attached to a brazed on bit under the horizontal bottom tube

[rdaviesb]

All depends on the gearing. Six speeds probably won't give you a range wide enough, unless you are in flatlands. Tandems need lower gears to go up, and higher gears to maximise their advantage on the downs and on the flat.

[Andydauddwr]

It's not a definite bargepole job.  The Hydraulic brakes might be a good find...

AC

[alexb]

There's been a few decent ones turned up on ebay recently. I'm not allowed to bid 

[ABlipInContinuity]

On the quest for a tandem, I've found one advertised locally for £175.

This is potentially well into bargain territory. I haven't seen it yet and it's probably not a suitable size for us anyway.

The elderly gent (well he sounds elderly) says it is called an orbiter tandem (don't know whether that is make or model) and it was bought from Harry Halls.

I Google on orbiter tandem doesn't really give any positive hits, and I can't imagine Harry Hall's selling anything rubbish.

Is it possible this is an Orbit tandem or is that getting hopes up too far? Has anyone heard of or seen and orbiter tandem?

Thanks
ABIC

[clarion]

I think you're looking at an Orbita.

Think it's a catalogue jobby.  Definitely not an Orbit!

[HTFB]

On the quest for a tandem, I've found one advertised locally for £175.

This is potentially well into bargain territory. I haven't seen it yet and it's probably not a suitable size for us anyway.

The elderly gent (well he sounds elderly) says it is called an orbiter tandem (don't know whether that is make or model) and it was bought from Harry Halls.

I Google on orbiter tandem doesn't really give any positive hits, and I can't imagine Harry Hall's selling anything rubbish.

Is it possible this is an Orbit tandem or is that getting hopes up too far? Has anyone heard of or seen and orbiter tandem?

Thanks
ABIC

I bought my 1980s Thompson---a debadged Orbit built just after he'd sold the business: it has Orbit moulds on the seat-stays---on Ebay for less than that. It's cost a lot more to get it resprayed, fitted with new saddles and drive chain and rims, etc, etc, etc. But it's a good frame.

Orbita seem to exist and sound dodgy.

[FatBloke]

I will probably have a Claude Butler tandem of early 80's vintage for sale soon.

[Karen Sutton]

The full new price for Orbita tandems was about £399.  I'd be bothered about the wheel quality to begin with.  Can't see it lasting very long on Manchester's roads.

[Polar Bear]

On the quest for a tandem, I've found one advertised locally for £175.

This is potentially well into bargain territory. I haven't seen it yet and it's probably not a suitable size for us anyway.

The elderly gent (well he sounds elderly) says it is called an orbiter tandem (don't know whether that is make or model) and it was bought from Harry Halls.

I Google on orbiter tandem doesn't really give any positive hits, and I can't imagine Harry Hall's selling anything rubbish.

Is it possible this is an Orbit tandem or is that getting hopes up too far? Has anyone heard of or seen and orbiter tandem?

Thanks
ABIC

My fist tandem is an Orbita.  I picked it up secondhand.   It is pretty stable and great fun now that I have done a few mods:

1:  New wheels.   The originals were like spaghetti and putty.   I got a 36 hole front and 40 hole rear (tandem) XT hubbed pair with Sun CR18 rims from SJS.   Pair of Schwalbe Marathons HS308 pattern, 26x1.75's instead of the nasty cheap knobblies too.   

2:  New brakes.   On the back were two sets of cheese V's, a single set on the front..  I replaced the whole lot with Avid Arch Rivals front and rear pulled by Shimano deore levers.   The Arch Rivals are more than sufficient.   

3:  Replaced quill stem and very flexible front bars with a quill to ahead adapter, a reasonable solid ahead stem and some fairly stout alloy bars.   

All remaining components are cheap and heavy but functional until replacement is required.

An original spec Orbita will eat your budget.