Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => Freewheeling => Tandems => Topic started by: clarion on 01 April, 2010, 07:58:17 pm

Title: Shiny!
Post by: clarion on 01 April, 2010, 07:58:17 pm
Got the tandem back :)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/ado15/P1000687.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/ado15/P1000689.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/ado15/P1000688.jpg)
Title: Re: Shiny!
Post by: Zoidburg on 01 April, 2010, 08:02:04 pm
Darker than a very dark thing in an unlit cellar.

Have you tried the threads yet?

They might need the powder coat chasing out.
Title: Re: Shiny!
Post by: Torslanda on 01 April, 2010, 08:17:24 pm
I iz jealous.

Title: Re: Shiny!
Post by: Polar Bear on 01 April, 2010, 08:48:01 pm
That looks rather special.  Shame about that unsightly blotch of silver on the top tube!   :demon:   
Title: Re: Shiny!
Post by: rdaviesb on 02 April, 2010, 08:34:12 am
Mmmmmm. Nice. Lots of hours fun with the toolkit in prospect as well?
Title: Re: Shiny!
Post by: JohnP on 02 April, 2010, 09:37:16 am
Already looking good - will you post pics when it's built up ?

[btw YES, he is a Catholic and they do shit in the woods.]

Only ridden tandem a few times many years ago.  SWMBO wasn't keen on the idea.
Title: Re: Shiny!
Post by: clarion on 23 July, 2010, 10:07:05 am
I got most of the tandem built up, but I had problems with the disc brake and the gears.  After struggling a lot, I took the bike to Corridori for some expert attention.

They sorted both the gear indexing and the drag brake (no longer, er, dragging when unwanted, and with a brake lever for my stoker, since no bar end levers would fit).  They also fitted the rear rack, timing chain, bar tape and saddles.

So last night, on a whim, we took it for a shakedown ride.  It was a bit daft really, as we hadn't got the time to sort it properly before setting off.  A sheared seat binder bolt caused the biggest problem, and meant we arrived at the meeting place just in time to see TGL turning off down a side road, having seen the club heading that direction.  We did struggle to keep up, but it was good to just slip back into tandemming so easily.  Gears worked smoothly in the main, though the front shifting needs a bit of tweaking and will require some feedback from the stoker to trim until I get a better feel for it.  Brakes were a bit slack, though I tried not to trouble the stoker with this information.  In fact, when we had a downhill where we could catch up with the solos before the next, very steep, climb, I released the levers to find we were still retarded :-\  Though I appreciated her initiative in using the brake when we were approaching a T junction with a busy road on a steep downhill, and my vocabulary didn't extend to 'Brake!' :o

The front is easy to adjust, and I need to turn the barrel a bit.  The gear levers restrict the amount of brake lever movement, so modulation is difficult, but not impossible.  The rear brake cable has no inline adjustment at all, which will be an issue :-\

So, remaining jobs:

Swap Butterfly's saddle for a new one
Release the front mech limit screw slightly
Fit front racks (unusual sized spacers here we come!)
Source new seat binder bolt
Fit RaceBlades (trivial)
Ride
Ride some more
Enjoy
Title: Re: Shiny!
Post by: Martin109 on 23 July, 2010, 10:12:55 am
Sounds like it's all come together nicely for next weekends pootling in Oxfordshire! :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Shiny!
Post by: clarion on 23 July, 2010, 10:14:34 am
Yes.  It's a disappointment that I couldn't sort it all out myself, but Corridori have done a marvellous job, and it means I'm doing finishing touches.

Oh - I forgot that I need to add my stoker's mirror (and do leg exercises so that I can clear it when mounting/dismounting ;D )
Title: Re: Shiny!
Post by: Oscar's dad on 23 July, 2010, 10:42:32 am
Pictures of the shiny tandem?
Title: Re: Shiny!
Post by: clarion on 23 July, 2010, 10:44:47 am
I didn't have time last night.  Home at speed; fettling; out riding; home at dusk.

Maybe tonight.  But I imagine there will be photos tomorrow, and some yacfers will see her in the metal :)