Steel tandems

[KnottedYet]

Got Co-motion on the brain, but am wondering if there are other steel tandems out there? (cheaper?)

Looking for steel frame, disc brakes, prefer 26 inch wheels.

[OakLeaf]

Santana Fusion (http://santanatandem.com/Bikes/Fusion.html)? Disc brakes are optional on all their models.

I know squat about tandems, but that was the brand that popped into my head immediately. A couple I ride with have a carbon Santana with disc brakes.

Don't know how the price compares, though.

[KnottedYet]

We looked into Santanas a bit. They are also made in USA like Co-Motion, but the comparable models to Co-Motion models run about $1,000 more.

Which is a bummer.

I'm willing to buy a non-USA made tandem if it was cheap... because I'm cheap.

[KnottedYet]

Now, this is just weird?

I've seen a couple recommendations on tandem forums for the Mongoose (aluminum) or Pacific (same thing, but steel) tandems for newbie tandem teams.

$250-$350.

So cheap, it's scary. Everyone suggests having a bike shop put the tandem together and check it over carefully, but everyone who has had one says it was the right way to go for a first tandem.

26 inch wheels. RIM brakes. (we'd stay on the flats and go easy, because rim brakes on a tandem carrying nearly 400 lbs of humanity just freaks me right out)

Do ya put a couple Brooks on a Pacific Dualie? The dang saddles would cost as much as the entire bike! :eek:

I'm not kidding; right now I'm seriously considering the merits of a $250 high-ten steel tandem. And some day (if we survive the "relationship acceleration" of a tandem) getting a Co-Motion Mocha. Cheaper to buy than to rent, eh?

[zoom-zoom]

Our Co-Motion Periscope Torpedo has paid for itself...it's allowed our family of 3 to ride together, since DS is only 10 and likes to ride, but could never keep up on a road bike...he's still a bit small for one and doesn't have the strength/endurance to ride long on his own power.

We didn't really look at any other tandem options, since we needed that periscope rear seat for the rugrat. The only other tandems I'm at all familiar with are aluminum Cannondales, but we know quite a few folks who have them and love them. Not sure how they ride, but our Co-Motion is SO smooth...but it's a beast. It's a real workout for my hubby and kid to get up hills with that thing. They FLY downhill, though.

(personally, I'm not a fan of the tandem. My hubby is nearly a foot taller than me and very broad-shouldered, so I see NOTHING in front of us. It also forces me to sit too upright, since the stoker cockpit is relatively short...and makes my neck hurt, so I haven't been on it at all this year).

[ultraviolet]

If you're considering going cheap and not having the disc brakes, there's a Pacific Dualie on Seattle Craigslist right now for $100.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/bik/2556151550.html

And more expensive, but still pretty inexpensive as far as bikes go, there's also a Univega tandem...
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/bik/2547730599.html

[Kiwi Stoker]

Please, please, please don't buy a $250 tandem. It's not worth it! People who have brought these tandems have found a huge range of issues- spokes not tensioned, brakes that don't work, crummy components etc) and the weight will be terrible.

If you are really serious about buying a tandem and cannot afford new, look for a second hand one from Trek, Burley, Cannondale, Satana, Co-motion etc. The ride quality and the enjoyment you will get out a decent tandem is worth it.

All the advice I know about seen about first tandems is to go the second hand route. They tend to hold their value well for when you on sell it.

If you really want to see what a $250 tandem is like go and rent one at the local bike path/beach. $250 tandem are not worth the hassle and will put you off tandeming.

From a person who brought a second hand Trek tandem.

[KnottedYet]

I think I'd really prefer a "real" tandem, with disc brakes.

Trek and KHS (and Raleigh, for that matter) have cheap tandems, but with rim brakes. Which to my mind is pretty much the same boat as the Mongoose/Pacific.

Probably Craigslist, or hanging around Recycled Cycles. They always seem to have a tandem or two. Some day one will come through the right size and with discs. (I'd even put up with aluminum if it had discs)

A Co-Motion Mocha is still my dream...

[zoom-zoom]

My MIL and her BF scored a great deal on a used Cannondale tandem on eBay...that had a mere 75 miles on it before the couple decided they didn't like it. I think that happens a LOT.

[malkin]

Another vote for shopping Craigslist.

Our first tandem was pretty much wrong in every way. It was a DiamondBack, so not in the same class as the cheepies, but still ...We'd have probably just killed ourselves on one of the cheep cheepies and that would have been that.

We attempted an organized half century, that was brutally cold and windy and basically awful, had trouble getting SAGged out, and by the time the bike fell out of the back of the pick up truck, I was ready to leave it in the street and drive away.

We recovered with a second hand Burley and finally got a CoMotion which we completely love.

NUTSHELL:
Keep your Co-Motion dreams
Start off with something decent--so you can figure out how to ride tandem.
Whatever you ride, make sure it fits both of you!

[Beane]

Have you looked at da Vinci at all?

http://www.davincitandems.com/
(http://www.davincitandems.com/)

My husband and I have been riding a borrowed Burley (loaned from my mom & her BF; aluminum) but dream of a da Vinci. Mom & bf got a custom made carbon & aluminum dV earlier this year and love it. We convinced ourselves that we need disc brakes riding in the rain last weekend doing an "urban adventure ride".

[Kiwi Stoker]

Strangely we "killed" our third brake we installed that was a disc- tiotally jammed the wheel so had to SAG home.

Depends what type of brake and what brake pads a tandem has. Disc is not always best! A Trek T90 sounds like a good starter for you and has 26" wheels.

[salsabike]

Hey, here's another thought---check the Cascade website's classifieds. I've seen used tandems for sale there too. You know we got our 91 Burley at Recycled Cycles for $350. We were very lucky. But I would hang in there looking for a used one because I agree---I think there are frequent sales of those.

[malkin]

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=16792593&cat=&lpid=1&search=tandem%20bike

You could come to SLC to check it out and we could tandem in tandem!

[Trek420]

It's too big. We're both a lot shorter ;)

[malkin]

I thought maybe.
Keep the link though--those classifieds are really great, and with Utah being the land of recreation and the land of togetherness, there a a lot of them floating by.

Have you two ever ridden a tandem together?

[malkin]

I just reread the earlier posts.

If the $250.00 tandems haven't been blown to smithereens by the folks at the tandem forums, then maybe they're ok. Last time I tiptoed through there, it was like a mine field outlined by sharp shooters, cocked and ready to fire on anything that wasn't state of the art and top of the line.

(I'm exagerating that a tiny bit, and there are people over there who are really nice and a couple that we've even ridden with.)

Really, if you're going to stay on the flats, go slow, take it easy and try to figure out if you really even like riding a tandem at all it might be ok. And, yah--go ahead and set it up with Brooks saddles. No point if having an unhappy backside when you already know what your backside wants. Just use saddle locks.

Trek T900 wouldn't be a bad beginning bike either. They're sturdy, adjustable, and everywhere. We've taken beginners out on one and they did just fine.

Another possibility would be to do a shout out to find some friendly tandem team in your area and see if they know some one who knows someone...or they can give you some tips on staying sane while you learn to ride together (or "two-gether" like 'zona' says.)

We didn't have this luxury, but it can be useful for a beginning stoker to have the opportunity to ride behind an experienced captain. Learning to ride stoker behind someone who hasn't figured out how to ride as captain can be terrifying!

[carolp]

We got our comotion frame on ebay and built it up, making it a whole lot cheaper than a new one, or even a used one on craigslist.

[Dulcineigha]

My bf bought us an old Trek200 after we'd had some very enjoyable rides on a high-quality rental. I'm not sure it's going to work because of the "q-factor". At least I think that's what it is called. The width between the pedals for the stoker. Apparently it is wider on different tandems. I'm not sure that I'm going to be able to ride this tandem because I can't ride with my knees torqued to accommodate the wider stance. If you have ANY knee issues, you should give this some serious thought. Believe me, the medical bills you'll rack up will FAR exceed what you pay for a tandem that fits you.