I would be very wary of buying a tandem on ebay or craig's list unless you are sure of what size you need in a particular brand. Some of you got lucky, it sounds like. Since a tandem has to fit both of you, it can be even harder to fit than a single, and we all know how important fit is! A tandem is one item I'd be sure to test ride several brands and sizes at a bike shop (one that does a lot of tandem business). Once you do that and know what brand/size you need, and that you don't need to go custom, then ebay/craigslist are certainly options, but I wouldn't neglect that all important trip to the LBS (or several LBSs, since it can be hard to find many tandems in a size that works for both team members). We were lucky that we got to test ride tandems at Mt. Airy Bicycles in Maryland. Larry Black is opinionated, but he knows tandems and carries a bevy of brands and sizes. They are one of if not the biggest tandem (and recumbent) dealer in the east.

Emily