Long Wheel Base Posted August 16, 2016 Posted August 16, 2016 Great, thanks for the advice! I'll have to check our gearing (3 x 10) 105 on the cannondale T2. I'd like a 2x10 setup - how do we go about this? Just buy a Shimano 105 / ultegra crank? Will we need a new front derailleur then too? I'm planning to do R4V to get a seeding for 94.7 but this maybe too late - I'll have to email CSA. We already avg 31 around the Cradle from home and my wife is pretty unfit. She's getting back into cycling after 2 kids.You wouldn't even need a new crank. Can just remove the small ring and due to alignment issues I wouldn't even suggest re spacing the crank. You wont need a new derailleur either. Even the triple STI will work(I got mine to work with all the original triple ultegra stuff). You just need to play around with adjustment screws nicely.I have modified my race tandem so that my interlink chain is on the right. Its slightly lighter as a whole system as I get rid of 1 spider from the left at the back. BUT it wasn't without a lot of teething problems. Had to manufacture a few spacers and plates. In the end it was lighter but not by much(BUT ITS STILL LIGHTER WHICH IS WHATS IMPORTANT). I also went and got different chain rings for the interlink chain so they as small as possible. You save a little weight in the chainring as well as having a shorter chain. At the moment I am back on the LH interlink setup(hopefully only briefly) so that I can fine tune the modified system and still race the bike.
Flemish Lion Posted August 16, 2016 Posted August 16, 2016 You wouldn't even need a new crank. Can just remove the small ring and due to alignment issues I wouldn't even suggest re spacing the crank. You wont need a new derailleur either. Even the triple STI will work(I got mine to work with all the original triple ultegra stuff). You just need to play around with adjustment screws nicely.I have modified my race tandem so that my interlink chain is on the right. Its slightly lighter as a whole system as I get rid of 1 spider from the left at the back. BUT it wasn't without a lot of teething problems. Had to manufacture a few spacers and plates. In the end it was lighter but not by much(BUT ITS STILL LIGHTER WHICH IS WHATS IMPORTANT). I also went and got different chain rings for the interlink chain so they as small as possible. You save a little weight in the chainring as well as having a shorter chain. At the moment I am back on the LH interlink setup(hopefully only briefly) so that I can fine tune the modified system and still race the bike. Can one adjust the screws that much so you get rid of one of the shifts when going from 3 x to 2 x by removing the small ring. Making the chain smaller should improve the shifting as currently I now and then need to shift to the small ring to eventually get it in the middle ring as the shift from the big blade failed. Sucks to lose momentum that way on a climb!
Long Wheel Base Posted August 16, 2016 Posted August 16, 2016 Can one adjust the screws that much so you get rid of one of the shifts when going from 3 x to 2 x by removing the small ring. Making the chain smaller should improve the shifting as currently I now and then need to shift to the small ring to eventually get it in the middle ring as the shift from the big blade failed. Sucks to lose momentum that way on a climb!Yeah, what I did was adjust the high and low screws on my front derailleur and then the shifter just isn't allowed to do the 3rd shift. yeah it sucks big time when you hit a climb that isn't a big blader and then loose the group while trying to shift half way up and its not happening.
NotSoBigBen Posted August 20, 2016 Author Posted August 20, 2016 Went really well! Had fun despite some headwind ...
Frosty Posted August 20, 2016 Posted August 20, 2016 We've recently bought a tandem and love it. It's great if your partner isn't that fit as you can still push really hard without having to look around to see if your partner is still there (vs single bikes). Whats the process to race tandem? I am licensed but my wife isn't. Does she need a day license? We'll have to do a few Engen rides first to get comfortable in a bunch. It helps to have a light person at the back while standing as it's easy to throw him / her around After 3 saddles we've found a good one for my wife so try out a few and reduce butt pain! Also take into account you are not as nimble as on single bikes so anticipate a bit quicker to obstacles on the road and increase following distance a bit longer. Changing gears is still a bit of a challenge for us but we getting there - we do seem to run out of gears pretty quickly!No License required at all to race tandems. When there are races that have 2 tandem groups(racing and social) its all down to seeding. The only time you would need a license is if you want to race at SA champs. My race tandem is a 2x10 setup with a 44/56 up front and then we got 2 sets of wheels. The one set has a 23-11 cluster and the other set has a 28-11 cluster. My training tandem I got 32/42/54 up front and 28-11(9speed) at the back and the gearing is way to small for racing. Its fine for training as when I run out of revs it doesn't matter. I also find with that gearing we hardly ever get out of the big blade and have never ever used that tiny blade.Don't confuse a LICENCE (to race in age category, i.e. VA, VB, VC, $, %A, etc.) and CyclingSA MEMBERSHIP. If your wife hasn't got CSA Membership then a day licence is automatically added during the online entry process on Cycle Event races.
M Hickley Posted August 20, 2016 Posted August 20, 2016 Thanks .... think we'll skip the standing for now Standing is easy, on the count of 1,2,3
BSG Posted August 20, 2016 Posted August 20, 2016 Sjo after reading this, I just again have so much more respect for the 2 tandems on last week's Trans Baviaans, that must have been hectic cycling on some of the more difficult parts. [emoji33]
Long Wheel Base Posted August 20, 2016 Posted August 20, 2016 Went really well! Had fun despite some headwind ... I like how everything matches. Even the shoes.[emoji106] Sent from my LG-H735 using Tapatalk
BSG Posted August 22, 2016 Posted August 22, 2016 I like how everything matches. Even the shoes.[emoji106] Sent from my LG-H735 using TapatalkAnd even their feet are at the same place at the same time.
Long Wheel Base Posted August 22, 2016 Posted August 22, 2016 And even their feet are at the same place at the same time.O wow I didn't even see that That takes skill.LOLWe actually tried once putting our cranks slightly out. Moved them about 5 teeth apart(theory was to increase the power curve). It was fine when seated on the flats and downs but when we stood you could feel the unbalance and it didn't work well so we went back to inline.
BSG Posted August 22, 2016 Posted August 22, 2016 I have always wanted to try tandem cycling, I particularly like the mtb ones but I'm my own best cycling buddy.
Frosty Posted August 22, 2016 Posted August 22, 2016 I have always wanted to try tandem cycling, I particularly like the mtb ones but I'm my own best cycling buddy.Riding over rocks can be a beeg challenge for a MTB tandem... Picking a line is key with the longer wheel base, as is turning tight switchbacks. But good fun.
Rocket-Boy Posted August 22, 2016 Posted August 22, 2016 Two people can put down a lot of power, and the fork in particular can take a lot of strain especially under braking. Found this out the hard way.That sounds like no fun at all, nothing you can do when the fork goes.
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