Tandem Problem

[jean]

I wonder if anybody can give me some advice, on tandems.

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I have a Raleigh T6000 2003 model with Shimano 105 9 speed and have been struggling for the past 6 months with ?dropping chain? issues.   I have spent A LOT of money on new chains, blades and cassettes, at various shops in our town but nothing seems to solve the problems. 

 

I am unsure which of the following options to take:

a)         Buy a new tandem ? My options:

            Titan                 Tiagra               9 Speed

            Ravo                Ultegra             9 Speed

            Raleigh 2007    Shimano 105    10 Speed 

b)                  Spend another (say R5,000) on the tandem, replace crankset,  derailer, ??.

 

Is it possible that the frame is damaged, and can cause the chain to drop?

Can anybody recommend a GOOD tandem mechanic?

 

Any advice will be appreciated!!!!!!

[BikeMax]

 

I wonder if anybody can give me some advice' date=' on tandems.

 

I have a Raleigh T6000 2003 model with Shimano 105 9 speed and have been struggling for the past 6 months with ?dropping chain? issues.   I have spent A LOT of money on new chains, blades and cassettes, at various shops in our town but nothing seems to solve the problems. 

 

I am unsure which of the following options to take:

a)         Buy a new tandem ? My options:

            Titan                 Tiagra               9 Speed

            Ravo                Ultegra             9 Speed

            Raleigh 2007    Shimano 105    10 Speed 

b)                  Spend another (say R5,000) on the tandem, replace crankset,  derailer, ??.

 

Is it possible that the frame is damaged, and can cause the chain to drop?

Can anybody recommend a GOOD tandem mechanic?

 

Any advice will be appreciated!!!!!!

[/quote']

 

That sounds very frustrating..

 

I have never dropped our tandem chain except when taking chances and changing gears very roughly - is it the tandem chain or the main chain ?

 

Whatever is happening it is unlikely to be the bike (assuming nothing is bent or broken) and you should be able to adjust the machine to work correctly.

 

It is certainly easier to drop the chain on a tandem but should not be this much of a problem

[jean]

is it the tandem chain or the main chain ?

It is the main chain. I have tried to change the gears at different speeds on training, and on different gears on the cassett, it always seem to end up between the granny gear and the frame. Previously i have replaced the chain blades along with the casset, and it worked fine for about 3 weeks and then it was back to square one.

 

Where do i start??????

 

[BikeMax]

Well, it sounds like a possible front derailleur problem - have you checked the set stop screws - these should prevent the chain from either coming off the small ring or the big ring either way.

[jean]

I have tried that and also had the local cycle shop done that a few times.

Every time it gets set, it holds for a few days. After that well.......it's back to sh..t

[linnega]

 

Have you tried one of these:

http://www.dedaelementi.com/dettaglio.asp?articolo=153

 

The Dog Fang should be able to save the most sloppy front derailleur setup.  Ask you LBS if they can get one for you.

 

[mdk555]

There can be several reasons like.<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

The timing chains? (chain that connects stoker and pilot) BB could be shot which creates an elliptical movement.

The BB could be loose or thread is stripped.

The axel of the back wheel is cracked or buckled and after 3 weeks of not running true is creating and elliptical movement.

When changing gears especially from middle blade to granny the chain is not on the correct gear because you cannot see where you are on the cassette. The  Shimano flight deck will solve this problem.

You are not easing off between the change over from middle blade to granny.

Jean, best to take load the bike up and see the boys from Cycle lab and if they cannot help, my recommendation is a toss up between the Ravo and Raleigh. My choice is the Ravo as

 

I own one.

have not had too problems and when I do have one, the suppliers are quick to fix

and if Fatty can break it, well need I say more.

 

WW, what?s your 5 cents?

 

[jean]

Firstly linnega - thanx for that advise and will get something like the dog fang.

MDK555 - sorry for sounding stupid, but what do u mean flight deck will sort out changing gears?

As for the rest i will ask the local bike shop to check all the rest, and if all else fails i will think of replacing everything like crancks, derailleurs blades and cassette.

 

 

[mdk555]

Your mail is not very specific as to exactly when the chain drops so I am assuming from my experiences that it is happening when you are running out of gears on a climb as I experienced something similar.<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

When I first went two up I ripped the rear derailleur off the frame because I was had no idea of where the chain was on the sprocket and also applied way too much pressure when trying to go from middle to granny blade.

 

The Shimano Flightdeck is a essential tool that should be standard on all tandems as it besides having all the functions of a normal bike computer but it also tells you

 

Cadence

 And shows you exactly which gear you are in.

 

If this is the case then a big NB as mentioned in the last mail is that you should release pressure very slightly when changing from blades.

 

Jean, maybe you should expand a bit more on exactly when and how the chain jumps as there could be many other possibilities like a stretched gear cable. Tandem cables (gear and brake) do stretch because of their lengths and pressures exerted so need to be fine tuned on a regular basis.

[vet pens]

Hi Jean<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

We almost had exactly the same problem ? eventually breaking the derailleur, chain and jockey. We had to split the groupset into MTB and Ultegra parts?.Ask Big H ? his great when it comes down to tandem advice?

[amoryns]

Jean...ja soos my partner in crime se......sit vir jou mtb jockey en derailler op. Dis gemaak om baie meer strain te vat. Vandat ons die tiagra sh*t afgehaal het en met LX parte vervang het het ons nog nie weer een keer probleme gehad nie...smooth shifting all the way.

[WorcesterWheelers]

Hi Jean.

I feel your pain, my very first league tandem race, we killed ourselves up the only tough climb on the day, only to drop our chain as we changed on the top, causing us to miss the race winning split.

Like Mike said, perhaps you can just ellaborate as to when and how the chain drops, from my experience you need to have good communication with your stoker when changing on the front derailleur, as putting to much pressure (power) on the pedals while changing can very easily lead to dropping your chain.

I would recommend you make give Mark Wheedall a call. (Sorry, don't have his nr. perhaps Bikemax of Mdk can help).

Not only does he have a excellent reputation as a good bike mechanic, but he also used to be a very serious tandem racer, with a ACT tandem win under his belt I think.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

If you do concider buying a new one, there's nothing wrong with a Titan, but a few up grades on nice wheels and perhaps a better groupset and nice tandem specific carbon fork will make the ride even sweeter.

 

Perhaps the new Tiagra 2007 groupset would be a good option if budget is a concern, just yesterday built up a new Schinn with the new Tiagra groupset, really good looking groupset and a nice feature that will be handy on the tandem are the gear indicators on the top of the Sti hoods.

[jean]

Amoryns / vetpens

 

Ek dink julle het die regte advies sonder om te veel geld te blaas, en gaan dit probeer, Julle weet nie dalk van goeie bekostigbare tandem mechanic  is JHB waar ek die fiets kan vat nie?

 

mdk555

 

Ek gaan vir my een van daardie flight deck goeters kry aangesien ek ook dink dat dit my kan help om die ketting posisie vas te stel voordat ek die ratte change.

[amoryns]

jean...gaan probeer Westrand cycles....hulle doen al ons fietse. Eben hulle ry self mtb tandem so ek is seker hy sal jou baie goed kan help. Sy nommer is0119554342

[WorcesterWheelers]

Amoryns / vetpens

 

Ek dink julle het die regte advies sonder om te veel geld te blaas' date=' en gaan dit probeer, Julle weet nie dalk van goeie bekostigbare tandem mechanic  is JHB waar ek die fiets kan vat nie?

 

mdk555

 

Ek gaan vir my een van daardie flight deck goeters kry aangesien ek ook dink dat dit my kan help om die ketting posisie vas te stel voordat ek die ratte change.

[/quote']

 

Good help is hard to find...., so goeie bekostigbare werktuigkundige sal seker ook moeilik wees....

 

Dalk kan jy Cyclelab probeer, Andrew McLean is self ook 'n baie ervare tandem ryer.

[jean]

WorcesterWheelers - as you say, it is difficult to say to when exactly it happens. Normally when shifting to quickly and putting to much power is definitely one of the reasons and i should learn not to do that.

 

After all the beating on the parts i managed to bend the front blades and really damaged some chains.

 

Someone told me that i should have the frame checked as well because it might be "PAP"(whatever that meens)  like they call it in my language.

 

Where and at whom should i do this?