???Tandems???

[Mannetjie]

Hey you all

Today I need your help for a change. My wife and I are thinking of maybe getting ourselves a tandem. I just dont know where to start.

What makes are there. What are the best, what to look out for. Is a tandem really so expensive? (seen a few prices 20k + ) How will one size tandem fit both my wife and I? ( I ride a 54 and she a 52)

Any help would be appreciated alot!!!

[slowpoke]

first ask someone very nicely if you can try out theirs before you go spending cash....

[KayC]

Hi Mannetjie

Size is not a problem. Tandems are built to different leg lenghts for pilots and stokers; you should therefor be able to get a 54/52 combination.

Slowpoke's advice is very valuable. You can also consider speaking to Joneene at Linden Cycles about hiring one, to try it out, before you spend big bucks.

Regards

KayC

[Guest Big H]

Mannetjie,

Firstly a warning. THERE ARE NO GREY AREA IN TANDEM CYCLING!!!!!!! It is one of two issues..... a new honeymoon or you ride directly into the divorce court. If you are lucky and a Honeymoon befalls you, you may just become a successful tandem team. When I say successfull I do not mean fast and winning races. Tandemming is to work together as a team and to compensate a lot for the shortfalls of your companion. Another rule..... THE STOKER IS ALWAYS RIGHT. It does not matter what and how it happnes, the stoker is always right.

Lending a Tandem is a tender trap. We got hooked that way.

Go and visit shops and ask. Many makes available but my choice would be as following:-

Expensive but the best - Cannondale

Very good value for money with good components - Raleigh

Cheap and bottomrange but by no means inferior - Titan with a great possibilty of future upgrades.

Go and visit www.sheldonbrown.com and http://tandem-fahren.de

Laat weer hoor as jy nog inligting nodig het

H

 

 

[mdk555]

Below is a piece that I copied from another thread to which I replied. Seems like I really get the tandem product bit on www.tandemcyclingsa.co.za up and running.<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

My honest 5 cents is that the Titan is a great entry level tandem (one of my friends and fellow Outrider member has one). The next step up is the <?:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Raleigh or my choice is the Ravo which comes standard with Uletgra shifters, carbon cranks, carbon fork, much more and some great accessories. The only real upgrade that I did, yep I own one was better saddes. The thing that really blew me about the RAVO is that it can hold 5 cages. I also installed the side mount cages which means that the bike can easily carry 5 750ml bottles and maybe the biggest plus is that the guys at Cape Cycle Systems went out of their on 2 occasions to fix my baby when things went wrong.

Price wise - shop around as i have seen for sale anything between R 10 000 and R 14 000.

As for sizing check http://tandem-fahren.de/Mitglieder/Christoph_Timm/WeightDist ribution.html

 

As for www.tandemcyclingsa.co.za - got some amazing racing pics and will post them as soon as I figure out how too. Even got a pic or two of Big H

[Cois]

I think oom H is correct.

 

 

 

I have seen a lot of bad things on Tandems in the few years I have been cycling.

 

 

 

A tandem is also know as:

 

" 'n maak of breek"

 

 

 

That is in relation to your relationship with your stoker.

 

 

 

I can work or it can't

 

 

 

I had a tandem to my desposal, but I never took my girlfriend out on it. Why? She is now my ex-girlfriend.

 

 

 

Ask somone with a tandem if you can take it for a spin, but make sure your wife or hubby is co-operative.

 

 

 

Try it. My mother and father does the tandem thing and they love it, but be sure

 

 

 

And yes: THE STOKER IS ALWAYS RIGHT!!! smileys/smiley36.gif smileys/smiley36.gif smileys/smiley36.gif

[fatcyclist]

While ANDRE L and myself won mdk555's tandem time trial having never ridden together before, tandem partnerships require a good deal of understanding.

My girlfriend owns 1/2 of a tandem along with a good friend of hers, and we (after doing a few races together) decided for the sanity of the relationship not to ride together. I'd much rather shotgun for the tandem on my single bike, and offer a push when they need it.

That said, tandems are good fun, and some nice bargains can be found for under R10k!

[Velouria]

You got a girlfriend again? Was it the skin suit?