Tandem Wheels

[SlowPro]

Good Moring

I?m looking  for a set of Tandem racing wheels that do not cost a arm and a leg

Must be durable and strong

[Guest Big H]

 

Good Moring

I?m looking  for a set of Tandem racing wheels that do not cost a arm and a leg

Must be durable and strong

 

What you are looking for are a bit in conflict with one another. Racing wheels and durable and strong do not necessarily stand in the same line....... and "arm and leg" if definitely not part of the whole issue.

 

Tandem wheels will ideally consist of 36 spokes and more per wheel, even up to 48 spokes per wheel. A lot depends on the mass of the Tandem team. We are a fairly heavy team and we have 36 spoke hubs on the mTB Tandem, but it is well built hubs. Both our other Tandems are road bikes and they both have 40 spoke wheels. if you decide to go the "durable and strong" route make doubly sure your wheel building "guru" knows what he is doing. Ask the questions on the Hub before you spend money.

 

Tandem wheel components were quite scarce recently, I do not know if it has changed. Johan B may be able to comment.

 

Bontrager makes a very decent set of Tandem racing wheels. But here you are moving into the "arm and leg" portion again.

 

Shimano makes excellent 40 spoke Tandem hubs. good rims are the Mavic A719 (may stand corrected on the number) as well as the DRC ST 19.... if you can find these. I imported a new set from St John Street Cycles recently.

 

Hope you come right and make the correct choice.

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[SlowPro]

Ok I?m with the spoke part but tell me seeled ore open bearings currently have open bearings looking for seeled bearings. Will it make a deferens I?m 90kg and my sun think 30 (he is 11) but maybe later on a descend stoker. I?m not a weight  freak.

[Guest Big H]

 

My one set of road wheels has Shimano XT 40 spoke wide flanged Tandem hubs. They have loose bearings. These hubs are regarded as exellent. My other set of road wheels as well as the two MTB sets has sealed bearings. Sealed bearings has very little or no maintenance. On the open bearings you have to do some maintenance like regreasing and setting up the cone tension. Not that sealed bearings are maintenance free as water and dirt can also ingress and cause damage. I have never rebuilt a sealed bearing and have only twice replaced a bearing set with a new bearing set on the older Road Tandem wheels. They have done about 18000km by now and I am in the process of replacing the rims and rebuilding the wheelset. I always carry a supply of the correct bearings as well as sealed bearings becuase these things always fail on a Saturday afternoon just after the shops have closed!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

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[Johan Bornman]

You don't say whether you want a 700C wheel or 26" wheel tandem - road or MTB.

 

If MTB, then you can get away with a 36 spoked wheel. If road, at least 40, preferrably 48 if you intend adding a stronger, heavier stoker later on.

 

Tandem hubs should be at least 145mm from drop-out to drop-out.....perhaps 135 if you go for the MTB tandem route.

 

Shimano tandem hubs of 40-spoke are available from the local Shimano agent but if you want 48-spoke hubs, your best source is Harris Cyclery in Boston. They ship.  Shimano tandem hubs do accept Arayi auxilliary drum brakes. Great for really heavy teams in the mountains.

 

Tandem rims need to be wide and strong. That means, not light. The best available locally is DRC ST-19, as Hendrik proposed. The worse available locally is Mavic's version (I forgot the model number). It's eyelets quickly crack and fall out.

 

Spokes must be double-butted and the tension must be high and they must be stress relieved.

 

In order to maximise bearing life, you also need to find someone that understands how QRs compress bearings. If to tight, you reduce their life, same for too loose. Ideally the cones should be just-just loose when the wheel is off the bike and with no perceptible play on the bike.

 

 

[SlowPro]

Good morning Johan

Ok 700C what the te Prise of DRC ST-19<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Do u still make u?r own wheel sets

My rims spokes are wary loos way is that