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| FNRttC Burnham © The5MileCyclist 2013 |
Adam and I love our Circe Helios Duo and we've done two Friday Night Rides to the Coast on it. However, the value it brings to our life lies much more in its cargo-hauling capabilities. We haven't used it in tandem mode enough to get my stoker position and fit completely sorted to my satisfaction. What we have is okay for 50-60 miles and it's an easy set-up when swapping out from cargo mode the day before a tandem ride.
However, I do ponder from time to time the possibilities that might present themselves if we had a road tandem with the sizing for captain and stoker optimised for us. At the moment, it's no more than idle speculation and musings, as I linger over stories, reviews and photos on other blogs, such as --
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| The Java is a great hill climber! Photo Credit: Chasing Mailboxes (blog) 2013 |
John and Pamela's custom Seven is a "Faerie Dust" dream machine!
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| Burke Mountain record breaker! Photo Credit: The Blayleys (blog) 2012 |
(Pamela's article on choosing a tandem brings together nearly everything you need to know about buying, speccing out and riding one.)
Chris and Lindsay are one of the best-known pair of tandemistes on the UK audax scene, with their distinctive and rather rare Longstaff.
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| Love at first sight Photo Credit: Whose Idea Was This? (blog) 2012 |
If we were to investigate getting a suitable machine for ourselves, I think budget would likely dictate steel as the frame material, especially to offset the anticipated need for custom size/geometry.
A few times, the thought has crossed my mind "If only Enigma built tandems...".
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| © Paul L. Smith 2015 |
I have no doubt this build was a bespoke order. But that's actually reassuring to me: if we wish, we can talk to Enigma about what we want in a tandem, including having it made from steel rather than titanium.
On the other hand, my recent 'virtual introduction' to and subsequent email conversations with Dwan Shephard of Co-Motion in Eugene, Oregon -- whose tandem expertise is second to none -- means I'm spending a lot of time on the Co-Motion website, dazzled by the choices -- 14 different models!
I don't see a new tandem joining our bicycle family anytime in the next year or two but I suspect my interest will grow rather than wane. For now, I am admiring other people's tandems but it's all grist to the mill. One day, what now is only a dream may become reality.
Musings on tandems prompted by recent reminder by the co-organiser of our planned September tour in France, Belgium and the Netherlands that the route and arrangements are very "tandem friendly".
Musings on tandems prompted by recent reminder by the co-organiser of our planned September tour in France, Belgium and the Netherlands that the route and arrangements are very "tandem friendly".
I vote for the Seven tandem : ) The one I stoked was amazingly comfy.
ReplyDeleteIf money were no object... yes!
DeleteBuying local has its advantages though, hence my continued interest in Enigma. I loved the input I got to have during the process of building my Etape, and I loved how Pamela and John got to follow the build of their Seven tandem - only possible as Seven is local to them.
Still lots of time to window shop! :)
By the way, how did you put a hyperlink on text in your comment, V?
DeleteI am enamored with the idea of tandem bicycles, but the one with whom I would ride would not be a good partner for me I suspect, so I have always just let the idea go. We have different pedaling styles and rhythm and I suspect that we would end up in a fight over such things... which sort of negates the idealistic dream I have of the two of us pedaling around in tandem. :O) Still I cannot help but fantasize. I think the other problem is that we would almost certainly need a custom, which would require a chunk of change I'm not quite ready to part with for a "trial." Trying to figure out who would be captain and who would be stoker is kind of headache-inducing as well.
ReplyDeleteIn regard to your question of Velouria... I have tried to leave hyperlink's on your posts in the past and have received the message that it was "invalid" and I don't know why (because I know it is valid)... or, perhaps your question is truly a how-to? If that is the case... Here's a link on a "how to" (hopefully, this time it won't give me an "invalid" error. :O) Otherwise you won't see this at all.
Cadence, rhythm etc is far less critical than you might think. Communication is absolutely vital -- not just doing it, but how you do it. I've posted before on how the key, from my point of view as the stoker, is trust and learning to relinquish all control. Pamela’s article flags up the crucial points for the captain.
DeleteFor us, learning how to communicate was perhaps less of a learning curve than for some due to all the rides we do with the Fridays, where we are "required" to call out, not just hazards (bump, bollards, gravel) but also intentions (Stopping!, "Easy"=slowing). We just needed to add things like "Shifting up", "Shifting down", "coasting", "indicate left/right" (which I do, at the back, leaving Adam in full control of the bike). These calls have to be communicated in advance - Pamela's suggested 1-2-3 count works well. The only calls I make are when I need to do something like coast or stand for a minute (to wiggle foot, adjust shorts, etc).
I've heard it said "a tandem won't make or break your relationship but wherever it's already headed, riding a tandem together will accelerate it". Or words to that effect. I would never say to a couple "ooh, you two fight on the tandem, you're doomed to break up"! :o But if your communication style as a couple is a little tumultuous at times, even if that is, as a general rule, totally acceptable to you both, then you may find the close confines of a tandem a bit more concentrated/intense than you're comfortable. Especially if one or both of you can't "leave it on the bike" when the ride is over. Just a thought.
That said, the romantic notion of riding a tandem with your beloved IS true (or can be), for at least parts of your ride if not all of it. :)
Ed and I have been very happy with our Co-Motion Java, in terms of its versatility and its climbing feel. It really is a rough and ready bike, although a bit overbuilt for randonneuring. Cost-wise I would personally find it difficult to justify a titanium tandem, and really, a steel tandem meets our needs just fine. Good luck with future bike. Always fun to think about and research.
ReplyDeleteHi Mary. To be honest, the Java is probably top of my list -- unless of course things fell into place for Enigma to build us a steel one. I will be in Eugene in a few weeks but without Adam, but on a future trip we might arrange a visit to Co-Motion, maybe do all the fitting and ordering preliminaries, with delivery in due course to Swallow (the only UK dealer, located in Shropshire which would be a real pain for us to get to, especially for multiple trips such as initial fitting and later collection -- oddly enough, Eugene would be much more convenient for us!)
DeleteThe overbuilt point is well taken. I very much doubt we'd randonneur with it or do rides requiring us to travel fast and/or pack light. Our main use would no doubt be touring. In that regard, your Colorado trip and John & Pamela's Oregon trip last year point to the Java being pretty much ideal.
We've had a tandem for over 20 years, they are great. Just got back from a week touring in Norfolk. The big advantage for us is we ride stuff that Jayne wouldn't ride on a solo, busy road out of Gt Yarmouth, some Sustrans 'special' sections that were quite loose and sandy. Transportation can be a pain, lots of trains don't take them and awkward on cars, especially if, like us on Saturday, you drive under a low bridge with it on the roof! S&S couplers are good even if you just use them to make it easier to hang it on a rear rack.
ReplyDeleteHi Tim. Yes, the tandem is a great fall-back for us when I'm not up to full fitness or having a bad spell with my knees. The transport thing is all too real -- we've been kicked off East Anglia/Abellio trains before -- what is up with that operator, eh?
DeleteS&S couplers are a real possibility. We don't have a car (low bridge? ouch! Hope all's okay!) but it'd be great to break it down for air travel if needed.
Car went in today for repairs, they've not rung to say it can't be fixed so I guess they'll be able to do it. Once I get the car back I can go over to JD Tandems for them to check for structural damage. Definitely needs new shifters though.
DeleteSo Tim, what's the verdict on your car and bike? Hope both are back on the road.
DeleteI should get the car back on Monday, it was repairable so that was good news. Can't get the tandem checked out until I get the car back, but it looks ok. I got some new shifters. Roof rack and tandem carrier are both right offs. I need to decide what to get to replace it, I was never really happy with it upright on the roof. Ideally I'd swap the frame for an S&S coupled one, but can't really afford it.
DeleteFunnily enough we have found Abellio/Anglia to be very tandem friendly. They have even changed (in the last few months) the restriction on the Cambridge line so that's legal now too. The first time we tried it we did need to show the guy on the ticket barrier a print out from the website, but he very graciously accepted we were right.
DeleteBy the way ours is a custom built Roberts - built strong for touring (including camping) so probably a little heavy for our audax adventures, however we haven't got space in the living room for two tandems so we have to have one general purpose.
Firstly, THANK YOU to G.E. for the How-To link for inserting hyperlinked text into comments on the Blogger platform. Phew!! I've been trying to do that for ages on Velouria's blog -- should have Googled it! :)
ReplyDeleteRebecca,
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I have been "tandeming" for over 15 years now. We really enjoy the speed and togetherness that the tandem gives us. I personally would prefer a steel bike. We purchased an aluminum framed mass produced Raleigh Pursuit over 11 years ago. We have thousands of miles on this bike and it has performed very well for us. Most of our trips are in the 30-45 mile range, but on special, i.e. vacations we will do 65-75 miles a day. The rest of the time is spent browsing, relaxing, and eating! The point being, one does not have to go overboard to get a functioning tandem. Mel, at Tandems East could put you guys on a great bike for a fraction of a custom bikes cost. I would love to own a custom bike, but my Quaker practicality kicks in and I just can't do it. I built a new wheelset for our bike, and we have replaced a couple of chains, gear hubs, and bottom brackets. Everything else has just been routine maintenance. If you guys are of average size a stock tandem will be plenty customizable with stem selection. The tandem will hold a lot of its value so, someday maybe sell it to another couple and get the bike of your dreams like the Blayleys did! I just trust steel more than any other material. The difference in weight between a good steel tube set and any other material is not worth the difference in reliability and its ability to be repaired.Have fun, this was my first visit to your blog. I'll read more now!
Hi Ron, thanks for stopping by and sharing your tandem experiences! I'm guessing you're in the U.S.? I appreciate your point about not needing to go overboard. We will definitely go with steel, when/if the time comes. The sticking point is my sizing/fit issues, which means we will almost certainly need to go custom. Meanwhile, the Circe does fine for shorter excursions, even if we can't tour on it. Cheers!
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