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From: marcum@sun.uucp (Alan Marcum)
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Re: tandems anyone ??
Message-ID: <2838@sun.uucp>
Date: Fri, 27-Sep-85 12:09:41 EDT
Article-I.D.: sun.2838
Posted: Fri Sep 27 12:09:41 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 30-Sep-85 01:27:31 EDT
References: <234@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Reply-To: marcum@sun.UUCP (Alan M. Marcum)
Distribution: net
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Lines: 50

In article <234@ssc-vax.UUCP> carlson@ssc-vax.UUCP (Lee R Carlson) writes:
>
>Does anyone in nut.bicycle have any opinions on tandems ?  Santana,
>Kuwahara, Gitane...  My wife and I are giving some thought to one.
>I'm more hard-core than she, and were looking for something in the
>sport/weekend-riding catagory.

A few years ago, I bought a tandem.  My then-SO was not a serious bike
rider, I was, and we wanted to ride together.  She was afraid of holding me
back, or being left behind; besides, she had never ridden a derailleur-
equipped bicycle.  A tandem seemed the perfect answer -- and it was.  (BTW,
she is now a serious bicyclist; a nice, 18 1/2" frame, custom-geared,
wonderful machine.)

I bought a Motobecane tandem, and have done some significanat component
upgrades: saddles, crankset, brake pads, wheels (came with steel, now
has alloy, with Phil hubs, 48-spoke, cross-5), drum brake, freewheel,
gearing (half-step w/granny).  The Motobecane is a diamond-mixte frame,
which isn't ideal, but, because of her size (5'1"), was probably necessary
in almost all non-custom tandems at the time.

My impressions of the Motobecane: a fun bike, but not suited for real
serious work.  I'd be leary of going on a week-long fully loaded tour
(I'd do it, but I'd be leary).  The frame geometry in the drive train
area makes for interesting times (chain line, clearances, etc.), given
what I've done with the components.  But, for unloaded day touring, even
up some heavy-duty hills, its fine.  If I had it to do over again, I'd
probably bite the bullet and get a Santana, ESPECIALLY with their new,
'lower'-priced model.  (BTW, if you hadn't noticed, tandems are anything
but inexpensive.  When I bought mine, some 5 years ago, it was about $900,
on sale, with the stock wheels and drive train; a comparable quality single
would have been about $250-300 at the time.)

My impressions of tandem riding: I LOVE IT!  It's a superb way to teach
someone about serious riding (they concentrate on pedaling and RIDING
without worrying about stearing, braking, shifting; then, later, they
can start to pay attention to those things), a great way to stay together,
and you can talk with your riding partner!  (It's also a wonderful
excuse to get together with someone who you've wanted to get to know a
bit better....!)  The biggest challenge: carting it around; tandems are
BIG, and you pretty much have to ride it where ever you take it (unless
you have a nice, long van or pickup).

Have fun!



-- 
Alan M. Marcum				Sun Microsystems, Technical Consulting
...!{dual,ihnp4}!sun!nescorna!marcum	Mountain View, California


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