# Quentin the tandem has joined the household



## Saluki (2 May 2022)

PJ, my bike buddy, went mad and carted me 4 miles up the road to Eaton to view a tandem, that is a little too small but was only £275.
We had a nice test ride for 20 minutes or so and didn’t kill one another, paid the man and rode back home on the bikes we rode there on. Had a quick sarnie and walked back to the tandem man. Only 3 1/2 miles when you can take walking shortcuts. The bike is a 2008 Viking Tarantino in a medium sort of size. We took the tassels off the stoker bars.

One small domestic on the way home as I had a rucksack with PJ’s jeans and shoes in, as he refused to walk in shorts and trainers. The rucksack (quite heavy) caught on the saddle, tipping me. It wa not helped by a hill start and a big Merc up our backside, revving his engine, like a big twit.

Finally home, the long way and not through the centre of town, on a Saturday. We swapped bars front to back as they were slightly different and also rootled about in my spares boxes for decent bar stem and longer seat stem. My old Whyte seat stem is now at the pilot position and the front stem is now under my seat. Quick trip to Go Outdoors, half a mile away, for better bar grips than the cheap, nasty, ones that were on. Also brake pads, stopping is good.

A shakedown ride to the pub called. 19 miles and discovered a deep loathing of the saddles (now changed for real ones). We have since ridden a nice 37 miles and, today, a 33 miler. That’s 2 x 50km rides in the bag. For an old, entry level, slightly small bike, it’s been OK. Definitely a ‘gateway drug’ for us. He is now planning an Orbit Gravel Tandem, or at least that’s the current thought in his head.


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## T4tomo (29 Jun 2022)

I used to have a similar machine when I was a married. As you say not bad for the money, I had to upgrade the rather cheap disc brakes it came with, but the whole outlay bike & brakes was under £500. It got a lot of use as its quite a sociable way to ride. Did a London to Brighton on it, the kids used to enjoy being ferried around on it when younger, and me an a mate did a couple of epic pub trips on it too which was a hoot. And then got about half my money back when sold!


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## Tail End Charlie (1 Jul 2022)

That looks a good buy. Plenty of seat post on the rear which allows for a suspension post of some sort for the stoker, which is vital IMO. My tandem is slightly too big at the rear for this and my wife often complains when the shock of the bump goes through her. Enjoy your trips.


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## Saluki (1 Jul 2022)

We have made ‘improvements’. A suspension seatpost is in situ now. That is way better.the stoker pedals are in the bike box and SPDs back there now. I have shin scars from those flats and that is enough, thank you very much. I don’t heal as fast as I used to.

Bloke is on way, for the weekend, to take Quentin out for jaunts. At his end, we have an Orbit Race. Also fun.


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