# Show us your tandem



## HarryTheDog (5 Jul 2020)

I searched but could not find a show us your tandem so I thought I would start one, 
This is a 1995 Pashley Prestige I bought yesterday for relative peanuts. The previous owner hardly used it in 25 years, I used a chain checker on both chains only 25% wear, the rims hardly marked at all. I like the fact it has not got Canti brakes. Instead it has Magura Hydraulic rim brakes which is a new one on me, they are excellent. 
The bad is that he hung it from the garage roof by ropes and the water trickled down the ropes and rusted the top of the frame quite badly. He then just hand painted the top parts of the frame with hammerite , it stopped the rust but looks really rough. Neither my partner or I have ever rode a tandem so we are expecting a learning curve. We have to wait a while as my partner had a SCAD heart attack 3 weeks ago so will be a few weeks before she can give it a go. I will wait to see if we get on with it before I decide whether to strip and re-paint the frame.


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## Sharky (5 Jul 2020)

I've posted this one before, with my eldest from a few years ago ....


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## mistyoptic (28 Jul 2020)

This is our Landescape, first all nice and shiny on its way to France, second at the Ferry in Hendaye waiting to cross to Spain 17 days later. Now had it 15 years from new. Love it!


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## roubaixtuesday (8 Aug 2020)

At the Flash Bar Cafe today on Axe Edge, a ride totaling 54 miles and over 1600m climbing. Just a tiny bit weary now...


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## BoldonLad (23 Aug 2020)

Our very in-expensive Ecosmo folding tandem.

Inspired by this blogpost, I bought it at the beginning of Covid-19 lockdown, to lighten our mood and keep us sane. We have had some fun outings, and, produced many a smile on the face of passers-by, so, not, not a total waste of time!


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## Archie_tect (27 Aug 2020)

Decided to replace our old tandem.

We got it home yesterday after picking it up in Gargrave, so went straight out in the rain! Still smiling after climbing our closest hill at 13mph... it feels like cheating but I can live with that!


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## VJOCK (4 Sep 2020)

2004 thorn explorer. Youngest now goes out with me as the stoker. (He doesnt trust his





older brother) This was recent ride to local campsite during summer holiday. Previously we have had a weeride mounted at front for eldest ( who is now taller than me) and a chariot 2 kid trailer for the youngest strapped in a car seat strapped into said trailer at the back at the same time. That was hard work!! We also cycled it onto the ferry onroute to dublin with trailer and two kids in it. 10 miles the otherside in lashing irish rain was an experience not to be repeated too often.


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## HMS_Dave (4 Sep 2020)

VJOCK said:


> 2004 thorn explorer. Youngest now goes out with me as the stoker. (He doesnt trust his
> View attachment 545461
> 
> 
> older brother) This was recent ride to local campsite during summer holiday. Previously we have had a weeride mounted at front for eldest ( who is now taller than me) and a chariot 2 kid trailer for the youngest strapped in a car seat strapped into said trailer at the back at the same time. That was hard work!! We also cycled it onto the ferry onroute to dublin with trailer and two kids in it. 10 miles the otherside in lashing irish rain was an experience not to be repeated too often.



That's a bushy beard! How does he see where he is going?


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## Mark Grant (4 Sep 2020)

Dawes Galaxy Twin


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## VJOCK (4 Sep 2020)

HMS_Dave said:


> That's a bushy beard! How does he see where he is going?


He doesnt need to as the stoker😉


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## bagpuss (5 Sep 2020)

This is a Light speed we had years back .


Light Tandem by rebalrid, on Flickr


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## bagpuss (5 Sep 2020)

and our daytime one



Paint it black. by rebalrid, on Flickr

last year we blew to dust off it . Needs dusting again!!



Blowing the dust off our tandem. by rebalrid, on Flickr


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## Sixmile (7 Nov 2020)

Our 'somewhere in between tandem and triplet' tandem, now with a Carry Freedom trailer behind for a visit to Asda


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## Aleman (27 Nov 2020)

Well here it is, probably the last of the Size 5 Thorn Raven Twin MK II's, we got it in early August this year (2020) in "Kit Form" or as Robin put it "A frame and a box of bits" ;D This was one of the close out "Sale" of the Mark II frames to clear space for the Mark III models, and as such were offered as a complete bike with a few additions above the standard at a considerable saving. As Robin didn't have the size 5 frame built into a bike, I was able to swap out components rather than just have the "standard spec", I also saved a little bit of money (in theory) by building it myself, but spent that on upgrading the Rohloff to the disc brake version






Now, don't give me grief about that dangling rear light wire it's just been placed to test out options for permanent placing, and to check I'd made the solder joints correctly  Or the front wire twisted round the fork! It is not going to stay that way

Of course, with lockdown, we've not been able to get away for any extended riding and have only managed 320 miles in total on the "nice" Sundays since building it up :'( It has performed faultlessly in those miles though, still tweaking bits and pieces ... Mainly stem height and my hand position.

And this is our old one a 1989 Dawes Super Galaxy Twin, which we had since new.


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## roubaixtuesday (27 Nov 2020)

Aleman said:


> Well here it is, probably the last of the Size 5 Thorn Raven Twin MK II's, we got it in early August this year (2020) in "Kit Form" or as Robin put it "A frame and a box of bits" ;D This was one of the close out "Sale" of the Mark II frames to clear space for the Mark III models, and as such were offered as a complete bike with a few additions above the standard at a considerable saving. As Robin didn't have the size 5 frame built into a bike, I was able to swap out components rather than just have the "standard spec", I also saved a little bit of money (in theory) by building it myself, but spent that on upgrading the Rohloff to the disc brake version
> 
> View attachment 560431
> 
> ...



Both very fine looking machines. 

What was the reason for changing?


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## Aleman (27 Nov 2020)

The old one was looking very tatty, and the sizing wasn't "perfect" for us meaning I was stretched out. The drops also meant my stokers nose was pressed up against my back more or less. We could also develop some whip in the frame especially when loaded, which felt weird. It only had a 6 speed freewheel, with no real chance of changing it to get a better range of gears.

I did start to convert it to straight bar, which worked well, especially fitting a Magura HS-33R rim brake, the only issue was that the clamp for the stokers bar also meant that I couldn't get my saddle height down where I needed it to be. The plan was to use it this summer, and then if we decided that we were going to continue riding tandem (We are!) then it would be stripped completely, resprayed, and rebuilt with a Rohloff hub, which I knew would be expensive. The other issue I noticed from the slightly higher seat position was that I was over extending my knee, which was causing pain, which was a bit of a problem that I had to solve.

While pricing various options up, and visiting frame builders for respray / repair / modification costs, I stumbled across SJSC site which had a deal on the old model of tandem at a ridiculous price ... actually less than rebuilding ours ... They had a frame in our size, so a deal was done.


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## roubaixtuesday (27 Nov 2020)

Aleman said:


> The old one was looking very tatty, and the sizing wasn't "perfect" for us meaning I was stretched out. The drops also meant my stokers nose was pressed up against my back more or less. We could also develop some whip in the frame especially when loaded, which felt weird. It only had a 6 speed freewheel, with no real chance of changing it to get a better range of gears.
> 
> I did start to convert it to straight bar, which worked well, especially fitting a Magura HS-33R rim brake, the only issue was that the clamp for the stokers bar also meant that I couldn't get my saddle height down where I needed it to be. The plan was to use it this summer, and then if we decided that we were going to continue riding tandem (We are!) then it would be stripped completely, resprayed, and rebuilt with a Rohloff hub, which I knew would be expensive. The other issue I noticed from the slightly higher seat position was that I was over extending my knee, which was causing pain, which was a bit of a problem that I had to solve.
> 
> While pricing various options up, and visiting frame builders for respray / repair / modification costs, I stumbled across SJSC site which had a deal on the old model of tandem at a ridiculous price ... actually less than rebuilding ours ... They had a frame in our size, so a deal was done.



Looks like you and I have the opposite problem with tandem sizing! Also, our view of "very tatty" is radically different - your old Dawes looks pristine to me. We went through a similar thought process, but got our machine refurbished in the end. Not cheap, but have managed 1500 odd miles this year, so well worth it. 

What a pleasure it is to see so many beautiful and diverse machines on this thread, thank you for sharing.


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## Ian H (27 Nov 2020)

It's quite a few years since I've ridden it, but this is the Pete Tansley machine, with stoker John behind me. The occasion was a 25 south of Bristol on the A38.


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## roubaixtuesday (27 Nov 2020)

Ian H said:


> with stoker John behind me



He has an uncanny resemblance to John Noakes!


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## FaustoCoppi (2 Jan 2021)




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## Tail End Charlie (2 Jan 2021)

FaustoCoppi said:


> View attachment 566974


Jeez, that's some hill!


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## FaustoCoppi (3 Jan 2021)

Tail End Charlie said:


> Jeez, that's some hill!


Ha ha ha , I’ve tried all sorts to rotate pictures before posting ( to no avail) any tips, I’ve turned the chosen pictures in my library through 90 degrees that does not work, so my avatar pic is on the skew also, I’m not very technically minded! Ha ha ha


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## Bonefish Blues (3 Jan 2021)

Tail End Charlie said:


> Jeez, that's some hill!


I'm getting me some of those tyres, they're grippy.


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## FaustoCoppi (6 Jan 2021)

Conti gatorskins with hot chilli compound sticks like s**t to a blanket 🤣 !


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## HugoC (17 Jan 2021)

Here's my Dawes Two Way Street (which is for sale) and my Mk III Thorn Raven Twin.


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## roubaixtuesday (17 Jan 2021)

HugoC said:


> Here's my Dawes Two Way Street (which is for sale) and my Mk III Thorn Raven Twin.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Lovely. 

Where's photo #2 taken?


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## HugoC (17 Jan 2021)

Oman, in the mountains near Muscat


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## roubaixtuesday (17 Jan 2021)

Christmas present from the lovely Mrs T feat. us on the tandem:


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## jongooligan (23 Feb 2021)

Here's our Bob Jackson USWB. We paid £400 for it and got £200 trade in when we bought our latest tandem from JD at Gargrave.
It's a real parts bin special and has been (un)successfully repurposed as a touring tandem. It's pretty much as we bought it but as you can see from the height of the saddle and pilot's bars the riding position is really aggressive and it was this that made us decide to get something a bit more comfortable.




Bob Jackson USWB

The gearing was neither nowt nor summat with a touring triple on the front and a fairly tight racing block at the rear. We were under geared for the flat and over geared for the hills although we did manage to ride over Newton Fell to Slaidburn and Dunsop Bridge from Waddington.





Mrs. jg at Whitewell on the Newton Fell ride.


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## jongooligan (9 Apr 2021)

And here's the one we got from JD.





Mural is of Norman Cornish, the pitman artist. It's on the gable end of what used to be the weigh house at Sacriston pit. You can just see the remains of the weighbridge around the corner.


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## Cathryn (29 May 2021)

This is Tony, our lockdown purchase that we haven’t quite yet ridden! We are getting there though! He’s a Burley, imported directly from Eugene, Oregon by the previous owners!


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## Illaveago (6 Jun 2021)

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/coventry-eagle-triple-ace-convertable-tandem.242779/page-6

This is my Coventry Eagle Triple Ace Convertable Tandem. I bought it to do up . I finally got round to test riding it last year in single and tandem form . It is from 1950. I need to sort out the Sturmey Archer gear lever and to buy a new cable . For the test ride I cobbled up a friction shifter, it worked until the cable went ping !


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## Archie_tect (6 Jun 2021)

534kms later and still loving our Orbit... up to Capheaton cafe twice these last two weekends- we're still chuckling climbing hills.


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