A bicycle built for two... anyone got a Morpheus?

[GrumpyGregry]

I know a few members of the cc parish ride Circe Helios tandem's and seem quite happy with them. I've hired a couple of Helios in my time and have enjoyed them enormously but, after two Helios outings and a few trips on a second hand Orbit tandem, TLH has decided that on any bicycle built for two she wants to sit up front. Do-able on a Helios were it not for the fact that I blow the weight and height limits on the back (80kg and six foot).

So does anyone have any experience of the(ir) Morpheus Tandem?

Puts TLH out in front and not staring at my back, gives her the option not to pedal (not sure I'm keen on that) and converts to a cargo bike when ridden solo. Also appears it will take four full size panniers and as John Lewis have moved the local Waitrose so it is no longer practical to walk there that could be a plus as it means we could go back to leaving car at home for the weekly big shop.

 

[Flying Dodo]

I don't know anyone with a Circe Morpheus, but @Tim Hall does have a Pino Haso which is a similar layout.

 

[Tim Hall]

Indeed I do. And it might be for sale. It doesn't do the fancy multifuction things that the Morpheus does, but a Big Shop was easily achieved by using a BobYak trailer and a pair of panniers. (It's got Bob Nuts).

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I don't know anyone with a Circe Morpheus, but @Tim Hall does have a Pino Haso which is a similar layout.

Indeed he does.

Indeed I do. And it might be for sale. It doesn't do the fancy multifuction things that the Morpheus does, but a Big Shop was easily achieved by using a BobYak trailer and a pair of panniers. (It's got Bob Nuts).

Access to Chez Collins with a trailer is currently quite a faff. That faff is going to get even worse once the lovely Helen gets her extension built!

 

[User16625]

Sorry to go off topic but is the drivetrain on a tandem setup so that you both have gears and can choose your own cadence? Would do my head in if I couldn't pedal how I liked.

 

[stoatsngroats]

Sorry to go off topic but is the drivetrain on a tandem setup so that you both have gears and can choose your own cadence? Would do my head in if I couldn't pedal how I liked.

Not normally, both cranksets are linked by a timing chain. Front and rear cranksets can be used 'in-phase' or out of phase by 90 degrees - we used both, but preferred in phase.

 

[Alex H]

So does anyone have any experience of the(ir) Morpheus Tandem?

Never heard of them before , so thanks for starting this thread. I was rather surprised at the low price (a Hase Pino starts at 3800€ from my 'local' French dealer in Paris) and was all ready to book my ferry . However, only 8 or 11 gears

I emailed Circe and they replied very quickly to tell me

The 11sp Alfine has an approximately 400% range.
For the 50T chainring to 20T rear sprocket that gives a range of 25-100".

A while ago I found out the same for the Pino, as there was no information online.

"the cassette mounted is a 11-34 teeth one from Sram.

With the crank set (28-38-48T) you will have a range from 1,71 meters up to 9,04 meters.

Not being particularly familiar with the technicality of gear ratios it seems to me, that for us living in a fairly hilly part of France, the Morpheus would not be the preferred option

 

[ufkacbln]

Surely gearing is a simple option to change

A new chain ring would alter things easily, and these wil be a standard item on any machine

 

[Alex H]

Surely gearing is a simple option to change

A new chain ring would alter things easily, and these wil be a standard item on any machine

The Morpheus has a hub though - wouldn't you need to change that as well?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

The Morpheus has a hub though - wouldn't you need to change that as well?

First we would need to establish what the gearing deficiency is, low not low enough, high not high enough, range not wide enough and go from there...

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Sorry to go off topic but is the drivetrain on a tandem setup so that you both have gears and can choose your own cadence? Would do my head in if I couldn't pedal how I liked.

No. The front rider can choose to pedal or not but if they want to pedal in a way that contributes to forward progress they have to pedal in sync with the rider on the back.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

And... of course. Rohloff!

 

[Tim Hall]

The Morpheus has a hub though - wouldn't you need to change that as well?

I looked at fitting an 11 speed Alfine to the Pino a couple of years back. I don't think Shimano recommend it for tandem use, and IIRC Chris Juden advised me to steer clear.
But changing the gear range is a matter of popping the sprocket off and fitting a different sized one. (after you've retrieved the circlip which has pinged its way across the garage).

(Edit: A google search for "11 speed alfine tandem" has posts by me asking the very same question 4 years ago)

 

[Tim Hall]

No. The front rider can choose to pedal or not but if they want to pedal in a way that contributes to forward progress they have to pedal in sync with the rider on the back.

Although the Pino and Morpheus both have "independant" pedalling systems, allowing the stoker to not pedal or pedal with their cranks at all kind of odd positions relative to the pilot.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

@srw can you tell us about rohloffs and tandems and gear ranges and stuff...