Tandem Trikes vs Tandem Bikes
Lots of our Borrowers seem to think that they will need a tandem trike rather than a tandem bike. Click here for advantanges and disadvantages of each.
Tandem Riding and Tandem Transport
Backrests
Click here for details of our backrests. These can be fitted to our tandems and tag-alongs.
Crank Shorteners, Kiddycranks and Swing Cranks
Click here for details of our Crank Shorteners and Kiddycranks and how you can get Swing Cranks. They can be fitted to our tandems and tag-alongs.
Tandem Maintenance
- As well as normal bike maintenance, of which lots of guidance can be found, e.g. here, tandems need some specific maintenance.
- Make sure the tyres are pumped up hard. If you have a pressure gauge, check that the pressure is the maximum pressure defined on the tyre wall.
- If the chain between the Captain and the Stoker comes off then it is probably because the Captain's Eccentric Bottom Bracket needs adjusting. Normally it involves untightening the two cap screws underneath, then rotating the Eccentric, by using a special spanner (or by prying with a small screwdriver) in the two holes on the side of the Eccentric. The chain should not be allowed to move sideways too much. Here is our video about this
- If the chain is still too loose then you may need to remove a link from the chain. You can also add in a half link in the chain. You should also check that the cranks are also tight on the bottom brackets. The chain might also have stretched too much. It is important to change the chain before it stretches too much and starts wearing out the sprockets.
Noise reducing headbands
Lots of people with Autism wear builder style ear defenders to reduce noise and provide comfort. They are difficult to wear with a cycling helmet, so we bought a Windrush headband, which prides a reasonable fit with a cycling helmet, see picture in top right.
We told Paul at WindrushGear.com about this and he has kindly given us four pairs to give to eligible stokers through Charlotte's Tandems. We have sizes S-M & M-L in red or fawn. Contact us using the form above if you'd like Alex to send you a pair to keep, for the postage cost only.
Lots of people with Autism wear builder style ear defenders to reduce noise and provide comfort. They are difficult to wear with a cycling helmet, so we bought a Windrush headband, which prides a reasonable fit with a cycling helmet, see picture in top right.
We told Paul at WindrushGear.com about this and he has kindly given us four pairs to give to eligible stokers through Charlotte's Tandems. We have sizes S-M & M-L in red or fawn. Contact us using the form above if you'd like Alex to send you a pair to keep, for the postage cost only.
Buying a Tandem
After borrowing a tandem from us you may be interested in buying one for yourself. You can pay hundreds or thousands of pounds for a tandem, just like you can with a solo bike. We started off with the cheapest one we could find at the time, a Raleigh Pioneer Venture U+1, which was about £450 in 2007.
There are others
There were a number of other similar style tandems on the market until recently (2021) and they could be much cheaper, with internet prices much less than the RRP. We found the Viking tandems to be a great deal and bought new ones straight from the distributor. They were available in mountain bike styles with steel or aluminium frames and road bike styles and in various sizes. The Viking tandems are now discontinued and were replaced by the shortlived Simmonsohn brand. Here is a guide on small framed tandems from a few years ago. Other starter tandems (new for several hundred pounds) are available from brands such as Esperia, Ecosmo, Polygon & Dawes & until recently, their sister company, Claud Butler. For a high end bike it is better to go to a tandem specific shop, such as J.D. Tandems, where they will give you excellent advice. Brands available in the UK such as Orbit, Landescape, Thorn, Dolan, Circe, Bike Friday, Longstaff & the Green Electric Bike Company start at nearly £1000 to well over that.
Rather than buying a new tandem you might like to consider buying a secondhand one and there is plenty of discussion on the Tandem Club discussion board on the pros and cons of each type. The Tandem Club selling webpage is a good source of quality secondhand tandems. Other sites, such as Ebay, Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace are good sources of other secondhand tandems.
Older tandems tend to have a shorter wheelbase than newer tandems, so the Stoker might be cramped, if they are a similar height or taller than the Captain. Consider fitting higher handlebars (BMX, bar ends, or riser stems, all work) and extra long seatposts, if needed.
Rather than buying a new tandem you might like to consider buying a secondhand one and there is plenty of discussion on the Tandem Club discussion board on the pros and cons of each type. The Tandem Club selling webpage is a good source of quality secondhand tandems. Other sites, such as Ebay, Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace are good sources of other secondhand tandems.
Older tandems tend to have a shorter wheelbase than newer tandems, so the Stoker might be cramped, if they are a similar height or taller than the Captain. Consider fitting higher handlebars (BMX, bar ends, or riser stems, all work) and extra long seatposts, if needed.
Trying out a Tandem
Tandems were recently readily available on the internet and it is therefore hard to try one out before you buy it. Even if you go to a tandem bike shop you might not be able to try one out. We have a range of tandems at Charlotte's Tandems which might give you an indication of the type that is right for you or we can point you in the direction of a friend who might have one for you to try out. Here is a good sizing guide, but remember to take off an inch or two for the stoker's handlebar stem.
