I joined a Facebook forum as I’m after a Tandem for me and my boys - it’s not for massive miles approx 15-20 every now and then.
My budget is small 🙁 but someone said that a Viking tandem would do the job - iv been looking and they seem pretty cheap to buy in particular the Viking Timbertrail - just wondered if anyone had one and could give me some advice - I plan to convert the front wheel when I get it possibly into an e-bike tandem
Judging by the regular Viking bikes I’ve serviced I’d been concerned that the frame is straight and whether the quality of the v-brakes are up to stopping it - they tend to use the lowest quality parts.
Ahh ok that puts me off straight away,, I did have a Circe Helios which was really good but too much for my budget these days - so I thought of getting a cheaper/older tandem and make that electrified.
Any others I should look out for?
Look for a 2nd hand tandem from a good make, they will probably be around the same price as a new tandem from Viking. We started with Dawes discovery, they're reasonable tandems. ALso look for old Orbit tandems (Not Orbita, that's a different brand). Thorn do kiddyback tandems if you need low height at the back.
Keep an eye on the Tandem CLub classifieds, watch out on ebay too
https://tandem-club.org.uk/forSale
Feel free to ask for advice on anything that catches your eye
edit - this is the ebay search I was using to find a "spare" tandem
Thanks for that - do you know what age the kiddyback goes up to or suitable up to?
I have a cheapy viking tandem found on marketplace that we have adapted to fit a 5/6 year old on the back (re-drilled cranks,pedal blocks,toe clips etc).
For exploring the lanes of Devon and messing about it's been great.
Quality of frame seems no worse than any other budget bike - I am a bit of a bike snob, but for the money paid and the smiles it's created, it's great.
Geometry in the front/riding position is crap, but some cheap swept bars from planetX have made my riding position much comfier.
It's a disc brake model which obviously came with the most horrific set of brakes and the wheels weighed A LOT. We swapped out to some old mavic wheels (26 - so cheap enough to pick up) and some hydraulic brakes and it's been a great thing for getting my daughter out and about.
In fact we're off out on it for an explore today - our last explore was about 35km with a couple of obligatory cake stops....
do you know what age the kiddyback goes up to or suitable up to?
I don't sorry, I've not needed one to use, I'm just aware they exist
We swapped out to some old mavic wheels (26 – so cheap enough to pick up)
Many (might even say most?) Tandems take a 145 OLN rear hub, so not always easy to just swap in another wheel. I might even be tempted to say if you can do that it suggests a very cheap tandem, but I have a vague inkling of a "high-end" tandem brand using MTB standard 135 (road bikes tend to use 130 I think)
Hi I brought a Dawes one from here pretty sure it was nbt, great thing but just not getting used and taking up space happy to give more information if needed.
Pm me
Dropped you a message
I started with a Thorn Voyager kiddyback for me and my daughter. It would suit from Tiny to 11-12 ish perhaps?
My daughter is 8 and we have just upgraded to a Polygon Expression AX (Go Outdoors et Al don't seem to stock them anymore sadly) my mate has the Thorn and his 10yr old seems fine on it.
My brother-in-law has a Viking and it's not been any bother for him and his son.
I don't think either of ours have had anything other than regular hub spacing and I've not noticed any issues. Perhaps with two hulking fellas on it would make a difference!
We've had some great times on the tandem(s) so definitely go for it!
donkeydave
Full Member
Hi I brought a Dawes one from here pretty sure it was nbt, great thing but just not getting used and taking up space happy to give more information if needed.
Pm me
Yep, that was mine you bought. Richpips used that tandem when Minipips was about 8 or 9.
as @jonnystorm suggests, if it's just you and kids pottering around then a cheap tandem will probalby be just fine. If you have 2 adults covering a lot of miles (we've done almost 9000km on our new tandem since we bought it in March 2019) then maybe different, but do as we did - start out on something less expensive.
Pm replied to and email sent.
Cheers
PM'd you.
I have one. Was reluctant to get as it looked a BSO but didn't want to spend much as it was a bit of a leap of faith if we would get on with a tandem. It's been great. We don't do great miles on it and probably ride mostly 'gravel' on it. Just did an out and back up glen tilt to falls of tarf last week. Only things I have changed are the rear mech and cassette to get better shifting and gear range, new tyres for something a bit better offroad and proper saddles to replace the stock ones. Also now electric and conversion is also pretty flawless.
