BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

You'll probably want a kid-back kit, with a second (third) set of cranks. Or at least footpegs or something. I don't think I've seen any tandems that would fit him right now and I can't imagine liking it if it did. Plus he'll grow out of it right away. You might want to stick with a "pony" for, oh, three or four more years. The great thing about the ponies is you can ride your son to school, then (hypothetically) detach it from your bike and leave it there until you return.

The downside of all this is you'll have to learn how to ride a diamond frame, unless you spring for a bent tandem.

@Lyle: I was planning on a set of kid cranks. The trail-a-bikes and Trailgators and such are a possibility as well, but I've been idly toying with the idea of a tandem for a while anyway.

As far as riding a DF goes, well, you must never have seen me crushing the bike trails on my Bianchi. I'm not a 'bent bigot, I swear. Some of my best friends are diamond frames.

(BTW, shopping for 'bent tandems is a fantastic way to suffer severe sticker shock.)

I seem to recall Nathan, Mary and Gus sharing a tandem (in pairs/as a family) when Gus was a youngerster. They might be able to chime in with soem real world experience.

Dan,

Dont they call a 'bent tandem a pedal car?

Usually, a 'bent tandem is called a bus, or at least is as long as one: .

This one gets you up off the ground a bit more:

Dan:

+1 on anything that gets your kid on the bike with you. We had both of ours on matching trail-a-bikes until the older one (now almost 9) outgrew it. Many hours of fun for all.

And now we're looking for a tandem as well. The older one was a bit small for the stoker seat (at its lowest setting) when we tried a little over a year ago, but she _loved_ it nonetheless.

We might be competing for these, but you'd have figured out to look at Craigslist anyway. There was a nice-looking cannondale posted last week, but Ford City is too far for me to run out, especially given that I've got no vehicle that could transport it:

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/bik/1961124740.html.

Talked to a guy in the North Hills last month who was selling (again, Criagslit) a QT Quatrefoil. The listing is still up:

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/bik/1919970891.html

note that it's got the pedal and handlebar extensions.

The downside to that bike is the 700D wheels, which are apparently impossible to get tubes or tires for. That was enough to scare me away.

If you happen to find 2 tandems anywhere, please let me know...

700D is 587mm diameter, and is certainly freaky and rare. But 650A is 590, 650B is 584. Those are unusual, true but definitely not hard to find. Although fitting mismatching tires and rims is not recommended, you could swap wheelsets easily. I guess I'd be willing to consider it. Except ... I have two tandems already and need to sell one of them. PM me if you want details

Nate:

Right. I tried to look into these things. Sheldon Brown advised against trying the 650s, and I basically decided I didn't want to get involved in a complex project. I'd rather be riding.

that said, it might be a fine ride for someone more motivated than I.