Question about Tandems

[SimpleMan]

I have the opportunity to pick up a really clean, rootbeer brown Schwinn Twinn DeLuxe 5 speed Tandem. Just wondering what you guys that have them, think about how they ride. I always been on the fence on these as they seem heavy and awkward. Just looking for some input. They look like fun and the rail/bike trail is only a block from my house :mrgreen:

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I have the opportunity to pick up a really clean rootbeer brown Schwinn Twinn DeLuxe 5 speed Tandem. Just wondering what you guys that have them think about how they ride. I always been on the fence on these as they seem heavy and awkward. Just looking for some input. They look like fun and the rail/bike trail is only a block from my house :mrgreen:

I have only ridden one but to me it handles okay, just takes a bit more steering with the extra length but they are fun to ride.

 

[Markm]

Ive heard people say the two best days of owning a tandem is the day you get it and the day you get rid of it.....

 

[SimpleMan]

:mrgreen: Thats kind of what I've heard.

Ive heard people say the two best days of owning a tandem is the day you get it and the day you get rid of it.....

 

[Wildcat]

We (my wife and I) have ridden 2 tandems, the first a walmart 21 speed, and then I fixed up a 63 Schwinn one speed. We like the one speed better, every time I would shift gears, she would lose her footing, so you have to get used to shifts. We also ride it on a railtrail, which means it's mostly flat. The tandem doesn't seem heavy when 2 are pedaling, and the long wheelbase makes the ride smooth, you corner wider, like pulling a trailer behind your car.

 

[aka_locojoe]

We've owned 3 and still have 2. Very seldom ride them. It's fun for the novelty of it once in a while but we each prefer our independence.
If the price is great and you have room to store it I'd go for it.

 

[maddogrider]

I had one just as you described same color and all. It was fun to be in the front but i could not ride in the back with someone in front of me because i couldnt turn to keep my balance, kinda weird. but i could ride it from the back leaning over to the front handle bars :lol:. It did have a drum brake in the back that worked real good. Was a hoot to ride with my girl though.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Yeah the one I rode was a buddy's bike and I only rode it a few times when me and my girlfriend were there. It was a 2 speed kickback so it wasn't too bad. Just call out your shift intention beforehand. Well that and don't let her steer it...... :roll: She ran into parked cars.... :lol: Other than that it was pretty cool

I wonder If I could put two front freewheeling cranks on a tandem so one person could stop pedaling and the other could take over for a while and trade back and forth.... :idea: Would also make shifting A LOT easier.

 

[B607]

I bought a Schwinn Twinn so my wife and I could ride. We rode together exactly one time and it just didn't work. When I put the neighbor kid on the back and rode we could really haul the mail. 8) It depends who your partner is I guess. Sold the Twinn and it was a happy day, just like Mark said. :lol: Gary

 

[c.p.odom]

Some time back I had a really nice Town & Country tandem, my wife and I being accomplished road racers did not have any fun riding this bike together so we sold it off. I would say they are not as much fun as they look.

 

[JoKeR63]

I wonder If I could put two front freewheeling cranks on a tandem so one person could stop pedaling and the other could take over for a while and trade back and forth.... :idea: Would also make shifting A LOT easier.

Those old Shimano forward free wheel (FFW) cranks would work(mid '80's?), just don't use 'em with a coaster brake! :wink:

 

[twomorestrokes]

I own a '69 Twinn that we got when I was 10 (1969). It has been lots of fun but you need to be in sinc with the other rider. It is a single speed and I'm glad.Might be interesting using a kickback with two people.

 

[theVULTURE]

ours was/is a HUFFY
we rode it a handful of times (at the park and around the lake)
we actually decided it was a bit more fun to ride our own bikes :?
took most of the gadgets off of it, and now it's up for sale.
if you've never owned or ridden one, I think it's worth looking into 8)
we got plenty of thumbs up, when we rode it.

 

[Graylock]

Ive heard people say the two best days of owning a tandem is the day you get it and the day you get rid of it.....

That is so harsh.....ouch! It can be true but it's still harsh.
My wife and I have owned a tandem since 77' when she bought a used 5-speed rental near the dock in Hyannisport for $25. It was hard getting use to
My wife can only ride a tandem due to an injury on her leg, she will fall over at the start of a standard bike. I put toe traps on to keep her right foot on the pedal, kind of a circus act to get going :lol: . This is how we would ride we were very happy both of us could go. A few years latter I stripped it down for a paint job, kinda a pinkish purple (it was her bike), and we rode it a lot when we had our two daughters with a trailer. In 95' we bought a Burley tandem and what a difference the quality made the ride. We once took the whole rig, trailer and all, with camping gear and the two girls on their bikes to Nantucket and stayed at the girl scout camp one fall. Used nothing but the bikes to get around. about 10 years ago my wifes leg had gotten worse and she gave it up but I would take it out on parrade days for a ride. She got her knee replaced 4 years ago and thought that she could ride again. Her leg brace prevented full extention so I got a set of crank reducers that they put on tandems for kids. This reduced the cranking circle and now we can ride. We even have a dog trailer for the pug :shock: but he still likes his bike the best.

I also picked up a French made tandem touring bike with all the bells and whistles but I decided to sell it when I got a 60's Western Flyer Tandem. This is the one my wife says I can rat rod out for us. It will be half cool 8) and the other half Pink :shock: .

My friends at the Goose Hummock who sell canoes and kayaks won't sell you a tandem kayak till the couples have tried one. He will rent you one and will take that fee off the price of the boat. To many men have brought the boats back trying to get money back and save their relationship. Let this be a warning to you if you value your relationship, but this also may be good for one as it has for me. And for you young guys dating it could be used to screen the new girlfriend, you can always keep the bike :wink:

Graylock

 

[deorman]

If you have someplace dry to store it, you can always turn it into a stretch. :mrgreen:

 

[SimpleMan]

I really, really appreciate all the input. I'm going back to look at it next weekend. The guy also has a dual drum brake, Town and Country Schwinn tandem. May try and talk him out of that one also. Thanks again :mrgreen:

 

[c.p.odom]

There is a nice Town & Country for sale in the San Diego Craigslist right now.

 

[bruce]

I'm kind of partial to tandems. We probably have a few too many, one Schwinn Twinn DeLuxe, two Minitwinns and one '33 Colson rear steer.

I also have this that I put together from a Twinn and some other Twinn parts.

They are heavy and hard to turn and hard to stop, but they require cooperation and teamwork and are pretty fun. My two oldest kids (12 and 14) and I spent almost 3 hours in the saddle on the three seater this afternoon.

I will say that if you or your wife are tall then the newer tandems have more room especially in the backseat. I think the older ones look better but the newer Schwinns that are for rent at the beach have a pretty roomy back seat.

bruce

 

[X-RAY]

that pic really messed with me for a minute!