When I think of riding a tandem I think of laughing out loud at how goofy it feels. Whether it’s that spooky out of control feeling of being on the back seat with handlebars that don’t steer, or the silly “oh shit” feeling you have trying to steer and control a tandem from the front it is always a riot. It got me thinking that Fairdale should have a tandem… at least one for us to play on here at the office. A couple of Flyer bikes were in front of me and I realized could probably plug them together pretty easily.
Brave test riders Logan and Ariel and Hershel take the tandem on it’s maiden downtown cruise.
So, with idea in hand I talked to Clint Reynolds who is never afraid to build a bicycle contraption. Clint builds Credence Bikes and is also the guy I call in to weld up Texas Toast Jam rails.
With in no time Clint had a make shift jig built up, two bikes cut in half and was starting to put things together.
The end result is surprisingly dialed! Actually looks like it’s supposed to be that way. Even more amazing the stock sprockets just happened to be a magic gearing that a chain fits on with no sloppiness or tensioner.
Riding it is pretty funny… being that it’s not exactly designed from the start to be a tandem it flexes quite a lot. The flex actually makes it more fun to ride though… that out of control feeling being exaggerated by the bikes silliness and tendency to swerve when the back rider leans. I’d love to actually put a bike like this into production. Just a fun cruiser tandem. The big hurtle is how expensive shipping tandems are. Maybe I’ll find some inexpensive frame coupling system that could help fit this into a more normal bike box and keep the price to a reasonable level.
Anyway, find an old tandem and go for a cruise! You’ll laugh I promise.
