KHS Bikes
 

Saw an add on Craigs List for a KHS tandem but, I know nothing about the brand. What say you?

I have a KHS steel road bike (A Flite 220) that I like a lot. It's not a high level bike at all, but has been sturdy and taken a lot of use/abuse. It was my starter bike when I first got back in to riding 4 years ago and later, with some minor modifications, became my winter bike.

I don't know anything about their tandems, per se, but my impression is that they build sturdy but heavy bikes with relatively low-end components that are nonetheless functional.

Tandems East has a selection of KHS tandems with some information on each. Perhaps their site will be useful to you: http://www.tandemseast.com/frames/khs.html

They were really big in the 80's. Maybe more to do with dealer incentive packages than anything special about the bikes themselves, but I remember their being in a lot of shops. Made everything from kid bikes to pretty nice racing bikes. Don't think I've ever seen a tandem though. They're still around too in some capacity.

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Second this but I ride a Tandem. A "TRUE" offroad Tandem and it is based on a Cannondale MT2000. When I was looking for a Tandem I looked at several- one of which was the KHS. I dismissed it as being too low a grade and for my use it would not have stood up to what I was hoping to give it. Far too heavy and low grade components.

As a Tandem it would be OK as a starter bike but I don't think it would give the ride you are looking for. Tandems have to be strong but that does not mean heavy and the power of 2 sets of legs will wear out components very quickly.

KHS stands for Knowledge, Health, Strength but you know that already.
We rode a 2000 Tandemania Comp as our starter tandem for ten years. That was their 26" wheel, cro-moly, flat bar tandem. Replaced a few parts but the original stuff was quite serviceable for the most part. The wheels featured Rhynolite rims and stayed true. Handled very well -very stable at speed. Rode it only on pavement. Served us well till we moved up to a RANS recumbent tandem.

There is, of course, the fairly active tandem cycling forum: http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdispl...Tandem-Cycling

KHS is a very reputable Taiwanese bike company, if not very well marketed in the U.S. at least. I don't know their tandems but I ride their (last years) top of the line Flight Team carbon road race bike and I love it; works great for me!

KHS is a kind of "under the radar" bike company, kind of like Jamis used to be (and in some places still is) but they make excellent bikes in my opinion!

Rick / OCRR

I have a '90s KHS MTB with True Temper tubing and I consider it a very good frame.

I have a 2003 KHS Tandemania Milano tandem that has been gathering dust in storage for the last couple of years, but I keep saying I'm going to pull it out of mothballs and ride it with my wife occasionally. It saw a good bit of use when my son was 9-10 years old before he started doing longer rides on his own bike. It is a solidly built lower end tandem with a fairly heavy steel frame and a mix of 105/LX and no name components. Not a bad bike for the price which was around $1K new.

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Their tandems are fairly common, kind of the low-end of the tandem road bikes, can't say as to quality, etc.

A vey good introductory tandem at a very good price.