I kind of need a different tandem.
My wife was an athlete in her younger years and rode a bike for fitness until a genetic eye disorder took most of her vision. A few years ago I bought a secondhand tandem that needed quite a bit of work and fixed it up with new cables, bottom brackets, brakes and quite a few other things. It took quite a while for us to adjust to riding the thing but we do enjoy it. When I have time away from work and cooperative weather I have to balance my desire to ride my gravel and mtn bike with the need to go riding with her so that takes miles away from her, which I feel a little guilty about.
The bike is a Meridian Ascension, which is a high quality aluminum frame from a small builder back east, now defunct. It is set up as a pure road bike, can only fit 700x25 tire in the back and a 28 in front. Alu fork and bars are extremely harsh riding along with the 20 year old Ultegra brifters that are shaped for hands the size of a small child’s... it’s a very uncomfortable bike for the captain. I did put some carbon bars on it but 30 miles is my max. I also don’t like riding on the highways but with this bike you really don’t have any other options. I think a Redshift stem and a shifter/drivetrain upgrade are in order but do I want to spend that much on a road tandem when I don’t necessarily like riding on the road? I live where there is tons of gravel to ride and that’s my thing so I suppose a gravel capable tandem would be the answer. Pretty purpose-specific bike that would cost big$$$ I suppose. Ideally, I would want a drop bar rig with 650b 2” tires and a 2x drivetrain with real wide range... And not cost $10k. I’m willing and able to build something up but gotta start somewhere and the quality used tandems I see available that can run bigger tires are usually flatbar mtn tandems. Flat bars are a no go for me. Any suggestions for a frame?