Originally Posted by
base2
Well, a viente soy latte with vanilla & 3 shots is $7 at Starbucks, so 3 equals the cost of an axle. But you are right though, I forgot about labor cost. That changes my comparison dramatically.
Still, I would call this a manageable expense if the issue ever occured. It sure beats a lot of other holes to dig out of. I was just trying bring the OP up to speed on potential idiosyncracies and set reasonable expectations with things not to be surprised by.
If his stoker is light & floats over the saddle on bumps, the a bent axle may never happen in a million years. If the stoker weighs
#350 & they have a weeks worth of camping gear...This wheel may not be the best choice.
In any case, being aware of it is just good knowledge to have.
Yes, I agree. If it were mine and had axle issues, I'd address them myself and save a bunch and have a functional bike!! (And by no means do I intend to dissuade the OP from reviving this classic tandem.) However, years in the LBS have taught me how "simple" repair costs can spiral out of control to the point where the shop has hundreds invested, the customer is pissed and the bike hangs unfinished.... a terrible outcome for all.
I'll add that even with a light stoker (which would prevent or reduce rear wheel impact axle damage or failure), there's still the underlying problem with power. I used to regularly bend axles on my 5-speed hub during sprints. This was a light, but strong, teenage kid who put a lot of miles on his bike. Good power, but low weight. Whereas a tandem is high power and high weight. And the weight factor relates to mass and inertia. When both riders make maximum effort, the drivetrain must accommodate a lot of force during the time a couple is trying to accelerate themselves and this heavy tandem. In other words, lots of force acting on the vulnerable axle. This alone can bend an axle, and along with it the dropout(s).
Just thought I'd add that issue as well.
But let's hope the OP restores this gem to its former beauty and gets some miles out of it!