lisawi61

Hi,

I am thinking to buy a new Tandem for my wife and myself.
So far I did checked on Cannondale Road Tandem Bike 2010 and as well Lapierre TANDEM X2 RACE FIT - 2011.
The Laperre Tandem is to small ( I am 1,93m and my wife is 1,73 ).

Any recommendation which buy to buy would be very helpful.

Regards,

lisawi61

mkane77g

Pick a price point and go from there. We've had a few tandems the last 23 years. Were riding steel at the moment. One day we will give carbon a try.

WebsterBikeMan

... but at your height(s) I can be pretty sure you can't fit on a "one size fits some" tandem. You'll need one that comes in sizes, which all but the very entry-level, and department store grade tandems do.

lisawi61

Yes, and that makes it difficult. So far I think Santana Tandems have the biggest selections for combinations. Cannondale has some but since I am not sure what to do I think I will go for a test drive.

Dean V

The largest Cannondale would probably work. Check to see how the top tube length compares to what you normally ride.

bgross

I'm the same height as you and my bride/stoker is about 3cm less than yours, so our experience may be helpful.
Our Cannondale (enduro) is the largest size they made at the time we bought it. Though the frame is shorter, the captain's handlebar stem is about 130mm which allows me to fit the cockpit comfortably. The stoker stem is adjustable for height & reach which works for my wife.
We recently acquired an older Santana. The frame is taller than the Cannondale, though not the largest frame that Santana makes. It could use a longer handlebar stem for a more comfortable fit, but it works okay.

If you're buying new, you'll do well with the largest frame size available from the 'quality' tandem manufacturers, and you will be able to fine tune the fit with little problem.
At 1.93m, you're probably used to having fewer options when looking for bicycles, or feeling cramped. At least that's been my experience. I'm quite pleased with both of our tandems, and the roomy cockpits for the stokers, with adjustable stems, makes that fit very easy to accomplish.

Enjoy your shopping experience and the fun of riding together!

merlinextraligh

You'd likely fit well on a Co-Motion large. www.co-motion.com

bgross

Here are a couple of sizing guides:

https://santanatandem.com/Started/TandemSize.html

https://co-motion.com/index.php/tande.../tandem_sizing

PeFSQ

Find the nearest tandem-speciality bike shop, go there and test-ride several different brands/sizes of tandems. Can't see in which area you are, but even if the tandem-speciality shop is few hours drive from your house, it will be worth to pay them a visit. Dealers in such shops ride tandems themselves and they will be able to give you a wealth of advice on correct sizing and fitting the tandem to your needs. For us such a visit was an eye-opener and we believe it is a must for anyone looking for their first tandem, even if in the end you could decide to buy at another bike shop that is closer to your place or on the second-hand market.

Ritterview

[1.93 and 1.73 meters is 6'4" and 5' 8" respectively]

The Lapierre is an interesting tandem, that we don't often see in the U.S.. It is alloy, with a CroMo fork. It is listed under Tandem, road, and is called a Race Fit, but has 26" wheels and straight bars. It is more race fit for the Roc d'Azur than the road. There is only one size, so it isn't going to work for you.

TANDEM ROUTE 2 RACE FIT

barkersoldbean

I can't agree more with this. The #1 thing to do first. Wish we had done it this way around - would have saved a lot of money/time. T

bikinggrrrl

Test drives on multiple brands is a good thing to do. Santana can build you a custom frame if you can't find the right fit.

Clarabelle

We just ordered our first tandem. Had to drive over 60 miles to a bike shop that featured tandems. It was well worth the drive. We learned a lot, received personalized instructions, was allowed to take a test ride, and received some good advice on size and what to buy. Can't wait for our new machine to arrive.

bgross

Congratulations on your first tandem!
What did you buy? (brand/model)

lisawi61

Guys,

I finally went to a bike shop and test drove a Santana Tandem. This was a good exercise since it gave us a great experience into Tandem biking.
I will go for a Santana. The only which I am still struggling is whether I go for an Aluminum or CrMo.
Any suggestion would be helpful.
Thank you very much for all the helpful inputs.

tandem rider

I have had Aluminum and CrMo tandems and I prefer the CrMo. The CrMo weighs two pounds more but we did not notice the weight. The average speeds were too close to call, we climbed the same hills with the same gearing, and the CrMo derailleur hanger did easily bend like the Santana aluminum tandem.

chadne

Depends on what you like. Get what feels best to you. We prefer aluminum on a tandem.

Clarabelle

Co-Motion Mocha, medium frame, 26 inch wheels. Still waiting for delivery. Co-Motion shut down during the bicycle expo in Las Vegas. Just heard that our machine is ready and waiting for the shipping crew to return. Hopefully it will be here some time next week. Hard to wait this long, especially at my age.

professorbob

Whichever bike you buy, and try out MANY, make sure both you and your stoker are comfortable on it. Listen to your stoker, as the stoker position often takes more of the brunt of the bumps. If one of you isn't comfortable, you're going to end up not riding it.

bgross

In the words of Tom Petty: The Waiting is the Hardest Part.

Have fun!

skibum4ever

Clarabelle, I think we may go for a small frame 26" wheel Co-Motion Mocha. We still have to find one to test drive. I will be working on that this week, as I have not found anything used that will work.

Let us know how you like (love) the bike.

jnbrown

WE used to ride a Santana Sovereign which is aluminum and really enjoyed it.
It had a really smooth ride for aluminum, lighter and probably stiffer than steel.

Clarabelle

Picked up our Mocha this weekend and took it for its maiden voyage today. We both really enjoyed the ride, and the bike is wonderful. I still have a lot to learn, but after a late start, we got in 13 miles with no mishaps. The new style shifters (Shimano 105 STI Triple) are certainly a lot different than the bar end shifters on my old touring bike, so I'll need to work on developing some new shifting habits. My stoker/wife (who does not make mistakes) was wonderful today. She did not complain about my shaky starts, nor did she stress out about my periodic failures in communication.

Speaking of unannounced bumps, we ordered the Thudbuster seat post, and Sharon loved it. Said her ride was smoother than her half bike with its gel seat.
Tomorrow, we plan on practicing maneuvering at slow speeds down in the church parking lot.

lisawi61

I received my Santana Arriva Tandem last week. We did our first ride today and I must say it is a lot of fun. Thanks for all the advices for which Tandem to chosse.

lisawi61

waynesulak

The Arriva is a good choice. Have fun.

Wayne
Two riders. Two wheels, One ride.