mburchard

Hi. Apologies if this has been covered, did some searching and didn't find anything, though …

Thinking to upgrade 2007 Calfee tandem to eTap and hydraulic/disk brakes. Right now fork is 1 1/8 (Alpha Q X2). Is there a fork I can jam into my existing frame, or does this require sending it back to Calfee for rework? Team weight is about 310.

Leisesturm

I don't see why it would have to go back to Calfee, but I might, if it was my bike, at least consult with them on options. They might have some in mind. Beyond that, you would want to know the relevant dimensions of the Alpha Q X2 fork and then make sure that the new fork is close to those dimension so the handling of the bicycle remains as before. I'm not saying you are one of them, but many people clearly do not make the connection between price and performance in brake technology. Hydraulic disc brakes are the new performance paradigm in road bikes but NOT at the price point that those riders are buying at. If one is going to bypass Hope or Magura hydraulic discs because of their price they may as well buy good mechanical discs, because the cheap hydro stuff from Shimano or TRP is no better! But it is heavier. The only advantage of cheap hydro over good mechanical is better equalization of lever feel between front and rear brakes, because the rear caliper will no longer be affected by the longer 'cable' run. FWIW.

OneIsAllYouNeed

The Woundup Duo 2 is a tandem-rated disc-compatible fork with 1 1/8" steerers. It may be slightly longer (387mm axle-to-crown) than your current fork -- minimal affect on handling, but you'll want to lower your stem by the difference. It's available in 45 and 50mm rake. You'll want to match the rake of your old fork closely to preserve the bike's handling.

If your frame has a 44mm (or larger) head tube inner diameter, you can replace the headset to open up a few more fork options.

lichtgrau

When it comes to tandem-brakes I’ve never regretted my choice for the Magura MT5. As a hydraulic double piston brake it’s working really well on our loaded 200 kg-truck and it has -to my mind- a fair price/performance ratio. Here (Europe) we have a street price of under 150 Euros per set (plus discs). The brake body itself is exactly the same as with the MT7 (which comes for more than double the price), it has just a simpler lever and different OEM braking pads. And since this lever has even a wider transmission ratio than the MT7 (means, the moving range of the braking pads is slightly bigger), it is nearly the perfect brake to me. In comparison with the MT7 you need a little more hand force (sometimes two fingers instead of one) but it’s easier to get the whole system “grind-free” after re-mounting of the wheels...