Let me tell you about two strong riders / racers getting a tandem. We are both tall so it was a long CL search that netted us a 450.00, 19 year old Trek. We figured nothing to lose at that price. The experience and feel was so different we could not tell if it was DA or 20 year old XT. We went through the same learning curve as a 4500 bike. My wife's a stomper and I am a spinner. It all of a sudden you could not do either. Everything was hard, experienced riders make the worse teams. We each have our own way of riding. Look over your shoulder, nope, grab a bottle, not withou a public anouncement, stretch your back no handed, reach in your pocket, banged on the helmet from behind for hitting a bump. Few thousand miles later we love it. So if you are looking for advise, rider with other tandems from day one. They know all the tricks, how ever they learned them. It is a very different experience. Why do you think there are so many unused tandems for sale, don't foloow my path and learn everything the hard way.also put away the Cat 2/3 mindset unless you are trying to burn some singletons off your wheel as my wife encourages, there is no hurry on a tandem. I can't pm but if you wanna contact me
wooba.flores@gmail.com