We wanted a light tandem that was light enough to lift up and put on the roof of the car, carry through the airport to go on holiday or take on the train. Our steel tandem weighed 62lb, our aluminium tandem weighed 40lb and it was putting us off trying to travel abroad and I’d nearly wrecked the car when trying to lift the tandems onto the car roof. We didn’t set out to make the lightest tandem but a light tandem that would be very strong and durable too, light enough but also very strong and safe.
I posted this photo on social media and it caught a lot of peoples imagination as we all have experience of heavy tandems. I can easily lift the tandem above my head and general using, carrying, storing and transporting the tandem is so much easier due to the light weight. Its much more user friendly. This tandem is around 27lb with basic components and wheels so it will be low 20’s when it later has carbon wheels and components. More importantly, its very strong with custom geometry to give us comfort for long rides and is very stiff with very little frame flex, a very different ride to our first steel touring tandem. Achieving light weight has been good but strength, comfort and ease of use was important design ambitions along with lower weight. Looking forward to more travel nationwide and abroad with the tandem now without it feeling like undertaking an expedition with heavy equipment.
Tavelo Tandems 