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I cleaned up the dusty workshop first to avoid a top coat of resin being ruined by picking up dust floating in the air. To be able to apply the resin I strung the frame up from the ceiling so it was suspended in the air and I could reach everywhere. I had never doneContinue reading “Resin top coat on the carbon tandem bike frame”

Tandem stoker handlebar stem post The most commonly used arrangement for a stoker stem in recent times has been an adjustable handlebar stem mounted on the captains seat post but for me it had some design limitations. Looking back through the history of tandem designs, there have been many designs used and I favoured aContinue reading “Tandem bike stoker handlebar stem post”

I needed help with this, it was technical and had to be correct. I purchased a brake mount jig from Insepi, read the instructions and gave it a try, double checking all the measurements. Photo: Insepi brake mount jig in place for rear post mount brake mounts. I wanted to fit a 203mm brake rotorContinue reading “Tandem frame rear brake mounts”

Gluing the frame together with correct geometry was a challenge and an achievement but strengthening the frame joints so it would be strong and safe to ride was a bigger technical challenge and would have unthinkable consequences if it went wrong. Research had shown the best techniques involved using an autoclave oven and that wasContinue reading “Carbon tandem bike frame joints”

I found a cheap workshop to rent thanks to the generosity of the local estate. Perhaps they were just curious and surprised that someone was trying to make tandems in such an isolated place. I found some old dinning room tables for work benches and set up a workshop space. Photo: A workshop space insteadContinue reading “A tandem bike workshop”

I began carefully cutting tube ends and holes by hand and with a Dremel grinder, regularly checking the cuts against the paper template on the floor. To cut the right shape notches in the tubes I found a tube notch template maker online that produced paper templates to wrap around the tubes to guide theContinue reading “Cutting tubes for a tandem bike frame”

A flat board of MDF was the best I could do with the frame drawn on as a guide. It would hopefully work for the main frame and I’d add the chain and seat stays on later, I’d solve that problem when I came to it. A commercial jig was too expensive. When I’d drawnContinue reading “A tandem frame jig”

To have any hope of making a tandem frame I knew I would have to draw a 1:1 scale frame plan that would be a cutting guide for all the frame tubes. Without a straightforward plan to follow I’d have little hope of cutting tubes in the right places or bringing all the frame partsContinue reading “Drawing a tandem bike frame design”

So what was wrong with our steel touring tandem we had purchased first and fallen in love with, fallen in love on, and had seen us safely through so many adventures. Were we being unfaithful to all it had done for us already? Had it let us down or upset us? No, never. It’s placeContinue reading “Why a carbon tandem?”

We had great fun on our steel touring tandem but it was heavy! We wanted something lighter, fun and contemporary to ride and easy to travel with…we had holiday plans! I found manufacturers of high spec carbon fibre tandems in the USA…and had to have one! The light weight, clean designs and stylish looks wereContinue reading “Welcome to tandem frame building”