# Tandem ride filmed at Tech trails. Houghton, MI



## arly (Apr 20, 2005)

Our friend posted yet another video shot while going up a modestly technical trail at Michigan tech. YouTube took the sound off because of copyright issues. :nono: We liked it best of all the videos he's made so far because someone (us) is always in front of him and it shows this trail has some flow to it, despite it being uphill. Kind'a makes you feel like you're riding along. Let us know what you think. And watch for the UFO in the sky to our upper left, just a few seconds into it  Oh and all the cleared paths you'll see us crossing are ski trails. Hope you like it.


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## Drum (Jul 8, 2008)

Great video and that looks like a very cool trail.

Couldn't help but notice that your cranks are not in synch, i.e. not in the same position between the stoker and the captain.

Do you like that better than being in synch?

Cheers and keep up the great vid work.

D


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## arly (Apr 20, 2005)

Drum, We’re on a DaVinci Symbiosis and all bikes from Da Vinci come with two extra free-wheels so us not being in sync is a random thing. These extra FWs allow us independence which we found was invaluable while MB tandem riding. In fact in the film you might see us round a corner at low speed and I’m pedaling to keep us going while my dearest’s is freewheeling to keep her feet from striking the trail bench. Did we do that? Whatever the case if you come to a rock, log or anything that either rider will hit their crank on, your ability to spin independently really is a plus. Ya we’ve ridden MB tandems without this feature and in fact our road bikes are locked in sync. But for trail riding it’s the cats mewo. :thumbsup: 

Hope that helps


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## Drum (Jul 8, 2008)

I would love to see a picture of that set up sometime.

Sounds very interesting.

Thanks,
D


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## Funrover (Oct 4, 2006)

Cool


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## arly (Apr 20, 2005)

*Da Vinci drive*

here is from there web site http://www.davincitandems.com/dv2.html

In short, the extra freewheels are added to the intermediate BB seen just ahead of the standard one. On it they also use quad front chain rings which allows a wider range of gearing. These smaller CR's add ground clearance and you should note the timing chains also go up towards the center for better clearance. In the lower photo is us going up a rock ledge. Sandy is looking down to not hit her pedal on it while I pedal.

Hope that helps.


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## TandemNut (Mar 12, 2004)

The independent pedaling is the best system out there for clearing obstacles, but it's a pedal-smasher too; the stoker can't see what's coming at higher speeds. Kim (my stoker) doesn't like to ride our daVinci demo on our local trails, but loves it on forest roads and on the road. Go figure.
As with all things tandem, compromise, comprmise...
The dog is fun to watch as he runs in the herding position until the singletrack closes in, then he falls in right behind the rear tire, then back to the herding position. Gotta love trail dogs.
Looks like some cool trails there.


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## Drum (Jul 8, 2008)

Thanks for the info and the explanation, Arly. That's a very interesting arrangement.

Also, thanks for making off-road tandem riding look so easy. 
It will be quite a while before we have those skills I think, but you give us noobs hope.

Cheers,
D


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## kgginslc (Jan 20, 2004)

Where's the photo? Reminds me of Little Creek Mesa, but lots of places in the Southwest could look like that.


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## Hurricane Jeff (Jan 1, 2006)

arly said:


> here is from there web site http://www.davincitandems.com/dv2.html
> 
> In short, the extra freewheels are added to the intermediate BB seen just ahead of the standard one. On it they also use quad front chain rings which allows a wider range of gearing. These smaller CR's add ground clearance and you should note the timing chains also go up towards the center for better clearance. In the lower photo is us going up a rock ledge. Sandy is looking down to not hit her pedal on it while I pedal.
> 
> Hope that helps.


My wife and I have ridden both, Davinci and fixed. while the Davinci is a unique system, I totally prefer the standard fixed positioning of the cranks. I found that with the independant pedaling, we could not get into sync on pedaling sections, due to our own pedaling styles, it was sensation kind of like a unbalanced tire on a car, using the Davinci. I think a system with an ability to go independant on the fly, returning to fixed by using a lever would be a better idea. These are just my own personal thoughts and observations on the matter.


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## arly (Apr 20, 2005)

*photo location?*

This was taken just outside of Fruita, CO. In the Kokopelli's system. Gee that's SW to us!



kgginslc said:


> Where's the photo? Reminds me of Little Creek Mesa, but lots of places in the Southwest could look like that.


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## arly (Apr 20, 2005)

Hate to mention this but we consider ourselves “newbes” since we’ve only been on MB tandems for about 6 years. But we do have around 20,000+ miles of being locked in sync and today, that way remains the way we prefer to ride tandem,,,, while on the road. We expected to find the same on the trails but instead found doing them was different. Our ability to pedal separately to be a huge assistance while in benched single track (normal trails for us), while going over rocks or humps of earth or doing the logs. Let’s say you didn’t make trail feature X while going uphill and one of you get your feet blow out of their pedal. With independence each rider retains the ability to move the bike forward as the other gets reclipped in or not strike obstacle Q with their pedal in the 1st place. I should add in case it seemed in an earlier post that communication isn’t important when in fact its paramount, soooo very important, that if you don’t do it, neither of you will have fun. No matter what drive system you like.


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

Arly, do you happen to know what brand and model camera they used to film that run?

A friend (non cyclist) just purchased a Contour HD and wants me to take some footage while riding singletrack on the tandem.

I have our own setup that is older which I used before on the road tandem during group rides. It was pointed aft and was pretty cool with a spinning tire one the one side of the screen. I was considering the possibility of having the helmet cam take forward shots while a chassis cam took rearward shots.

BTW, it was a cold move brake checking the dog as he tried passing you...

Thanks
PK


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## arly (Apr 20, 2005)

*which camera?*

If you look at Jerry's film info I think he states what camera he has. If not this film, one of his early ones he did. (He's made about 3 video's, all while riding) Seems like "Helmet Hero" might be the name and he's not been all that happy with it. If you PM us we'll give you his email address. I know he broke one of its helmet mounts.

Gromit's been taught to heal us for safety sake. Although in one of the films I know she ran off chasing a squirrel. :nono:



PMK said:


> Arly, do you happen to know what brand and model camera they used to film that run?
> 
> A friend (non cyclist) just purchased a Contour HD and wants me to take some footage while riding singletrack on the tandem.
> 
> ...


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## arly (Apr 20, 2005)

*at newbies.com*

Since we do travel around and ride tandem everywhere we go, we know we're not all that good. Least we do ride pretty much all the trails the .5 cyclists do. But all we're doing is out having some fun. 



Drum said:


> Thanks for the info and the explanation, Arly. That's a very interesting arrangement.
> 
> Also, thanks for making off-road tandem riding look so easy.
> It will be quite a while before we have those skills I think, but you give us noobs hope.
> ...


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

arly said:


> Since we do travel around and ride tandem everywhere we go, we know we're not all that good. Least we do ride pretty much all the trails the .5 cyclists do. But all we're doing is out having some fun.


ARLY
it's the same for us, typically riding the same trails as the short bikes.

We got a helmet camera and used it for the first time last weekend. I've been working with the video and settings in hopes of posting it here.

Our video was not taken from a second bike, but rather I somehow convinced the wife / stoker to have the camera mounted on top of her helmet. I was hoping it would show more detail of the features our poor tandem has to ride over, but it didn't. What did get recorded was seeing how close the trees passing by are from her perspective.

Maybe this weekend I'll get a link posted, I was trying to dub the sound and add music, but I may not, it's almost comical listening to us navigate technical stuff and hearing her saying "clear" to let me know I can crank the ship around the channel marker.

PK


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## crazzycat (Jul 16, 2009)

interesting video and photos, thanks


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## Hopping_Rocks (Aug 23, 2008)

My hometown trail!


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## MaxxCutts8 (Nov 7, 2008)

I have a hard enough time keeping my own balance don't think i could do it with another person


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