# My wife gives my tandem a double thumbs up...



## Blaster1200 (Feb 20, 2004)

I've always wanted a tandem, but I could never justify buying one, which is ironic considering that I have virtually every nitch of bikes. Last September after finishing my third frame, a 29er singlespeed, I decided to build a tandem. Quite honestly, I knew nothing about tandems. The last time I even rode a tandem was probably around 1980-something. I've never even assembled one, so I really had no idea of what to consider. This would be the source of some laughter later (oh, I need enough clearance for a chain to go around the back side of that chainring?  ).

Anyhow, I'm just a hobbyist building in my back yard with scraps of metal as my jig. My alignment fixture was my truck (I needed to slightly cold set the front). As fall and winter approached, I hung tarps from the awning to try and protect my work area so I could still work. I still go wet. You work with what you have, right? I've thought of investing into a jig, but any frame I build could be my last. It's just a part-time hobby. Besides, I don't think a jig would help me in any way. I am quite happy with the alignment of this frame. I have a lot of straight edges, right angles, and string, and this thing is amazingly straight!

There were a couple errors, but neither were deal breakers (although I thought they might be). Good learning experiences. 

I could ramble on about the build. It's created some major challenges, but that's been good. It's given me a lot to think about while dealing with my father and another very close family member been dealing with cancer. There have been a few other significant life challenges as well, so thinking about this frame has been like my happy place.

After a couple brief rides around the neighborhood, my wife and I somewhat learned how to ride it. Honestly, she hated riding it on our neighborhood rides, partially because she couldn't see, steer, or brake. But today, my wife and I took it for its maiden offroad ride. We both had more fun that we imagined. We also cleaned all the hills that we didn't think we'd make. 

Onto the photos. If you have any questions, please ask! I love talking about this thing!


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## Blaster1200 (Feb 20, 2004)

More pics...


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## Blaster1200 (Feb 20, 2004)

and a few more...


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## StanleyJ (Dec 11, 2010)

Excuse me whilst I just be very very very envious! :thumbsup:


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## Walt (Jan 23, 2004)

*Gorgeous!*

I give it two thumbs up too!

_Walt


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

Wow. Awesome work.


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## UEDan (Apr 11, 2010)

NICE! Love the welds, clean man. Ever though about building custom frames on the side? *HINT* *HINT*

Just a random guess, is that Whiting Ranch?


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## Blaster1200 (Feb 20, 2004)

As you probably know, the front side of Whiting is closed after the rains. Have you seen some of the photos of the trail up to Mustard? Wow!

It's just the good ol' Fullerton Loop.

If you're around OC, you may have seen my 29er: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=646963&highlight=29er+fun

I did once briefly think about building and selling frames, but it's just not going to happen. My day job along with some other life things that may show up in a few months  will surely take any spare time I have away. And building a handful of frames, no matter how nice they may seem, is not really enough experience IMHO to go pro. I have a lot of friends willing to pay for frames, but being realistic with my goals, building frames to sell just isn't likely to ever happen. It would be nice, since several of my "careers" have started as hobbies.

I've learned a ton of stuff on each frame I've made. And while I've learned a lot so far, the more I learn, the more I learn that I don't know.


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## MDEnvEngr (Mar 11, 2004)

Blaster, that machine is WICKED SWEET!!! As we would say here in the northeast.

Goes to show you don't need no fancy jig to build a nice bike...but I think you like solving problems about as much as bulding bikes, eh? 

Have fun with it.

B


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## Brad Bedell (Apr 18, 2009)

Nice work!


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## MRisme (Mar 22, 2010)

Very impressive. To say I am a little jealous, would be an understatement.


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## todwil (Feb 1, 2007)

*Saaawweeeeeet!!!!!!*

I love the bumper alinement tool!!!!


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## soccerdude (Aug 6, 2006)

I thought you had permission to buy a new bike but instead you built one!! You ROCK! 

Mike S.


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## j-ro (Feb 21, 2009)

Blaster, that thing is Outta-sight!

One thing is for sure, you cant fake an ' I love my bike smile'.

put me down as totally impressed.


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## Bryguy17 (May 19, 2007)

I'll reiterate, that thing is gorgeous. I love the tooling too!

I DO still want a big sized version of your 29er though, that thing was too much fun to ride to not want one. I guess I'll just need to make my own


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## swift (Apr 3, 2007)

Sick Yo.

I absolutely love all the creative fixturing you did. Great work!


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## Smudgemo (Nov 30, 2005)

Awesome! Looks pro.
One of these is on my short list of frame projects.


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## smdubovsky (Apr 27, 2007)

Georgeous! I have a friend who wants to do a tandem. I'll point him over here for inspiration.


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## Hooder (Jul 21, 2009)

The things that jumped out at me about this project:

- Seeing the mixture of bike specific tubing and strait gauge 4130 that went into the build.
- The minimal and creative fixturing. 
- The quality of the finish work on the fillets especially considering there are like 3 times the number of joints as a regular frame.
- How amazing the finished bike looks.

Seeing this kind of work makes me want to do every step (from design to paint) a little better. Thanks for sharing.


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## Feldybikes (Feb 17, 2004)

That bike looks decidedly not like crap.

The dropout joints are my favorite part.

Did you use 1 1/8" seat tubes? That's what I did on my tandem and I wish I went larger in diameter since the rear end sorta "wags." I'm not sure that's what it is, but those are the skinniest tubes on my tandem. Do you like yours?

I'm periodically in the OC to visit my parents. Just built a 29er to live there for the visits. Maybe I'll see you on the trail sometime.


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## qbert2000 (Jul 30, 2008)

seriously nice looking. great work. man, you made it look easy in the pics considering its a part time hobby


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## Blaster1200 (Feb 20, 2004)

Thanks for the compliments!

I try to do everything the best I can, but one does run out of patience some times. And as mentioned, there are a lot of fillets to file and sand! I tried filling the some of the pits with silver solder, but I forgot a couple. With my memory as bad as it is, I'm surprised that I didn't forget a braze-on or something else. 

Feldybikes, yes, it's a 1-1/8" seat tube with 1-1/4" x 058" sleeves. Although I have no tandem experience, I'm quite surprised how stiff this bike is. I really did expect the bike to have a lot more lateral flex or wag, like you mentioned. Perhaps the other tubes contributed. Speaking of, here are the tubes that I used:

Head tube: True Temper MHT
Down tube: True Temper BMXST-DT03, 38.1 mm x 1/.7.1
Top tubes: 4130 (Aircraft Spruce) 1-3/8" x .035"
Boom tube: 4130 (Aircraft Spruce) 2" x .049"
Seat tube: True Temper HVERST1 28.6 mm, .9/.6
Seat tube sleeves: 4130 (Aircraft Spruce) 1-1/4" x .058"
Front EBB: Easton
Rear BB: Paragon 73 mm
Chainstays: NOVA TANDEM OS 27mm OVAL CS (XCSX140V) 
Seatstays: NOVA 19mm S-bend
Dropouts: Paragon low mount
Braze-ons: Paragon
Filler: GasFlux C04 rod
Flux: GasFlux Type B 

Note that there are also three enclosed bottle mounts underneath the boom tube for a skid plate, when I can find the right material. I'd like to find some 2" thin walled carbon fiber tubing, similar to the fork guards I have on my dirt bike.


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## Feldybikes (Feb 17, 2004)

Nice. I have a 1 3/8" DT and a TT oval boom tube, but it's otherwise the same. Well, straight stays since it's a road tandem. A mountain tandem isn't so practical in CO with the number of switchbacks we have.

You might consider just PVC pipe for the skid plate. Not so bling, but it'd get the job done.


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## CBookman (Sep 9, 2008)

Blaster1200 said:


> Note that there are also three enclosed bottle mounts underneath the boom tube for a skid plate, when I can find the right material. I'd like to find some 2" thin walled carbon fiber tubing, similar to the fork guards I have on my dirt bike.


Check these guys out, never used them, but they do custom tube sizes.

http://www.carbonfibertubeshop.com/custom.html

Tandem looks sick by the way!


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## Enel (Mar 23, 2004)

Sick work for a hobbyist! I am jealous of your skills and patience.

Who did the PC work?

I just scored a used like new tandem. It is pretty antiquated in the brake dept, but otherwise it is really a blast and my non-biking wife is having more fun on it than I anticipated. They are really very capable off road vehicles.


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## TgMN (Aug 22, 2006)

I love the trailer hitch alignment fixture!

There have been several times where I needed a solid platform and was not willing to drill holes and put concrete anchors in the floor. Wife and children have been pressed in to service as counter weights/ballast on multiple occasions. I'm know envisioning all kinds of receiver hitch mounted fixtures. Thanks

I noticed in the one shot with the big crescent wrench on the adjustable reamer. I used mine that way quite a while and after enough galled & gouged holes, & jammed reamers I finally popped for big T-handle. Well worth the $37.

https://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT2?PMPXNO=1737907&PMTERM=05040076

Awesome bike BTW:thumbsup:


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## Blaster1200 (Feb 20, 2004)

CBookman said:


> Check these guys out, never used them, but they do custom tube sizes.
> 
> http://www.carbonfibertubeshop.com/custom.html


I think I've been to that site. Good stuff! But pricey! They have a tube on their blems or seconds page (forgot the name) that would be perfect, but it's expensive!

Plan B was to use some kind of commercially available plumbing pipe like PVC like feldybikes suggested. I've seen some black, flexible drain pipe somewhere that would work perfectly. I just have to remember where I saw it.

Enel, Embee Performance in Santa Ana, CA does my powdercoating. They've done a few frames for me now. Not the highest quality work, but the price is right. http://embeeperformance.com/

TgMN, I do need a good tap holder. That adjustable wrench was a pain in the butt!

And the truck is certainly a useful weight! Although I do have a decently sturdy bench and vise, nothing I have is as sturdy as this truck. I'm planning on building a tube bender based around a 2" receiver tube.


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## Blaster1200 (Feb 20, 2004)

double post


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## CBookman (Sep 9, 2008)

Blaster1200 said:


> I think I've been to that site. Good stuff! But pricey! They have a tube on their blems or seconds page (forgot the name) that would be perfect, but it's expensive!
> 
> .


Another thing to note, is that they offer sample packs. You can email them and likely get a cutoff in 2" dia from them if they have it. Sample packs are $31 shipped.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

That is really cool!

I always had the idea of having a tandem that would have a set of disc brakes operated by the pilot and a set of v-brakes, operated by the copilot. It would take good teamwork.


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## IBBW (Mar 24, 2006)

Brother I don't know what you do for a living but I think you may have found your calling.


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