# Classic Tandem? My Gary Fisher Gemini: Looking for info



## ADKer (Sep 29, 2009)

Hi, Posted this same thread over in "Let's see those classic MTB tandems", but thought I'd stick it up on it's own to see if I get any response. So...

I just bought a Gary Fisher MTB Tandem . I've searched the internet for information on it but have turned up very little. It's a beautiful bike and I'd just like to know a bit more about it. Here a a few pictures of the bike , along w/ the basics on description.

stamp on bottom bracket shell is "FL19".
Seat Tube lengths: 19.5" Captain / 18" Stoker 
Standover height: 31" Captain / 28.5" Stoker 
Front & Rear Derailleurs: Shimano Deore XT 
Shimano Deore XT rear cassete 12-28T
Shimano Biopace Cranks: FC-M730 170mm cranks w/ 50-38-28T
Shimano Deore XT thumb shifters 
Wheels: 26", 36 spoke w/ anodized aluminum rims.
Rims w/ decals: "RM-20", "Super Hard Anodized" + one unreadable
Tires: Continental Country 50-559
Saddles: Avocet
Brakes: Rear - dual Shimano Deore XT "Shark Tooth" 
Front - Shimano Deore XT cantilever
Magura levers, w/ dual cables for rear

Anyone know this bike? Year? Details? We love it already!

Tom Dudones
Saranac Lake, NY


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## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

I don't know anything about it but if you can sift through here, you might be able to figure the year by the components, unless it's been redone.

http://mombat.org/Timeline.htm
(interesting nonetheless)

-F


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

Tom, I posted a link to this topic in the vintage forum here at MTBR. There are some longtime riders with a lot of knowledge about this stuff.

PK


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## ADKer (Sep 29, 2009)

*Gary Fisher Tandem: narrowing it down*

Thanks,
I'll keep an eye on the Vintage forum as well. After looking thru the lists of componets on the MTB Timeline, I'm thinking the bike is a 1988. The Biopace cranks were only offered in 85-88, so that narrows the search. None of the other components were of much help in refining the year - Shimano Deore XT stuff was wide-spread. But The rims - with the stickers "Super Hard Anodized" and "RM-20" were a help. The Araya RM-20 rims were offered 85-88, but the "Super Hard Anodized" were just for 1988. Plus the color scheme - red/yellow/black fade - was only listed for 87 & 88. So even tho the Fisher Specs web page doesn't list any tandems, I'm thinking that the Biopace cranks, fade paint job and the Araya RM-20 rims make it most likely a 1988 model.

Tom


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

That is a great bike. Nice pickup.


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## MendonCycleSmith (Feb 10, 2005)

Nice score.

Saranac Lake? Used to live there My son was born there too. 

Wonder if Barkeater Bikes had anything to do with that.... Sad they left, any new shops in town? 

I worked for High Peaks BITD. Any snow up high yet? Cold enough down here in Rainchester, makes me wonder, gonna be up there for some backpacking in a few weeks....

Friggin sweet rig too, BTW:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## ADKer (Sep 29, 2009)

MendonCycleSmith said:


> Nice score.
> 
> Saranac Lake? Used to live there My son was born there too.
> 
> ...


Yeah, we've had a few snow flurries the past 2 days, but mostly just cold rain. No new bike shop in town - but High Peaks and Placid Planet are just down the road in Placid.
Waiting for a break in the weather to try out our new tandem.

Tom


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## Team Fubar Rider (Sep 3, 2003)

I'd agree with the '88 figure for the bike too. A couple other things to note, Fisher introduced the _Evolution_ headset/headtube in '89 and Shimano introduced the 7 speed _Hyperglide_ cassette in '89 as well, so we know it is pre-'89.


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## Cleve Lansteamer (Mar 26, 2005)

They probably didn't call it a Gemini. Gemini has evolution stuff and is an uptube design.


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## SirDonald (Feb 4, 2008)

ADKer said:


> Hi, Posted this same thread over in "Let's see those classic MTB tandems", but thought I'd stick it up on it's own to see if I get any response. So...
> 
> I just bought a Gary Fisher MTB Tandem . I've searched the internet for information on it but have turned up very little. It's a beautiful bike and I'd just like to know a bit more about it. Here a a few pictures of the bike , along w/ the basics on description.
> 
> ...


I do have I bought new but it not put together and it is the 10th one made.That is all I know.


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## whatisaidwas (Apr 26, 2014)

Well this is an old thread. I may have answered a similar query in another thread, but I'll chime in here too.

This isn't a Gemini tandem. It's the predecessor to the Gemini, called the Fisher Team Tandem, and 20 were made in 1988. I own #5. Santana Cycles in Claremont, CA built the frames. They are fillet brazed of Columbus tubing, and all had the team fade paint. These are essentially a Santana Picante, but with custom geometry and braze-ons. XT 6-speed group was stock, and they had 2 rear U-brakes with Magura dual-pull motorcycle brake levers.

I believe the pictured team tandem is one of the last made, as it has decals from the 1989 bikes. Bars, front stem and saddles have been changed from the stock parts.

From Gary Fisher | The Marin Museum of Bicycling and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame

_Riding a tandem with Sara Ballantyne, Gary and Sara win the tandem category and place 13th overall in the 150mile Desert to the Sea race._

Likely they won that race on a team tandem.

___

The Gemini tandem was imported from 1989 onward. I heard at the time that they were made either in Mexico or Korea. I can't verify. Geminis were tig welded, had the uptube design, OS tubing and Evolution specs, though they used the old style press-in bottom brackets as seen on the Mt. Tams and other early Fishers. Deore 7-speed group was standard, along with bullhorn stoker bars. Early Gemini tandems also had 2 rear brakes (U-brake down low, canti up high), though later models settled on one rear, a Suntour SE cantilever. The Geminis were very decent bikes, not quite the high-end or bling of the team tandem, but the improvements on them were worthy.


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