# Older Burley...?



## reamer41 (Mar 26, 2007)

I'm looking at an older (15 years old?) Burley on Craigslist. Anyone familiar with these? Anything in particular to look for?

Actually a Road tandem, but it would keep the ECDM company in the garage when we're not riding.


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## reamer41 (Mar 26, 2007)

I knew there was something.......

"For two decades, Burley Tandem company sold tandems all around the world. In 2007, Burley Tandem company went out of business. Burley tandems use a proprietary bottom bracket that was only available through Burley."
--http://www.rodbikes.com/


Never mind.


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## Okayfine (Sep 7, 2010)

We have a 2001 Burley Duet. Have never had cause to replace or otherwise deal with the BB. Or any of the components, actually. Good bike, but much more flexy than you'd be used to with the ECdM.


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## giff07 (Jun 7, 2010)

Pat and I started with a Burley Tosa. Aluminum frame and reasonable components.Loved it! Upgraded/ replaced some components and added an Alpha Q fork. We did replace both front and rear bottom brackets and got a pretty close match through FSA. a little wider Q factor is all. We started looking to make some major upgrades to it with the intent of holding on to it when 2 friends decided to sell their CO Motion that already had the upgrades for less than the price of the upgrades themselves. So we bought that and sold the Burley to another member of our tandem club. I believe Mel Kornbluth of Tandems East in NJ still has a fair selection of new in the box Burleys(meaning 2007 and older).
Ed and Pat Gifford
the Snot Rocket tandem (ECDM)
and 
Co-Mo Java(for da road)


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## reamer41 (Mar 26, 2007)

Thanks, Ed.

Joyce and I went out and test rode the bike. more than 15 years old, but in great shape. Unfortunately, the rear top tube length is too short for Joyce.

The bottom bracket looked to be a press-in type, is that correct? It looked to me like the bearings were retained in the BB shell with snap rings. Are these easily replaceable (are replacements easy to find?)

Anyway, we're still looking but not desperate. It seems like we've got plenty of bikes in the garage already.

I think a Cannonball X/M size would fit us pretty well.....


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## giff07 (Jun 7, 2010)

The Tosa we had was either an 06 or 07. It had standard cartridge BB's. The other option we had was someone( I forget who) was selling replacement bearings and axles for the existing bottom brackets to rebuild them. Good luck with your search.
Ed
Not sure I wouldn't steer clear of the bottom bracket type that you describe.


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## reamer41 (Mar 26, 2007)

This was a Duet. We noticed the flex right away. Reminded us of our first Tandem MTB Tandemaina Alite. Fun but flexi!


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## malaclemys (Oct 22, 2010)

We just got a very low mileage, @ 515 original miles, 2003 Cannondale RT1000 X/M ourselves Reamer41. PMK gave some advice on sizing and I think he was spot on. Seems the stoker cockpits may be short on the smaller sizes. My stoker is only 5' 4 1/2" and I don't think she would have been happy with less room.

We found a lot of interesting tandems using Bike/Bicycle Site Mash of Craigslist, eBay & More. L/S and X/M were the most widely available sizes I saw during our brief hunt.

Now that we have the bike we are working through some upgrades to disc brakes and Schmidt dynamo in the front. My impression thus far is the bike is a lot more fun than I expected. As much as I love our Fandango this is a better tool for riding around on the road.


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

Road tandems are fun too. But as mentioned by one stoker we ride with (both dirt and road), road riding is hard on your butt. Long times of not moving around and just constant pedaling.

If you keep an eye out some very good road deals come up constantly. Seems folks are sort of split, either already adicted to road tandems and upgrading a very expensive new ride and selling there well cared for machine at fair market value. Or those that have a medium priced production tandem they have no real passion to ride. Often this is where the deals are on some nice Cannondales, Treks and other brands. Not enough to mortgage the house, but plenty of performance and miles left in them.

As mentioned, give the stoker some room, it will also keep you from sitting on the bars.

PK


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## reamer41 (Mar 26, 2007)

*Ended up with this.... Warning: no MTB content!*

Found a reasonable deal on this one:


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