Summary of tandem upgrades

December 17, 2007 in Accessories, Cycling, Pictures by Bud | 4 comments

After everything was said and done, here is a summary of the upgrades/swaps that we did on out Cannondale Road Tandem. Nashbar/Winwood cyclocross fork replaces the Cannondale Tandem Specific Fatty fork. Avid SD-7 linear pull brakes replace the Avid BB-7 mechanical disc brakes. Custom wheels built from Shimano M760 hubs, DT Swiss R1.1 rims and WheelSmith DB spokes replaces OEM 40 hole wheels.

The total weight of the tandem dropped 4.04 pounds (1.83 kg). Acceleration is much better as a result of 2 pounds of less wheel weight. Wheels are stiffer laterally so cornering is much better, the result of almost no dish on the rear wheel. brakes seem about the same, so other than weight I would call this a wash.

Now that we have the tandem where we want it, its time to work on the engine. Well maybe not today, how about after the holidays.

Here is a collection of all the photos involved in the tandem upgrades.

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March 13, 2008 at 4:00 am

Henty

Henty’s avatar

Hi Bud

re brakes:
Have you ever considered or tried mini-v brakes (e.g. Tektro 917 range)? I’m thinking of trying them - mainly to remove the travel agents and the “squishy” brake feeling they induce. But I havn’t come across anyone who’s used them on a tandem before, so I’m not sure how effective they’ll be.

re wheels:
Did you go for the DT 1.1’s rather than the 1.2’s for the weight advantage. Are the 1.2’s any stronger than the 1.1’s or is the advantage purely aero?

Thanks
Henty

March 13, 2008 at 6:32 pm

Bud

Bud’s avatar

I have not tried or considered any other brakes for our tandem. Not because of any other reason than no reviews or familiarity with them.

I chose the 1.1s for two reasons. Box section rims are usually lighter. It is hard enough to climb on a tandem so adding an extra 100g per wheel was something I simply wasn’t real interested in. The 1.1s are available with double eyelets, making for a stronger rim around the spoke holes.