We're not the only company sounding the alarm. You know what we have to say, but other tandem companies with decades of experience speak to this issue as well.
We've been building tandems since 1973, and we've been through a fork recall. If you poke around enough, you'll see that just about every tandem and fork company that's been around for over 30 years has been through at least one recall (some are active right now). I think that decades of tandem experience, and seeing what happens when a fork is under-built for tandem use shapes a companies view in a good way. As a tandem rider, you want to know if the company building your tandem has this experience. Believe me, when it happens to a newer manufacturer, they will become much more like us, and the tandem companies below, with their recommendations in this area.
Cannondale, a company that has been building tandems since 1988, straight from their tandem owner's manual.
Santana, a company that's been building tandems since 1976, straight from their website. While they use a slightly different formula than we did, they came up with very similar results.
Santana, a company that's been building tandems since 1976, straight from their website. While they use a slightly different formula than we did, they came up with very similar results.
How about fork companies?
TRP is a company that makes a fork that some tandem teams are running (and some bike companies are recommending for tandem use). When I emailed them, this was the exchange:
Whisky Parts company. Here's a company that explicitly states that their forks are not strong enough for use on a tandem, but some tandem companies are actually sending out tandems with these on them. We love Whisky forks, and use a lot of them, but not on tandems. If they made a tandem fork, we would be happy to use it. Here's my email exchange with Whisky:
Enve is another carbon fork company. I see a lot of these on tandems as well. Here's right from their website:
Easton, another carbon fork company:
Question for you: If a fork company says 'do not use our fork on a tandem', do you want that fork on your tandem?
TRP is a company that makes a fork that some tandem teams are running (and some bike companies are recommending for tandem use). When I emailed them, this was the exchange:
Whisky Parts company. Here's a company that explicitly states that their forks are not strong enough for use on a tandem, but some tandem companies are actually sending out tandems with these on them. We love Whisky forks, and use a lot of them, but not on tandems. If they made a tandem fork, we would be happy to use it. Here's my email exchange with Whisky:
Enve is another carbon fork company. I see a lot of these on tandems as well. Here's right from their website:
Easton, another carbon fork company:
