Convertible Tandem to Single Travel Tandem - The 8-Ball™

Read about our long history of tandem building and tandem innovations.

"A travel bike built for two... I mean one... I mean two"
The Rodriguez 8-Ball™ is unique in the cycling world. It's the type of thing that only a company with our years of tandem building might want to tackle. This custom tandem converts from a bicyle for two right into a bicycle for one by removing the middle of the frame, and setting it up once the frame is apart takes only a few minutes (once you've had some practice). As if that wasn't cool enough, you can take the frame apart to get it into cases safe and secure and small enough for plane travel!

The Rodriguez 8-Ball™ comes with all the custom sizing you expect from a Roriguez tandem, free of charge, and the components we use are ready for the stresses of tandem riders working in, well, tandem. Whether you know it now or not, you will value the 'no compromise', fit first design when you ride your new Rodriguez tandem. With 26" wheels the bike packs into cases for flying easily and allows us to build strong, durable wheels for all your tandeming needs. The 8-Ball™ is available in 3 different frame designs for your riding and sizing preferences.

We've built Rodriguez 8-Ball™ tandems for several couples, including the Trickels who spent a year riding around the world on it.

Since 1997, the Rodriguez 8-Ball™ has been the most versatile convertible bike on the market

The Story - When S&S couplings first came out, I immediately thought about a 'convertible' bike. One that would not only pack into a small flight case, but serve as both a traveler's single bike and a traveling couple's tandem bike. It made sense to me. I drew one up before we even had any couplings in stock. But, my head frame builder at the time didn't think it made sense, so we scrapped the project.

A few months later, our service manager drew up a design for a tandem that he could fit into a back pack. Our frame builder brought the design up to me (it looked very similar to the convertible that I had drawn), we combined the two designs, and with a few modifications, the 8-Ball™ was born.

Rodriguez 8-Ball™ Models - - Wait Time: 11 to 13 weeks

Frame	Custom Sized for Riders
Tubing	8-Ball Tandem
Default Fork	Steel Disc QR
Shift / Brake Levers	Bar-end 9sp / Tektro Ergo
Brakes	Trillium Big Squeeze
Head Set	FSA Black
Front Derailleur	OEM Triple
Rear Derailleur	S-Ride Long Cage 9/8sp Black
Cranks	Sugino Tandem
Bottom Brackets	Sealed Cartridge Bearing
Hubs	Novatec Tandem
Cogs	Hyperglide 9spd
Wheels	Hand-built w/ 3 year warranty
Rims / Tires	Weinmann ZAC19 36h / Serfas Drifter 26" x1.5"
Captain / Stoker Bars	OEM Compact Alloy
Stoker Stem	Rodriguez Adjustable
Grips / Bar Tape	OEM Compact Alloy / Black Cork
Stems	Alloy A-head / Rodriguez Adjustable
Seat Posts	Alloy 27.2
Specifications may vary subject to availablity

8-Ball Standard $14,300

Common Options for the 8-Ball Standard

Bottom Bracket - Phil Wood Bottom Brackets +$599
Chain - Gates Timing Belt (short Cockpits Only) +$300
Cranks - DaVinci Tandem Cranks +$600
Handle_bars - FSA SL-K Carbon +$250
Handle_bars - Jones Loop Bars Butted (Black) +$270 x 2
Handle_bars - Jones Loop SG Bars (Black) +$210 x 2
Seat Post - Kinekt Seatpost +$320
Stoker Bars - Stoker Bars - FSA Compact +$65 x 2
Stoker Seat Post - Stoker Seat Post - Kinekt +$310

For the Frame

8-Ball Version #1 +$800
8-Ball Version #2 +$800
8-Ball Version #3 +$0
Fillet Brazed (Tandem) +$4,250
2-Step Frame Design +$300

Frame
Tubing	8-Ball Tandem
Default Fork	Steel Tandem
Shift / Brake Levers	Rohloff Twist Shift / Tektro Ergo
Brakes	TRP Spyre Dual Piston
Head Set	FSA Black
Front Derailleur	None
Rear Derailleur	None
Cranks	Alloy Single Speed
Bottom Brackets	Sealed Cartridge Bearing
Hubs	Sealed 36H Disc / Rohloff Disc 36h (color Preference?)
Cogs	Rohloff 16t
Wheels	Hand-built w/ 3 year warranty
Rims / Tires	Weinmann ZAC19 36h / Serfas Drifter 26" x1.5"
Captain / Stoker Bars	OEM Compact Alloy
Stoker Stem	Rodriguez Adjustable
Grips / Bar Tape	OEM Compact Alloy / Black Cork
Stems	Alloy A-head / Rodriguez Adjustable
Seat Posts	Alloy 27.2
Specifications may vary subject to availablity

8-Ball Rohloff Disc $16,750

Common Options for the 8-Ball Rohloff Disc

Bottom Bracket - Phil Wood Bottom Brackets +$599
Chain - Gates Timing Belt (short Cockpits Only) +$300
Cranks - DaVinci Tandem Cranks +$600
Front_hub - SON 28, ISO Disc, Black +$530
Handle_bars - FSA SL-K Carbon +$250
Handle_bars - Jones Loop Bars Butted (Black) +$270 x 2
Handle_bars - Jones Loop SG Bars (Black) +$210 x 2
Seat Post - Kinekt Seatpost +$320
Stoker Bars - Stoker Bars - FSA Compact +$65 x 2
Stoker Seat Post - Stoker Seat Post - Kinekt +$310

For the Frame

Thru-Axle Frame +$300
8-Ball Version #1 +$800
8-Ball Version #2 +$800
8-Ball Version #3 +$0
Belt Splitter in Frame +$320
Fillet Brazed (Tandem) +$4,250

Rohloff Speedhub

Did you know that Rodriguez is the number one Rohloff builder in the United States? The Rohloff drive train is the most popular option for the 8-Ball™ over the last few years. We've developed a clean way of incorporating this unique design into a versatile tandem/touring bike.

Along Comes Willie Weir

It wasn't long after that when Willie Weir and his wife Kat came to us about getting a tandem for their tour in Cuba. Willie is a world class bicycle traveler, columnist and KUOW commentator. He bicycles in places around the world that are obscure and amazing. After hearing about their plan, we decided that the Eight ball would be the perfect bike for them.

Willie was to go to Cuba first, and tour by himself for an extended period of time. Then Kat would fly in and join him. Our thought was that Willie could just take the 'single' configuration with him, and Kat could bring the pieces for the tandem conversion with her. This way, they wouldn't have an extra bike to try and store somewhere in Cuba. The plan went perfectly.

In the years since, we've built several of these bikes. Everyone who has one loves it. We've even had one customer add a 3rd section to their Eight ball, and now it's a travel single, a travel tandem, and a travel triplet! The versatility is amazing.

There's no better test for a bicycle design than having someone like Willie and Kat tour where there are no roads, bike shops, or spare parts. The Rodriguez Eight ball has proven itself to be a travelers best friend time and time again. I encourage anyone who thinks they would like to travel with a bicycle to consider this versatile design.

Own the original...own a Rodriguez 8-Ball™