YalzaDon
new member
Reged: 12/26/06
Posts: 4
Loc: Davis, CA
|
|
I'm considering upgrading from my 9-yr-old Santana Arriva tandem to a carbon fiber model. The lateral-less Calfee Tetra Tetra looks very intriguing... less expensive than the "traditional" frame with the lateral tube. Any folks have experience with the new unit? My stoker and I are a 300-lb team.
Also, there's lots of hype "out there" about the apparent fragility of carbon frames and forks. Obviously Calfee (and others) have decades and millions of miles of experience with carbon fiber. Any special issues I should consider? Scratches causing stress concentrations? Carbon fork life?
--Don
|
Insightdriver
captain
Reged: 03/07/04
Posts: 472
|
|
I've read a great deal of material that says there is no fatigue issue with carbon fiber as it is used in bicycles. Carbon fiber structures that flex, within plastic limits will not have a fatigue failure like isotropic metals exhibit. Consider carbon fiber fishing rods. They don't wear out and look how much flexing they exhibit. There is a similar type of failure method in carbon fiber that we already understand since it is the same thing with fiberglass materials. The only difference is the strength of the fibers being used in the matrix.
You can trusts Craig Calfee's designs since he is an excellent structural engineer and knows very well the properties of the carbon fiber he uses in his bikes.
Edited by Insightdriver (12/26/06 08:38 AM)
|
Lon
sage
Reged: 12/20/03
Posts: 595
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
|
|
Plus when you order your size and the stoker can be taken into consideration in talking with Craig. He is a great resource for your questions on the frame.
They have been around a long time with a very long warranty. I have never heard a negative word about them and owners rave about them.
Good luck. I'd give Craig a call and discuss what you want in your new bike. Take care.
|
dfcas
contributor
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 141
|
|
I was planning to get one of the new 'no lateral" Calfees this winter and transfer the compnents over from our Cannondale to it.
I've talked to Craig and followed the tandem forums for a couple years now,and I've not heard any first hand negative feedback about these designs from Calfee or the other builders that are using this design.Calfees suggest a weight limit of 360 lbs or other mods or a lateral design may be a better choice.You can discuss your weight with them and they will offer superb advice.They will also built it for your weight,if it is lighter.
The only negative I have heard has been from some guy at Santana,who has no such design to offer.His blathering makes me want to get one ::)Or get anything except a Santana.
Alas,my stoker seems to have quit and we are apparently out of the tandem riding business.
I really wanted to get one...
dan
--------------------
no signature
|
vaxn8r
contributor
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 222
|
|
Quote:
The only negative I have heard has been from some guy at Santana,who has no such design to offer.His blathering makes me want to get one ::)Or get anything except a Santana.
Santana and Calfee are going to ride like night and day. If you like one you will probably hate the other. If you like race bikes you will want the Calfee.
|
Mike
contributor
Reged: 12/25/03
Posts: 101
Loc: Oregon
|
|
I second that notion.
Santana makes very nice tandems, and their designs are solid, but they ride like trucks. Anyone who is used to a quick handling road bike will like the feel of the Calfee better. The only person I ever talked to who didn't like the way the Calfee handled is a guy who never rode a single road bike before, and was happier with the slower, more stable steering of the Santana.
A friend of mine has the new design. He says its very solid, and not at all flexy.
-mike
|
dfcas
contributor
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 141
|
|
I wasn't clear in my post-I meant that his blathering makes me want to buy a Calfee or any brand other than Santana.
I have heard these comments for years about how santanas are on the stable side,Co-Motion and calfee are quick handling,Cannondale is in the middle,and everyone seems to agree on this.BUT,looking at geometry charts,they all list a 73* degree head angle and fork rakes are all very close.At no place do trail numbers or wheelbase indicate any reason one would steer quicker or slower than the other.
--------------------
no signature
|
YalzaDon
new member
Reged: 12/26/06
Posts: 4
Loc: Davis, CA
|
|
Quote:
Mike wrote:
I second that notion.
Santana makes very nice tandems, and their designs are solid, but they ride like trucks. Anyone who is used to a quick handling road bike will like the feel of the Calfee better. The only person I ever talked to who didn't like the way the Calfee handled is a guy who never rode a single road bike before, and was happier with the slower, more stable steering of the Santana.
A friend of mine has the new design. He says its very solid, and not at all flexy.
-mike
Thank you all for your comments. I have ridden thousands of miles on various touring and racing bikes over the years so I think I'll enjoy a "quicker" tandem. However, almost all my tandem miles are on the Santana and our Bike Friday Tandem Traveler XL. We got the BF six years ago for its versitality (two growing kids) and it has been great for that, but I'm seeking a better/faster ride for my wife and I.
The Calfee sounds great (though I have heard of some shifting problems) so I'll continue along this track.
|
Mike
contributor
Reged: 12/25/03
Posts: 101
Loc: Oregon
|
|
I'm curious about the shifting problems you have heard about. The only issue we have had was with FSA chainrings. It was hard to get the chain to drop onto the granny ring under even a slight load. We switched to Shimano chainrings and the problem was solved. The rear, which is all Shimano, shifts as well as my single bike.
I know 2 other couples who have Calfee tandems, and none of them have mentioned shifting issues.
All of us have had to modify the hayes disc brake mounting HW to get a disc brake to fit properly. This is no longer an issue since Calfee is now offering a dropout mount for a disc brake.
-mike
|
YalzaDon
new member
Reged: 12/26/06
Posts: 4
Loc: Davis, CA
|
|
Quote:
Mike wrote:
I'm curious about the shifting problems you have heard about. The only issue we have had was with FSA chainrings. It was hard to get the chain to drop onto the granny ring under even a slight load. We switched to Shimano chainrings and the problem was solved. The rear, which is all Shimano, shifts as well as my single bike.
I know 2 other couples who have Calfee tandems, and none of them have mentioned shifting issues.
<snip>
-mike
An August 2005 post on the Bike Forum's tandem list noted that two very strong riders threw chains on a Calfee tandem because of frame flex, though Craig Calfee replied to the post saying he didn't know of problems. Since my stokers and I aren't in the category of folks in the post I'm really not worried, just curious to know if others have experienced this issue.
-Don
|
Insightdriver
captain
Reged: 03/07/04
Posts: 472
|
|
I would consider that, "very strong riders," would be able to put out twice the peak and average power that I, a mere mortal, could. That said, if they had a stock Calfee tandem, I'm about certain they could flex it. Now, if they wanted one stiff enough, Craig, knowing of their strength, would build one stiff enough for them. Saying that a Calfee tandem is flexy based on what happens with two, "very strong riders," does not indicate in any way that Calfee tandems are any more flexible than any other brand of tandem.
|
rob
new member
Reged: 01/05/07
Posts: 1
|
|
Hi,
We upgraded this Fall from a Santana Soverign Aluminum frame to the new Calfee. I posted on the tandem forum mentioned in another reply. This post will be similar.
We have ridden tandem since 1999, attended two Santana rally's, two cycle oregons and 2 NW tandem rally's. Also charity century rides. I race road and MTB.
Our tandem weight is slightly heavier than yours, especially after the holidays.
The new bike is really nice. It is more comfortable for the longer rides and mutli day rallies. It does steer quicker than the Santana which took some adjustment the first few rides, but feels stable. It just moves a little easier.
We got it fully loaded with FSA Cranks and the Avid mechanical disc brake (our old tandem had the formula hydralic). Also carbon bar, specialized carbon post and the Rolf wheels (they are fast). The wheels are a big difference, the Santana had the 40 or 44 spoke Fir rims with Hadley hubs.
I don't feel the Avid brake is as strong or solid as the Formula, and I know some people hate the formula, but we only had some decreased performance after 4-5 years and getting it serviced had it working great descending from the local ski area 3-4k of vertical curves.
We got it just in time for Cycle Oregon this year.
and it rode fantastic.
We traveled to Portland Oregon to test ride and this helped convince me to upgrade.
Any more questions let me know.
Rob
|
YalzaDon
new member
Reged: 12/26/06
Posts: 4
Loc: Davis, CA
|
|
Quote:
rob wrote:
Hi,
We upgraded this Fall from a Santana Soverign Aluminum frame to the new Calfee..... We got it fully loaded with FSA Cranks and the Avid mechanical disc brake (our old tandem had the formula hydralic). Also carbon bar, specialized carbon post and the Rolf wheels (they are fast). The wheels are a big difference..... Any more questions let me know.
Rob
Rob,
Thanks for your comments, and sorry for my LONG delayed repsonse. Yes, I have a few questions (others can chime in too since I'd really like to hear as many experiences as possible)...
-- 9-speed or 10-speed cassette? I'm wondering about the durability of 10-speed chains
-- Glad to hear you like the Rolf wheels. What other components did you use? (derailleurs, front brake, shifters, eccentric); I'm also wondering about Campy (the darn bike will be so expensive that the Campy upgrade will be a relatively small %). I've never had Campy, but know a few folks, including my "event" stoker who love it.
-- Are you using a carbon captain seatpost? Craig was a bit hesitant about the stoker-stem-induced clamping/torque on this post and said he often used carbon only for the stoker.
-- Digging more into the shifting issue I mentioned in an earlier post, one bike shop owner (who hasn't had a new Calfee for 1+ years and now favors Zona) said he'd experienced lots of front derailleur shifting problems with numerous Calfee frames; anybody else experience this?
Don
|
Previous
Thread Index
Next
Threaded
lateral-less tandems & carbon "fragility"?
Edit
Reply
Quote
Re: lateral-less tandems & carbon "fragility"?