A local bike shop has had a Dawes Twocan kiddie back tandem for sale for sometime (as in at least a couple of month).He had it earlier for 500 quid plus, though said I could have it for GBP500) Noticed today that he has it for gBP 400. Wanting to get rid of it guess before the winter.
Looks tempting, as I'd like to keep DD1 - now 9 months, in the trailer, DD2 is now 4 1/2, she will soon be out of the trailer all together and she would like to be cycling herself as well now. If we went the trailer bike route DD1 would need to go in bike seat.
I don't know a great deal about tandems, obviously this is the bottom end of the market, but it looks sound enough. Needs, mudguards , rack, lights etc. doesn't have anything like drag brake which I guess might be useful when towing a trailer as well, but then again, will mostly be used for utility trips and tootling around the local area. and Cambridgeshire (sadly...) is not noted for it's hills, steep or otherwise.
And much as I could like one, spending lots on a more upmarket one isn't really an option anyway
anyone got/had one of them? any comments, or any other comments from people experienced in such things -- Chris French
chris French wrote: > A local bike shop has had a Dawes Twocan kiddie back tandem for sale for > sometime (as in at least a couple of month).He had it earlier for 500 > quid plus, though said I could have it for GBP500) Noticed today that he > has it for gBP 400. Wanting to get rid of it guess before the winter.
> Looks tempting, as I'd like to keep DD1 - now 9 months, in the trailer, > DD2 is now 4 1/2, she will soon be out of the trailer all together and > she would like to be cycling herself as well now. If we went the trailer > bike route DD1 would need to go in bike seat.
> I don't know a great deal about tandems, obviously this is the bottom > end of the market, but it looks sound enough. Needs, mudguards , rack, > lights etc. doesn't have anything like drag brake which I guess might be > useful when towing a trailer as well, but then again, will mostly be > used for utility trips and tootling around the local area. and > Cambridgeshire (sadly...) is not noted for it's hills, steep or > otherwise.
> And much as I could like one, spending lots on a more upmarket one isn't > really an option anyway
> anyone got/had one of them? any comments, or any other comments from > people experienced in such things
Get it. You won't regret it at all. I did the cheapskate thing and built one which was absolutely a brillaint move. For local utility trips the kids prefer it to the car. I just have to stop the middle one from shouting 'loser' at all his friends as they walk past with their parents.
At 400 gbp it is good value and a bargain to be had..
Oh, and in case you missed the point, Buy it. Now!
I submit that on or about Sun, 21 Aug 2005 00:46:09 +0100, the person known to the court as chris French <newspost-c-...@familyfrench.co.uk> made a statement (<GjdpqZABD8BDN...@familyfrench.co.uk> in Your Honour's bundle) to the following effect:
>A local bike shop has had a Dawes Twocan kiddie back tandem for sale for >sometime (as in at least a couple of month).He had it earlier for 500 >quid plus, though said I could have it for GBP500) Noticed today that he >has it for gBP 400. Wanting to get rid of it guess before the winter.
You know you want it! Buy now before it's too late. Tandems are absolutely perfect for kids - you can have a proper grown-up bike ride (i.e. as far as a reasonable pub) without Tiny becoming exhausted.
Best of all, for things like school transport, they are much safer than small people wobbling around on their own bikes. They also learn road sense, because they see how you ride.
The Toucan is well thought-of, it's not a bad bike at all. Lack of drag brake is not an issue for a kiddieback, IMO - we had a dual childback triplet for a while and that needed one, the new tandem (a Bike Friday) has none and I've not yet felt the need. Even with a trailer you'll probably be OK.
In message <cbehg1pfg7g25mvauscc34ue4gt3hfk...@4ax.com>, "Just zis Guy, you know?" <u...@ftc.gov> writes
>I submit that on or about Sun, 21 Aug 2005 00:46:09 +0100, the person >known to the court as chris French <newspost-c-...@familyfrench.co.uk> >made a statement (<GjdpqZABD8BDN...@familyfrench.co.uk> in Your >Honour's bundle) to the following effect:
>>A local bike shop has had a Dawes Twocan kiddie back tandem for sale for >>sometime (as in at least a couple of month).He had it earlier for 500 >>quid plus, though said I could have it for GBP500) Noticed today that he >>has it for gBP 400. Wanting to get rid of it guess before the winter.
>You know you want it! Buy now before it's too late.
Well I may well be.
Discussion with the management have indicated in principle agreement to purchase.
Will of course find out that he sold it today......... -- Chris French
>In message <cbehg1pfg7g25mvauscc34ue4gt3hfk...@4ax.com>, "Just zis Guy, >you know?" <u...@ftc.gov> writes >>I submit that on or about Sun, 21 Aug 2005 00:46:09 +0100, the person >>known to the court as chris French <newspost-c-...@familyfrench.co.uk> >>made a statement (<GjdpqZABD8BDN...@familyfrench.co.uk> in Your >>Honour's bundle) to the following effect:
>>>A local bike shop has had a Dawes Twocan kiddie back tandem for sale for >>>sometime (as in at least a couple of month).He had it earlier for 500 >>>quid plus, though said I could have it for GBP500) Noticed today that he >>>has it for gBP 400. Wanting to get rid of it guess before the winter.
>>You know you want it! Buy now before it's too late.
>Well I may well be.
>Discussion with the management have indicated in principle agreement to >purchase.
>Will of course find out that he sold it today.........
Well he hadn't. So swift transaction was done and now we have another bike :-) (or will have when he delivers it to me next week) He has had it in stock since the beginning of the summer it seems so I guess he was glad to be shot of it. Didn't want to drop the price anymore, unsurprisingly, but did throw in and will fit for me some SKS mudguards, so I was happy with that (forgot to say about toe clips though)
We can't really afford it right now, still recovering for the house move. But it was just such a good deal. DD1 is going to love it when she see's it :-)
Exciting stuff, it's ages since I got new bike -- Chris French
chris French <newspost-c-...@familyfrench.co.uk>typed
> We can't really afford it right now, still recovering for the house > move. But it was just such a good deal. DD1 is going to love it when she > see's it :-)
Methinks DD1 will love it more than the Management ;-)
> Exciting stuff, it's ages since I got new bike
Yeah, lovely, isn't it?
Will you post pictures of DD1 on it on a website soon please?
-- Helen D. Vecht: helenve...@zetnet.co.uk Edgware.
In message <3130303037363935430F43B...@zetnet.co.uk>, Helen Deborah Vecht <helenve...@zetnet.co.uk> writes
>Will you post pictures of DD1 on it on a website soon please?
As soon as she is on she will be snapped:.
this is the child who when her sister came home from hospital after being born - her first words in response were, can I take a photo of her...... -- Chris French
chris French wrote: > In message <3130303037363935430F43B...@zetnet.co.uk>, Helen Deborah > Vecht <helenve...@zetnet.co.uk> writes
> >Will you post pictures of DD1 on it on a website soon please?
> As soon as she is on she will be snapped:.
> this is the child who when her sister came home from hospital after > being born - her first words in response were, can I take a photo of > her......
Having worked out how much it cost to build Igor (most of which was surreptitiously eased through the cracks in the household budget), just buying outright seems a good idea. She'll love it, and the management will approve, especially when you work out just how much it will save in fuel costs..
Of course we've already started modifying it. So I've replaced the standard stoker bars (same as front) with some old drops, mounted facing rearwards which seem more comfortable - shorter reach and not so wide. And fitted crank shorteners.
Needs some toe clips and bit more fiddling.
Mudguards aren't quite what I was expecting him to fit, but they will do for now (though fitted oddly - the front one needs a longer fork crown bracket to put them underneath the V brakes rather than over them as he has done, needs a rack as well.
DD1 loved it. We did a nice little 8 miles I guess, other than her feet coming off the pedals (clips needed) she was fine. Bike rode fine as well
May try out the trailer as well tomorrow, if I can find the bits to attached the Weber coupling
> Of course we've already started modifying it. So I've replaced the > standard stoker bars (same as front) with some old drops, mounted facing > rearwards which seem more comfortable - shorter reach and not so wide. > And fitted crank shorteners.
> Needs some toe clips and bit more fiddling.
I find toe clips to be very useful. Both the older kids are quite used to them now.
> DD1 loved it. We did a nice little 8 miles I guess, other than her feet > coming off the pedals (clips needed) she was fine. Bike rode fine as > well
See - told you so! Is the management happy?
> May try out the trailer as well tomorrow, if I can find the bits to > attached the Weber coupling
I'd get a new coupling for it, then you can use the trailer on both bikes.
In message <1125821828.771374.92...@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>, David Martin <martin-fam...@blueyonder.co.uk> writes
>chris French wrote:
>> Needs some toe clips and bit more fiddling.
>I find toe clips to be very useful. Both the older kids are quite used >to them now.
IO'm wondering if I need to find some smaller than small ones - she is only 4 1/2 .(kiddie size 10 -11 I guess)
>> DD1 loved it. We did a nice little 8 miles I guess, other than her feet >> coming off the pedals (clips needed) she was fine. Bike rode fine as >> well
>See - told you so! Is the management happy?
I think so.
>> May try out the trailer as well tomorrow, if I can find the bits to >> attached the Weber coupling
>I'd get a new coupling for it, then you can use the trailer on both >bikes.
I've got two already.
I'm removing one from the tourer which hasn't been used for ages, leaving one on the main towing bike -- Chris French
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