Tandem?

[SRS]

My partner is selling her CBF600 after xmas and planning to use the money on an e-tandem.

The idea being to take our 5 year old daughter to and from school. She currently uses her dutch e-bike with a small seat.

Daughter is getting a bit big now. I have been looking around for e-tandems and they seem to be few and far between.

Anybody have any suggestions or pointers?
It may be that we end up making one but our preference would be and off the shelf bike.

Preferably legal.

 

[Alan Quay]

How about a cargo bike? e.g. surly big dummy or:


http://whatabikecando.com/introducing-the-new-elmundo-electric-cargo-bike/

 

[SRS]

How about a cargo bike? e.g. surly big dummy or:


Introducing the new elMundo Electric Cargo Bike | What a Bicycle Can Do!

Thanks, would certainly do the job but she would just sit there. We are trying to encourage exercise, hence the tandem idea.

I use a tagalong off road with her and she pedals well. Mums not so keen with this on the roads due to the low level the kid is placed at. We figured a tandem sorts height and exercise in one hit.

 

[Alan Quay]

.....Or a kona Ute or:
http://www.juicedriders.com

 

[Alan Quay]

.....Or a kona Ute or:
http://www.juicedriders.com

(sorry, posts crossed)

 

[Kenny]

Don't think you'll be able to find any tandem with the stoker seat low enough for your 5 year old.

I've been using a Burley Piccolo for a few years. They fit from 4 - 10 years and are rock solid and stable.

Strangely they don't make them anymore but they come up on ebay now and again.

 

[SRS]

Don't think you'll be able to find any tandem with the stoker seat low enough for your 5 year old.

I've been using a Burley Piccolo for a few years. They fit from 4 - 10 years and are rock solid and stable.

Strangely they don't make them anymore but the come up on ebay now and again.

Kenny, thanks for the suggestion. We have looked at these. Burley still showing them on their website.

On her dutch bike it would mean mounting to the current rear rack and not burley's. Battery being incorporated within the rack means we could not swap.

It may come to this in the end but she would prefer a self contained bike.

I have seen a british made tandem that would take a 5yr old upwards. CIRCE HELIOS, sorry IPad does not add hyperlink for some reason.

Looks ideal but not electric. If I can't come up with an off the shelf e tandem then this one may be the answer. I am happy to add an electric kit, would pick the brains on this forum if I went this route..

 

[RobF]

I reckon a Bernds tandem will fit a five-year-old stoker - it has small wheels and lots of saddle height adjustment.

There is also an electric option, an Ansmann hub 'engine' on either front a rear.

What probably kills it is the price.

There a are more options than you can shake an e-stick at, but the basic bike is about £3.5K, and power adds another £2K.

Folding Tandem - BERNDS

 

[Alan Quay]

That Circe Helios is probably easy enough to electrify, and you'd get plenty of help from the guys here. 20 inch wheels, so the folding guys will have experience .

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi SRS,

Check out the eZee Expedir, it is the e-bike equivalent of an MPV which can carry cargo and passengers.
eZee Expedir Utility Bikes - electric bikes and conversion kits.

Wai Won Ching, the owner of eZee recently rode one across Australia and you can read about it here Perth to Sydney electric bicycle tour | Glowworm Bicycles - Electric Bicycles Sydney and a short review of the Expedir here Review of eZee Expedir electric cargo bike | Glowworm Bicycles - Electric Bicycles Sydney

WW Ching and daughter Noria on an Expedir GTS​

and again​

Expedir LTS with low stepthru frame​

 

[Cyclezee]

Below are some other bikes which might be of interest.

An eZee powered folding tandem with 20" wheels​

A customer converted Thorn tandem with an eZee kit.
​

The Yuba el Mundo in our winter sale for £1600​

A nice example of a customer's Surly Big Dummy with eZee conversion​

We have converted several tandems for customers including one of these Orbit Unicorn Kiddy Orbit Tandems for tall gentleman and his petite lady wife.

This model has these versatile rear crank arms that have 3 pedal positions which are ideal for the vertically challenged.

 

[jackhandy]

Some cracking bikes there, John - Partickly the little orange folder & the Big Dummy; but I'll always have fond memories of you & young James playing silly beggars on the Mundo

 

[Alan Quay]

.... Partickly.....

Hahaha! Made I laugh.

 

[SRS]

I reckon a Bernds tandem will fit a five-year-old stoker - it has small wheels and lots of saddle height adjustment.

There is also an electric option, an Ansmann hub 'engine' on either front a rear.

What probably kills it is the price.

There a are more options than you can shake an e-stick at, but the basic bike is about £3.5K, and power adds another £2K.

Folding Tandem - BERNDS

Looks great but price too much. Just cannot justify this sort of money. Well, I can but she cannot.

Lots of great feedback and suggestions.

Cargo bikes are out as the idea is that we can all pedal.

I like the idea of a small wheeled tandem. Folding would be a bonus as it would then fit across the back of of our campervan.

The above seems a tall order, off the shelf at a reasonable cost. Looks like I'll keep an eye out for something around £1k.

Once found, I'll be back to pick the brains of those who have small wheel bikes, hopefully to get some good advice on the motor and controller side of things.

 

[mountainsport]

I like the first top two especially the thorn which matches the well kept garden.

MS.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

It's probable easier and cheaper to buy a tandem and convert it. You'd need a fairly strong motor like the Ezee kit, or the Bafang CST or BPM from various Chinese suppliers like BMSBattery.
Here's one that Catsnapper did. It looks like a BPM motor.
http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/10348-fun-bikes-x2.html

 

[Cyclezee]

It's probable easier and cheaper to buy a tandem and convert it. You'd need a fairly strong motor like the Ezee kit, or the Bafang CST or BPM from various Chinese suppliers like BMSBattery.
Here's one that Catsnapper did. It looks like a BPM motor.
http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/10348-fun-bikes-x2.html

That Schwinn BMX is sitting in my garage

Alan did some really nice work and beautifully finished before departing for warmer climes

 

[Cyclezee]

I like the first top two especially the thorn which matches the well kept garden.

MS.

I think the top one is pretty unique...........until someone proves me wrong.

I have not seen another purpose built electric folding tandem. It is pretty much a special edition from eZee who like to like to produce something different every now and again.

They have a couple more interesting creations coming along next year.

The Thorn was converted by a customer in Norfolk, so I can't take any credit for it or the garden.

We have another customer who travels the world with his Co Motion tandem, he can't fly with it because of the battery so goes by sea.

Wish I had some decent photos of it, it breaks down to 3 sections for ease of transportation.

 

[RobF]

I think the top one is pretty unique...........until someone proves me wrong.

I have not seen another purpose built electric folding tandem.

Apart from the Bernds one I linked to earlier in the thread.

 

[Cyclezee]

Apart from the Bernds one I linked to earlier in the thread.

Noted Rob,

The Bernds has some nice touches, but it's rather expensive and they are charging €1700 (£1408) for the Ansmann front motor kit which we sell for £800