Cannondale RT2000
Cannondale is the name. Aluminum bikes made in the USA are the game. Cannondale has carved out more than a substantial niche by specializing in well-made aluminum bicycles. Pick your style, road or mountain, and Cannondale makes it in a range of prices. Cannondale is an innovative company known for utilizing new technology.
The RT 2000 road tandem we tested is a good example of why Cannodale has enjoyed so much success. This model is one of three tandems in Cannondale's line-up. The other two are mountain tandems.
Cannondale didn't throw together a road tandem just to have one in the catalog. It was designed from the ground up. It has a patented wedge-anchored eccentric that is pretty trick (check it out). The tubes are some of the largest on any of their bikes. In fact, the bottom tube, at more than 60mm in diameter, is not found on any other Cannondale.
According to Chris Petron, of Cannondale, "We see a lot of new interest in mountain tandems. But we don't want to leave out road tandems. We have gone out of our way to offer this special bike; there are quite a few items on this bike that we don't use on any of our other models."
The RT 2000 frameset is 6061-T6 oversized aluminum tubing. The tubes are huge. Oversize tubes are a Cannondale trademark, but these are massive.
The engineering behind large diameter tubing makes sense. As the diameter is increased the stiffness increases exponentially. The wall of the tubes can then be made thinner to save weight. Strength is not compromised by the thinner tubes and the result is a lightweight and stiff frame.
The welds are not especially pretty, but aside from slight pitting in some, they are fine. The alignment of the bike is adequate as well. The construction is a notch below custom, but it is good quality.
The chromoly fork is fairly beefy and it helped smooth out the ride. There is some deflection under braking load, but it is not enough to be detrimental.
The wine-grape purple paint job was beautifulŃbut that was last year's color. The new version of the RT 2000 comes with a brushed finish.
The RT 2000 has a performance-oriented mix of components that gives good value and keeps the price down. Sun CRT 16 40-hole wheels are nice, and the Hugi rear hub is excellent. The front hub is a Coda, which is CannondaleŐs brand.
Continental Top Touring tires complete the wheels. This is a very popular tire on single bikes. Some of the testers didnŐt like this tire on a tandem, saying that it was too mushy and this adversely affected handling. A tire with a stiffer sidewall and higher pressure rating would be a simple fix.
Sugino Fuse 500 cranks are solid performers, and the gearing with the 54-42-32 chainrings and 28-11 Hyperglide eight-speed cassette is made for speed. ItŐs a bit on the tall side if you tour, but on the flats and downhills, this moves.
Shimano bar-end shifters worked just great with a Shimano LX front and an XT rear derailleur. This is an example of shaving some dollars without any sacrifice of performance. Coda cantilever brakes are just adequate. This should be your first upgrade part. They are not dangerous, but they really have to be set up perfectly to get this tandem stopped. Here the money saving trick didnŐt fool anyone.
Steering is handled by an Aheadset, a Coda chromoly stem and Coda 100 drop bar for the captain. The stoker gets the same bar with an adjustable Control Tech stem. Kalloy aluminum posts are capped with Vetta Tri-shock saddles.
This tandem is a thoroughbredŃit is fast and spirited. It will have you whizzing up hills you used to grind up. It will take everything you dish out. Standing out of the saddle and hammering, it doesnŐt weave or wiggle at all. And is it light!
You pay for those last compliments with comfort. Not comfort of position, which is excellent, but with road shock. This stiff frame won't flex to save its life when you're standing and it won't absorb even the tiniest pebble or seam in the asphalt. And that is with the soft tires...
Don't let that scare you. One of the test teams loved this bike so much they wouldn't trade it for the Santana for anything. Especially the $1600 price difference. This is a high performance machine. It is built more for speed than comfort. To each his or her own. If you are used to riding an aluminum bicycle, this will be no problem. It takes a bit of getting used to if you haven't spent much time on a super-stiff bike.
Most of the test teams liked the very roomy accomodations and the stokers seemed to like their quarters even without a suspension post.
A couple days screaming around the hills will make you forget any road shock. The light, responsive feeling this tandem has is infectious. Put on some new tires and you'll have a ball.
If you are looking for a lightweight, high-performance road tandem, check this one out. The theme is value and performance. The overall construction is good. The comfort issue is subjective. Give it a try, you get a lot for your money.
MANUFACTURER: Cannondale MODEL: RT 2000 PRICE AS TESTED: $2384.99 SIZES AVAILABLE: 21 in x 19 in, 23 x 19, 25 x 21, 25 x 23 SIZE TESTED: 23in.x 19in. STAND-OVER HEIGHT: 31 3/4in. F, 28 1/2in. R TOTAL WEIGHT: 37 3/4 lbs. FRAME MATERIAL: 6061-T6 Aluminum FORK: Chromoly WHEELS: Sun CRT 16 700c, 40- hole, Coda front hub, Hugi rear. TIRES: Continental Top Touring 28 1/4 X 1 1/4 DRIVETRAIN: Shimano LX front derailleur, XT rear; Shimano Hyperglide 28-11 cassette; Shimano bar end shifters; Sugino Fuse 500 cranks, 54-42-32. BRAKESET: Dia-Compe BRS 400 levers, Coda cantilevers. HEADSET: Dia-Compe Aheadset HANDLEBARS: Coda 100R STEMS: Coda chromoly front, Control Tech chromoly adjustable stoker SEATPOSTS: Kalloy 300mm x 27.2mm F/R SADDLES: Vetta Tri Shock PEDALS: N/A TUBE DIAMETERS TOP TUBE: 41.5mm LATERAL: 51mm BOTTOM TUBE: 60.5mm FRAME GEOMETRY FRONT TOP TUBE LENGTH: 22in. REAR TOP TUBE LENGTH: 28in. FRONT SEAT TUBE (CT): 22 1/4in. REAR SEAT TUBE (CT): 19 1/8in. BOTTOM TUBE (CC): 28 1/4in. FRONT BB HEIGHT: 11 3/8in. REAR BB HEIGHT: 11 3/8in. WHEELBASE: 69 1/4in. FRONT CENTER: 24 1/2in. CHAIN STAYS: 17in. HEAD ANGLE: 73 deg. FRONT SEAT ANGLE: 73 deg. REAR SEAT ANGLE: 73 deg. ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: five bottle bosses, rack and fender braze-ons MECHANICS NOTES: Pitted welds, rear brake caliper came with bad threads and had to be helicoiled. OTHER INFO: Nearly hidden warning sticker.
"Strengths: Strong, light, stiff, energy efficient frame. Good value.
Weakness: Cannondale Service (an oxymoron) - may you never have a problem
Other Products Tried: Santana, Ritchey, Gitane, plus various other steel tandems
After 10 seasons on a Santana Arriva, which at the time was a huge improvement over the previous Gitane, we decided it was time for a new tandem. Cannondale was chosen for its stiff light frame and reasonable price tag. Our local store in St. Catharines that handles Cannondale is also excellent.
Stepping from the Santana to the Cannondale RT3000 was like stepping from a mini-van to a sports car. The approximately 10 pounds lighter weight and a frame that could not be flexed made the bike feel more like a single. Acceleration was instant. Climbing was actually looked forward to. There was no front derailleur rub when standing and hammering. Cornering was rock solid. All these attributes could be traced back to a frame that was rock solid. The sway (feels like a hinge in the middle of the frame) did not exist when stoker and captain got out of sync.
On the Santana we would both have to stand or sit. All movements had to be done together or the frame movement would be unnerving for my stoker. Now one of us can stand while the other remains seated, a good test of frame rigidity. We love this bike.
MISCELLANEOUS AND MINOR POINTS
There is no comparison on components as gears, STI shifting, brakes, etc. have greatly improved over the decade. Bottle placement is not quite as good as on the Santana due to the larger frame tubes taking up more room. I prefer the Santana method of adjusting the timing chain. Mounting a rear rack on our L/S size was a challenge, but once figured out, no problem. I don't like the ugly mounting on the frame for a rear disc brake. The quality of the hubs are not quite up to the Santana's hubs in finish and smooth bearing feel (more on this later). The Coda seats are terrible (change them). The cable for the rear brake has not been set up correctly on all the Cannondale tandems I have seen in stores and on the road. (If your rear brake lever can be squeezed all the way to the handlebar, yours is probably not right.) Nobody seems to read the description for set up in the manual. With a rigid rear seatpost the stoker gets abused by the stiff frame making a suspension post a necessity (read on).
WHY I GIVE CANNNONDALE SERVICE A 1 OUT OF 5 RATING:
Our RT3000 came with a rigid rear seatpost (instead of suspension) and Shimano LX hubs (RT1000) instead of Hugi or Edco (as listed for the RT3000). When I corresponded with Cannondale (via email) before making my purchase I would get a reply the next day. When I asked why the above substitutions were made and wrote several times, there was no reply. After one month of trying I telephoned Cannondale. I received a reply that day stating that the substitutions were made due to problems Cannondale was having with suppliers. In order to meet their commitments and keep their cash flow going, they substituted the lesser parts and I should go through my local store and Cannondale representative if I didn't like it. They confirmed that there was no price adjustment.
Another month of pursuing the issue through my local store only made the Cannondale representative not visit the store or return any calls, etc. The store telephoned Cannondale to get the representative to respond. His response was the "Polite F.O." Cannondale has the right to make substitutions.
Next I wrote Ms. Kay Reynolds, Head of Customer Service and never received an answer. After giving her two weeks I wrote Mr. Joe Montgomery, CEO, founder, President, and Chief of Cannondale Corporation, giving him a one page documentation with dates and people contacted for all my correspondence, calls, responses and lack of responses. Approximately one week later I received a personal telephone call from Cannondale profusely apologizing for my treatment. A new suspension seatpost was being sent immediately, but the hubs, sorry, the Shimano LX hubs were considered to be as good (finish and feel notwithstanding). I accepted knowing that I was at the end of the line.
Another point. My friend was told that the CAAD4 frame has a lifetime warranty when he was shopping for a new bike. My Cannondale book, received with my tandem puts it at 2 years. With my experience, where does that leave a customer with a problem?
FINAL NOTE:
The Cannondale tandem is one of the best tandems you can purchase at any price. I give it a full 5 out of 5 stars. My experience with Cannondale makes me worry about the fight I would have if I ever had a warranty claim. I give them 1/5 since I finally got a response, but had to go to the top to get it. Therefore the final rating is (5+1)/2 = 3 stars.
There is a lot of competition out there. I doubt if I would purchase a Cannondale mountain or road bike due what I perceive Cannondale's apparent policy is towards Customers.
AN EXAMPLE OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE:
In 1998 I purchased a set of light weight Crane Creek wheels for my mountain bike. That was the year that Cane Creek had a problem with the rims getting to the public with too thin a cross section in the spoke region. My whole rear wheel was replaced near the end of the season when cracking appeared around the spokes - no questions asked. I switched to my old wheels for winter riding. The second replacement Cane Creek wheel started cracking after a month of use in the Spring. The rim was again replaced without question. I was surfing the Net one day when I logged on to the Cane Creek Web Site. On their Web page they said they were interested in feedback, so I told them my story. I said that my treatment had been commendable, but I had concerns about the toughness of their wheels. (I had been running on my latest rim for several months without problems and was basically sastified.) Cane Creek immediately asked for my mailing address and sent me a new 1999 rear wheel on the condition that I return my present wheel after receiving the new rear wheel. THIS WAS WAY BEYOND ANY EXPECTATIONS AND THEREFORE I LOVE TO TELL THIS STORY. I have also purchased a Cane Creek headset.
"
- Lee Norton
- peilee@vaxxine.com
Sun Jan 2 22:56:25 PST 2000
"Have a '98 23/21 RT 1000. With the help of an outstanding bike shop, Brick Wheels (and salesman-Shane), was able to upgrade weak links in original spec's. of bike. Of course XT V-brakes with QBP Travel Agents (get the model with the barrrel adjust), full 9 speed Ultegra STI, Flight Deck computer, Conti. 3000 tires (700c x 28c at 120+psi), and a few other minor changes over time. (Probably the best addition to the braking system was the Gore Ride On Cables-can now lock up rear tire at 20mph). The shop gave credit for the original (never installed) parts and added the price difference on to total. All said and done, the package was less than $2400. A lot of bang for the buck, since an Aluminun Santana with the same component level was about $2000 more! The tires may be reduced to 25c this year (results of online tire surveys), since we get about 1500-2000 miles from a set (rotated front to back and directionally ever 500 miles).
Problems-1.Blew apart the Hugi rear hub (star ratchet instead of pawl engagement system). Cannondale replaced rear wheel with Shimano tandem, no cost, no problems in over 2000 miles. 2.A flat tire due to worn tire. 3.Replace chain every 1000-1500 miles, as preventative measure and to keep shifting tight.
Also have added an old UNI style disc cover on rear wheel. No problems in crosswinds of 20 mph. Feels like it's on rails.
Again, a lot of bang for the buck. Other aluminum tandems may have some higher end components, and customized items, but for that $2000 you can get dialed in and still be a lot of money ahead.
"
- Robert P. Egan
- rpegan@yahoo.com
Tue Jan 18 23:40:31 PST 2000
"We own a 98 rt1000 and rigged it for time trials. Inever used the original tires: Conti 23's work flawlessly for racing/cornering conditions @300 pounds combined weight. Replaced drop bars for bullhorns w/bar-end shifters left in place. This is a great way to keep my hands on the bars while shifting in group rides.We also upgraded the cranks and bb with Race Face:after initial creaking they worked great.
"
- j.rich
Sun Feb 6 18:32:02 PST 2000
"Hi
My 11 year old son and I have been riding a Trek T50 tandom. We just bought a RT1000. Our combined weight is around 360lbs. We have been known to break spokes I was wondering about going to a 48 spoke wheel verus a 40 spoke. We Ride across Iowa ever year are the brakes really that bad.
I would love to hear from some of you.
"
- Rick
- track@willinet.net
Mon Feb 14 22:19:44 PST 2000
"We purchased our 2000 RT3000 6 months ago, and being our first tandem have really enjoyed the rides esp the speeds. However, we have broken (in total) 2 front spokes and 9 rear spokes. Our local dealer has been great in trying to remedy the problem. First, they simply replaced the first set of broken spokes (1 front/1 rear). Then they respoked to a thicker gauge. This fixed the problem of the front spokes but alias not the rear. Again they respoked the back the wheel to an even thicker gauge. They (dealer) feels that the problem may be with the hubs (edco Tandem disc 40 holes) Our combined weight is only 142Kgs or 310lbs so this should not be a problem. Apart from the spokes, the bike has its orginal specs: (Tires IRC tandem, 700*33c Rims mavic T519, 40 hole and edco Tan disc hubs. The orginal spokes were the black DT champion Stainless steel 14g ). I would appreciate feedback to our problem.
-Flying Kiwi New Zealand-
"
- Jared Ratana
- Ratana@inspire.net.nz
Wed Sep 27 06:56:32 PDT 2000
"My fiance and I just purchased an RT2000. Surprisingly enough she did not find the ride any harsher than any of the steel tandems we test rode, including the Santanas. It was the only road style tandem she was comfortable on. I was impressed by the precise handling of the bike. The brakes do leave a bit to be desired and I'll have to change to a lower granny ring for mountain riding but overall we felt it was the best value for the money we had to spend.
-George Rowland
"
- George Rowland
- growland@rmi.net
Mon Sep 23 17:48:17 PDT 1996
"We inherited the mountain bike version of this tandem about 1 year ago and converted it to road use. When I ran into problems with converting the gears and replacing the brakes, Cannondale was of no help. Oddly enough, Santana was more than happy to supply me with the custom parts and expertise I needed. However, now that we have made the modifications, this bike is fast and handles well.
PS: 26" wheels are wonderful for road tandem use, but I have not yet found tires I really like. Any suggestions?
"
- Chris Hatch
- beth_chris@msn.com
Thu Sep 26 21:34:27 PDT 1996
"Great bike. Brakes had to be upgraded.
"
- Mike & Sandy Fox
- foxes@foothill.net
Mon Oct 14 17:38:18 PDT 1996
"BEST BIKE I EVER BOUGHT, THE WIFE AND I ARE AT LAST ONE .
MIKE & RITA
"
- MIKE
- RIMIKI@AOL
Wed Oct 23 23:11:45 PDT 1996
"We bought one this summer. The flat black version is quite a "stealth." The ride cushion is just fine with the, now, standard stoker shock post. The brakes can be imporved quite satisfactorily by just replacing the brake pads with Ritchey's. Very fast accelerating bike! Good riding!
"
- Bill Wylie
- TiSpoke@aol.com
Thu Oct 31 20:00:57 PST 1996
"A magnificently constructed bike!!! Superb handibility!!
I love this bike.
SINGAPORE
"
- wayne
- net@hjk
Mon Nov 25 23:51:57 PST 1996
"Best tandem on the road"period" Prior owner of a (Rodreguez)just now realizing
now realizing that real tandems don't flex.
"
- Tom Shriey
- simple@tc-net.com
Wed Nov 27 11:20:58 PST 1996
"First tandem we have owned. We both love it. This bike is as stiff as my Cannondale road bike.
Great speed on the flats (30-35 mph) with a little effort and can cruise all day at 20 mph.
Jenny and I are both big people (over 400 lbs total) and the bike still performs like a champ.
The long climbs are really a drag but the downhills (I start breaking at 55mph) are a blast.
Due to our size and strength, we stripped out two rear hubs but Cannondale was 100% cooperative and
solved the problem. The tires leave much to be desired. I run the Conti's at 110 lbs and they are fine on the
flat but tend to roll on tight turns. I would like a more secure feeling tire. Any suggestions?
I also replaced the bar end shifters and rear derailleur with Campy components. This has worked out very well.
I just don't like taking my hands off the bar to shift. The bike draws a lot of attention. Seems the oversized
tubes are a novelty. One last thing. When you get a tandem, you become very popular on long group rides. Everyone
but the fastest riders will draft you.
"
- Lee & Jenny Horning
- poohbaah@aol.com
Wed Dec 4 06:56:58 PST 1996
"The Cannondale is our second tandem. We don't know why the C'Dale got a reputation for a harsh ride since with the standard stoker shock post the ride is great. We changed the brake pads and adjusted the cables and it stops very well with good control. Changed the bar ends for the Sachs shifter/brake combo. After re-spacing the gears on the rear cluster it shifts beautifully. Rides more like a single than a tandem.
"
- Tom Spohn
- tspo@aol.com
Sat Dec 7 14:56:08 PST 1996
"We bought our C'dale road tandem 7 years ago, before Cannondale had complete bikes. This was great because I wanted to custom-build a tandem for speed and boy did it work! A suspension post should be on the back of every tandem, just because the rear rider cannot see the road, warnings or not. I've geared the bike with a 60-48-32 triple up front & a 12-28 rear. Phil Woods BB's hold it together & I use 42t timing rings. This is a smooth, silent, durable combo. Much to all the "expert's" shagrin, standard 36 hole Deore XT (the old black ones) hubs front & rear were used and have performed perfectly. (zero rebuilds!) Tires? You won't believe this, but Continental Grand Prix 700/23's with wire beads are Awesome! (Zero flats or failures, ever!!!) At this past summer's MTR in Appleton, Ws, I could not believe all the flat tires. Crazy. The Grand Prix is a very supple riding tire even at 120 lbs. of pressure and wears like iron, It is the perfect road tire. (I've tried 'em all, too!) The Cannondale frame is one of the best riding frames available. It carves turns, brakes well, incredibly stable at high downhill speeds and has none of the frame deflection of most long bikes. It is a lousy handeling bike at slow speed, (under 10 mph) though. If you are contemplating a slow cruiser, I suggest looking at a "mtn. style" tandem with geometry more suited to slower speeds. But, if you want ot really cover the real estate in a hurry, look no further, you'll have a ball and will never regret purchasing a Canondale tandem.
"
- John & Katherine Williams
- jrwpix@ptway.com
Sun Dec 8 12:20:01 PST 1996
"We got our Tandem the first of the year (96) and began ridding together for the first time in years. We tested several models but fell in love with the bike and the ride. We are still slow in going up hill but it is the fault of the engine and not the bike. This is our fourth Canondale to date. Three singles and our Tandem we call the Beast. Yes you have to get used to the tubes but once you do all of the other tandems look skinny!
"
- Bruce & Elaine
- bbetker@apci.net
Fri Dec 27 08:53:26 PST 1996
"My wife Claire and I have been riding our tandem for 6 years now and have enjoyed everymoment of it. Although we are very satisfied with our 6 year old Burley Duet, we were looking at the Cannondale RT 2000. We would be interested in hearing from some of you that have experienced and compared both these Tandem.
PS. I am taking early retirement in April and we will be riding for the following 6 months in the Calgary, Seattle and want to ride the coast to Southern California.We normally do most of our riding in the Ottawa,Ont. Canada area where we reside. We would love to hear from Tamdem enthusiasts in these areas.
"
- Michel Séguin
- mseguin@idrc.ca
Fri Jan 17 10:36:34 PST 1997
"We bought our Cannondale used from a dealer who used it for a rental. It has had a lot of wear and tear, scratches etc. My guess is that it has well over 10K miles on it. We've put on over 5K with a mixture of flatland and mountain rides. We have tried various tires and are now using Continental Top Touring tires @ 110psi. Their noticeably very squishy if inflated at less than 100psi especially in hard cornering. They are also quite heavy when compared to other tires. Their extra mass does make acceleration on this bike seem more sluggish than with other tires. Overall, the bike is really fast, stiff, stable and a real thrill on fast long downhills. We have only had to replace a rear wheel and freewheel. We recently got a Tamer seat post that should help ease the bumps for my stoker.
"
- Bob & Sue George
- rdgeorge@verinet.com
Thu Jan 30 18:27:33 PST 1997
"This is our first tandem. As a single rider of cannondales,
I find the tandem to be a lot smoother then my single.
My single 2.8 frame is harsh on long distant rides. My wife has found
the stokers ride very comfy with a coda suspension post. I actually like riding our tandem better then our singles
"
- Warren Schumann
- wschu@concentric.net
Sat Feb 1 21:03:22 PST 1997
""This is our first tandem,we love it. We are running on the tires that came with the bike and want to upgrade. Any suggestions."
The top touring Cont. are to squishy.
"
- Mike Larson
- Sunny@Net.INS
Tue Feb 11 18:43:29 PST 1997
"My wife and I have recently purchase the RT 2000 as our first tandem. We too feel that the tires leave much to be desired. Any suggestion for possible upgrades would be greatly appreciated.
"
- Chris White
- v968@rex.re.uokhsc.edu
Tue Feb 25 19:59:00 PST 1997
"Bought the RT2000 new in Sep 96. Had to upgrade the brakes. Have replaced the stoker seatpost twice due to defect in manufacturing. Very stiff. Overall good for the money.
"
- Moni & Jerry
- moni@fullnet.net
Sat Mar 8 09:40:28 PST 1997
"Hi,
Was curious if anyone does any tandem riding with a child on back?
Never rode a tandem and thought it might be a good way for a child
to keep up. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
KH
"
- Kayla Hanocka
- Kiryat8@ix.netcom
Sat Mar 8 20:15:19 PST 1997
"Ich fahre das RT2000 seit 5 Jahren.Jetzt bin ich zufrieden.
Die Bremsen habe ich gegen MAGURA HS22 getauscht--spitze!!.
Die ARAI Trommelbremse ist nur ein Notbehelf ,es fehlt auch
der Baudenzuggegenhalter.Mit der schlechten Lackierung habe
ich mich abgefunden.Kettenuebersetzung ist54,42,28--12,34 mit
Suntours;gibt es bessere front/rear deailleurs ? Ich wuensche
mir Disk brakes & frontsuspentionsfork oder gibt es die schon?!
"
- Werner Wietzker
- wwietzker@t-online.de
Mon Mar 24 13:50:38 PST 1997
"MY WIFE AND I REALLY ENJOY OUR CANN TANDEM WHICH WE PURCHASED IN
1994 AND TODAY WE JUST ABOUT RIDE THE TANDEM EVRY OPPURTUNITY WE
GET. NOT SO GGOD FOR THE FITNESS AS IN SA THE MIXED TANDEMS ARE
RELATIVELY COMPETITIVE WHEN IT COMES TO RACING. TIMES RECORDED
ARE 2H50MIN FOR 105 KM ARGUS CYCLE TOUR.
AS FOR THE RIDE IT IS JUST GREAT AND I FEEL IT IS VERY SECURE AT
HIGH SPEED. GREAT BIKE AND VALUE FOR MONEY , ESPECIALLY IN SA!
"
- JAN HAVENGA
- havenga@hotmail.com
Tue Mar 25 10:41:06 PST 1997
" Just purchased a new RT2000 this spring and boy what a thrill! This big bike just eats up the road! The solid handling and stiff frame are just superb. I'm sure my wife and I are going to have many mile of fun out of this beautiful machine.
"
- Les Lasater
- LJLasater@worldnet.att.net
Tue Mar 25 17:37:33 PST 1997
"We love the new road tandem. It is the best handling tandem we have found. If your stoker is short the C'dale shockpost woorks poorly...when you clamp high on the post it developes stiction. No other complaints.
"
- John Scheub
- stimpy@capecod.net
Sun Apr 6 04:09:18 PDT 1997
"We bought our C'dale in '94 with a much different groupo but have enjoyed it immensly. We made the decision to buy the bike based on no wiggle when jamming. Compared to the Santana's, Burleys, and a couple of others this bike felt fast, light, and much more sure footed. I love high speed (55+) descents on this bike and it corners with glee. I still haven't reached Nirvana in the braking department, but I have a hankering for new parts.
"
- Randy McCall
- redrandy@aol.com
Tue Apr 22 19:27:25 PDT 1997
"We bought our C'dale in '94 with a much different groupo but have enjoyed it immensly. We made the decision to buy the bike based on no wiggle when jamming. Compared to the Santana's, Burleys, and a couple of others this bike felt fast, light, and much more sure footed. I love high speed (55+) descents on this bike and it corners with glee. I still haven't reached Nirvana in the braking department, but I have a hankering for new parts.
"
- Randy McCall
- redrandy@aol.com
Tue Apr 22 19:27:40 PDT 1997
"I recently purchased a cannondale road tandem equipped with the
Pederson SE brakes. I love the bike but the breaks leave a lot
to be desired. I've changed the bar end shifters to STI and
would like a brake system that will work with those levers. Will
the new V brakes work? Also, does anyone know if there is a
child stoker kit available for this type of tandem? Any
suggestions? Thanks.
"
- Steven Jackson
- HMRHED6707@aol.com
Sun May 4 04:54:54 PDT 1997
"Our first tandem was a Trek T-100. We recently bought a 97 model RT2000. The brakes are LX and seem to work fine. The conti tires flexed too much so I went to an Avocet cross tire which is what I used on the T100. They work very well. Since I have a back problem, we had the bike shop convert to upright handlebars with Sach shifters and Avid brake levers. This works out very well for us. We are very happy with our new tandem.
"
- Rich Moore
- Supertick@cyberhouse.org
Tue May 13 13:40:40 PDT 1997
"Purchased the '92 version of this tandem in '94 from a shop in the Washington D.C. area that had no interest in selling tandems. It is set up with Suntour XC Pro shifters and brakes and GripShift Barcons, which initially scared me but have been flawless. Gearing is 28-44-54 up front and 13-30 in back, and we run out of gear all the time. Because our frame is the 21-19 size, my boys have been able to ride stoker with no modifications since they were 7 or eight years old, a real plus. The bike came with Michelin Hi-Lite tires (folding), which I had replaced before it went out of the shop with Conti Top Touring 35's. Yes, you do have to pump them to at least 100 lbs. or they are squishy and very unpredictable in the smallest road surface irregularities. Our wheels are 48 spoke Sun rims with the Sansin wide flange hubs, and are silky smooth. We've broken only 1 spoke, and our combined weight is 340 lbs. I am a very strong 5500 mi. per year road rider, so breaking things and wearing them out is a way of life. Ride is a bit harsh for the stoker, as we still have a conventional rear seatpost, but this is a FAST bike! Generally, I have had good experience with Cannondale. Toured the entire Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway in June '96, loaded with tent and camping (and cooking) gear on a T 700 (not the tandem; a single bike) and wouldn't go down those 45 mph descents loaded with a 190 pound rider and 35 pounds of gear with anything else. If you're not afraid of hills, that is a great ride BEFORE SCHOOL IS OUT! I did it in 7 days (600 miles) but would suggest at least an extra 2 days.
We do love our Cannondale tandem. Only problem is findinf time to put more miles on it, and we would also have to add some type of drum brake if we were doing lots of mountain riding.
"
- John&Debbie
- jbfam@erols.com
Mon May 26 03:46:56 PDT 1997
"My wife and I just purchased our first tandem, and we couldn't have made a better decision than the C'dale RT-2000. I've made some changes and this bike is a virtual rocket!
The first change I made was the brakes. (upgrade as soon as you can!) I replaced them with Avid 1D 20's. When used with V-dapters, you can "lock up" the back wheel if needed. I also replace the bar-end shifters with Sach's Ergo, which drive a new Sach's rear derailleur.
The standard wheels I replaced with black Aerospoke 700c, which I mounted "Conti" Grand Prix"s
The bike is the flat black RTmodel and along with the black Aerospoke wheels - this bike looks fast standing still!
"
- Scott Cook
- indescott@gbonline.com
Fri May 30 19:02:29 PDT 1997
"A Cannondale Mountain Tandem left us in the dust on a recent ride, we thought the riders were in better shape than we were, but after reading the reviews, we feel better. it passed us and we never saw it again :-), even though we had our tandem up to 44 to 48 mph at times.
"
- Daniel & Brenda Moore
- Mtntandem@aol.com
Sun Jun 8 14:03:32 PDT 1997
"A Cannondale Mountain Tandem left us in the dust on a recent ride, we thought the riders were in better shape than we were, but after reading the reviews, we feel better. it passed us and we never saw it again :-), even though we had our tandem up to 44 to 48 mph at times.
"
- Daniel & Brenda Moore
- Mtntandem@aol.com
Sun Jun 8 14:10:53 PDT 1997
"I just bought my fist Cannondale. I fell in love the moment I saw it.
It is in excellent shape at three yaers old with less than 100 miles.
The price was great and it is equiped with clip type pedals, gel seats,
rear rack with pouch.
Reports on ride to follow.
"
- Richard & Lisa Sagredo
- sagredo@worldnet.att.net
Wed Jun 11 15:28:47 PDT 1997
"What a great tandem! We just completed our first "big" ride -- the Biking Across Kansas event -- and the bike was an absolute delight. It is solid and responsive. No regrets about this purchase!
"
- Ken & Natalie Stavrevsky
- frski@ix.netcom.com
Thu Jun 19 23:23:28 PDT 1997
"I installed Magura Hydraulics brakes on our 1991 Road Tandem and
no more brake problems.The installation was simple for a first
time installation.
Ed Rios
Columbus, Ohio Next to Dublin Home of MTR 97
"
- Ed Rios
- kp4akb@amsat.org
Wed Jun 25 17:57:35 PDT 1997
"
do dupy ta maszyna he he
"
- Kamil Magnowski
Fri Jul 4 03:24:41 PDT 1997
Wed Jan 14 01:15:30 PST 1998
Wed Mar 25 05:28:06 PST 1998
Post your own feedback in the form below. If you are having trouble or have any suggestions for this services, please send them to editor@tandemmag.com
.
"We had problems with 2 spokes breaking on the rear wheel. They were 15 gauge. Had the wheel (under warranty) rebuilt with 14 gauge spokes. Three other owners of C'dale in OKC with the Coda rear hub wheels have had to have warranty replacements. The rear Coda hub has worked fine for us (so far), but was inadequate to the task for three other owners who bought their bikes contemporaneous with us. Watch it!!
- Bill Wylie
- tispoke@aol.com
Sat Jul 12 13:20:08 PDT 1997
"My wife and I just bought a new 1997 RT2000 a week ago. This is our first tandem. We are going to shake it out in the hills tommorow to see how it will do. We both love the bike. The ride is very comfortable for both of us.
Any suggestions for fast tires for a couple that weigh in at 275lbs. total.
"- Chip Young
- chipyoung@ij.net
Sat Aug 16 12:21:45 PDT 1997
"We bought our Cannondale in '92 (second tandem) and the very first ride we went on had to replace the gel saddles with our old favorites, Brooks B72 and B66. The second replacement was the Peterson SE brakes which failed during some rough rainy riding. We've also replace both wheels with Phil Wood hubs and Weinmann rims. After all that, we've had great riding (about 4000 miles a year) and have been doing loaded touring of 300+ mile trips. We also rode the tandem from Seattle to St. Paul MN this last summer almost without incident. We broke a Phil Wood hub when forced off the road in Missoula Montana. Other than that we enjoy the stiffness of the frame when climbing hills. Fran has a Brooks B66S saddle which has coil springs on it and that has successfully countered most road shock. When we hit the pothole in Missoula, we both felt it when we hit. We have had many compliments on the bike and really enjoy it
"- Tom Ostertag
- tostertag@tcilink.com
Wed Sep 17 09:12:00 PDT 1997
"I am looking for a suitable tire replacement for the cont touring tires. I use the tandem for centuries.
"- Joe Louis
- jloui1512@aol.com
Mon Dec 22 14:57:47 PST 1997
"I recently completed some parts swaps on my 94 road tandem and except for the poor resale value on Cannondale's that I see I am pleased as can be. I threw away the Scott Peterson self de-energizers and put some XTR V brakes with travel agents to make them work better, Campy ergo levers and rear derailluer (I left the original Suntour XC front with its longer cage - it handles the 28T granny). I also have the Arai drum brake which is now hooked up with the rear V brake via another chi-chi whose name I forget. It took a while to set up correctly but works great now and we are looking forward to a great season of rippin' downhills and twisting roads of N. Cal. 8000' days last year, more power this season. As for other peoples tire woes, Conti GrandPrix's rule, but they cut before they wear out and are way pricey in the folding versions. The super sport ultras in 700x23C feel great and are a lot cheaper. For training in bad roads and other road detritus try the Specialized Armadillo's in 700x26C- they don't handle near as nice as the Conti's but the kevlar belt gives you a nice feeling of invincibility (sort of).
"- Randy McCall
- redrandy@aol.com
Fri Dec 26 22:03:04 PST 1997
"
""Yup,
Specialized Armadillo's 700x26C... bulletproof. We've broken 60 mph several times with these baby's and only got 1 snakebite when my stoker failed to jump the rear over a Cattle-Grate at about 55 mph.
"- BBell
- BBELL33@AOL.com
Mon Jan 19 10:28:46 PST 1998
"Well, I wanted one and now that I have one my wife doesn't like it. Since she's vested for half my retirement, I'm going to part with my Cannondale.
I have a 97 RT2000. We ended up changing the drops for straight hybrid type handlebars. The brakes definitely wouldn't stop us, so I installed shimano XT V brakes. We be stopping now. Anyway, ridden very little and used more as a wall ornament. I'm in Stuttgart, Germany, $1700 takes it
Mark
"- Mark Power
- 101562,3433
Sun Feb 8 01:46:48 PST 1998
"Hi Mark, I'm very much interessted in your RT 2000.
Please contact me.
"- Volker List
- volker.list@gecits-eu.com
Thu Feb 12 01:57:02 PST 1998
"
"- rob
Mon Feb 16 05:49:38 PST 1998
"
"- rob
- bo1066
Mon Feb 16 05:51:10 PST 1998
"
"- rob
- bo1066
Mon Feb 16 05:51:13 PST 1998
"My wife and I are thinking of buying a Cannondale RT1000. My one reservation is the fact that a suspension seatpost seems to be almost obligatory from what I've read. Because my wife is fairly short, I would like to know what the distance is from the centre of the stoker bottom bracket to the top of the seat when the tandem frame is 23/19 (or 21/19) and fitted with the CODA suspension post when the post is inserted as far down as possible. Any help would be really appreciated. Thanks.
"- Chris Henkens
- henky2@cobweb.com.au
Tue Mar 3 05:15:26 PST 1998
"Just bought my RT2000 late last summer. At first we were a
little slow and as result caught a little ribbing from my group.
Well, after a little practice and change of tires
(Performance Kevlar belted 700x28), our group now has voted on
a 27mph speed limit on the winding back road sections. Otherwise
we open it up on the straight and flat sections. This is where
the half bikes tuck in and HANG on. Had some minor adjustments
to get the shifting to work smoothly but its getting real close
to where I want it. Now I can drag any one of my family along
for a ride and they realize the "old man" can get them up those
hill without going into anerobic arrest. Email me if anyone is
interested in riding with us.
LOVE THIS BIKE...
John Cosgrove
Quakertown, PA
ride and they realize the "old man" will get them up those hill
"- John Cosgrove
- jcossy@fast.net
Wed Mar 11 18:37:56 PST 1998
"I'll have to agree with John C, after a little time my wife and I are now shocking the half-bike riders as we stand up and motor over the rolling hills and cruise the flats. However, I would suggest swapping the Conti's for the Specialized Armadillos and when (or if) the RX100 front derailleur gets loose and doesn't shift well upgrading to the 105 triple -- it's a real improvement and can shift easily over the 54/48/28 we use here in the hills of Idaho.
"- Bill Smith
- smitwil1@isu.edu
Thu Mar 12 10:33:52 PST 1998
"I got broken into tandems by a buddy of mine in 1982 on a Santanna Sovereign. My wife and I bought a C'dale June of '97: we almost didn't buy the bike as we had decided that we like our independence while riding too much to give up. I knew that we were cutting the check, however, when I heard her say from the backsomething about being able to see things she couldn't see before while on her single. This is nothing like a steel tandem. Stiff and solid, and it goes like a train without any sign of weave. I swapped the stock inner chainring for a 28 tooth ring which takes some of the sting out of the hills. C'dale needs to pay attention to the brakes they spec; stopping the two of us is a real handful. A disk or drum in addition to the cantilevers should be standard equipment on ANY tandem. Otherwise, no complaints; my wife and I wouldn't wait so long to get a tandem now that we know what it's all about.
"- Ted Smith
- ttsmithaia@worldnet.att.net
Wed Mar 18 18:31:16 PST 1998
"I own a 2 to 3-year old blue version of this bike. Of the twenty bikes I own, this is one of the prettiest and most fun to ride. It took several months of tinkering and part replacement before I dialed it in. Cannondale could have paid a little more attention to the brakes and the tires. Specifically, the brakes are laughably ineffective. I upgraded the cantilevers to Shimano XTR and the levers to Shimano. The rear brake bridge is too near the yoke which limits adjustment and ultimately stopping power. The Continental tires, even after multiple miles, squeak in the corners and do not provide the handling one would normally expect from Continental. The shock post in the rear is an excellent addition, which for those of us trying to convince our wives to ride is a big plus. The rest of the components seem to get the job done and keep the price down.
"- Michael Laurie
- michael_l_laurie@em.fcnbd.com
Fri Mar 20 12:46:49 PST 1998
"
""My fiance got a diamond ring. I got a Cannondale road tandem. As a self-professed steel frame fanatic, I expected to be the last to extoll the virtues of aluminum. However, the extra stiffness really seems to make sense with the extra length you need for a tandem. It is simply a joy to be able to ride for hours with my wife. Before, we couldn't ride together, now its poetry in motion. We use 28c Continental tires at 110 and have experienced absolutely no rolling. I agree with the other writers that the brakes need some help on this bike but overall I am very impressed. Just don't expect me to give up my Italian single road frame . . .
"- Randy McCalla
Fri Apr 24 17:15:34 PDT 1998
"We bought our RT2000 after our first ride on singles. It was a 1997 closeout. We bought from Aurora Cycle in Seattle and they were
awesome. They spent over 5 hours fitting my wife and I. Although the kids don't let us ride much, we just rode our first organized ride
in May. The bike is awesome, on the way back from the Redhook brewery, my wife, the stoker, told our single rider friends, "Well, we are
going to cruise for awhile, so see ya later." Boy, talk about power arrogance. Anyways, we flew for 10 miles until we stopped and waited
for them. This tandem is a blast!
"- Frederic Lambert
- lambert1@gte.com
Thu May 28 18:30:44 PDT 1998
"I am very close to purchasing a C'dale tandem. However I am having
a difficult time choosing between the rt1000 and mt1000. The feedback on the rt's sound real positive. Anyone have any experience with the mountain version that they might be able to share? Thanks.
"- Walter
- wsiwanicki
Mon Jun 22 09:24:08 PDT 1998
"We are newbies to the tandem thing and are fast becoming addicted! Purchashed our 25/21 C,dale RT1000 in Mar. `98. Have been upgrading all along. XTR V`s are a must!! Get the Quality Travel Agents and the STI levers work great! Am running Dura Ace 8spd with 11-23 gearing. It`s fairly flat in NC! TheDale flys!! We are using Conti GP 3000`s 28`s .These tires are fantastic!! Keep the hammer down and we`ll see you on the road!!
"- Buck & Robin
- corgicymric@prodigy.net
Mon Jul 6 13:44:37 PDT 1998
"Since purchasing our 97 Cannondale RT2000, we have put over 7000 hilly miles on it.
What a great ride! Whether on fast club rides or touring the hills of Arkansas, our RT2000 is fast, light and dependable.
We simply upgraded the brake pads to "Cool-Stops" and now the braking is excellent.
The only problem was a rear hub noise and grind, but Cannondale replaced the entire wheel and hub.
The stock Coda shock post does anice job of soaking up the bumps for the stoker.
We run Conti 700 x 28 tires at 120 psi and love 'em.
I highly recommend this tandem!
"- Tom and Rasa Myers
- trmyers@hsnp.com
Sun Jul 12 03:54:48 PDT 1998
"My wife and I bought a 98 cann rt1000 and we love it.Our major modifaction was to install magur hydraultc brakes,and a straight handle bar.Braking ,handeling and ride are fantistick
"- Hal and Socorro Bregman
- casa-bregman@worldnet.att.net
Wed Jul 15 16:55:32 PDT 1998
"My friend & I race a Ventana off-road tandem, so when I bought my Cannondale RT I wanted to put it through the test. My girlfriend & I ran it off roads on some mild trails recently now I'm looking for new tires -- CYCLOCROSS Tires -- These tandems are Tough!
"- Brad Kriley
- www.amykelly.nauticum.net
Tue Dec 1 17:09:34 PST 1998
"Ada and I bought our C'Dale in September of 1997. We have a 1998 model RT1000. We upgraded the braked to XT V-Brakes and replaced the huge touring tires with IRC Triathalon Duro II(700X25). These have been the only changes. We enjoy many miles together and find the C'Dale great. The standard equipment is good and the overall value is excellent. The ride is smooth and compliant with great power transfer. WE love our ride.
"- Paul Kitchen
- kitchenp@ix.netcom.com
Wed Dec 16 20:01:54 PST 1998
"I'm looking for a new/used cdale rt to introduce my son to road
riding. Anyone have a used rt-1000? Do they set up for kid stokers
pretty well? What can I expect to pay for a used c'dale rt1000?
Currently wife & I ride a Ibis Cousin It and love "It"!
"- Matt Belyea
- beam1@tiac.net
Sun Dec 27 21:03:55 PST 1998
"looking for Cannondale RT-1000 road tandem (or similar cdale )
prefer 21x19 or "small" size. age / components / details
are unimportant. call 781-860-0791
"- matthew belyea
- beam1@tiac.net
Tue Dec 29 17:33:36 PST 1998
"We have been riding a C'dale RT2000 for 3 years and are VERY happy with it. Modifications include new front chainrings for more versatility (now 28x38x48) and XTR V-brakes with Dia-Compe v-brake road levers (V-brakes are a MUST upgrade). This bike is well traveled having toured in Germany, Austria, Nova Scotia, New Zealand, and all across the USA without a mechanical failure of any sort - not even a flat tire (yet). We use a BikePro oversized tandem bag and highly recommend it. This is a great way to get into tandeming without taking out a second mortgage on your home. It may not be as convenient to travel with but the money we saved vs. an S&S equiped Santana nearly paid for our trip to Europe.
"- Randy & Laura Curtis
- rlcurtis@stlnet.com
Tue Jan 5 10:37:41 PST 1999
"Looking for a new or slightly used '98 RT3000; size 23/19. Will pay cash for a reasonable price and the right tandem
"- vernon Bailey
- vbailey@mailcity.com
Tue Jan 12 17:11:35 PST 1999
"A few weeks ago we have finished assambling a Cannondale road
tandem from the ground up. It has been a amazing feeling to
hold the naked frame in your hands. It is a kind of artwork.
But - ough - the first frame has had a misdrawn bottom bracket
thread. Cannondale replaced the frame immediatly. Don't they
have an efficient quality control system? Very diconcerting!
But now, it is finished. And the bike is exactly as we wanted
it to be. Magura HS33 hydraulic brakes are the optimum for a
tandem - powerful and smooth, no sqeezing, you can skid both
wheels under full touring load. Wheels have 36 spokes front and
48 spokes rear. This combination has been very reliable on our
old tandem over about 10 years. Conti TopTouring 2000 622-37
are good at about 6 bar pressure. One thing I have wondered
about: You touch the front fender with your shoe clips when
your pedal during cornering. This might be a real danger when
you don't mount the fender very close to the tire and cut the
fender mounting wire very short. The rear seat is comfortly
roomy compared to our old bike and, of course, we saved about
5 kilos of weight. We use bullbars and a Stronglight crankset,
were you can mount all chainrings from 28 up to 54 teeth
on one bolt circle, very practical. The additional stokid
chainring is mounted outside (!) the timing chainring to save
axle length - we have 113 mm bottom bracket axles. Another
special feature is a little adapter that increases the lever
length of the Ultegra front shifter that otherwise did not work
together with the Deore XT shifter that gets too many cable
length. But now we are impressed by the precise handling of the
bike. Even our daughter of about 3 1/2 years was enthusiastic
when riding first time on the stokid addition.
Dirk and Susi Bettge, Berlin, Germany, 2.1.99
"- Dirk and Susi Bettge
- dirk.bettge@tandem-fahren.de
Tue Feb 2 06:14:33 PST 1999
"I've got an old tandem (about 1940) and a tridem (I don't know if
you use the same word) I like riding very much and I accept
all suggestions about bikes and tandems.PS : excuse me for the
language but I'm french.
"- David Moličres
- davmolieres@yahoo.fr
Wed Mar 10 12:14:37 PST 1999
"I've got an old tandem (about 1940) and a tridem (I don't know if
you use the same word) I like riding very much and I accept
all suggestions about bikes and tandems.PS : excuse me for the
language but I'm french.
"- David Moličres
- davmolieres@yahoo.fr
Wed Mar 10 12:15:26 PST 1999
"I was looking for any feed back for the rt 3000 cannondale.
We just bought one and would like feed back from anyone else
that has ridden one. We think ours is great.
"- kenneth webb
- pipco@flash.net
Wed Mar 10 22:10:22 PST 1999
"My wife and I ride a T-100 Customised; I relaced the cantilevers with Magura Hydraulics, which work really well fully laden. We also use Conti tyres but the Top Touring 2000 28mm section Pumped to 100psi which provide a good ride.
WE would dearly love a cannondale, but four other bikes won't allow the budget to stretch that far
"- andrew hamilton
- hamltnal@bit.net.au
Sat Mar 13 04:24:15 PST 1999
"
We just bought a 21-19 RT1000 last week--haven't had a chance to try it out yet (too much snow in Canada). I am only 5' tall so no chance of a shock post -- I'm off to buy a new Terry saddle. Anyone have any other suggestions?
"- -tracey bochner
- bochner@langdonstarr.com
Tue Mar 16 23:16:32 PST 1999
"We bought our '98 RT-1000 one year ago. Based on the feedback on this website, I changed the brakes to XT-V and the tires to Continental Super Sport 28x700. This bike exceeded all our expectations. It is smooth, fast and comfortable. Best of all, it has allowed me to share my enthusiasm for bike riding with my wife. Instead of resenting the time I spend riding alone, she now looks forward to our rides as much as I do!
"- Dave and Debbie
- vorhis@shore.intercom.net
Wed Apr 21 17:17:37 PDT 1999
"We're interested in buying our first tandem. I've heard a lot of great things about the Santana Sovereign but for the money, the Cannondale RT1000 and the RT3000 seem hard to beat. Any suggestions on whether the 3000 is worth an extra grand or so? Looking forward to spending time with the wife and kids on our new bike.
"- Tom Nelson
- thomasnelson@msn.com
Sat Jun 5 03:39:06 PDT 1999
"We're interested in buying our first tandem. I've heard a lot of great things about the Santana Sovereign but for the money, the Cannondale RT1000 and the RT3000 seem hard to beat. Any suggestions on whether the 3000 is worth an extra grand or so? Looking forward to spending time with the wife and kids on our new bike.
"- Tom Nelson
- thomasnelson@msn.com
Sat Jun 5 03:39:58 PDT 1999
"Wanted: '98 or '99 Cannondale RT1000 or RT3000. (size 23/19) Used or new.
"- Tom Nelson
- thomasnelson@msn.com
Sat Jun 5 04:14:24 PDT 1999
"So, why would I not buy a RT1000? The Santana Al sounds
wonderfull but for +$2,500 I do not see it in our future.
Any comments on the J/L size (we be big) and load durability
(we be heavy). Also, any comments on where to buy (i.e.
net mailorder). Thanks.
"- D & D
- c2sdad@bellsouth.net
Tue Jun 8 22:28:45 PDT 1999
"I recently purchased a used (ridden 2 times around a parking lot) MT1000. It is a beautiful dark green, what year model is this bike? It is my first tandem and I love it. I purchased it for the same reasons most people buy one, companionship (with my girl friend). We tried out a Trek but we liked this bike much better. I think I will keep it.
"- Terry Rotman
- tdrotman@hotmail.com
Wed Jun 30 15:12:11 PDT 1999
"Question: How do you fit a rear rack to a '99 RT1000 or RT3000. (Sizeis L/S or 20"/17") The V-brake is located where my rack arms want to go to reach the fastening screws/bolts on the seat stay. It would take a serpentine bit of metal to miss the brake and attach to a rack. Any help would be appreciated as both our friends and us have just purchased new Cannondale tandems. This is one glitch that seems to have been overlooked.
"- Lee Norton
- peilee@vaxxine.com
Mon Aug 16 22:15:06 PDT 1999
"We purchased a RT1000 two months ago, and after minor teething pains, find that it works well. The IRC Tandem 70x30 tires work well when pumped up to 110 psi apart from some humming. The Shimono V-Brakes are more than adequate for stopping the 310 pound team and bike. My stoker no longer complains about any wobbles in the frame, and 40 mph decents don't elicit any comments. This is a great bike at a great price.
"- Bob Temple
- Rjtemple@aol.com
Mon Sep 20 10:36:13 PDT 1999
"I am interested in hearing from tall riders who have a '99 RT1000
or RT3000. I'm having trouble deciding between the L/S(20/17) or
the X/S(21/17). The stiker is small, so it has to be a L/S or X/S.
I'm 6'3" and have riden a 25" Cannondale T400 very happily for 13
years. The L/S can be modified with a longer seatpost and a
taller stem. Are there any tall riders out there that are riding
the L/S or X/S? I would appreciate any feedback.
"- Gary Chapman
- chapmane@edcen.ehhs.cmich.edu
Mon Oct 4 19:09:58 PDT 1999
"We've really enjoyed our 98 RT 1000 but have some questions if
anyone would care to answer them. (1)Are there safety implications
to putting 110-120 psi in the origional 70-80 psi tires?(2)Has
anyone tried the out-of-phase crank thing Schubert recommends in
his book?(3)Has anyone experienced anything unusual while pulling
a BOB?
I appreciate reading the brake suggestions above. We added a drum
and switched to 48-36-24 CR's for touring but thats all so far.
Is there a mail order source for the Richey or Cool Stop or math-
auser brake pads mentioned? We live in Alaska and our bike shops
don't stock much stuff like that.
"- Frank Arnold
- fcarnold@gateway.net
Mon Oct 11 03:45:03 PDT 1999
"Help! I am looking for a good value and reasonable performance in a tandem for my wife and I who are new to the sport. We have been riding mountain bikes and are looking for tandem riding on the road only. Any recommendations for tandems around $1300? Or are we in the wrong sport entirely?
"- Randy W.
- SYCO4RD@aol.com
Fri Nov 12 04:53:04 PST 1999