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If you’re into the tech side of CyclingAbout, you’re probably wondering why we chose a Co-Motion tandem touring bike.
We plan to guide you through the process of buying a tandem bike over a series of articles, but for now, let’s look at why it all started with Co-Motion.
Co-Motion are Tandem Specialists
Co-Motion has a rich history in building tandems and taking part in tandem events. If you search online, you’ll see a large number of their tandems getting about.
The fact that they have been involved with tandems for so long inspired a lot of confidence in us.
We admit it – we are also complete novices when it comes to tandems. I have spent less than a month thinking and researching anything tandem, so we are keen to use Co-Motion’s wealth of knowledge to build up our own.
We are aiming to know and share everything tandem along the way, so make sure you follow along.
Getting The Frame Size Right
I am 198cm tall (6ft6) so I use either use the biggest frame size a bike manufacturer will produce, or I have to buy something custom made. This is one of the biggest factors for selecting a company like Co-Motion, as we get a custom product tailored specifically to our body dimensions.
We also have a swag of parts from our current touring bicycles which we would like to use on our tandem build. Co-Motion was able to build to our specific chainstay length (so that we can use our current belt drivetrain), build to our preferred wheel size, add extra bottle cage bolts, and put cable-routing tabs in the right locations for our brake and gear cables.
Co-Motion Are Innovative
Like us, Co-Motion has adopted the use of Gates belt drivetrains to power their high-end touring tandems.
We have ridden belt drive for thousands of kilometres under various conditions and are yet to have an issue. Co-Motion also builds Rohloff-specific frames, which pair perfectly with our favourite gearbox hubs.
Co-Motion builds all of their tandems with disc brakes for the extra stopping power required for such a heavy bike. Disc brakes aren’t a necessity on a touring bike, but they are on a tandem as heavy as ours.
Summary
Co-Motion were right for us. They offered us their extensive experience, vast knowledge, part-compatibility of our favourite gear and sizing to get this tandem show on the road.
Like anything custom, it comes at a cost that most would never spend on a bike. We are lucky enough to be able to afford this bike for the first and (hopefully) only time. For us, this is our transport for the next few years, and hopefully many years after. If everything works out the way we think, this bike will ride more roads around the world than almost any other.
Note: We approached Co-Motion and as a result, we were given a good price on our new frame and parts. What we ordered still cost us an arm and a leg but we genuinely chose Co-Motion for the above reasons.
