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PBE14: Bilenky Cycle Works’ Wild Tandems & More

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Bilenky Cycle Works is no stranger to tandem bikes. We saw quite a few hanging around their shop when we toured their place, and the NAHBS entry this year was simply amazing.

Above is another fine example, showing off the lug work, attention to detail and creativity that puts Bilenky in their own league. They’re able to consistently put out eye catching bikes that build in a lot of character without ever pushing it past classy and into the realm of gaudy. Pedal on to see the details of this travel tandem and several others ready for any ride…

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Shift levers at the stem and elegant wire loops that feed the wire directly into the fork’s crown and down to the dynamo hub almost overshadow the killer wrap-around lug design at the head tube.

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The use of multiple S&S couplers of various sizes allow the frame to break in half. Not sure you’ll ever fit it in a proper bike case, but the boot of a car could be possible. Note the pass-through brake cables and custom initials on each seat tube.

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This was the silver rocket of a coupled tandem that was at NAHBS earlier in 2014.

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This tandem is part recumbent and part upright bike and borrows a lot from their cargo bike design.

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The telescoping pole lets it pack down smaller and adjust the reach to the pedals. The roller over the fork brings the chain up and over to clear it…and keeps that very, very long chain from flopping about. An interim cassette cluster lets the front rider adjust their own cadence and effort individually from the rear.

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Bilenky’s take on an aero road bike hides the cables and rear brake in a clever fashion.

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Note the brake cable entering the top of the top tube and running into the frame through a separate smaller tube, which holds the guides for the shift cables. Small aero touches like a shaped seatstay bridge and fairings behind the fork crown polish the concept.

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The rear brake hides under the chainstays and has it’s own return spring to help push it back open.

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Just more pretty lugs.

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And another pretty bike, also with S&S couples.

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Integrated frame pump lip on the headtube and painted recesses on the seat collar show off their fondness for putting a special touch on every bike.

Bilenky.com

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Greg
Greg
9 years ago

What is the appeal of a tandem? Is it the sense of teamwork or more of a control issue? The person occupying the rear of the bike, usually a female, always has the look on their face like how the hell did I end up here.

Mortimer
Mortimer
9 years ago

I rode a tandem on diff occasions for visually impaired persons. In each case they were cyclists who had degenerative eye problems. With the guy we used to do the local crit but by agreement there was a lot of room given to us. Being captain is okay but you’d never get me out back as a stoker.

Craig
Craig
9 years ago

While the bikes Bilenky makes don’t really appeal to me, their bicycle engineering skill is incredible. I’ve got an old magazine from the early 1990’s featuring one of their bikes with equally impressive craftsmanship. I can only guess how long it would take them to build some of their bikes.

dougal
dougal
9 years ago

Cranks don’t match up in the first photo. Lift your game.

Timquila
Timquila
9 years ago

Yes, teamwork; speed, grace, power, pulling for days, 56 teeth, introducing your stoker to the front of the lead pack, sharing the adventures with your honey and generating unforgettable stories.

Atgani
Atgani
9 years ago

^ ^ Dougal – I, along with many tandem riders, favour the Captain’s crank being slightly in advance of the Stoker’s. It helps when starting up and generally giving a feeling (through your legs, rather than intuition) of greater control

kj
kj
9 years ago

My wife and I tandem, along with commuting and mtb, and it’s a different experience. Definitely teamwork and it takes skills (both stoker and captain). It’s fun to pass people on the singletrack, and a side benefit is that you can hear each other better for conversation. Captains have to follow the tandem “laws”, or they won’t have a stoker (IT’S NEVER THE STOKERS FAULT, etc.), so I don’t know who is really the “powerful” one. When my wife wants me to use the brakes, I use the brakes. There’s nothing sadder than a tandem without a stoker 😉 .

Santanna Arriva
Santanna Arriva
9 years ago

Tandems are amazing rides for riders of different riding strength. When I want to hammer on the pedals and take my girlfriend with me, there’s nothing more fun than going out on a tandem. They’re fast, and handle like a truck- so some foresight is involved. But after that, damn is it a fun ride.

I’ve been a stoker in a tandem that his 70+mph, and been captain at 40+ on flats. Trust is the only thing that matters.

Slow Joe Crow
Slow Joe Crow
9 years ago

Tandems are great family bikes because you have your kids firmly attached and you can easily set up a tandem stoker position to accommodate small kids through adults. The stoker in front designs like the Bilenky Viewpoint (older version of the orange bike above), Haase Pino or Kidz Tandem are especially good because your stoke gets a view of the road instead of the captain’s back. My 11 year old daughter rides with me on our tandem, partly to keep her safer in traffic and partly for quick response to diabetic issues. I keep her involved by having a bell, drag brake control and cue sheet holder on her handlebars, along with a bottle cage since the front stoker cage was a long reach.

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