Chris Timm
Hans Christoph Timm

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My dream travel-, commuter- and family-tandem:

I first rode the prototype of this bike pictured here in a long-distance MTB race, the MTB marathon in St. Wendel, in the fall of 1998. The race was a terrible mud-fest, and like most riders we soon realized that we had selected the wrong tires. However, we did have a real blast on those sections of the course where we were able to actually ride the bike. Up until then I had only been used to my personal tandem, a steel Santana, and I had always thought that a certain amount of lateral flex was inevitable given the extra length of a tandem. Thinking about the race beforehand, I had feared that riding with a male stoker who was of course considerably heavier than the women I had ridden with before would certainly make steering on a technical off-road course troublesome. Of course, Stephan had tried to alleviate my fears by telling me that the frame he had built was plenty stiff, but doesn't every manufacturer say that about their tandems?

Thus, I was truly surprised when I first tested the bike - what a difference to my personal tandem! The massive-looking top and internal tubes and Columbus MAX seat and down tubes, Columbus MAX chainstays used as seatstays, and Columbus Thron chainstays really did make the frame incredibly stiff, even though the stoker compartment on the frame was considerably longer than most standard tandems' to provide even taller stoker with plenty of room. Wow! From then on, I have always been a believer in steel tandem frames with large-diameter, thin-walled tubing!

Now stiffness is important not only for race teams, but even more so for travel tandems. Loaded up with four panniers, possibly a tent and sleeping bags on top of the rear rack, a handlebar bag with heavy photo equipment and lots of water bottles, travel tandems can really redefine the term 'frame flex'. Not so on this tandem!

Add perfectly designed steering geometry, plenty of braze-ons for disk and drum brakes, water bottle mounts, front and rear racks as well as fenders, and a tough powder coat to keep it all looking shiny, you get the perfect companion for weekend tours with the family or long excursions through the wilderness.

To be honest, right now I don't really have a need (nor room) for a travel tandem, but the time will come when vacation tours with or without children will take priority over spectacular bike races. I know now where I'll be looking for a new ride for those occasions.