Racing Tandem brakes and hubs

[Richard Pratt]

Looking at getting into tandem racing and seen that a number of "racing" tandems available on the web have disc brakes fitted. Some just have a rear disc brake, but others have both front and back.

So what ARE the current rules (UCI/CTT etc.) for the types of brakes allowed for tandems when time-trialling ? I don't want to end up buying something that isn't race legal...

[eileithyia]

Don't think there are any rules for CTT/timetrials we rode our first 10 mile TT for 4 years on ours last weekend and we have ordinary rim brakes on our tandem.

[Richard Pratt]

I think that rim brakes have always been OK... O know that UCI allows disc brakes for cyclocross and MTB, but am unsure whether or not they're allowed on tandems.

There is a batch of new road bikes coming out with disc brakes, and also a number of tandem manufacturers also have added disc brakes to their range. Some just have a rear disc set up alongside V-brakes, whereas others have disc front and back.

If I put together a tandem for racing then if discs are allowed then that would be the way I'd go, but if not, then I'll opt for a more traditional frameset without disc mounts on....

[goatwarden]

Most off-the-shelf tandem frames today come with disc mounts. This is for good reason; the advent of disc brakes has made safe braking available to most tandem owners. I wouldn't choose to ride a tandem without discs and would think it ridiculous for any organising body to ban what is a superb safety improvement.

However, there are some very narrow minded people who like organising other people's affairs and also many equally narrow minded tandem owners who suggest discs are an invention of Satan. Luckily the latter increasingly actually try riding tandems with discs and realise how superior their performance (provided you have BB7s of hydraulics) to rim or hub brakes and their brake bigotry is slowly being eroded; I would hope the former are opening their eyes too, but who knows?

As far as I know the cyclocross ban was originally so that the whole field would stop at a similar rate; had disc and rim brakes been used then those with rim brakes might crash into those immortals using discs to stop instantly. This was nonsense but the narrow minded organisers knew best.

The adoption of discs for cyclocross by the UCI means that there should be lots more options available for discs on road bikes and tandems; it would be a shame to miss out on potential for taking advantage of this in future by buying a tandem frame without disc mounts.

[LWaB]

The UCI has nothing to do with tandem racing, so they don't regulate equipment, position or anything else.

[eileithyia]

The UCI has nothing to do with tandem racing, so they don't regulate equipment, position or anything else.

+1 and as said CTT have no rules regarding brakes as I recall, I certianly would not want to cyclo-cross on a tandem, riding touring type roughstuff with a lightweight stoker (child) was enough fun!!!!!!!

The only UCI(?) governed tandem racing these days is pretty much paralympic events on the track as far as I am aware.

[Richard Pratt]

All,

Thanks for the replies - need to do some thinking now as we've decided to keep using the existing tandem Trek T1000 which doesn't have disc compatibility..

So to try to future proof any wheel we do get. I was wondering whether or not you can fit tandem disc hubs (with aero-rims) and simply not use/fit the discs ? i.e. keep existing brakes until we upgrade the frameset. Then we can ditch the rim brakes and use the discs....

Is this possible.... ???

[Brucey]

if you use rims with a braking surface there is no reason not to do as you propose.

If tandem time trialling, arguably ultimate braking power is not a major priority; IIRC I'd use them once per race, and only if I had to even then.

cheers

[gaz]

So to try to future proof any wheel we do get. I was wondering whether or not you can fit tandem disc hubs (with aero-rims) and simply not use/fit the discs ? i.e. keep existing brakes until we upgrade the frameset. Then we can ditch the rim brakes and use the discs....

if you use rims with a braking surface there is no reason not to do as you propose.

+1 and that really is the key point.

There can be another problem with attempting to "future proof" and that's the simple one of not knowing what the future will bring. If the standard fitting for discs were to change, or the rules were to ban them ....

[Geoffrey]

I'll join the brake bigots. Having ridden, and raced, on many tandems, including a Cannondale with front and rear discs, I would never choose to own one with a front disc brake. Fantastic as they are for stopping a solo bike, put the weight of two riders and the descending speed of a tandem into the equation and they are a recipe for disaster.While rear discs have a weight and efficiency benefit over hub brakes putting the stopping force at the end of a long lever on the front is plain stupid. If you want a technical rant read Thorn Cycles website on tandems.
For racing save yourself the money and weight and unless you live in a very hilly area (as I do) or are a massive team rely solely on good rim brakes. I live in North Devon and have regularly descended some of our local hills at 55mph+ on a Thorn triplet using solely Shimano LX vee brakes. My only complaint would be that rim wear can be excessive in the filthy wet we have for a summer round here.

All the best in your search for the perfect tandem. Geoffrey

[Brucey]

is this the article you mean?

http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/tandembraking.html

touring and racing are different things, but my view is that whatever brakes you have, you should have enough left to be able to pull up. Any brake dragging on long descents, be it with drums, brakes, or discs, threatens to eat into that ability.

Heat build up is the problem here. More power might be useful but by and large isn't the biggest problem.

For touring or non-racing activities I advocate (and have always used) a third brake to take the brunt of the dragging duty; when this gets too hot, it is a good idea to stop (using the other brakes) and let the drag brake cool off.

Obviously if you know the roads you can eat into the safety margin some, and maybe descend at higher speed which unloads the brakes and cools them better. But when touring in unknown country, stopping and cooling is a safer way. For racing, I don't anticipate -or have ever used- any significant dragging, so two rim brakes are likely enough.

I would not necessarily consider two disc brakes adequate for touring, simply because if they get hot through dragging, there is nothing else left. I'd need to see the set-up pass a repeated 'alpine descent test' before going with it for such touring duties.

Maybe a drum and disc or double disc on the rear wheel would be a good idea for a touring tandem; one for dragging, and one for stopping.

cheers

[LWaB]

The only UCI(?) governed tandem racing these days is pretty much paralympic events on the track as far as I am aware.

No, the UCI have stuck a finger in the pie of all para-cycling, road, track, blind, CP and amp. Their bike rules are an even more amusing read than for the normal bikes.