Ryan/Longbikes Dublex experiences?



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Scott

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Hi Duplex owners: I'm dreaming of another tandem for my wife and me, something a little more
portable than the GTT, and I see on the Longbike website that the Duplex comes with S&S couplers
standard. With the seats off, that would be a pretty compact package. Sooooo, just wondering what
your experience has been--handling, hill climbing, slow/high speed, etc. BTW, how heavy is this
glorious beast? Thanks!

Scott Hooked on Bents
 
Scott wrote:
>
> Hi Duplex owners: I'm dreaming of another tandem for my wife and me, something a little more
> portable than the GTT, and I see on the Longbike website that the Duplex comes with S&S couplers
> standard. With the seats off, that would be a pretty compact package. Sooooo, just wondering what
> your experience has been--handling, hill climbing, slow/high speed, etc. BTW, how heavy is this
> glorious beast? Thanks!
>
> Scott Hooked on Bents

As an aside, this bike was originally named the Ryan Fleetwood, until the lawyers at GM complained
about trademark infringement.

Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)
 
FWIW Note that the Rans Screamer han also be had with S&S couplers.

John Riley

Scott wrote:
>
> Hi Duplex owners: I'm dreaming of another tandem for my wife and me, something a little more
> portable than the GTT, and I see on the Longbike website that the Duplex comes with S&S couplers
> standard. With the seats off, that would be a pretty compact package. Sooooo, just wondering what
> your experience has been--handling, hill climbing, slow/high speed, etc. BTW, how heavy is this
> glorious beast? Thanks!
>
> Scott Hooked on Bents
 
We have a Fleetwood which we bought second hand in 1996. We had a Burley Duet upright tandem for
perhaps 5 years before that.

High speed downhills are just wonderful. My wife Sandy didn't like downhills on the Burley but once
on the Fleetwood she leaned forward to get better into my wind shadow for even greater speed
downhill. We topped out a 49 and I was braking to keep from passing a guy on an upright in a full
aero tuck. I was concerned about the wind buffeting on both him and us.

With strong and committed riders, uphills are no problem. I've even ridden the beast as a solo bike
on tours in the past at good speed. We've ridden it in a big charity ride, the Miller Ride for the
Arts in Milwaukee, for the last four or five years with no problems. Handling is not a problem but
then again I'm a very experienced cyclist.

The bike weighs about 55 pounds with a rear rack, fenders and kickstand. Visions and Screamers also
weigh 50+ pounds.

Ron

"Scott" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi Duplex owners: I'm dreaming of another tandem for my wife and me, something a little more
> portable than the GTT, and I see on the Longbike website that the Duplex comes with S&S couplers
> standard. With the seats off, that would be a pretty compact package. Sooooo, just wondering what
> your experience has been--handling, hill climbing, slow/high speed, etc. BTW, how heavy is this
> glorious beast? Thanks!
>
> Scott Hooked on Bents
 
[email protected] (Scott) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Hi Duplex owners: I'm dreaming of another tandem for my wife and me, something a little more
> portable than the GTT, and I see on the Longbike website that the Duplex comes with S&S couplers
> standard. With the seats off, that would be a pretty compact package. Sooooo, just wondering what
> your experience has been--handling, hill climbing, slow/high speed, etc. BTW, how heavy is this
> glorious beast? Thanks!
>
> Scott Hooked on Bents

Scott,

My wife and I ride a duplex. Have been for about 6 months. You can see a picture of it at

http://www.crazyphoto.com/2003/0209LCC/Lcc7/LCC70038.html and
http://www.crazyphoto.com/2003/0209LCC/Lcc3/LCC30027.html

We are casual riders and are definitely not speed demons. We cruise along at about 12-13 mph on the
flats. The bike handles beautifully at slow/high speed. The second picture was taken at the top of a
rise. If you look forwards and backwards on the slide show you will notice a lot of people ended up
walking up the road. My wife and I cruised right up it at about 4-5 mph.

Also road with my wife this last Sunday. At the end of the 20 mile ride she said "You know, I feel
like we should just keep riding" Even my wife is getting addicted.

Side note: if you look through the slide show of the Leveen ride, you will see over 30 people riding
recumbents, including two tandems. It was a fun ride.

Bill (Aero Belly) Meacham Mesa, AZ
 
Tom Sherman wrote:
> Scott wrote:
>
>>Hi Duplex owners: I'm dreaming of another tandem for my wife and me, something a little more
>>portable than the GTT, and I see on the Longbike website that the Duplex comes with S&S couplers
>>standard. With the seats off, that would be a pretty compact package. Sooooo, just wondering what
>>your experience has been--handling, hill climbing, slow/high speed, etc. BTW, how heavy is this
>>glorious beast? Thanks!
>>
>>Scott Hooked on Bents
>
>
> As an aside, this bike was originally named the Ryan Fleetwood, until the lawyers at GM complained
> about trademark infringement.

Sorry, Tom, you're wrong (I love saying that! :). No GM lawyer ever contacted Ryan. Ryan's own
lawyer advised him to change it proactively.

It was the Rolls Royce lawyer who contacted Ryan regarding the RR logo.

<shameless plug> You can find this and much more great Ryan information at
http://ryanownersclub.com/ </shameless plug>

PB 1996 Vanguard
 
John Riley wrote:
>
> FWIW Note that the Rans Screamer han also be had with S&S couplers.

And there is the folding Green Gear (Bike Friday) DoubleDay which is price competitive ($3750 base
price) with other high-end recumbent tandems. < http://www.bikefriday.com/bikecat99.cfm?cat=8 >

If the weather is decent, I will be riding on a DoubleDay this weekend.

Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)
 
Tom: Sounds great. Please report to the group about your experience with the DoubleDay!

Scott

Tom Sherman <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> John Riley wrote:
> >
> > FWIW Note that the Rans Screamer han also be had with S&S couplers.
>
> And there is the folding Green Gear (Bike Friday) DoubleDay which is price competitive ($3750 base
> price) with other high-end recumbent tandems. < http://www.bikefriday.com/bikecat99.cfm?cat=8 >
>
> If the weather is decent, I will be riding on a DoubleDay this weekend.
>
> Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)
 
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