How a Belgorod resident built a tandem with his own hands

This is how I met the future opera singer, cyclist and designer of a homemade tandem bicycle.

It's all about growth

Tandems in our area are a very rare thing. In all of Belgorod I know only a couple of such bicycles: one for bike rental and another for private use. Both are purchased, American. But Miroslav Molchanov’s turned out to be homemade: the guy assembled it from the frames of old, outdated bicycles. The most interesting thing is that Miroslav is not a professional engineer at all, but a singer.

“I’m 25 years old, born in Lugansk,” says Miroslav. – We moved our whole family to Belgorod in 2007. My parents are musicians, they work in the Philharmonic and play the cello and double bass. It is not surprising that my sister Alena and I also followed the musical path: Alena is studying piano at the Belgorod Music College, and I am in my third year at the St. Petersburg State Conservatory named after Rimsky-Korsakov. After graduation I plan to sing in the opera house. And during the summer holidays I come to my parents in Razumnoye.”

Molchanov loves bicycles and often travels around St. Petersburg, pedaling. Sometimes it covers more than a hundred kilometers in a day. But there is one problem: his large height – 2.04 m – does not allow Miroslav to ride standard bicycles comfortably. Seven troubles - one answer: the future opera singer decided to assemble a bicycle himself, and not a simple one, but a two-seater one.

In total, Miroslav has four bicycles in Razumny, and two more in St. Petersburg. Photo by Vadim Kumeiko

From videos on YouTube

“Now there is such an excellent resource as YouTube,” Miroslav says about the creation of the bike. – I speak English, so it was not a problem for me to figure out how such bicycles are made abroad. Of course, there’s a lot there: multi-seater bikes, cargo bikes (cargo bikes – author’s note), and tollbikes (tall bicycles – author’s note). At first I wanted to build a three-seater bike, but then I thought: who will ride with me third? In the end, I settled on a two-seater option and decided that during the summer holidays I would build a tandem here in Razumny.”

Before getting down to business, Miroslav sketched out a drawing and realized what he needed to realize the idea. In St. Petersburg, I purchased the missing components: following an advertisement, I bought two old bicycle frames that became donors for the future tandem, sawed them according to the drawing, and brought them along with other parts in bags to Razumnoye.

“Already here, in Belgorod, I bought a stainless steel pipe and welded it where it was necessary,” Molchanov points to the welds, explaining the anatomy of a two-seater bicycle. “First, I grabbed all the connections at home using conventional electric welding, and then I loaded the entire structure into the car and took it to the workshop, where a professional welder passed all the seams using semi-automatic welding. After that, I cleaned them up and painted the frame orange - this makes the bike more visible on the roads.”

Miroslav built the tandem in the evenings and assembled it in a week and a half. The budget was 10 thousand rubles - quite an adequate price for an unusual bicycle, considering that serial tandems cost about 50 thousand.

“Based on my riding experience - I rented these more than once in St. Petersburg - I provided two footrests for the rear passenger: it often happens that the person riding behind me gets tired of pedaling and has nowhere to put his feet. I have everything provided. But I warn all my passengers: if we are going uphill, both of us need to turn the pedals,” Miroslav smiles.

These words should be printed on the front of the T-shirts of tandem riders: “If we’re going uphill, do it too!”

Smile and wave

We are riding along Razumnoye - Miroslav and Alena on a tandem in front, me on my bike behind them. The velolimousine easily accelerates to 35 km/h - four legs are faster than two. Every now and then motorists honk their horns in a friendly manner to the guys: some honk their horns in approval, others flash their emergency lights. When we drive past the playground, the tandem creates a real sensation among the kids: “Look, this cool bike again!”

“Once we were riding a tandem, and the boys were playing football. So, when the football players saw this bicycle, they forgot about the ball and the goal altogether,” Molchanov recalls with a laugh. “There are also those who say: “Oh, look, it’s probably some kind of Chinese bicycle.” But no one remains indifferent. When Alena and I drive, we smile and wave to everyone: this is a great way to win over other road users and find new friends.”

By the way, there is one more plus - this bicycle can only be stolen by a very tall person - no shorter than the owner of the tandem. For the same reason, Miroslav doesn’t let anyone ride it - most of them simply don’t have enough legs to reach the pedals. Although the design of the bicycle provides a solution that allows a person with standard parameters to ride it: the saddle moves along the top tube of the frame, reducing or increasing the distance from the rider’s fifth point to the pedals. But you can move it only with the help of a set of keys, and not everyone will guess to do this.

Now Miroslav has four bicycles in Razumny, and two more in St. Petersburg. But the future opera singer is not going to stop there: next summer, during the holidays, he plans to build the first tollbike in Belgorod - a tall bicycle (to match Miroslav himself). A life-size sketch has already been prepared, drawn in chalk on the wall of the outbuilding in the parental home.

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We dismantle the front derailleur, but do not remove it far from it - it will still be useful. Next, remove the bearing race at the steering tube by tapping with a hammer. Using a hacksaw, we cut the glass so that we get a cup surrounding the co-driver's seat tube. We're done with the rear part. At the front, remove the rear wheel and gear shift.

It remains to purchase a long cable in order to connect the rear brakes. Keep in mind that the design is not as reliable as the factory one, so do not chase speeds, but rather choose first gear. A second steering wheel can be installed as needed. Assess whether you can save money by purchasing a factory tandem model and assemble it yourself, or whether it is better to trust proven companies with a quality guarantee.

It is desirable that all sprockets on each bicycle have the same number of teeth. Let's start disassembling the bikes into parts. Let's start with the rear: disconnect the steering wheel and front fork, remove the cables.

We saw off all the pipes that support the rear wheel using a hacksaw. Moreover, if we remove the upper feathers, then the lower ones must be left. Scheme of a homemade tandem bicycle. We have a diagram in which part of the rear bicycle is indicated in green, and part of the front in red. Use electrical tape to glue the top of the rear bike to the seat tube of the front bike. We knit it conscientiously, in several layers. To prevent bends in the middle, we tie two sticks to the frame pipes with a large amount of electrical tape. We glue them to the seat tube. It is more difficult to secure our lower part, since the load on it is greater.

The first tandem model was created by Mikael Pedersen, an engineer from Denmark. The patent was received in 1894 in England, which allowed them to begin mass production. The design weighed about 25 feet and was produced in several modifications. Gradually, production began to expand, covering more and more countries. It is worth noting that tandems were often used for a variety of needs during the war, and later a whole club was opened for those who own this bicycle. With the development of the Internet and social networks, the number of such clubs has increased. Design. A standard tandem has a length of 230 cm or more, and weight reaches 20 kg.

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Take the front fork and cut out two V-shaped notches at the base. Let's install it around the rear seat tube and fit it to the front tubes. We take a hammer and hit until the chain can pass normally past the pipes and fork. When the frames are level and there is room for the chain, you can tie them together with a large amount of electrical tape: the ends of the fork first to the ends of the front frame, and then to the seat tube. Do not skimp on electrical tape; wrap all flimsy areas. The chain needs more than 35 links. After installing the chain, check it on each sprocket. The pedals should not interfere with each other, so estimate what the distance between them should be.

Its front sprocket usually has 60 teeth, and the rest - no more than 12, a chain 3 meters long is used (twice as long as usual), and the number of spokes in the wheels can reach up to 96. It has one frame and two wheels, like a regular one, but unlike him, each passenger has his own steering wheel, pedals and seat. There are models in which you can change the steering position, but this is a rather rare option. A person who is not driving a tandem uses the steering wheel only as a support and to maintain balance. If there are more than two crew members, then you can develop a very decent speed. Moreover, many details depend on the person sitting in front (“navigator”), since it is he who monitors the road, switches the speed mode and brakes.

But the one who is in the tail (“stoker”) directly influences the movement of the entire vehicle: the more force he applies to the rotation of the pedals, the faster the bicycle overcomes obstacles . The remaining crew members (“aft crew”) must notify the driver about the situation on the road, report overtaking and monitor the cargo being transported. And what kind of photographs will be taken by passengers who are not burdened with driving! On descents, such a bike has no equal, because traction is provided by gravity and the strength of several people at once. On the other hand, the more passengers, the more weight the structure has. Therefore, when braking, the brake pads experience increased load, which does not extend their service life. The length affects maneuverability, which will make it difficult to navigate narrow and sharp turns. Advantages.

Prices start at around $800, and the upper limit is difficult to specify, since it depends on the kit, materials and complexity of assembly. The high price is also explained by the fact that about 1,000 tandem models are produced annually in the world, while for solo models this figure is measured in the millions.

Prices and manufacturers. Let's list the main manufacturers of tandems in the world: The price range for tandems is quite wide.

With the help of a tandem, you can give the joy of riding to your children who are still unsure in the saddle of a solo bike or to friends who, for some reason, did not learn how to ride a bicycle in due time. If you have a long trip ahead in tandem, then this is a great opportunity to test the strength of a friendship or marriage, because only teamwork will lead you to the final destination. In addition, communication will become more convenient and pleasant than if you each left by personal transport. Sharing the road between two or more people means spending half as much effort, which means traveling with special comfort.

Bicycles for two: history of creation, main advantages, design features, independent production of a tandem, prices and manufacturers

Tandem bicycles Tandem bicycles. Tandems are a vehicle that will definitely not leave you without attention, because bicycles of such an unusual shape are rarely seen on city streets. Riding on it requires the cohesion of both passengers, therefore it can unite people who decide to share their journey. Few people know, but tandems are used in the rehabilitation of patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Let's take a closer look at the main features of this type of bicycle.

You can replace the helmsman if he is tired, you can regulate the speed and smoothness of turns through the coordinated work of all crew members. The design of tandems is designed for heavy loads, so there is no doubt about their reliability. The powerful frame will support the strongest passengers, and the thick wheels with many spokes will serve for a long time without inflation. And by purchasing a tandem, you will become a member of a small group of owners of a truly exclusive vehicle and will definitely attract the attention of passers-by in any city. DIY tandem. We will need two single bicycles: one of which will become the basis of the front part of the future tandem, and the other - the rear. In addition, make sure you have a hacksaw, an adjustable wrench, a screwdriver, a hammer, purchase additional chain links and a large amount of electrical tape. Bicycles must be designed according to the men's type, that is, have a high frame, and also have shiftable gears.