What parts are tandem specific?
• Hubs – The spacing on a rear hub will most likely either be 145 mm or 160 mm. Tandem manufacturers have split into two camps with regards to rear spacing, with Santana and a few others in the 160 camp and Co-Motion, Burley and Cannondale in the 145 camp. We’ve been using 145 for years without trouble. (Current road standard is 130 mm and offroad is 135 mm). Hubs with larger axles tend to hold up to tandem abuse better. Due to the added weight and stress, tandems may also have more spokes – 40 and 48 spokes are pretty common for tandems and loaded touring tandems. Also tandem rear hubs may have threading for a drum brake. After the frame, good hubs are one of the biggest investments. Phil Wood makes the best, most reliable hubs for tandems. They are also quite expensive, but well worth it. Shimano tandem hubs, at a fraction of the cost are good for the budget minded. And there are loads of others. • Rims – There isn’t really anything tandem specific about rims for a tandem, except you
