Travel by Tandem
By Lynn Dexter & Patrick Gibbons
Travel by tandem is, to us, the very best way to see the world. We love to take tandem bike vacations and invite our customers to join us. With more than 15 years of tandem travel around the globe, we’ve learned a thing or two about the nuances of traveling with a tandem.
There are many considerations when traveling with your big bike that should be discussed even before you purchase your tandem. The first consideration is whether to purchase a travel, or S&S coupled bike, or a traditional, non-coupled tandem frame?
What is a “Coupled Tandem”?
S&S machine, a company in California, created the Bicycle Torque Couplings or BTC in 1994. Designed to allow your bike to come apart in sections, couplings/couplers, allow you to pack your tandem bike into cases for easy airline travel. (Note, bikes with couplers are not the same as bikes that fold.) The BTCs allow your bike to come apart in sections for packing into small suitcases, adding minimal weight to your bike with no compromise in ride quality.
In our opinion, these couplings are truly an engineering marvel. As the leading dealer for Co-Motion and Calfee tandems, we have sold more coupled bikes than anyone in the world. We have never seen a single problem with the couplings and this is after 15 years in business, again, selling more of these bikes than anyone, anywhere.
Do the Couplers Affect Ride Quality?
Simply put, no! Many customers ask if there is additional frame flex with a coupled bike. The couplers actually increase the frame stiffness. The ride quality on a coupled tandem is every bit the quality of the same bike without couplers. We have never had a customer dissatisfied with the ride of their coupled bike.
How much do they Weigh?
A typical tandem equipped with 6 BTCs will weigh about 2 pounds more than the same bike without couplers.
How much do Coupled Tandems Cost?
The price of coupled bikes depends upon many things. At Tandem Cycle Works, our coupled tandems start at just under $5,000, with the Primera Co-Pilot. The most popular bike we sell is the Co-Motion Speedster Co-Pilot with the Performance Package. This bike is approximately $8,300. Yes, you can even spend more on a coupled bike.
Both Co-Motion Cycles and Calfee Desgin offer coupled tandems. Both tandem builders offer models with couplers as an option. The additional price of the couplers on a tandem adds from $1350 to $2500 to the price of the same bike without couplers. The difference depends up the number of couplers and the bike builder.
We recognize that this is a considerable sum. When spending this much, it is important to work with a shop like ours to make CERTAIN you are fit properly, know all the options available to you, and that you have had the chance to see and ride a variety of tandem models. While there is a wealth of information on the internet, you simply cannot ride a bike on the internet! Because of this, we have customers from around the world who recognize the value of our expertise in making this very important purchase.
Who says you can’t take it with you?
If you plan to take more than one or two bike vacations with your tandem, we advside you to consider the purchase of an S&S coupled tandem. Given that we have had customers pay the airlines as much as $500 EACH WAY to fly with their non-coupled tandems, purchasing a coupled bike will save you money after just a few trips.
What do the airlines charge to fly with a tandem?
This is the most frequently asked question we get and it’s really a two-part answer, depending upon whether you have an S&S coupled, travel tandem, or a non-coupled, traditionally framed bike.
Flying with an S&S Coupled, Travel Tandem:
Cases are all-important!
We highly recommend the Original S&S Hard Cases that measure 26x26x10 inches, or 62 linear inches. You will need 2 for your tandem. They are pricey, but your bike is worth it! Remember that your vacation depends upon you AND your tandem arriving safely. These cases are NOT oversized and your bike in the cases will easily stay UNDER the 50-pound weight limit imposed by the airlines, provided you resist adding too many “extras” to the cases.
As the owners of the shop we have taken more trips with our tandem in the Original S&S Hard Cases than anyone, anywhere (INCLUDING the manufacturers who BUILT your bike). Our cases are 15+ years old, we take 1-2 international tandem trips per year and the cases are still going strong. We have NEVER been charged additional luggage fees for flying with our bike. Our bike has NEVER been damaged in the cases. Please RE-READ those last 2 sentences. No charge. No damage. No kidding.
Travel Case Choices
Our preference for the Original S&S Hard Cases is based upon the fact that with the S&S Original Hard cases your tandem is protected BOTH from the INSIDE and the OUTSIDE.
Protection from the Outside:
The Original S&S Hard Cases are very durable and have served us beautifully for more than 15 years, with no damage to our bike. Soft-sized cases can tear or rip quite easily. At one time we rented a full-sized, soft-sided, Bike Pro case with hard plastic inserts. This is a very expensive full-sized tandem case. After the first rental, the case came back with tears in the fabric and one wheel ripped off.
On the other hand we have watched baggage handlers THROW our hard-sided cases across the tarmac. Seriously. This struck fear into our hearts, as you can imagine. When we got to our destination and opened our cases, with trepidation I might add, much to our amazement our bike was perfectly fine.
Give me a break!
We have heard that other tandem retailers/manufacturers actually tell their customers that baggage handlers set aside soft-sided bike cases, and pack them in the plane last. You gotta be kiddin’! Next time you take a flight, think about how ridiculous a statement this is! If you believe that, we have some real estate in Florida…
Protection from the Inside:
The inside advantage of the hard cases focuses on plastic dowels called Compression Members. These are not used with soft-sided cases. Compression members protect your tandem from the inside-out. These plastic dowels with end caps are slightly wider than the cases. When you pack a tandem in the Original S&S hard cases these compression members are placed inside the case and brace the case from the inside. Thus when the luggage handling gorillas toss your tandem around at the airport the bike is protected and the compressions members take the brunt of the handling rather than YOUR BIKE.
What We Have Learned:
We have had ticket agents question us about the cases but we have never had to pay .01 extra. If the ticket agent indicates that the cases are oversized they are mistaken. The Original S&S Hard Cases that we sell at Tandem Cycle Works are 26x26x10 inches (total linear dimensions of 62 inches). This is NOT oversized on any major airline of which we are aware. Having said this, we have been challenged by ticket agents, but when given the dimensions, they acquiesce. We think that because the cases are square in shape, ticket agents are concerned that the cases will not fit on the luggage belts. THEY WILL.
Case Weight:
When your bike is packed, each hard case weighs approximately 43-45 lb. The weight limit per bag is 50 lb. You WILL be charged if a piece of luggage exceeds 50 lb. You must be careful to avoid exceeding the weight limit by packing too many extras into your cases. Make sure to weigh your cases after the bike has been packed to make sure you stay under the 50-pound weight limit.
Case Contents:
We make it a point to AVOID telling ticket agents that the cases contain a bike or a tandem. If asked we simply say the cases contain "bike parts." Customers have told us that sometimes ticket agents try to charge for travel with a bike regardless of case size or weight. In the new era of airline fees, we think it best to NOT use the "B" or the "T" word!
More Details:
We recommend that you print from the internet the luggage size and weight information for the airline on which you will travel and take this with you to the airport. If you are going somewhere where English is not the first language, we recommend you print the airline luggage info in the language of the country you visit. This is back up for you in "discussions" with ticket agents since, when it comes to fees, the bottom line is that you are at the mercy of the ticket agent at the airport. Remember, too that you attract more flies with honey than vinegar!
Flying with a Full-Sized, Non-Coupled (Traditional) Tandem:
You can fly with your NON-coupled tandem on all major airlines. The issue is not IF you will pay, but how much you will pay for this privilege. PLEASE NOTE: It is NOT cheaper to send the bike via freight or shipping company! This will only incur extra costs and time on your part.
Be Prepared to Pay
Excess baggage fees that you will pay for non-coupled tandems are moving targets. You may pay $0 one way and several hundred dollars on your return trip. There is no rhyme or reason to this, so there is little value to calling ahead to determine these charges. The one thing that we will guarantee is that when you arrive at the airport the actual charges you pay will be different than those quoted to you on the phone. So don’t waste the time and energy trying to figure this out beforehand. Recently some customers reported to us a new high water mark of $550 one-way to fly with their tandem on an international flight. OUCH! Coming home, however, the bike flew for free. Go figure.
Beyond the Airlines
Train Travel:
Travel by train with a coupled tandem is a breeze. With an S&S bike the cases are regular luggage so there are no issues with taking your tandem on trains.
Many newer high-speed trains, such as the TGV in France, cannot accommodate a non-coupled bike. If you have a non-coupled tandem you must make certain to verify the type of train and their policies on bikes before your trip.
Taxis:
With a packed S&S coupled bike, upon arrival in a European city, you may need to request a larger taxi to transport you, your bike and your other luggage to your first night’s hotel. We have found these larger taxis readily available. Many large cities also have shuttle services that can work well to get you away from the airport.
With a non-coupled bike, good luck! You may need to arrange special transport from the airport to your hotel after arrival and this will incur significantly more costs than a taxi from the airport. This should be scheduled in advance!
Case Storage:
When we travel by ourselves, we often ask hoteliers in our arrival or departure city if they will store our cases for us while we are off riding our tandem. Every time we have asked, the innkeepers have graciously agreed to store our bike cases, sometimes for more than 2 weeks.
We are certain this would not be the case with a full-sized tandem case. Many hotels overseas, particularly in large European cities, are cramped with very small lobbies, and space is at a premium. These hotels would simply have no place to store the giant tandem case, which we affectionately call “the coffin.” If you travel with a non-coupled bike do not make the assumption that a hotel will have space to store your large tandem case.
Case Shipping:
In the US, Patrick and I have done point-to-point trips where we fly into one city, ride for a week or two, and then fly home from another city. On this type of trip we arrange to ship the cases from our starting point to our ending destination. This is easy with the S&S hard cases. They can be sent via UPS for a very reasonable price. We always make it a point to let the innkeepers know our plan and this works beautifully. When we arrive at our destination our bike cases are in our room, waiting for us to go home.
UPS will not accept your full-sized tandem case. It is just too big.
Final Thoughts:
Many customers have traveled on our tours with their non-coupled bikes. After their first trip with us, we often see them at our shop, ready to buy a coupled tandem. These customers have seen firsthand how easy coupled tandems make the travel experience, and since they have been bitten by the travel bug after their trip, they are ready to take move up to an S&S coupled tandem!