Submitted by
Lizardo
a Cross Country Rider
from Box Elder, SD, USA
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2011
Strengths: Rock solid over 2800 miles of heavily-loaded mixed-surface cycle touring. Alex's knowledge and support from first call and onward has been great.
Weaknesses: None found yet. We're just completing our first 2800 mile "shakedown" tour on the bike and we're now feeling confident about our
Bottom Line:
Would buy it again.
Also, both the Rohloff hub and Gustav brake decisions have served us very well. We love both.
Driving the Rohloff with a front derailleur (which I requested) we would not do again outside of our specific mixed surface, often solo-powered application. It's nice to have that very wide range of gearing but you pay a time/complexity price on flat repairs since you have to remove the idler gears to get the wheel out.
We bought this bike planning to eventually do the Great Divide Route. However, our immediate project was a combined hike and bike of the Pacific Crest Trail and Sierra Cascades Route which involved me solo riding the tandem about a third of the time. We should reach Canada tomorrow, completing the second phase of our tour and 2800 miles on the bike as we do. At this point we're completely confident in the bike and are ready to tackle the GDR and beyond. More details about the bike and trip can be had at tadteam.posterous.com.
Similar Products Used: None. All of our prior experience has been on mountain(26 and 29er) and road singles. This is our first tandem.
Bike Setup: 19.5/17 frame. Rohloff hub. White Industries 40-spoke front hub. White Bros 100T fork. Magura Gustav brakes. Middleburn cranks with 36/46T rings. SRAM X-9 front derailleur. Thudbuster LT on the stoker seat. Alex also sold us some frame bags which have worked out well.
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Submitted by
ds2199
a Weekend Warrior
from Golden, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: July 1, 2011
Strengths: Not sure where to start. It's ALL GOOD! Alex has put together a solid tandem frame at a value price point. 29" platform is awesome. The geometry seems just right. I can't think of what I would change.
Weaknesses: Have yet to find one.
Bottom Line:
This bike is the real deal. I don't know if there is a better application for 29" wheels. Having that big wheel (especially the front wheel) on a tandem just ROCKS!
We have completed several longish distance races on this bike and have been VERY pleased with the ride and the results.
ANYTHING mountainbike tandem related - talk to Alex at mtbtandems.com, he's the man!
Similar Products Used: Ventana El Conquistador de Montana
Bike Setup: Maverick DUC 32 fork, Velocity P35 rims, Sram X0 shifters & deraileur, right side drive using LX cranks with large chainring used for timing rings. Thudbuster seatpost for stoker, Magura Louise brakes, 203 rotors, Chris King hubs. Panaracer 2.35 in the back and Maxxis Ardent 2.4 up front.
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Submitted by
Scott
a Weekend Warrior
from Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2011
Strengths: This bike is incredibly nimble for a mountain bike tandem. I expected it to feel a little bit more tank like. But it is so quick, so agile; and it maintains some serious momentum at medium to high speeds. Really a pleasure to ride. 29 inch wheels are perfect for tandem use--roll through and over just about everything. And clearance is also terrific--my son and I even took it out on the local BMX track to the astonishment of the local riders. It's unlikely I'd ever purchase a new 26" mountain bike again. The welds on the head tube and rear triangle are something else. Ventana builds the frames for Mtbtandems, so no surprise there on the quality. The Da Vinci cranks are works of art--they have a little bit more flex than I am used to, but the flex seems to be all lateral, and the triple holed rear crank works for all ages in our family--six and up.
Weaknesses: Long captain top tube is ideal for most and the geometry is generally terrific; but for short riders, the top tube lendth on the 17.5/15.5 frame may be problematic. My wife, who is 5'4", can manage with a 45mm stem and zero stack height. But this bike may not work for captains shorter than that.
Bottom Line:
That is an awesome bike! Beyond awesome. It is also the only bike I've ever purchased that I did not have the opportunity to ride first (nobody has one around here, so I could not test ride it), so customer service on this sale meant a lot to me. Alex Nutt at Mtbtandems excels at customer service--we probably spent a total of three hours on the phone as the build was taking place. (It's a bit scary purchasing a $4.5K bike site unseen.) I cannot recommend Alex, MTB Tandems, and this bike highly enough.
Similar Products Used: Santana Picante Suspension: Hannebrink fork, XTR, Hadley Racing Hubs, Formula hydraulic brakes, Da Vinci cranks.
Bike Setup: 17.5/15.5 frame. White Brothers Magic 100t dual crown fork, Sram x-9, White Industries hubs, Avid BB7 203mm brakes, Da Vinci cranks, Thompson seat posts/stem, 959 spd pedals
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Submitted by
Joe and Kathy
a Racer
from North Andover, MA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 4, 2011
Strengths: Ride quality and versatility
Weaknesses: None that I could identify
Bottom Line:
We are roadies, but really enjoy the challenge of riding off road. The bike is smooth and easy to handle. We really like the bike - it a smooth riding, capable, versatile bike that will serve up well.
Similar Products Used: This is our first mountain tandem. We are primarily road riders and bought this to extend the riding season and go out with our off road riding friends.
Bike Setup: Stock DC-9 Set up with mechanical brakes rather the hydraulic ones.
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Submitted by
gchilly
a Weekend Warrior
from New Castle, CO (USA)
Date Reviewed: May 30, 2011
Strengths: Frame is extremely well made with quality parts. The 29er wheels are definitely fantastic on a tandem mountain bike. This bike is very forgiving and we feel would be great for all level of riders.
Weaknesses: None that we know of.
Bottom Line:
Words cannot express how awesome this tandem bike is. The bike handles singletrack like a dream eating up everything in its path. 29er tandem bikes are the only way to go if you want to clear obstacles with no problem. And, we must admit that we love the attention that this bike gets from both riders and nonriders alike. Our first ride at Mary's Loop and Horsethief Loop in Fruita, CO, was not only spectacular and tons of fun, but we were also able to ride about 90% of the trails. And best of all was the service we received from Alex at MTBTandems.com. If you are seriously considering buying a mountain bike tandem, we highly recommend you speak with Alex at MTBTandems.com. You'll truly be happy that you did!
Bike Setup: White Bros T-100 tandem fork, Sram X-9 components, Magura Louise disk brakes, Chris King headset, Cane Creek Thudbuster Stoker seatpost, White Ind. Hubs with Sun Ringle MTX tandem 29er rims, Thomson seatpost and stem, and finally Middleburn Tandem Cranks.
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Submitted by
jandrews5
a Cross Country Rider
from Acworth, GA
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2011
Strengths: Rigid, responsive frame with high bottom bracket for excellent clearance. Climbs,decends and handles almost like a single.
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
We have worked with Alex on all of our tandems. Our 1st, the 26 Fandango was so much fun we started racing! That led to the full suspension Ventana(for stoker comfort)that is still part of the corral. Then Alex invited us to demo the 29er.....
Our new 29er tandem is extremely quick - so much so that this stoker has to gently remind the captain at times that there are 2 of us on the bike!
The stiffness of the frame and the quick handling of the fork is incredible! The 29er wheels roll over just about anything. We climb better, descend faster and smile a lot!
Alex really knows tandems and the Fandango 29er is a must have for new or experienced tandem teams!
Similar Products Used: Fandango 26 Hardtail
Ventana El Conquistador De Montanas
Bike Setup: New Fandango frame w/ 1.5 Headtube,White Brothers Single Crown fork, King hubs,Velocity Chunker rims,WTB Wolverine tires, Middleburn Cranks, Sram X-9 drivetrain.
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Submitted by
caraapp
a Racer
from black mountain, nc
Date Reviewed: May 12, 2011
Strengths: solid off road tandem built on a 29 inch wheel platform, with perfect, well thought out geometry and a very reasonable price
Weaknesses: none .... you get more than what you pay for
Bottom Line:
After riding road tandems for years and messing about on our c-dale 26" wheel tandem, I had a big suspicion that 29 inch wheels on an offroad tandem was the way to go.... when we found out Alex at MTBtandems was having these bikes made ,... and at a great price... we had to have one. We were not disappointed. The geometry of this bike coupled with the big wheels makes it handle better than we would have imagined possible for a big bike. We liked it so much we decided to do Leadville on it last year and won the tandem category with a new tandem course record time.... what more can you say about a bike than that!?
Favorite Trail: on the tandem: anything at bent creek
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$4200.00
Purchased At: MTBtandems.com
Similar Products Used: cannondale MT-1000
Bike Setup: basically stock DC-9 package. middleburn cranks, magura brakes, sram x-9 drivetrain, white brothers magic 100T fork. I did change out the rear shifter from a twist to a trigger and put on some bars I liked a little better... but still running the bike 95% stock set up.
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Submitted by
eischman
a Weekend Warrior
from Durham
Date Reviewed: May 7, 2011
Strengths: Durability, weight, looks......fast. Cost....cheaper than 2 single bikes of this quality
Weaknesses: Timing chain! If we did not have it we could go over bigger logs..haha
Bottom Line:
This will be the last tandem mountain bike I will ever own. It is sooooooo much better than the others I have tried. Alex knows how to build a tandem and does not skimp on the parts. There is a reason he picks tandem rated parts and works with parts/ frame builders to make the right stuff for an off road tandem. I am always amazed at what we ride through. There are thing we go through that I would not attempt on my sing bike
Similar Products Used: Elsworth Witness, another well build 26in tandem
Bike Setup: dC-9 (stock but a couple upgrade) middleburn cranks! King hubs! velocity rims, White bro for
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Submitted by
PMK
a Cross Country Rider
from Royal Palm Beach, Florida
Date Reviewed: September 16, 2010
Strengths: Over the top product support & customer satisfaction, quality construction, stellar performing from single track to very fast jeep roads, very efficient long distance tandem, the most impressive climbing tandem bike with no wheelspin we own
Weaknesses: Not a big deal, but it is not available as a polished finish instead of the nice powdercoat.
Bottom Line:
Truth be told I don't like 29r style bikes. Every 29r single I had borrowed for a test ride had me hating the flex of the wheels and odd geometry / frame angles in regards to handling.
We had a tandem we loved and the stoker was convinced it could not be outdone.
During MTBTandems.com sponsored festival, AORTA 2010, we put in some test ride time on demo bikes (ECDM and Fandango) plus rode the same test loops on our own tandems.
The performance of the Fandango 29r immediately became apparent, smoother than our 26" hardtails and a very capable climbing machine, the large wheels smoothed a good portion of trail debris.
We decided that test ride to purchase a Fandango 29r.
Our purchase was not a complete tandem, but rather the frame and fork (a slightly used demo fleet fork). After gathering the parts the build began. No glitches or surprises, just a quality frame to build up.
When you start with a quality frame, you can build a quality high performance tandem.
We have spent many miles on this bike so far. The bike is dialed in to be exactly how we want it, from tires to grips. The Fandango is an xc dream machine of tandems. Smooth, stable, and fast with superb customer relations.
Regardless of where you ride or the terrain, the Fandango should be considered as one of the top choices. There may be some folks that desire or require rear suspension, and this may not make a Fandango the best bike for those teams. Alex at MTBTandems will listen and make the best recommendations for you regardless of brand.
I started the bottom line of this review mentioning my not liking 29r bikes. I still hold these opinions as they relate to where and how I prefer to ride single bikes. I have learned though, that a properly executed 29r tandem, like the Fandango, can be built to be one of the most ridden bikes we own.
I believe the reason for this is tandems can easily have more rigid wheels, and better stiffness in the frames while not showing the added weight. This tends to inspire confidence.
However the best perk of riding a tandem for us is just riding together.
Similar Products Used: 1998 Cannondale MT3000,
2001 Cannondale MT800,
2006 Ventana El Conquistador de Montañas
Bike Setup: Large Frame, White, ATC fork, 2x9 all right hand drive setup, 22/36 front, 11/34 rear, DT 540 & 440 hubs, DT Alpine triple gauge spokes, MTX33 36 hole rims, XO rear & shifters, SLX front, LX cranks, BB7 203mm brakes, Panaracer Rampage 2.35 with Slime tubes, Tery saddles, Thudbuster and Thomsom seatposts, Thomson & CODA stems, Easton 25.4mm flat bars, FSA headset
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Submitted by
qpnjac
a Cross Country Rider
from Acme,Mi USA
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2010
Strengths: Nice weld beads and gussets. Alex works well with patrons and shops. Using a local shop allowed for more personal choices to be addressed.
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
Called Alex to tell him of our 25 mile initial ride. This is one very nice bike. We don't need full suspension here in Michigan but the 3" LT Thud Buster is a real aid to the stoker. He barely noticed a 5" log we crossed going up hill. The latest generation twist shifters are impressive, and precise. I have a tenancy to be an overzealous twist shifter, but will restrain myself to become more conservative and slow down as these are so quick. The choice of 33mm wide rims allows the tires to present a much wider profile enhancing the longer contact patch of the 29er tires. The tracks we left looked like those of a motor cycle next to the others. We never slipped the rear wheel as we do on 26er tandems making this a very strong climber. Rolling resistance is notably lower than that of the 26er tandems allowing for a more spirited ride. This bike plows through loose sand like no other bike due to the long, wide tire contact profile. A welcome change to that of the 26er tandems. Though this bike is about 6 inches longer than our 26er tandem it carves the single track like an honest bike and a half compared to that and my single 29er and 26er tandems. Some areas are still tight due only to length. Welcome to reality. Our team is looking forward to the O2S race Saturday on this bike.
The only changes I would make are too softer Ritchey Hex grips (a personal preference I know) and lighter tires. I chose the Kenda Nevegal 2.2 folding bead tires to lighten rotational mass by more than one kilogram and aid a more lively ride. I also added bar ends for more hand positions and added comfort though some think this old school. What a wonderful application of the Ventana derailleur hanger. Job well done Alex and team.
Strengths: 29" geometry for 17"/15" set-up was perfect. High speed agility, downhill control, clearance a plus for 1' obstacles! Very smart set-up for durability : racing - great ratio.
Weaknesses: The team
Bottom Line:
By far the best $4k we have spent in the last 20 years! Great fun that will pull these racers out of retirement.
Similar Products Used: Yokota Grizzly circa 1992 - no comparison
Bike Setup: Fandango spec geometry, white bros 29 T100 dual spring fork, Magura Louise 8" disc, 36-hole Velocity Chukkar hoops on White tandem hubs 20mm thru Sapim spokes, Middleburn drivetrain w/ SRAM X9 12-32
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Submitted by
Recrider
a Cross Country Rider
from Wellington, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: April 22, 2010
Strengths: Beautiful build quality, excellent components. Incredibly nimble, efficient, smooth and rolls very well. Climbs much better than you would expect. Steering is superb. Great value for money IMO.
Weaknesses: Have changed front tyre to Geax Saguaro TNT as it is more suitable for the terrain we often ride, otherwise no weaknesses identified.
Bottom Line:
This is a really high quality, amazing bike. It feels incredibly robust and handles so much better than it has any right to, given its size. We have ridden it in a number of locations, over different terrain and have even raced it (won our class after just one shake-down ride). It is very fast, especially in undulating terrain.
On a recent 2 day ride we kept getting drafted by groups of solos after they noticed how fast the Fandango was. Had to try to get rid of them when I realised we had over 10 of them behind us!
People take pity on us for having to ride this bike on tight trails. They don't know our secret - they cannot understand how manoeuverable it is and how much fun it is to ride. It's a real blast. The 29" wheels make a huge difference to ride quality and traction.
I spent quite a lot of time on phone and email with Alex ensuring that we had appropriate sizing and component selection. His knowledge is second to none and he is very generous with his time. We are very happy with the end result and I would not hesitate to recommend MTB Tandems.
Similar Products Used: Control 26" rigid alloy tandem
Bike Setup: Standard DC-9 configuration, small frame.
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Submitted by
DuoDirt
a Weekend Warrior
from Canton Ga
Date Reviewed: March 28, 2010
Strengths: 29er platform, This bike rolls effortlessly and the ride is smoothed out due to the 29er setup. We like to ride doubletrack and singletrack. Customer service is 1st class!!!
Weaknesses: None that we can find or feel.
Bottom Line:
This being our 1st tandem we were a little skeptical on what we would be able to ride. So far we have been able to ride the same trails that we rode on our single bikes with the exception of some tight switchbacks. Our Fandango holds a very tight line and climbs like a goat. No matter how hard we ride this bike begs for more. This bike meets and exceeds our expectations.
As for the customer service, Alex spent a lot with the stroker for fit as well as comfort. I really wasn’t sure what was going on until now. She really loves to go ride and ask frequently when and where we are going next. Special thanks to Alex at MTBTandem for all your help.
We do take many breaks during our rides due to riders stopping us to talk about our tandem (we love that).
We would highly recommend this bike to anyone.
Similar Products Used: We meet Alex at a local trail to demo several tandems. We rode everything from hardtails to f/s in many makes and models.
Bike Setup: Small (17/15) DC-9
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Submitted by
catgarsecondwind
a Cross Country Rider
from Cummaquid, MA USA
Date Reviewed: March 3, 2010
Strengths: The technical assistance and support provided by MTB Tandems' owner, Alex Nutt. As well as, the fit of the frame and the components selected by Mr. Nutt for the build.
Weaknesses: None that we have identified at this time.
Bottom Line:
This is a great tandem. Period! We always weigh cost vs. quality in any purchase we make. Fortunately you get both in the Fandango Tio from MTB Tandems. As we noted above we are long distance road riders who are now looking for some off road experiences. This bike fits the bill. Plus, Mr. Nutt's experience and helpfulness is beyond compare.
Similar Products Used: This is our first tandem mountain bike. However, my wife and I ride a Burley Rumba road tandem and recently completed a 6500 unsupported ride around 3/4 of the United States.
Bike Setup: 29'er tandem frame. White Brothers Magic 100 Tandem suspension fork, double crown, with air assist, 20 mm dropout; Avid ball bearing disc brakes - 203 mm front and rear; White Industries M16 Tandem rear disc hub (40 drilling) White Industries Venti front disc hub, 20 mm axle (40 drilling)
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Submitted by
Rip9Niner
a Cross Country Rider
from Bakersfield, CA
Date Reviewed: February 16, 2010
Strengths: 29 inch Wheels
Ride
Climbing
Components
Weaknesses: None yet
Bottom Line:
Bought the bike because our road tandem was to light duty for the roads we were riding. right away noticed we could climb better and getting more power out of my stoker! This bike has given us more access to trails I normally ride on my single bike. this bike descends well and has massive stopping power, ascents are only limited by tire hookup and leg power, stable from 3 mph to 50 mph. If you are looking for a tandem mtn bike, this is a no-brainer.
