Frames & Complete BikesParts & AccessoriesTours, Events & PhotosOrdering InformationHome
Customer Experiences

  ORDERING INFO
 COMPLETE BIKES
  PARTS
  BARGAIN BIN
  TOUR INFO
  PHOTO GALLERY


On this page happy, satisfied customers talk about how Tandems East has made buying and owning their tandem bicycle easier and more enjoyable.

 

Mel,

Just to let you know that we made our trip from LA to Boston.  We arrived in Boston on Friday (6/25) and did our ceremonial dip in the Atlantic.  We rode about 3450 miles total.

 

Our Co-Motion held out great!  We did break the shifting cable in Sedona and were about 1.5 miles from a mountain bike shop.  They did not have a cable, so our SAG went back to the truck and got the one we had taken along.  We lost about 2.5 hours, but were able to continue without losing a mile.   We had 12 flats.  With riding on the Interstate, we got a lot of those little wires and thorns in our tires, even though we tried to check them periodically.

 

So, we are so grateful for a safe trip!  There were 14 of us that did the whole trip with about another 10 doing segments of the trip.  Several of the riders had crashes and broke helmets and cracked ribs, but we made it with no mishap.  Thanks for taking the time to inspect our bike and helping us choose the bike “right for us.”  We rode with CrossRoads which we could recommend.

 

Hope you are enjoying your summer and that you can take a few days off to relax!  We’ll be in touch re tuning up our bike sometime late summer or fall.

 

I’ve attached a picture of us in Boston.

 

Janie and LaVern Yutzy

Click on image to enlarge

Janie and LaVern Yutzy and their Co-Motion in Boston


 

  "We did our longest ride so far at the Capital to Capital Century - 77 miles (picture attached).  We ran into Michael and Natalie Hutchinson on their Calfee at one of the rest stops.

The bike is running well.  I really like the Dura Ace brakes.  I am still getting used to the shifting - the 10 speed more finicky than the 9 speed on our Co-Motion.  I am about used to the rear shifting - it seems to take just a little bit of over-shifting to get to the larger cogs.  The front is shifting well, but I am still getting used to the trim positions.  A couple more months and I should be more proficient - I am unlearning 23,000 miles of shifting on the 9 speed Ultegra.

We have noticed that we can climb noticeably better on the Calfee - especially on long, gently grades.  And it is definitely a more comfortable ride.  We have no regrets on our purchase, and are looking forward to a wonderful summer of riding.

Again, many thanks for building us such a beautiful bike."

 

Reed and Karen Nester

Williamsburg VA

Click on image to enlarge

Reed & Karen Nester enjoying their new Calfee

 

 

"We just wanted to let you know we've put a few hundred miles on our new Cannondale tandem since we purchased it at the Tandem Expo, and we love it!
This is our third tandem, and it feels like we've now got a "real" one.  The best feature: the disk brakes!  After a little break-in period, they feel sure and solid -- a great improvement over the cantilevers and v-brakes we've had in the past."

"We enjoyed the Expo.  It is a nice event.  I hope it has been working out well for you.  For us, it took 3 visits until we made the commitment to our new ride.
We'll probably see you at the Lehigh Valley Velodrome, and the SeaGull, and at future Expo events!"

Thanks,

Thurman Kremser & Phyl Geist
Leesport, PA

 

 

"We purchased a tandem from you last Thursday night.  We took it to our Pocono home over the weekend….the first ride was 8 miles and Sue did just fine.  The second ride was 16 miles and Sue did fine again!  I really think she has a whole new outlook on cycling (good!).  Thanks for your patience during our purchase and testing…….we will highly recommend your shop (and tandems) to our friends."

Thanks again,

Ray and Sue Brower

The following was sent shortly after the completing the 2009 RAGBRAI

(The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa)

In its 37th year, RAGBRAI is the longest, largest and oldest touring bicycle ride in the world. RAGBRAI is sponsored by The Des Moines Register. For more information click the following link http://ragbrai.com/

"The bike was fantastic for the week. Just about everyone who went by or we passed commented about the bike. Many asked about it and how it is made, its materials, and how it rides. All commented on the paint job and how great it looked.

However, more important was how it performed. It was extremely comfortable for the entire week. We never felt like the bike "beat us up." From very slow speed up-hill (5-7 mph) in our granny gear, to 50+ mph on a fast decent, and everything in-between, it performed superbly. Your tune-up the week prior was perfect.

After the third day, I had a little difficultly shifting up onto the big chain ring. All it needed was about an 1/8 of an inch take up in the cable slack (cable stretch) and she was good to go. This week really showed just how good this bike really is and it is worth every penny we spent.  

Thanks for always being there and for pointing us in the right direction on the Calfee."

All the best,

Ralph Jodice

Click on image to enlarge
    

Ralph and Judy Jodice (Team Dice) at 2009 RAGBRAI

 

"Following our visit last week we would like to extend our greatest thanks for the work you did in getting our bike back up and running so we can continue our charity ride from San Fran to NYC. We were both amazed at the high level service we received and at the knowledge and professionalism you all demonstrated, not to mention the free food! By sorting our problems so quickly you have doubtlessly allowed us to finish our trip on schedule, guaranteeing even more money to be raised both for injured veterans and cancer research. We thank you again and will endeavor to recommend your services to any other riders we meet,"

Neil Riley and Charlie Bruce
www.tandemUSA.net
Click on image to enlarge
    
Charlie Bruce & Neil Riley with Mel and at the ocean


Mel & Barbara, 

You, Bryant & Dave gave us a huge amount of your time this week (including what must have been many, many hours of work before we even arrived). We cannot thank you enough. As new, devoted fans of Tandems East, we will gladly 'spread the word' about your personal touch and attention to quality. 

Today we took the bike out for our first ride-- a 22-mile loop in Washington DC through Rock Creek Park and the Capital Crescent Trail. Neither of the girls wanted to get in the car this morning, but I used a negotiation tactic Barbara also spoke of: ice cream. Once they were on board, both girls were all smiles. Annika pedaled 20 miles on the Co-motion (only 2 miles in the toddler seat behind the single bike) and it fit her perfectly. 

So thank you, again. We enjoyed meeting you both and having the chance to get to know you. I am inspired by all that you are doing together--staying busy, working hard, exercising and creating a community. 

Best regards.

Ben & Jenka Vanlandingham

Also, we also cannot imagine doing this without the new ATOC rack. Good call on that one. 

Quote from Jenka today: "It takes a leap of faith to put your youngest on the very back and ride fast, through traffic -- and hope that she holds on."

Click on image to enlarge

Jenka Vanlandingham & Family

Hi,

I think you'll enjoy riding a tandem. It is a real couples' sport, allowing the two of you to share the pleasure of a ride. I found that to be a great equalizer: riding solo, one of us had to always wait for the other.

Regarding purchasing a machine:


One line of your search should be contacting local dealers to inquire about a "pre-owned" machine, to use the luxury-car euphemism.  However, your best bet is contacting the pre-eminent dealer in NJ, Tandems East. Mel and Barbara Kornbluh are running their shop for probably some 20 years by now and handle only tandems, triplets, etc. Even though they are quite a ride away (assuming you are in the North of the state), their inventory is worth inspecting. And, I do know that they handle used bikes. When we first started almost 20 years ago, Mel gave me a good deal on a mixte Gottfried. That was an entry-level bike that let us explore the sport. Once we figured out what a heavy bike it was, we kept purchasing new tandems - all from Mel (all Burleys, by the way). Highly recommended - give them a call.

Robert
West Milford, NJ.
Mel,

Wow!  It is amazing how much we enjoy riding our new tandem!  We recently returned from biking through the Shenandoah Valley and the Skyline Drive (230+ miles) in Virginia.  Our new Co-Motion Speedster served us well!  It is so smooth and seems to just "glide" along, with a little help from us, of course.

Our new Co-Motion have taken us to a new level in our biking!  I must confess that I wasn't sure I believed you when you told us that we needed a "custom-made" bike.  With our previous tandem, on long rides I would be popping Aleve and complaining of pain.  With the new bike and your custom 'fit', I have not experienced knee pain and have not needed any painkillers.


In closing, we want to thank you for taking the time to fit us properly and for recommending such an excellent tandem.  We are certainly enjoying the Co-Motion.  We are quick to tell fellow bike-riders about Tandems East and the good service we are receiving from you.

Again, a very big thank you!

Janie and LaVern Yutzy
Pennsylvania
Click on image to enlarge

 
 
Hi Mel,
Here are a few photos of the tandem for you. David loves to ride this thing!  Alan just had to try the fit so he climbed on yesterday before I could get out his helmet.  We always use helmets.  So far just a few short rides locally under ten miles, but we are looking forward to some touring next summer.

Thanks for all  your help with the fit.  I am very grateful that you talked us into a large/large frame size, especially with our handlebar choice.  I may still go to different bars on this bike but we will have to take it for some longer rides before we will know what to tweak.  We love the cranking system on this bike!  I would be happy to recommend this system to anyone on the fence about the pedaling, especially for people with kids!
Maybe we'll try to make it to your next tandem expo 2010.  Would like to meet you and your wife and it would be a good excuse to get out of VT during mud season!
Sincerely,
Matt Moody
Click on image to enlarge

 
 

Frames & Complete BikesParts & AccessoriesTours, Events & PhotosOrdering InformationHome

TANDEMS EAST | contact@tandemseast.com | 856-451-5104 | 86 Gwynwood Drive Pittsgrove, NJ 08318
Back to Top