Low cost solution for Tandem and short journeys

fatgit

Just Joined
Jul 4, 2019
2
0
Hi - new to the forum and just starting to look into a conversion for our tandem.

I have health limitations that restrict how long I can exercise for, and how hard I can exercise, but enjoy cycling. Our tandem is only used at the weekends at our caravan, but currently we have to take the wheels off, put it in the car and drive to the seafront to use it - I'd like to be able to ride there and back but it's the hills (they're tiny, but have a huge effect on me).

I'm looking for advice on converting to electric assist purely for the small hills. I've attached a Cyclestreets elevation profile of the two routes we'd like to use.

The tandem is a Reflex Timberline. Rider combined weight is 23st ('I'm the heavy one).

Budget is extremely limited, and I did wonder about a cheap hub kit with a balance board battery pack ? No idea if that's practical or not as opinions seem divided, and it's a tandem not a single rider bike....

I'm not after anything all singing and dancing - just something to assist on the hilly bits (OK, slopes :) )

Any advice appreciated, as it's a bit of a minefield out there, and I don't want to waste money I don't have.

Thanks!
 

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sjpt

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 8, 2018
3,642
2,652
Winchester
We have a similar fairly basic tandem (Viking) and went for a Woosh XF07 front conversion. That really helps us up hills, but still needs quite a bit of effort on steeper ones, say over 10%. We chose it partly because there wasn't much choice at the time in our wheel size, and partly because it would be easy to fit. The Woosh SWX02 48V would give a bit more oomph.

It isn't that hilly here (Winchester) but it looks a lot flatter where you are. The XF07 should be fine.

Getting on for £500 may be more than you were hoping for, but if you haven't done one before there are enough traps in buying and combining bits that you might find you ended up spending more. We've certainly been very happy with ours.
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,985
Basildon
You need to show us pictures of your tandem. There are lots of potential incompatibility issues.
 

fatgit

Just Joined
Jul 4, 2019
2
0
We have a similar fairly basic tandem (Viking) and went for a Woosh XF07 front conversion. That really helps us up hills, but still needs quite a bit of effort on steeper ones, say over 10%. We chose it partly because there wasn't much choice at the time in our wheel size, and partly because it would be easy to fit. The Woosh SWX02 48V would give a bit more oomph.

It isn't that hilly here (Winchester) but it looks a lot flatter where you are. The XF07 should be fine.

Getting on for £500 may be more than you were hoping for, but if you haven't done one before there are enough traps in buying and combining bits that you might find you ended up spending more. We've certainly been very happy with ours.
Unfortunately that's way out of my budget at the moment.

This is the tandem we have.

31144
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,985
Basildon
Any kit should fit and work with that bike. It doesn't show what's on the handlebars, so I can't say how the stuff will fit there, you might need to change them.