Project View

Sociable (Side by Side) Tandem Ebike

Vancouver, Canada

181

Published: 2023-07-14

Tandem Bike

Crystalyte 400

Frankenbike

This project was inspired by from a library book on bicycle history which showed a 2 wheeled tandem bike with the riders side by side! We thought that was such a neat idea, and decided to build one for fun using two bicycle frames pulled from a bicycle scrap yard. Originally not electrified, we eventually added motor power with a Crystalyte 408 hub motor.

The ride experience was an interesting dynamic as both riders shared the same handlebar and could equally contribute to the steering.

The bike was taken to Burning Man, VEVA REv! shows, Critical and Maker Faires but then sadly got stolen from the back lane when Grin moved headquarters from Main St to False Creek in 2011. We have no idea where it is today

Grin's first two Co-op students taking a spin on the sociable at our old location on Main Street — Osama and Anthony

The bike could ride suprisingly well with just a single rider too, as long as you got used to the lean — Justin Solo

Segue is the founder of Frankentrikes and did most of the frame welding to put this machine together — Justin and Segue

At first this bike didn't have a motor and was purely pedal powered. — Unelectrified

Here you can see how the rear axle was built, using a long steel pipe with ready rods and ball bearings, with flanges and freewheels welded onto it. — Rear view

Build Pictures

Unfortunately we didn't get too many photos of the build and assembly of this project. But as you can see it was just two scrap bike frames with similar geometry that were welded together. Each had its own pedals to the rear wheel, and the two steering columns were joined together with a bar linkage so that the handlebars turned in unison.

Welding cross braces to hold the frames together — Frames