There are several issues with this bicycle that make it less than desirable for someone wanting to _ride_ it. For one, the sizing is quite unusual. Almost all modern tandems are sized for a larger captain than stoker (the reason being that this is the way most of the people who want to tandem are also sized). In addition, and as a vain attempt to compensate for their "whippy"-ness, most have stoker seat tubes that are very short and therefore very uncomfortable by modern standards.
Having said that, if I could captain it, I certainly would have considered purchasing it, but it's too big for me at 56 to the center. I agree that it's a very desirable bike for the right collector. Personally, I think Larry Black should buy it (but he probably already has three just like it!) <smile>
Steve "4 tandems and a triplet in the garage" Freides in now-drizzly Ridgewood, NJ, USA.
Chuck Schmidt wrote:
>
> Dave Anderson wrote:
> >
> (snip)
> > I noticed the seller went to great pains in saying that this tandem is the
> > "most collectable". Hmmm. I wonder if the fact that he had no bids makes him
> > question his grandiose claims.
>
> Pogliaghi tandems were pretty amazing in their constuction details.
> Described in the Custom Bicycle book as being built up with oversize
> tubing to fabricate the lugs (oversize tubing frame cut up to form lugs
> for smaller sized tubing).
>
> My conclusion is that there aren't any vintage tandem collectors out
> there (vintage tandems were very whippy).
>
> Chuck Schmidt
> South Pasadena, California