The estimable Mark Bulgier wrote:
<<< [Customer Phil Wood] supplied us with cool ovalized top tubes that spanned the length of the bike, pierced in the middle for the captain's seat tube - copied a lot after that but in 1980 it was unique as far as I know. >>>
I have a 1978 Forrest-Willing tandem (built in Durango, Colorado by Forrest Yelverton and a Welshman named Willing, for Forrest's own use) that features ovalized bottom, top, and lateral tubes. The top and laterals are pierced for the captain's seat tube. The head tube is a standard one and so the two ovalized tubes that butt into it are, of course, broader in profile. These are finished off neatly in points that bracket the head tube.
The bike wears Reynolds 531 decals, is neatly filleted, and weighs approximately 44 pounds built up with a reduced Nuovo Record group (gen-u-ine 36-46-56 triple, Rally rear, Phil hubs, deer-head-era Deore cantilevers). I've removed the Phil rear disc. I think the bike handles well but don't have very broad experience on tandems. It's certainly pretty.
The bike also has a weird rear end. To keep the chain stays short, it has a VERY shallow stoker seat tube that begins a couple inches ahead of the bottom bracket. The bottom bracket ends up well triangulated but if the user isn't sized just right they end up with a bad angle, the ride may be especially harsh back there, and there's far too little tire clearance. I also have to run the triple and front derailleur at the captain's station, rather than at the stoker's.
Kris Green
Olympia WA
<kristopher.green@gmail.com>