Bicycles

Bicycle built for two is the length of a bicycle built for one

Bicycle built for two is the length of a bicycle built for one
Shawn Raymond with the Unatandem
Shawn Raymond with the Unatandem
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It helps if the front rider on the Unatandem is shorter than the person on the back
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It helps if the front rider on the Unatandem is shorter than the person on the back
The Unatandem has an oversized BMX steel frame
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The Unatandem has an oversized BMX steel frame
Shawn Raymond with the Unatandem
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Shawn Raymond with the Unatandem
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Probably just about all of us “doubled” a passenger on our bike when we were kids, by having them sit in front of us on our handlebars. Of course, now that we’re older and wiser, we know how dangerous that was – not to mention illegal. Given that the kids of today are still open to taking passengers on their neighborhood cycling trips, however, California-based inventor Shawn Raymond has created a better way for them to do so. It’s called the Unatandem, and it’s a remarkably short tandem bicycle that is said to handle like a regular cruiser bike.

If you think the Unatandem looks like a two-seater BMX, that’s because it incorporates an oversized BMX steel frame and fork. This is matched up with beach cruiser handlebars, aluminum rims, spring saddles and caliper brakes.

The current version is the 14th prototype. In order to get the length down, Raymond moved the front wheel back – it’s back so far, in fact, that it comes between the front rider’s feet when they’re in the forward position. To keep those feet from connecting with the wheel when the bike takes corners, the cranks are angled outwards, drawing the front rider’s feet apart. This means that they’re pedaling in a somewhat splay-legged fashion, although according to Shawn, people riding the bike barely notice this. Hmm ...

The use of a small-diameter 16-inch front wheel also helps keep the splaying to a minimum.

It helps if the front rider on the Unatandem is shorter than the person on the back
It helps if the front rider on the Unatandem is shorter than the person on the back

Unlike a regular tandem, the Unatandem has just one set of handlebars. The rear rider reaches around the sides of the front rider in order to steer and brake with these, while the front rider rests their hands on the middle of them to keep their balance. Needless to say, it helps if the front rider is the shorter of the two – in fact, it looks like it would pretty much be a necessity.

Raymond is currently raising production funds on Kickstarter, and plans on having the bicycle commercially produced by a manufacturer in China. Assuming he reaches his funding goal and all goes according to plan, he hopes to have them available to U.S. consumers by mid-December. A pledge of at least US$550 will get you one.

The Unatandem can be seen in action in the pitch video below.

Source: Kickstarter

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14 comments
14 comments
socalboomer
that doesn't look very safe - anything hit in the front is going to have the front rider become intimately acquainted with the handlebars. . .
Michael Mantion
WOW how utterly stupid.. lol.. Just put the kid on the handlebar.. Part of being a kid is having accidents..
James Gemmell
Hey, this looks great! Is it big enough for the rider on the back seat to fire a bow and arrow comfortably?
Slowburn
Making a shorter tandem bike is a good idea there is a such thing as taking the idea too far. As a case in point this is a demonstration of that.
Gadgeteer
This is a toy for tooling around suburban streets, exactly like in the video. It's worthless for any kind of distance. The riding position is a mess and with the small wheels and lack of suspension, this will be painful to ride on anything but the smoothest road surfaces.
SumoDes
There is a certain proportion to be maintained between the seat position and the pedals for a comfortable ride. The front seat rider can seen seating in a pretty awkward backbreaking position.
Nantha
A passenger larger than a child wont be able to pedal too well. The person at the back needs to cycle with the legs open. It is no safer than carrying a passenger in front. The many pedals provide lots of opportunities to hit the front riders legs, in the event of a fall. The handle bars provide lots of dangerous areas for a childs head, or someone's ribs. All in the child in the front has no where to hop off if the brakes fail.
IMHO this is something that needs to be banned as non thinking parents will actually buy this and let their children happily ride on to serious harm. A bike like this could do very well in the third world, which is a very frightening thing.
duh3000
Hmmm, a legitimate "safety" concern -- getting extra weight off the steering, especially the moving around kind -- but not quite fully thought out it seems: 2 riders = a longer bike. Sort of goes without saying.
edelman
Dear Ben, there is nothing inherently unsafe with riding double. Or please show me some statistics.
PeetEngineer
Looks similar to the 'weeride', but with pedals. I ride down staircases on my Kona with my 2 year old son strapped into his weeride seat on the crossbar :)
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