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Co-Motion Triple Tandem Bike +roof rack, aka the Thrandem - $3,800 (Beacon Hill)
bicycle type:
tandem
wheel size:
26 in
bicycle frame material:
steel
brake type:
disc (mechanical)
make / manufacturer:
Co-Motion
model name / number:
Periscope
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I bought the three-person tandem second hand mid-pandemic with a goal to ride STP with my two kids. Which we just did this July and had a blast. We also had plenty of rides to ice cream and pizza, along with one glamping trip on Vashon with front and back panniers. Now I need to make space (in my wallet and storage) by passing it along to another trio.
I had it serviced at R&E w/new cables, housing, chainrings, cassette, and chain about ~775 miles ago.
The sizing is super adjustable, particularly for the rear two riders - kids or adults. Check out design specs on Co-motion’s website for their Periscope tandems.
Measurements (captain)
Top tube: 21.5” (~54cm)
Seat tube 19”
Head tube 5.75”
About the bike and parts:
Co-Motion Periscope Trident, triple tandem (aka the ‘thrandem’). Steel. The paint is one of their premium jobs, I *think* in a metallic teal pearl by House of Kolor. There are several small chips and some wear spots (from cable rub), most notably on the middle rider’s top tube (from little feet/shoes getting on/off the bike). Consider it ‘beausage’ and provenance: this machine is a tool and a jewel.
Components:
- Carbon handlebars for the captain.
- Thudbuster suspension seatpost in the back
- 10-speed XTR rear derailleur
- FSA Gossamer cranks (x3)
- Pedals: Velo Orange touring, almost new.
- Front shifter/brifter: Shimano Sora
- Rear shifter/brifter: Shimano Ultegra
- FSA Headset
- Brakes: BB7 Mechanical Disc
- Ultegra Triple front derailleur
- Wheels, 26": Rear is Salsa Gordo rim, DT Swiss 540 40h hub with Rene Herse Naches Pass tire, 1.8”. Still plenty of miles of rolling left - made a world of difference from the harsh tires it came with. Front wheel: Sun Rhyno Lite 40h, mounted with 2.3” Rene Herse Rat Trap Pass tire. The front wheel was hand built 220 miles ago by R&E Cycles. The front tire has ~300 miles on it and not sure about the front, but plenty of miles left.
Accessories:
- ATOC brand triple tandem car rack. Hardware is included for square cross bars/rack and the slot-style rack mount (for Thule). Mounting hardware for other racks should be available fairly easily; ATOC is local (Everett, I think) and I got the Thule hardware bits from R&E in Seattle. MSRP for the rack is ~$1K.
- Rear rack and trunk bag. Nothing fancy but perfectly functional.
- Custom folding stand made by “click stand”. Very handy to stand the bike up instead of finding a place to lean it up against something.
- Water bottle cages
- Fenders - PDW brand, black.
- An extra Rene Herse tire (you’ll need it up front if you install the fenders)
- A pair of pedal blocks for a kid, to make the cranks feel a little shorter
- Matching green and white handlebar streamers, homemade w/velcro and ribbon.
- Waterproof cover (made for a jetski but works great for covering/storing the bike).
A note about transporting the bike:
Highly recommend having two people to load it on your vehicle. I was able to do it, carefully, with my 13yo daughter’s help, onto a Toyota Sienna. Per ATOC’s specs, you need a minimum of 35” spacing between your roof rack bars.