i got this tandem about 4 years ago and have not been able to I.D. it yet. i have changed out just about every part on it. it has horizontal drops, 1" headtube, roller cam rear brake, and was originally was spaced to 130mm in the rear. it looks like it was re-painted around the time the suspension fork was added. the stoker stem says "specialized" but i dont know if this is a specialized or not. the previous owner could only tell me that it was custom made by a small time builder. i don't know if that is true or not. i'm hoping the diamond shaped gussets will give it away for somebody.

http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/507/247675mystery_tandem_001.jpg

http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/507/247675mystery_tandem_002.jpg

http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/507/247675mystery_tandem_003.jpg

http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/507/247675mystery_tandem_004.jpg

http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/507/247675mystery_tandem_005.jpg

http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/507/247675mystery_tandem_006.jpg

Have no idea, but Specialized used to make a lot of parts that got OEM spec way back in the day. That stem was a nice cold forged stoker stem. The head badge says S&M - I would definitely rule out S&M.

There's some interesting styling cues on it, though.

Santana?
Salsa?

Santana?
Salsa?

Probably not with those seat stay caps. Interesting grouping Salsa and Santana together since Ross did his apprenticing at Santana.

in the middle pic, between the captain's seattube, and the center downtube. That is the key identifying mark to this tandem frame, not the parts on it. Back then there wasn't a lot in offroad tandem group selection, so it was either shimano, suntour, specialized or Ritchey cranks usually.

I'd guess that it isn't a Santana. I may be mistaken, though. Santana has used vertical dropouts for a very long time. My Santana was from the second or third year that they were making "mountain bike" tandems. It has vertical dropouts.

Sorry I couldn't have been of more help. I'll keep an eye out and see what friends say. Thanks for posting up. That is a great bike.

Peter

i e-mailed santana, rodriguez, and curtlo. none of them could even give me the slightest hint as to who might have made this.

Fishers and Trek's had flattened lower tubes like that - My guess is a Fisher.

Could it be an American?

Nope, wrong frame material

if i slapped a mountain goat headbadge on this puppy would anybody tell on me?

Fisher tandem was an 'uptube', not a direct lateral like this one.

I've seen a bunch of the Rodriguez tandems--none look quite like this one.

The tubes are fillet brazed, yes? That's not typical for the large manufacturers.

I have a older Ritchey tandem, missing the diamond gusset, but has the oval tube, I have a dual rear break with Roller Cam at the bottom bracket, combined with cant's on the stays. The lateral is unique, as it goes all the way to the rear axle drop. I know Ritchy changed this on later tandems,,,,