7
Circe Cycles
TOURING WITH THE HELIOS
Tandems make great machines for touring. Two riders of
unequal strength can ride together and share the joys of
cycle travel. The Helios can be equipped with a full touring
complement of panniers and bags and with suitable
gearing is capable of going anywhere. Remember, it is
low gears that are essential for loaded touring; one can
always freewheel downhill or with the wind behind you,
but you have to pedal up hills and against the wind.
If you are thinking of a full camping tour, we would
advise three brakes (two discs and one rim brakes). It is
also important to ensure that the luggage weight is well
distributed, possibly using both front and rear panniers.
The Helios, fitted with its dedicated rear rack, also makes
a wonderful single touring bike. The rack can take multiple
panniers and is stiff and stable whatever the weight, and
with the large profile tyres, immensely strong wheels, and
wide gear range, you are truly able to go anywhere!
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
This section covers the ongoing checks and maintenace
which are essential to ensure the performace and safety
of your tandem or triplet.
Service Schedule
The service schedule, which can be found in the
appendix, gives a you a guide to which checks should be
carried out and how often. Please note that these are a
guide based on average usage (30 miles/week in good
weather). If you use your tandem more oftern, or in poor
weather, you will need to do more frequent maintenance.
Brakes
Depending on what model of bike you have, it will either
have disc brakes, rim brakes or a combination of both.
With rim brakes you should check that the brake pads
have not worn below their minimum wear line and are
correctly aligned to the rim and not touching the tyre.
If the brake ever pulls all the way to the bar before
engaging, then you should refer to the cable adjustment
section or, consult a professional mechanic. Disc brakes
should also have their pads checked regularly, and if
embarking on a long ride, it may be worth replacing
the pads even before they reach their minimum wear
line. The disc also needs regularly checking for damage,
alignment, and thickness (the minimum thickness is
normally specified by the disc brake manufacturer).
NOTE:
Brakes on a tandem have to work doubly as hard as
on a solo bike, so ensuring they are functioning effectively
is critical!
Cables
Cables don’t normally need a lot of adjustment. When
they are new, they will stretch slightly, and that stretch
needs to be adjusted out of the system. Check all cables
regularly for signs of damage.
Brake cables
To adjust the brake cables,
loosen the locking nut on
the barrel adjuster at the
lever. Screw the barrel
adjuster out a little and
check the brakes. When
squeezing the lever, it
shouldn’t come too close
to the handlebar grips.
When the lever is released,
the wheel should turn
freely and not drag on the
brakes.
Gear cables
Gear cable tension
can be adjusted at the
handlebar shifter for
Shimano internal hubs
and derailleur gears.
The Rohloff hub cable
tenison is adjusted at the
clickbox. Refer to the
manufacturer’s manuals
for a more detailed
explanation of adjustment.
LOAD CARRYING
The Helios is a great load carrier, both for two people
touring or shopping, but also as a single bike with the
Cargo rack. When loading the Helios, it is important that all
bags and luggage are attached securely and that straps
are tight and not able to snag on anything. If used as a
solo freight carrier it is vital the load be secured carefully.
