Bonkers!

WTF!?!?

Riigghht....

Build it please. Could you imagine Cracknell and Romero doing the end to end on it or anyone else for that matter. Although it would definitely rattle your teeth out and break your spine, so probably not such a good idea. Maybe Astana could use it as a team time trial bike theres only about two of those guys who want to ride together!

Crucially, it has shaft drive between the Captain and Stoker's cranks!

I wanna know more about the brakes!

Tim, pmsl....also Columbia could use it for Cav to get him to 10 miles from the finish without having to pedal before swapping onto his bike for the sprint...

For more discussion about this intriguing bike, see this thread in the tandem section of bikeforums.net:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?609046-Not-your-grandfather-s-tandem-Specialized-S-Works-Concept/page2

the brakes are magura with avid rotors

Q: Is this the ultimate tandem?

A: Yes!

Russ, I know that much, I'd like to know more about the Red levers being used on a hydraulic system.

Good spot jonmack how the hell have they got sram red levers to activate a hydraulic system. Surely if this was that easy all the CX boys would be doing it.

I ve got a mate who's got a px uncle John and he drilled hope levers to work with a cable running from the sti via a v brake booster and noodle.

Maybe they ve done similiar in the bars. Bugger to service though.

Not hard to make up a cylinder with a cable pull, something similar to a BMX giro headset operating a syringe.

Punch it, Chewie!

According to Wikipedia, shaft drives are 94-95% efficient. Of course with a bicycle chain, efficiency is load-dependent (just back-pedal and there's resistance from the chain motion, even if transmitted power is negligible) so drivetrain effiency numbers must be treated with care. But I calculate the cross-sectional area saved with the shaft drive to be in the 18 cm2 range, which isn't close to covering a 3% loss in drive efficiency from the captain. I'd love to see drivetrain efficiency numbers from what is in all other respects a truly beautiful machine.

@ Tim Wand Cracknell still wouldnt beat Wilko on it..........

lads, that bike is not real. Its made of plaster and dreams. Making a "shaft drive" decal does not make a bike shaft drive. Note the photos of all the crankarms in different orientations.

the same would be said for making red levers work on avid hydraulics. it doesn't have to work, its just a poofter designer making swoopy things, not a reality.

Wow, that is one amazing looking bike. Boo on anyone who shoots down this bike because "this or that" doesn't work. Its called CONCEPT for a reason! Shut up and appreciate the random innovation and creativity.

Kudos to the Shiv!

this is brilliant. perhaps the 2 man time trial could be introduced sometime. on a different note, i can get this to persuade my girlfriend to come riding with me. :-)

eeeerm, DJCONNEL, anything that starts with "According to Wikipedia" is about as reliable as a chocolate fire guard !! And there are umpteen variables to include when calculating the shaft drive's effieiency.

As for the 18cm2 cros sectional area saved..... your comment makes no sense. Anyway, I'm assuming that to comment like this, you either have access to Specialized's R&D data, of you're picking numbers and equations out of the ether. I reckon it's the latter !!

Still............ Ace looking bike, I have no need or justification for one, but I want one :)

Dear Specialized

Is there any chance of borrowing this for my London to Paris Ride?? If I can get Wiggo on board, my power to weight ratio will improve, and like the pros, I'll be able to have a "comfort" brake without stopping (assuming I'm at the back)!!

And here's the clincher, It matches my S-Works shoes that I've just bought:-)

I promise we won't scratch it!

disc brakes? wtf? 100% of WRONG.

Otherwise looks fantastic, and I want one. No, make that three.

Yup, marketing led vaporware, seems to be working though!

OK, I haven´t finished yet: whoever designed this seems to have a very superficial understanding of aerodynamics, note the way there is no shiedling of the rear wheel, disc brake calipers, and the setstay wishbone looks like a real parachute. Very swoopy though.

yes.

What a concept indeed. To the last comment on the aerodynamics of the rear. to beat a conceptual horse here, the rear of the bike is one of the lesser important place for aerodynamics. the legs make some serious dirty air flowing to the rear. I can only assume it would be even more when you have such a long bike with another person in front of you. Just somthing to think about. It sure is a nice looking bike. Lets see some pics of the shaft drive and hydro brakes close up.

i haven't even got a normal road race bike full carbon.... and theyve gone and made a 2 seater better than anything i've ridden. man am jealous lol

Double chainset...no front mech. I have a photo somewhere of a similar shaft drive specialized tandam. My pic is form the 90s and it was all black, it could be tha same frame reworked