Although the Helios Triplet is separable, if left fully assembled and ready to ride, it is too long to go inside most cars or to fit on a towbar mounted bike rack. Roof mounting is the most practical solution and we have developed our own system that both offers safe and solid support, whilst facilitating the loading of what are generally long and heavy bikes.

The Circe Morpheus tandem can also be difficult to transport inside an average car and we have developed solutions for both roofrack and towbar mounting.

For Circe Helios owners wanting to transport their tandems outside the car, we offer systems for both roof and tow bar mounting.

The post Transporting tandems and triplets – solutions. first appeared on Circe Cycles.

One of the most important things when riding any bike, particularly a tandem, is comfort, and we work with customers to optimise their riding position, in particular, with reference to existing bike fit and to contact points; saddle, handlebars and pedals. This can mean, with new tandem riders, working with dimensions from their solo bikes; something we frequently do.

For many customers one of our standard specification tandem builds, with any required tweaks, and attention to the fit and comfort, is perfect, but for others, the whole customisation gamut is available. This can sometimes seem daunting, but it’s as simple as having a conversation working through needs and projected usage. Some customers already have preferences which we are happy to implement, but otherwise we make suggestions to work towards the best tandem for your needs.

Here are some recent custom tandems we’ve done.

The post Customising a tandem first appeared on Circe Cycles.

We’ve now incorporated the separable feature into both our Morpheus and Eos travel tandems to allow packing them safely into a suitcase or suitcases. The packable feature also simplifies transporting a tandem on trains, buses and cars.

The two Morpheus Aurora tandems in the photo have been built and specced for a young European family doing an epic year long touring adventure through the Americas. Interesting adaptations include the Kiddy System and specially in-house shortened cranks, both of which feature a freewheel system so that the front rider does not have to pedal.

A family cycling adventure in which we are excited to be involved and greatly look to following.

The post Travelling with tandems – no 2 first appeared on Circe Cycles.

For those not familiar with Cycle to Work, it’s a salary sacrifice scheme that, in allowing employees to make very worthwhile savings on the purchase price of a new bike, encourages people to use bikes to get to work. The price of the purchase is normally limited to £1000, but the Green Commute Initiative is FCA authorised such that they can offer a maximum limit of £10000. This is a very positive move as more people are using e-bikes, like the Shimano STEPS Helios, for riding to work and such bikes often far exceed the normal £1000 limit.

Our bikes, with their versatile city potential, are ideally suited for commuting, either for load carrying or for dropping the family off on the way to work. Like the Green Commute Initiative, we have a vision of safer, healthier and more people-friendly cities and we are very happy to be working with them to this end.

The post Green Commute Initiative first appeared on Circe Cycles.

Every tandem couple has different requirements, with some preferring a single case or bag, as with the Circe Tandem Traveller case, but, with increasing constraints on size and weight that is allowed on trains and planes, the 2 bag tandem pack has advantages and is increasingly popular :-

1. Each bag weighs under 10kg, which, with two riders, is very manageable.

2. The packed size is compact and, as with the weight, much more manageable than a one bag or case pack.

3. The rear wheel, transmission and brakes can stay in place. This makes for a much easier and quicker pack and reconstruction.

To see how it’s done, have a look here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=UP8bmprUzf4

The post How to pack a Tandem bike in two bags for travel first appeared on Circe Cycles.

It amazed us to realise that it’s 10 years since we introduced the Circe Helios, so we thought it appropriate to mark that milestone with a celebration to which all our customers and any interested parties are invited.

An outdoor event seemed appropriate and we were fortunate to get access to some peaceful, secluded fields in the pretty village of Dullingham. The lush meadow is perfect for pitching a tent and there are basic facilities sufficient for all needs. There is also a grassed area suitable for smaller motor homes.

For those preferring more ‘luxurious’ facilities, nearby towns, Newmarket and Cambridge, offer various accommodation options and more lavishly equipped camping. Let us know if you need any help with the latter.

Schedule

Exact details to be finalised, but here are the provisional timings :-

Saturday
From 1200 – Assembly and camp set up
From 1300 – Exhibition, entertainments and Try Out
1600 to 1800 – Local family paced ride.
1800 onwards – Food and drink.
2130 – Cycling cinema

Sunday
0915 – Breakfast
1030 – Family paced ride to Lode for lunch*
1200 to 1400 – Try Out event at Fassage Hall, Lode
1430 – Reassemble, and family paced ride back to Dullingham base.
1600 – Break camp and have site cleared by 1730.

* We’re planning on a self catered picnic at Fassage Hall, but for those wanting to sit down to ready prepared food, there is the very nearby National Trust property, Anglesey Abbey, which is well worth a visit or, in Lode, the Shed Pub.

Although It is a weekend event, anyone not able to partake of the whole weekend is very welcome to drop in and join us at any stage. Do note that we will need to restrict numbers for camping and food, so ask that you book for these.

The post Circe Cycles 10th Anniversary and Try Out Event first appeared on Circe Cycles.

An essential element of our design brief for the Helios was a compact tandem that, amongst other things, would be easy to transport both locally and for travelling to far away places. By using 20″ wheels and making changes to the classic tandem stoker geometry, we were able to design a tandem compact enough to go into even quite small cars without the need to be folded.

Although we had originally designed the Helios with the potential to incorporate a fold, it soon became clear that, in the real world, it was compact enough for most transportation needs without folding, and that to significantly reduce the volume, particularly for travelling by air, a separable rather than a folding tandem was the superior option. Having experience of several different folding and separable tandems, we decided that a way of stabilizing what is essentially a long and heavy bike, particularly when assembling, was essential and why we used a mixed compression tube and couplings system. Key to folding and re-assembling the tandem is the compression drainpipe, which holds the two separated ends of the tandem together, and stable, while the coupling tube and other components are removed or installed.

The post Travelling with, and transporting, a tandem bike first appeared on Circe Cycles.

The post New Circe Dealers first appeared on Circe Cycles.

Whether for the family shop,

a trip to the allotment,

or the school run, with plenty of space left for luggage and shopping,

either bike can quickly be converted from person carrier to cargo carrier.

The post

Circe tandems as Cargo Bike

By removing the front wheel, seat posts and pedals, his Helios fits into the Komunity Project surfboard bag and weighs around 20kg all up (Aidan’s Helios is a hub gear geared heavy duty bike, so a bit less for some models). There is also the issue of maximum lengths, but BA, with whom Aidan is flying, and various others have a limit of 190cm which is almost exactly at the limit.

The post Transporting a tandem bicycle on an airplane first appeared on Circe Cycles.

The Thule Pro ride 591 and 598 roof rack is a popular option with Helios users. Using the Circe Thule stand-off the Helios can be easily fitted to the rack.

The post Methods for transporting a tandem by car first appeared on Circe Cycles.