MOMBAT: 1985 Fat Chance Tandem

1985 Fat Chance Tandem

This is reportedly the first Fat Chance tandem produced. The part dates codes are all from mid 1984 so I suspect the bike was late 1984 or early 1985. The shop that ordered the bike, Mountain Madness (?) in Helen, GA closed in 1985 so we know it predates the shop closure. Interesting parts include the Cook Bros fork, Phil Wood hubs, Phil Wood rear brake and a modified Cook Bros BMX stem to hold the stoker stem. The frame is somewhat industrial looking with the square tubing and large head tube gusset. The chain tensioner is an BMX freewheel mounted to an adjustable bracket. The bike was obviously used very little and is in fantastic original condition (even down to the tires). The rear derailleur cable was made by soldering two regular length cables together!

Click on thumbnails below for larger images:

Frame		Cro Moly (square top, lateral and boom tubes)

Fork		Cook Bros with canti mounts

Rear Shock		NA

Rims		Araya RM25

Hubs		Phil Wood

Spokes		stainless

Tires		Mitsuboshi Silver Star Grippa

Pedals		Suntour XC II pedals

Crank		Sugino AT tandem

Chain		Sedis/Shimano UG

Rear Cogs		Suntour freewheel 6 speed

Bottom Bracket		Fat Chance press fit

Front Derailleur		Suntour Le Tech

Rear Derailleur		Suntour Le Tech

Shifters		Shimano Deore XT

Handlebars		Specialized X-1+2

Stem		Slingshot style front, "putter" style rear mounted to a modified Cook Bros BMX stem

Headset		Shimano 600

Brake set		Rear Roller Cam and Arai drum, front cantilever

Brake levers		Magura

Saddle		Specialized Lambda S

Seat Post		SR BMX

Colors		Red

Size		19" - 15.5" c-t

Serial #		None