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S&S couplings retrofit

Mik Bedson2024-11-05 16:51:25

Hi

We have a Ridgeback Panorama which we love. 
I wonder if anyone has had S&S couplings fitted retrospectively. 

What was your experience?

Could you recommend anywhere that does it?

we live in East Anglia 

many thanks. 

Neil Plant2024-11-05 18:42:51

I think the Panorama has an aluminium frame, so S&S couplings are not possible.  They are only suitable for steel and titanium, I believe.

Neil

Mik Bedson2024-11-06 11:04:05
Ah.  That's a pity.  I wonder if such things exist for aluminium frames. 
Peter Mynors2024-11-07 16:20:24

We had S&S couplings fitted to our steel framed Pino at the time it was built.  Hase only built two machines that way, but they said afterwards that it had been very time consuming for them, and this was reflected in the price.  When they switched to aluminium frames for Pinos they changed the design so that splittabily became standard, using a clamp arrangement somewhat like a Brompton.  The most recent Pinos are telescopic so don't need to split.

We met the owner of an early aluminium Pino and it appeared to take significantly longer to split than our steel S&S version.  I'm a great fan of our S&S couplings – they add minimum weight overall and the two sections are each light enough for an 84 year old to lift into the back of our Peugeot 2008.  Although you love your Panorama, it might be worth considering a steel framed alternative.  A further factor is that in the event of a crash a steel frame is less likely to crack.

Andrew Duncan2024-11-09 17:21:22
It might be worth asking SJS Thorn tandems if they have a tandem frame with couplings and if they can transfer bits from the Ridgeback? 
Andrew Duncan2024-11-09 17:21:22
It might be worth asking SJS Thorn tandems if they have a tandem frame with couplings and if they can transfer bits from the Ridgeback?