I have a Swallow tandem hub with a hub brake you could build up into a 26" wheel. The hub takes a freewheel as opposed to a cassette. I'll check the dimensions of the hub as it will need to be compatible with the drop-out width on your Voyager. 

The combination of Shimano hub and Arai drag brake Thorn used from the late 90s to 2005 was a good one in our experience although the Suntour SE brakes used on drop bar tandems were feeble and we have gone to V brakes and Tektro levers for drop bars on our blue Adventure and blue/black Discovery. The Shimano hub has been very hard to find for years and Arai hubs also crop up just once in a long while although the tales of them reaching extreme prices didn't play out when one sold on ebay earlier this year. Not entirely unlikely that the best way to get this combination is to buy another Thorn tandem from that period checking the rims and hubs are in good condition.

Our tandem is a Santos - Magura rim brakes and a cable disc brake on the rear wheel with the brake lever on the stoker's handlebars.

The disk brake works well as a drag brake but TBH I've never ridden with the Arai so I can't compare. And of course you'll need a disc compatible hub and frame to make use of that combination but I'm guessing disc brake bosses can be welded onto a steel frame if necessary? Obviously a bit of a last ditch option but putting it 'out there' anyway.

Thanks for the responses. My ideal would be to find a direct second hand replacement with a freehub that I could just swap in. I'm trying to avoid the cost of having one built. Perhaps it might be better to find a new Thorn with my spec and sell my existing. 
Thanks again

Raelton

Hi Raelton,

These would be our observations regarding your proposed update to your Thorn.

The Arai drum brake works exceptionally well as a drag brake and we have been using these on tandems since the 1980s from a ratchet lever on the front bars. These are made by Suntour, Shimano and Sunrace.  On very long descents (Himalayas, Alps etc) they provide an excellent way of reducing speed on a long-term basis as they have good heat dissipation.  They, however, will not stop a tandem unaided by other braking systems. Disc brakes, in our opinion, do not make good drag brakes as having the pad and disc in contact for long periods of time can cause glazing and disc deformation.  From our experience discs make good brakes to stop you but not good drag brakes.

A word of caution, approach a good quality frame builder should you be considering upgrading to discs and require brazing work doing as some frames will not be strong enough to withstand the uneven forces of a disc brake.

Obtaining a donor tandem can be a very cost effective way of upgrading your own.  A few years ago we purchased a very sorry Mercian for spare parts donor for a fraction of the cost of the parts we wished to take from it.  A word of caution, this approach could lead to tandems breeding in your household...we now have three!

A last thought, screw-on freewheels can be extremely difficult to remove from tandem hubs and would appear to be more prone to failure during use than "newer" cassette counterparts.  We have run Shimano Tandem XT and Hope Tandem hubs (both no longer available) for many decades now.

Happy Tandeming

Pippa and John

Hi Raelton,

I have a pair of wheels to sell that might help.  They were built for a Thorn tandem with exactly the set up that you are proposing - which worked extremely well, but in the event we went Rohloff very soon afterwards so these wheel have only done about 300 miles from new.  They were built by J D Tandems with Shimano HF-08 tandem hubs (So the rear is cassette, with drag brake thread), 48 spoke with Sun Rhyno Lite rims. Pretty much 'as new' condition. (No drag brake included sadly - we were in the unusual position of  being able to borrow one for some years which has had to go back to its owner). They were advertised on the FB page but I haven't got around to putting them on here yet.  I'm new to the club, and this is my first post so I'm not sure of my way around this forum or its etiquette yet - but I assume there must be some way you can send me a message if they might be of interest.

Incidentally, regarding discs - we now have a monster ventilated Hope disc with the Rohloff. Initially I missed the Arai on descents, but time and miles have given us confidence that the Hope is well up to the job on long / steep descents. We live on the edge of Snowdonia so there is a hill or two about . . .

 

Good luck, Graham

 

 

Hi Graham,

Thanks for the offer. I've had a look at the rear spacing on my Thorn and it is 135mm. I understand the HF-08 rear hub is 145mm. Perhaps it is too narrow for a drag brake anyway. I've cold set 80s steel mountain bikes to widen the spacing in the past and some are extremely reluctant. I think with the smaller rear triangle of this frame it would be difficult and potentially risky. 
I suppose to be specific I am looking for is a used rear wheel with a splined freehub, threading for or including a drag brake with a over locknut dimension of 135mm. Is this too much to ask!?!
Thanks for all the help and suggestions. 
Raelton
 
 

Hi Graham,

Thanks for the offer. I've had a look at the rear spacing on my Thorn and it is 135mm. I understand the HF-08 rear hub is 145mm. Perhaps it is too narrow for a drag brake anyway. I've cold set 80s steel mountain bikes to widen the spacing in the past and some are extremely reluctant. I think with the smaller rear triangle of this frame it would be difficult and potentially risky. 
I suppose to be specific I am looking for is a used rear wheel with a splined freehub, threading for or including a drag brake with a over locknut dimension of 135mm. Is this too much to ask!?!
Thanks for all the help and suggestions. 
Raelton
 
 

Hi Pippa and John,

I concur with all your thoughts. Especially on bicycle breeding!
 

Hi Raelton,

Yes, it is 145mm. Never mind, and good luck with sorting something out - it does sound a lot to fit into that width, but I'm no expert!

Graham

Following my earlier comment, I've just remembered I have a spare DT Swiss Hugi tandem hub that I'm pretty sure is 135mm, will take a cassette and is threaded for a drum brake. I'm sure it'll take the Swallow hub brake I also have available, so you'd just have to select a suitable 26" rim, have a wheel built and you should be good to go. I already use a Hugi rear hub on my Thorn tandem (without drum brake) and have found it very sturdy and reliable.

 

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your input. I don't know about Swallow hub brakes. Can you get parts for them easily enough? Please let me know how much you would like for both items and I'll do my maths re having a wheel built. 
Thanks

Raelton

Hi Raelton

Swallow components are high quality. Not sure about availability of spares, but there’s not a lot to wear out or go wrong with hub brakes. Like Arai, the brake shoes are very hard wearing and rarely need replacing.

The DT Swiss Hugi hub is a 40 hole (the Hugi hub on my Thorn is 48). 

From recollection, the torque arm on the Swallow brake is shorter, so you might have to adapt it to fit your frame, maybe using an Arai fitting kit available from suppliers such as St John Street Cycles. 

I can email some photos if it helps. Both the hub and drum brake are top end components so I’d be looking for at least £150 for the two plus postage. 

I run a small tandem hire business (Somerset Tandem Hire) so have quite a few spares. My fleet includes six Thorns, a couple of Trek tandems and three Swallows plus an Orbit and a 1959 Jack Taylor. Have previously had a Chas Robert’s and George Longstaff. We’re on Facebook.

Cheers

Mike

 

If it helps anyone who needs a good wheel builder, I have used Practical Cycles several times for various builds and always been 100% happy. They de-stress new builds and mine have never gone out of true. They have an online menu for builds and are happy to quote if you require a rebuild on your own hubs.

I have no connection with them apart from as a satisfied customer.

Try:      practicalcycles.com/handbuilt-wheels/  

Happy cycling!

Alan

Hi Mike,

Can I let you know on that? I'm ideally looking for a already built second hand wheel but they seem quite rare at the moment!

Thanks