# Mead Pathfinder Tandem



## georgedelk (Apr 10, 2011)

I just bought a 1932 Mead Pathfinder Tandem in rideable condition. There seems to be very little info about this bike online. The chain between the two skip tooth cranks is extreemely tight and there is no adjustment. Adding one link would make it too loose. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Also, any information about this tandem would be helpfull.


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## kate kadri (Jul 10, 2012)

*our mead pathfinder*






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We have a Mead Pathfinder Tandem -- how did you determine the precise vintage of yours?  We just lubed the chain on ours and rode it a bit -- it loosend up.
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georgedelk said:


> I just bought a 1932 Mead Pathfinder Tandem in rideable condition. There seems to be very little info about this bike online. The chain between the two skip tooth cranks is extreemely tight and there is no adjustment. Adding one link would make it too loose. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
> Also, any information about this tandem would be helpfull.


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## Boris (Jul 10, 2012)

I'm pretty sure that what you have a Colson steer from the rear tandem. Start your research there.


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## Rear Facing Drop Out (Jul 10, 2012)

*Looks Colson Built to me too also looks like a toy next to that tractor@*



kate kadri said:


> View attachment 57489
> 
> ```
> We have a Mead Pathfinder Tandem -- how did you determine the precise vintage of yours?  We just lubed the chain on ours and rode it a bit -- it loosend up.
> ```




Looks Tiny in front of that huge tractor!


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## Rambler (Jul 11, 2012)

georgedelk said:


> I just bought a 1932 Mead Pathfinder Tandem in rideable condition. There seems to be very little info about this bike online. The chain between the two skip tooth cranks is extreemely tight and there is no adjustment. Adding one link would make it too loose. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
> Also, any information about this tandem would be helpfull.




I agree with the others on the fact that is is a Colson double steer tandem. I have nearly the same Colson myself. On my Colson tandem the front chain is adjusted by rotating the front crank. The front crank bearings are mounted in an eccentric housing and by rotating that housing in the frame the front crank moves forward and backward in relation to the rear crank in order to adjust the chain tension. These Colson tandems are really well build and nearly indestructible, have fun with it, I sure enjoy riding mine.


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## Black Sheep (Jul 12, 2012)

*Colson Tandem*

Nice ride! Could you post a couple more pictures? I have a Colson that is the same also. Does yours have a two speed hub on the back? Mine is supposed to but the back rim was changed. I have never seen another one that has the 2 speed. I would be interested in knowing what type of hub would have been the orignal.


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## kate kadri (Jul 13, 2012)

*More Photos of Mead Pathfinder Rear Steer Tandem*

I'll take some more photos when we get the bike back from the bikeshop.  

This bike was found -- abandoned -- without a front wheel.  It had a sturmey archer three speed coaster brake as the rear hub, but I doubt that was original.  I will check on the markings on that hub for the year.   I suspect that the bike was originally a single speed coaster brake?  The head badge definitely says MEAD Pathfinder -- but I agree that the frame appears to be identical to the Colsons I see photos of...  

When choosing what kind of wheel to get for the front, we opted to get one with a brake, and hence continued down the road of transforming this bike away from whatever its stock components might have been...

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who can point me in the direction of some literature on the history of the MEAD Pathfinder Tandem, and how it might be related to the Colson

We are having a new rear wheel built for the bike so we can use it to pull a kids trailer -- an 8 speed internal hub with a built in rolling brake.  Sorry to offend the purists who believe it should be restored to its original configuration; we just want to ride it as much as possible in as many places as we can.  Without a front brake, and just a coaster on the rear, it was O.K. for the boardwalk at the Beach, but not safe going down a hill in traffic.


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## Boris (Jul 13, 2012)

Someone stuck the Mead Pathfinder headbadge on there. The tandem was manufactured by Colson and is a Colson and has nothing to do with Mead. All research should begin and end with Colson steer from the rear tandem.


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## vincev (Jul 13, 2012)

Have to agree with Boris on this one.Boris is the Colson guy.Now I must  go wash my mouth out for complimenting Boris


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## Boris (Jul 13, 2012)

vincev said:


> Have to agree with Boris on this one.Boris is the Colson guy.Now I must  go wash my mouth out for complimenting Boris




Actually, I'm no expert, but I'm sure about this one. Vince probably knows more about these than me, since he's restored one.


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## Rambler (Jul 13, 2012)

georgedelk said:


> I just bought a 1932 Mead Pathfinder Tandem in rideable condition.




I looked up your tandem in the Colson book published by John L. Polizzi. It is 1939 or later when they started using your frame style. Prior to 1939 the tandem frame was more straight with no graceful curves such as your tandem has. You will find this information to confirm what I am saying on pages 19 and 64 of his book. So your tandem is not 1932 but rather 1939 or later.


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## kate kadri (Jul 16, 2012)

*MEAD and Colson*

I spoke with Howie Cohen (From Everything Bicycles) today.  He tells me that MEAD used to buy frames from Manufactureres like Colson, and then market them independently.  Is that what you meant by taaking off hte Colson Head Badge and putting a Mead on on there?   I also spoke with John Polizzi -- he says that one way to key ot the difference between the Mead and The Colson was that the Mead did not come with Chain Guards.  I'm going to invest in some reprints of the original catalogs.  But the bike I have was defintely originally sold as a Mead Pathfinder.


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## Boris (Jul 16, 2012)

kate kadri said:


> I spoke with Howie Cohen (From Everything Bicycles) today.  He tells me that MEAD used to buy frames from Manufactureres like Colson, and then market them independently.  Is that what you meant by taaking off hte Colson Head Badge and putting a Mead on on there?   I also spoke with John Polizzi -- he says that one way to key ot the difference between the Mead and The Colson was that the Mead did not come with Chain Guards.  I'm going to invest in some reprints of the original catalogs.  But the bike I have was defintely originally sold as a Mead Pathfinder.




Kate-
See, I told you I wasn't an expert. I was wrong, and I should never say I'm sure about anything. Thank you for doing the research!!!! I never knew that, and now I do. For me, this has been a very good discussion. Actually I thought it was missing the original Colson headbadge and someone found a Mead headbadge and put it on there in it's place. I also would have thought it was missing the correct chainguards. John Polozzi's book is an excellent reference and he gives plenty of credit to Ron Summer, the Colson guru (but don't take my word for it).


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## kate kadri (Jul 30, 2012)

*1934 and 1939 Mead Rear-Steer Tandems, Made by Colson*

In doing a little research, I found another Mead tandem -- and bought it.  It turns out that Mead contracted with Colson to produce these "lady in front" tandems, which they marketed under their Pathfinder Brand with the Mead headbadge.  We have the '39 done up as our rider.  Not sure yet what to do with the '34.  The linkage between the handlebars on the '34 is not right -- does anyone have a line on the parts we would need ?


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## Rambler (Jul 31, 2012)

kate kadri said:


> I found another Mead tandem -- and bought it.




Looks like you have the same problem I do, you just can't stop at one tandem 

BTW, it appears that the front fork on your 39 is bent back. Front wheel is just too close to the frame. Even in the photo I can sort of detect that the fork blades are not parallel with the steering head. Straighten the fork and the bike will steer better.


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## kate kadri (Aug 14, 2012)

*Help Identifying skiptooth Sprocket off of '34 Colson Tandem (not the original part)*



Rambler said:


> Looks like you have the same problem I do, you just can't stop at one tandem
> 
> BTW, it appears that the front fork on your 39 is bent back. Front wheel is just too close to the frame. Even in the photo I can sort of detect that the fork blades are not parallel with the steering head. Straighten the fork and the bike will steer better.




Thanks for the heads up -- you are definitely right; we had noticed that the front tire was riding very close to the frame, but had yet to sort out that the forks were bent.  We have another problem I could use some help with.  We noticed that the '34 Tandem rode with the pedals dangerously close to the pavement -- almost hitting when you turn sharp enough or go over a speed bump.  I realized that someone must have parted out the proper, smaller crank and sprocket, and replaced them with the set you see pictured.  Any idea what bike these vintage skiptooth sprocket and cranks came from? I think I'm going to trade or sell them, but I do not know what I have.


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## Rambler (Aug 15, 2012)

You are correct, that is the wrong sprocket for your tandem and as you have discovered the longer crank arms can nearly cause an accident if the pedals contact the ground while riding. Been there done that. The front crank on your 34 should be basically the same as on your 39.

As for what bike the front crank you have came from I really don't know. I'm guessing Huffman due to it appearing to have the letter "H" stamped in the design. However I honestly don't know for sure so hopefully someone else can positively identify it.


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## kate kadri (Aug 16, 2012)

*Where to look for correct crank and sprocket for Colson Tandem?*

Any idea on where I might find the appropriately sized chainwheel and crank for the front of a pre war Colson/Mead Tandem?


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## Tom1968 (Apr 26, 2017)

vincev said:


> Have to agree with Boris on this one.Boris is the Colson guy.Now I must  go wash my mouth out for complimenting Boris



I ageee. I have been looking for the chains setup for the steert from the rear for mine I i awlwaus come back to Colson not mead. Possible Colson made. Few fro meado


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