Mead Pathfinder Tandem

[georgedelk]

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.

 

[kate kadri]

our mead pathfinder

  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.

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.

 

[Boris]

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

 

[Rear Facing Drop Out]

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

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!

 

[Rambler]

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.

 

[Black Sheep]

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.

 

[kate kadri]

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.

 

[Boris]

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.

 

[vincev]

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

 

[Boris]

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.