This late 60’s Hawthorne tandem isn’t in the best of shape, with its duct-tape covered seats and surface-rusted chrome parts, but it’s still worthy of taking a look at,and being included in this archive. You just don’t find many vintage tandem bicycles surviving today. I believe this may be due to their size. A regular bicycle is just small enough that it can be tucked away in the corner of a garage or in a basement, then forgotten. But a tandem is rather large and probably more likely to have been taken to a recycler or landfill after it is no longer wanted or loved. Plus, tandem bicycles weren’t sold in very high numbers in the first place.
Take a look at the “mag wheel” style sprocket and the candy green paint on this bike. Talk about classic late 1960’s styling! This tandem has a somewhat unusual frame design, in that both the front and rear are a ladies style frame. Usually one is a men’s style.
[click thumbnails for full size images]
