![]() Instead of using two separate clamps, the top tube clamp slides over a lug in the seat tube. The carbon frame’s seat tube coupling is a bit different, and even cleaner. Once the two clamps are properly torqued on the seatpost, the frame is locked together. The seatpost goes through the top tube clamp, and then through the seat tube clamp. For Ritchey’s steel frames, it is essentially two nested seatpost clamps-one attached to the top tube, and one built into the seat tube. The down tube coupling consists of flanged fittings on the tubes held together by a lightweight clamp. Unlike the other systems, Ritchey employs two unique couplings-one for the down tube, and one for the seat tube. Ritchey’s BreakAway coupling system is ultralight and low-profile. Ritchey’s BreakAway system is light and elegant. Bilenky also does tandem coupler retrofits, and it offers a small selection of “Travel Package” frames-new frames from other brands like Soma with couplers preinstalled. Bilenky’s retrofits start at $695 for the basic steel the titanium retrofits start at $1,115. Again, several companies offer retrofit services, but if I were in the market for the service, I’d start with one of the experts in the travel bike space-Bilenky. If you’re not in the market for a new bike, one of the cooler things about BTCs is that they can be retrofitted into a steel or titanium frame with relative ease. Though most BTC-equipped bikes are steel or titanium, Calfee offers a coupler option for many of its carbon frames. Many builders ( more than 100, says S&S) offer BTCs as an option, including premier builders such as Seven Cycles, DeSalvo, Independent Fabrications, and Waterford/Gunnar. The coupling is often stiffer and stronger than the tube on which it’s installed. This system adds about a half pound to a bike, and it is durable-S&S has reports of riders getting over 90,000 miles on their coupled bikes with no issue. CNC-machined out of titanium or steel in S&S’s shop in Roseville, California, the BTC consists of two interlocking tapered-toothed fittings pulled together by a threaded collar. The S&S BTC is the original high-performance coupler system and still the standard by which all couplers are judged. Courtesy S&S Machine Bicycle Torque Coupling (BTC) “We really needed to make sure that we designed hit the tolerances so that it can handle the loads of a bike, so it’s dead quiet, no dirt gets in, its light enough that it is not going to impact your ride quality, and you can pass cables through on the inside,” Smith says.Ĭo-Motion’s Trident employs four couplers to build a convertible bike that seats two (without center section) or three (with center section) riders. But, applying that design to a bike took special consideration. 22’s other cofounder, Bryce Gracey, calls it “scarf-style” interface). 22 design as similar to those used for race car roll cages. 22’s machined titanium coupler isn’t a unique concept or design connecting two tubes through a machined interface is an idea that Smith says has “been done to death.” He describes the No. Aesthetics were also a consideration “We really try to make our bikes gorgeous and timeless and sweat the details on how they look,” Smith says. (I’ll talk more about this in a moment.) That wasn’t possible with existing systems. ![]() Mike Smith, No.22’s cofounder, told me that the company decided to develop its own coupler because they wanted something that worked well with internal routing and a hydraulic disconnect. The coupler system is so sleek that it’s hard to tell a coupled and noncoupled No. The bike has a flush, interlocking coupler joined by a single bolt that can be tightened with a 6mm hex wrench-something most riders probably already have in their seat bag. 22 is known for its artful and clean bikes, so it’s no wonder that its bespoke coupler system follows suit. Number 22’s system is so clean it’s almost invisible.
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