Triple Santana Bike in progress

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Kitty Goursolle

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May 1, 2026, 6:34:27 PMMay 1
to Randonneurs San Francisco, randonn...@googlegroups.com
Here is my “new to me” vintage steel Santana Triple. A bit of work still needed.  New stoker stems and  drop bars are on order to replace the child ones pictured below.  
I’m looking  for advice on bombproof tires. For fit,  I put on a 38mm  gravel tire on the front. Pictured on the R below.    Looks ok.  If anybody (local to the SF Bay Area) can spare me some used 700c tires, 40mm or bigger,  I want to try them on the bike,  for fit only, before buying new. Middle view below is looking down at the rear chain stays with a 32 tire on.  Seems roomy enough for at least a 38.  
My personal goal for this bike is riding it just for flatland fun with friends.  
My dream goal: to have three USA riders take it to PBP 2027.  3 German brothers have done PBP on their triple several times.  If anyone has their contact info, please let me know. I’m sure they have some tips to share.
Cheers, 
Kitty 
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Kitty Goursolle

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May 2, 2026, 10:21:29 PMMay 2
to Randonneurs USA
Hi everyone, I found the German Tandem Triple team's website HERE: https://tridembrothers.hpage.com/werkstatt.html
They are the brothers Andreas, Roland and Eugen Class. They call their bike a Tridem, BTW. They've finished PBP in 07, 11, 15, 19, and 23. 
I used Google Traslate to read their website. I found Andy Class' contact info, sent him an email.   He will probably get a good laugh out of it.   Framebuilders will enjoy the website, shows how they built it.  Disc brakes plus rim brakes, brawny wheels, 48 spokes in front, disc wheel in back.... I can't tell from the photo what size wheels though-- tires are Schawalbe Marathon. I learned that steel was their prefered material for their newer frame and fork after the guys had an aluminium frame previously. Good news, very reassuring to me, since the Santana is real steel too.  Here they are a true PBP legend! 

                  Andreas, captain                    Roland, navigator         Eugen, control centerr 
Screen Shot 2026-05-02 at 6.53.51 PM.png

Bill Bryant

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May 3, 2026, 4:33:24 PMMay 3
to Kitty Goursolle, Randonneurs USA
Those three guys are really something — the first ACP PBP randonneurs had a triple with French riders but their bike failed fairly early into the ride. Not so with the Class brothers:
2007 — 74h13m
2011 — 78h57m
2015 — DNF
2019 — 80h24m
2023 — 85h12m

Chapeau!

Bill Bryant
Santa Cruz Randonneurs

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Jeff Loomis

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May 6, 2026, 12:12:28 AMMay 6
to Bill Bryant, Kitty Goursolle, Randonneurs USA
This is really cool Kitty!  I would like to ride it with you but I don’t think for PBP.  Finding three people that compatible seems like a tall order.

Sent from my iPhone

On May 3, 2026, at 1:33 PM, Bill Bryant <bi...@bryant-springsteen.net> wrote:


Those three guys are really something — the first ACP PBP randonneurs had a triple with French riders but their bike failed fairly early into the ride. Not so with the Class brothers:
2007 — 74h13m
2011 — 78h57m
2015 — DNF
2019 — 80h24m
2023 — 85h12m

Chapeau!

Bill Bryant
Santa Cruz Randonneurs

From: randonn...@googlegroups.com <randonn...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Kitty Goursolle <kgour...@gmail.com>
Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 7:21 PM
To: Randonneurs USA <randonn...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [RUSA] Re: Triple Santana in progress, German team found

Hi everyone, I found the German Tandem Triple team's website HERE: https://tridembrothers.hpage.com/werkstatt.html
They are the brothers Andreas, Roland and Eugen Class. They call their bike a Tridem, BTW. They've finished PBP in 07, 11, 15, 19, and 23. 
I used Google Traslate to read their website. I found Andy Class' contact info, sent him an email.   He will probably get a good laugh out of it.   Framebuilders will enjoy the website, shows how they built it.  Disc brakes plus rim brakes, brawny wheels, 48 spokes in front, disc wheel in back.... I can't tell from the photo what size wheels though-- tires are Schawalbe Marathon. I learned that steel was their prefered material for their newer frame and fork after the guys had an aluminium frame previously. Good news, very reassuring to me, since the Santana is real steel too.  Here they are a true PBP legend! 

                  Andreas, captain                    Roland, navigator         Eugen, control centerr 
<Screen Shot 2026-05-02 at 6.53.51 PM.png>

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Bob Counts

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May 6, 2026, 9:50:48 AMMay 6
to Randonneurs USA
I have a pic of them from 2019, taken Aug 21st about 8 pm.  Looks like the same bike but no fairing!
germantriple.jpg

Cheng-Hong Li

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May 6, 2026, 1:20:52 PMMay 6
to Bob Counts, Randonneurs USA
I have a vague recollection that one PBP documentary had a few scenes of them preparing their tandem bike. Is it “The Brevet”, which is a German production documenting the 2015 PBP?

Unfortunately I cannot find this documentary online anymore. It used to be on Vimeo. I actually paid for it. 

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Stephen Wasmund

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May 8, 2026, 10:34:54 PM (14 days ago) May 8
to Cheng-Hong Li, Bob Counts, Randonneurs USA
We had the opportunity to say hi, and start, with them in 2023. They're an inspiration for sure.

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Doug McLerran

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May 13, 2026, 2:05:41 PM (9 days ago) May 13
to Kitty Goursolle, Randonneurs USA
Your triple project sounds like fun, a one-bike Fleche team!  

The Class brothers, I had fun riding with them some in the rain in PBP 2007, great to see that they're still at it.  I've attached photos of the German Class' and the French father/son tandem of Hugues and Harold Bontant, and my speedometer while riding behind them  

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