Well this time next week I will be able to tell you if Stokes and I, on her tandem were successful
in the Mile sprint. Which our club hold this time every year.
We will be up against a whole load( hopefully) of solo riders.
Now if it were held in todays weather it would be a no go event. One gale
force head wind. Hopefully next Sunday will be better weather.
Unfortunatly the road is not straight for the whole distance, there is a
90 degree left turn junction where no dought Stokes will produce her finest Scream ,
as I pedal around the turn.
So how do you recon we will fair against the solo’s?
First or last?
Take a leaf out of Sean Yates and Michael Hutchinson’s book.
They seemed to do ok on their 64x11 gear when they smashed the UK 25 mile tandem record last week, and you’ve only got to do 1/25th of that. Easy surely Mind you - it’d probably take a mile to get a 64x11 gear turning.
I think it would take more than 1Mile to wind up and half way up the course is a 90 degree turn.
Which would mean if theres traffic at the junction, we’ed have to start winding it up yet again.
A 48X11 is our biggest.
I don’t think we will be going for the National record, maybe just the club record.
Thank you for the link to the pictures.
Sorry to be a bit quiet on the forum, we have had a hectic couple of weeks. I’ll write about it in my blog.
What is the club record for the mile?
And good luck this weekend. You should be able to outride solos on the flat, you could do with a higher gear though. Our first Santana had a 55t outer ring.
Hi Ruth, off hand I don’t know the present club record as I can’t remember the event
ever having a tandem present. Yes a bigger chain ring might help, but at present I still think we can give a very good performance with the 48X11. I’ll keep you posted. I think Stokes wants to do a couple of proper time trials next year, so then a 52 or bigger might be on the cards.
Yes what a hard mile sprint. Weather, side gale force wind then at
the turn a head wind.
Started number 11 of we went a really good start until the 90 degree + turn,
swing out to the french side of the road to take it at 28mph+ Stokes screaming, I
look up to see a motor bike on his side of the road. Whoa, flicks left then right, loose speed
Now have to wind it up, right into gale force wind,,HARD WORK.
Passes the finishish line,
can’t speak, breath and legs shaking. Took about 3 mins to recover and ride to the finish line,
absolutly spent. Brilliant. Stokes and I where exstatic.
Time 2.47 mins.
At the end we were told that we were joint first with Richard, and as he was on a solo
he won. Us because we were on a TANDEM and there were TWO of us, would rank as joint first/second.
Biased or what?
If we hadn’t had the run in with the motor bike we would have WON. FIRST PLACE. TROPHY
WINNERS Full Stop And only a 48/11 not a 53/11. Yes I’m upset! not that Richard won just the narrow minded comments.
Stokes and I know that we won!!
Well Monday nights is our club night.
Off we went, feeling juffed with our efforts on the Mile Sprint on Sunday.
Along come the club secratery with the official Time sheet.
Started at the top looking at first place. Richard 2.47, Ok
Next second and so on down. Under all these placed names were,
Mark not a club member, understandable. And Stokes and I, our time but No placing
We were most upset, are we lepers, just because we ride a tandem, very well and fast.
Discrimination we thinks
On October 22nd is the club hill climb.
Are Stokes and I going to enter,NO WAY
After all that effort, for what. NOTHING
As Club magazine editor you can guess the editorial
Still mad, with a big change of plan on this weeks hill climb (road event).
Stokes and I are now entering to show them that Yes a Tandem can beat a solo up HILL.
As Stokes puts it “We are going to Kick some BUTT”
Now thats very strong language from Stokes.
Well woke up not feeling 100% due to chest infection.
Still the rain wasn’t to bad when we set out, nor was the wind.
WE got to the start of the hill climb, and Stokes asked “ do we still want to do this?”
Well as we are here, might as well.
We had a little test to see what gear we needed, found the gear, great.
Jackets off, then down comes the rain. Jackets on.
Our turn, off we go. Got over the cattle grid and that was it.
No power in the legs, died big time. Couldn’t turn the pedals.
We struggled on, and as the course leveled out a little, bring on the gale force wind,
lovely. As we struggled on you could see the finish way up ahead.
Just before the finish the hill kicks up. Out of the saddle for the last little bit.
All I can hear from behind me is “ Your in the wrong gear, its too high”
Sorry Stokes but I know this, but with such a short distance to go I really can’t be bothered
to change. Just keep struggling to the finish.
Well we weren’t last, just second to last.
I’ll post the times as soon as I have them.
Mountain bike hill climb next. Thats bonfire night.
If you feel the need for speed you have got to get out of the saddle and give it Beans.
Yes honking out of the saddle does take team work, yes it feels wobbly to start with,
but you soon get the feel / balance and it is no bother,
and does a great deal to relief those screaming buttock / thigh muscles
You have to do it if you want to bunny hop a tandem. have you tried that yet? Its a scream.
Go on try it.
Well this time next week I will be able to tell you if Stokes and I, on her tandem were successful
of solo riders.
,
Yes what a hard mile sprint. Weather, side gale force wind then at
And only a 48/11 not a 53/11. Yes I’m upset! not that Richard won just the narrow minded comments. 
Well Monday nights is our club night.
And Stokes and I, our time but No placing
Well woke up not feeling 100% due to chest infection.
