Sunday 13th May 2007, I think alot of people will remember that day.
We will.
It was the first run of the Mid Devons Cycle Sportive 100 mile or 100 Kms.
Approximatly nearly 2000 riders enter but I don’t know how many started.
We opted for the 100kms on HMT Skylark, and as on the Dartmoor Devil
there were three tandems. Two doing the Kms and one the Miles.
When we arrived it was just spitting, and they set the 100 milers of first in groups of 100.
The rain now came down very very heavily, so it was “if you are ready get going. forget the protacol”
The Tandem performed well. But for the brakes which just seemed to wash away.
By the time we arrived at the control they were the same thickness as the ones we have used in the dry for the last three months, and theet was 32miles covered. no point in fitting those blocks, adjust them right up and carry on riding.
When we got to a place called North Bovey the rain stopped and the sun shone. Just in time for the steepest climb.
At the top we had a very fast decent into Bovey Tracy Nice
As we raced for the finish all I saw was the finishing Arch, and Stokes and I sprinted for the line.
Silly, there was a speed hump just in front of the line (not a thing that should be in front of a finish line, never seen one on any major road race.But we had one.)
The front wheel hit the deck hard , my right wet gloved hand slipped off the bars and we were now heading for the big timing clock. I manage to regain a bit of control and just miss it, phew.
Only to be told we were the SECOND Tandem, SECOND, no way.
As we went to give our timing tags back we bumped into the FIRST tandem team.
Who told us they got to Mortonhampstead and then went of on their own route.
Now that dosn’t count
So we were the First Tandem Out and Back.
If its not raining next year maybe 100 miles Pedlar
Well done Pedlar on the 100k - we’ll remember May 13th as well.
I suggested a round Rutland Water trip, and convinced the other half it couldn’t be that wet. After 23 miles it would probably have been just as wet to go through Rutland Water instead of around it! We discovered that my waterproof panniers had sprung a leak (well you aren’t going to find out unless it’s really wet are you) so ended up buying the other half a new T-shirt at the bike shop so she had something dry to go home in - and a pub dinner to boot!
By the way we’ve got Avid BB7 203mm cable discs front and back (with a rear V-brake for peace of mind and to give some illusion of control to the back seat driver) and they seem to work really well wet or dry.
Hi Mostly Downhill,
So we weren’t the only mad fools out tandem swimming.( new olympic sport perhaps)
Your brake set up sounds great, but can you disconnect the stokers brake
(a) so they don’t twig, what you have done.
(b) that the operating lever dosn’t grab a load of your rear thigh, say when standing
at traffic lights? Pinching skin OUCH!!!
Like your signature, that phrase certainly wears thin, very quickly.
On our tandem swim we also had “Thats Cheating” no we weren’t
just faster.
No chance of a “skin grab” - Jane likes flat bars and the brake lever is well rotated down we’ve not had a problem.
So far we’ve only had one “unauthorised” use of the stokers brake - a child ran in front on a cycle track and we both instinctively grabbed the brakes. Out of habit from riding solo I hit the front brake hard, and Jane grabbed the rear, so we just stopped without any problems, even though it was a loose surface we were only using one brake each. This wasn’t planned but was just what happened in a panic. Jane says she won’t do it again but you can’t fight instinct - experience is that it isn’t as bad as you might expect.
P.S. no chldren were run over in this event.
Hi mostly, that was good fortune, that you both could grab the brakes.
Used the Santana Beyonds 10” rear Disc brake on Tuesday. There will be a forthcoming artical on our ride on the BEYOND very soon.
That is awesome. I never used the front or rear V brake, as this disc brake alone
pulled you off the saddle.
We use Magura rim brakes but only operated by the Captain, these are very good,
but that disc, WOW.
Sunday 13th May 2007, I think alot of people will remember that day.
Pedlar
