First 100 km audax

[Jasmine]

On Saturday I completed my very first 100 km audax ride: Tewkesbury 100 km 

It was quite good fun really.  I was amazed to see 50+ riders for a new event, but maybe that's because we live somewhere sparsely populated.  There were 3 tandems, including one with a 10 year old stoker on her first audax.  I rode solo for my longest outing all year (previously about 30 miles), whilst Andy rode fixed.  As there was such a large field, we were told that the racer types should go to the front and the day-trippers hang back so there wouldn't be carnage out of the start.  Andy & I waited right at the back as we were there to make a day of it.  We probably should have started mid-field though as some were obviously making even more of a day trip about it than we were.

There was a small lump near the start of the ride which seemed to fox a few of the other riders and the sharp left at the top was difficult to actually turn into due to the large numbers of riders who had got off for a breather.  Everything else was either flat or downhill.  Weather was fabulous, and I got to stop 3 times for cake/ice-cream.   We probably spent an equal amount of time in the controls as riding, so less rushed than our usual efforts.   The only downside was that Andy was really suffering with hayfever at the weekend - we'll have to stay near the coast for the next few weeks now.

RR:
1st stop - Fruit pastille lolly (not sure where it was, after the first hill)
2nd stop - Victoria sponge at the Silk farm (very nice it was too)
3rd stop - baked apple cake at a garden centre (expensive, but quite nice)
Finish - was quite full by now. 

Great fun for a day out.

[Dave]

Sounds like your first was drier than mine. A lot bigger turn out too.

[saturn]

What, are you serious? Only 2 pieces of cake? Try harder next time (ice loll's don't count)!

Glad you enjoyed it.

[Jasmine]

It was only 100 km.  Ice lollys do count, although I would have prefered some real ice-cream.  mmmm ice-cream.

[urban_biker]

So Jasmine, how did it feel doing 100km solo compared to stoking the tandem? Is the tandem much easier over a distance or did you feel happy you could have done some of the longer distances solo?

I'm interested to get a feel for the differences between riding solo and on a tandem. A tandem may become my only option for getting my wife to come along on some longer touring rides as there is a huge difference in fitness between the two of us.

[alan]

as there is a huge difference in fitness between the two of us.

This was the reason why we had a tandem to equalise things.

[Jasmine]

I wouldn't say the tandem is easier over the distance.  I have done 200 km solo (still with Andy though) and I could manage longer distances solo.  When I started riding I think I probably could have done a 200 solo at the time but would have struggled to convince myself about it.  I certainly needed the psychological boost of being in a team.  I actually think longer than 200 could be easier on solo than tandem because it's quite restrictive.  If Andy is tired, I have to take a bit more of the load (& vice versa); climbing can be more difficult, and we have issues with contact points that I could more easily resolve on a solo bike.  The major bonus of the tandem over solos is speed.  Andy rides faster than me (usually), so would either leave me or would be waiting at every hill.  On tandem I am never left behind.

Going tandem could be a major benefit if there is a fitness difference between you.  It should even out the speed a bit, and you will find that eventually the fitness difference is minimised anyway.  Andy is still faster than I am, but not nearly as much.

[saturn]

It was only 100 km.  Ice lollys do count, although I would have prefered some real ice-cream.  mmmm ice-cream.

Only 100km on just pieces of cake and some frozen coloured flavoured water? You're clearly tougher than me so whatever you say 

[LEE]

A tandem may become my only option for getting my wife to come along on some longer touring rides as there is a huge difference in fitness between the two of us.

Perhaps if you lost a bit of weight and did a bit more training you could close the gap a bit U_B.

[urban_biker]

Thanks, it sounds like a tandem is really the way to go then. Maybe next year.

[urban_biker]

A tandem may become my only option for getting my wife to come along on some longer touring rides as there is a huge difference in fitness between the two of us.

Perhaps if you lost a bit of weight and did a bit more training you could close the gap a bit U_B.

Sorry, I like my pies too much. One my most important discoveries on audax so far is that I can cram lots of pies into my Carradice saddle bag.

Pies are criticallly important to proper nutrition over a long distance. As is bitter shandy of course and the odd BLT.

[Jasmine]

It was only 100 km.  Ice lollys do count, although I would have prefered some real ice-cream.  mmmm ice-cream.

Only 100km on just pieces of cake and some frozen coloured flavoured water? You're clearly tougher than me so whatever you say 

I think you'll find that the frozen coloured water also contains sugar  which is very good for you.  I also had a cooked breakfast before the ride, which kept me going for most of it.

[eck]

Thanks, it sounds like a tandem is really the way to go then. Maybe next year.

+1 for the tandem.
I wouldn't say it was faster (our heap of scrap metal isn't anyway), but it's the only way to go if there's a difference in your ability "to go a bike", in whatever sense.

Sure, it's a lot harder work on the hills, but it's a joy on the flat and untouchable on descents. (Issa bugger to stop though, but please don't tell Mrs eck that.  )

[Andydauddwr]

I think in Jasmine's case, the landscape has changed somewhat since we started this adventure.  She is now commuting 20 miles a day and has come on leaps and bounds in bike-specific fitness.

The tandem is certainly faster than Jasmine on her own, but the contact points issue is a serious one for longer rides.  I quite fancy Flamborough Head, but am a little uneasy about it unless we can improve on our saddle setup.  I'm breaking in a Brooks Swallow at the moment, so hopefully that may sort me out, but we still need a solution for Jasmine.

AC

[Ian H]

I'm breaking in a Brooks Swallow at the moment, so hopefully that may sort me out, but we still need a solution for Jasmine.

AC

Do Brooks still do their sprung MTB saddle? Was it called the Conquest? A few tandemists pronounced it ideal for stoker comfort.

[Julian]

The setup on our new tandem, with a Brooks Ladies Professional S and a seatpost with shock absorber, has worked v. well for me.

[Ian H]

The setup on our new tandem, with a Brooks Ladies Professional S and a seatpost with shock absorber, has worked v. well for me.

This is what I was thinking of. Flyer, not Conquest.

[Jasmine]

The Terry's Butterfly saddle that came with the tandem is reasonably comfortable - to a point.  That point is about 250 km on flatish ground, but came at about 150 km on the Irish Mail.  It's much better than the previous saddles I have used, but not quite there.  It seems ok in terms of the sit bones being ok, but the nose isn't right.  Some of it may be tilt, but as it's comfortable for a reasonable distance it's difficult to test. 

[Ian H]

Back of tandem's always less comfortable. It's partly to do with not being able to shift about as freely, and partly because you don't see the bumps coming. Plus of course you are sitting over the wheel, so you suffer more shocks than the pilot. Hence the frequent use of suspension seat-posts and similar.

[Hummers]

Never mind all that.

How did you get without Andy's arse to look at?

Did you miss it?

H

[Jasmine]

It was very difficult Mr. Hummers.  You may notice that Assos shorts have a small tag on the arse seam (on the outside).  This has a hypnotic effect for stokers on tandems, and must by 'pinged' in order to let the captain know when to change gear and such.  I was lost without such amusement for myself. 

[Ian H]

Perhaps someone could design a bar-bag shaped like a bum for stokers going solo.

[Hummers]

Perhaps someone could design a bar-bag shaped like a bum for stokers going solo.

Or even a handle bar mounted arse shaped route sheet/brevet card holder.

You could have each side of the route sheet on either buttock with the cavernous storage capacity of the whole assembly housing some regenerative isotonic tincture, accessed by drinking straw emerging from the crack!

It could work.

H

[Danu]

Ian
could we not attach one of those Flyer saddles to someones fixed wheel bike, and sit back and enjoy the sight

[LEE]

Perhaps someone could design a bar-bag shaped like a bum for stokers going solo.

Or even a handle bar mounted arse shaped route sheet/brevet card holder.

You could have each side of the route sheet on either buttock with the cavernous storage capacity of the whole assembly housing some regenerative isotonic tincture, accessed by drinking straw emerging from the crack!

It could work.

H

<Dragon's Den Mode>
This sounds like a buttock shaped, drink-dispensing, route sheet holder.  For that reason I'm declaring myself out.
</Dragon's Den Mode>