Originally Posted by
pamelablalock
We are of the belief that if you aren't using your lowest gears that you are not using the bike to its full potential and need to look harder for better climbs. I am quite confident our granny will see plenty of use soon! The gearing on our bikes says a lot more about the rides we chose to do!!
Even speaking as someone who will never win a race that has more than just me in it -- and even then I'd probably only take second! -- I do like your philosophy. We've got seven tandems going to the Pyrénées this year who think the same way.
Originally Posted by
pamelablalock
IMO, Burke is one of the toughest climbs I've ever done. Compared to many of the BUMPS races, it is short, but the sting is in the middle of the climb, and you just can just never recover. I will say there is an advantage on the tandem, as the biggest challenge on that middle section is keeping the front wheel on the ground, not an issue on the tandem
That's a really good point. The steepest sustained climb we've ever done is an indicated 23% for about 500 m over a bump before the descent to Bad Ausee, Austria. I don't think it was really 23% the whole way, maybe just the worst bit, but supposedly the 1-km leadup was 18%, also according to the signs, again I'm skeptical. Honest-to-Pete though, with a 32x30 it was like doing dozens of leg presses. I attribute our being able to get up it without stopping to the thrill of being overseas on vacation and to a very determined stoker who just wouldn't quit. But for all that, front-wheel lift was not a problem. (We were more worried about whole-bike-sliding-down-the-hill.)