Tandem Cycling - Tandem Races North America

Does anyone have a list of tandem road races that I and my 9 yo son can compete in, especially if close to Toronto, Ontario?

I know of Comotion Classic, Hollenbeck classic and race in Rhode Island that accepts tandem entries.

Thanks

Ed

Last I heard Burley had tandem races in far away Oregon, sorry. Many time trials allow tandems. You are not in the running for money or goodies but you do get to compare times. Colorado even allowed recumbents when I was there. A polite snail mail letter to whoever runs amateur cycling in Canada or the USA could get you some answers.

Ed,

Unfortunately I don't believe that the Jamestown Classic (the Rhode Island race) has a tandem division anymore. We are definitely "fish out of water" as far as racing goes. It seems that just about every tandem is used for touring and/or local rides but racing them has been lost. We would love to race our road tandem.

A few years ago I contacted the race director of the Green Mountain Stage Race- Vermont (formerly the Killington Stage Race) about a tandem division, since some time ago the race had a division for "two-up".

He had returned my email saying that he would consider a tandem class if we could get 10 or more teams together. Since that time, my daughter competed in the GMSR (USCF Cat3) and after seeing the terrain and the distances involved I am glad that I never got the chance to try it- stage 3 is 65 miles over 3 Gaps. Nasty climbs.

Fortunately, we do have a regional association (EFTA- Eastern Fat Tire Assoc.) that has a tandem division for mountain bike racing. My riding partner and I have won the division 4 times in 6 years on our Ventana full suspension. But even mtn bike tandem racing is a disappearing breed- we used to compete against 5-6 teams. This past season there was only one other tandem.

Seems like tandem racing of any kind in the Eastern part of North America isn't very popular, to say the least. Kind of feel like the last of the dinosaurs. :(

If you do hear of any road races or TT's in the East, please let us know.

John
bptsh@yahoo.com

Time trials with local club are about the only thing around for tandems.

We've competed in the EFTA races years ago as well. We've since turned to the road though as its far easier on the tandem equipment. I think the issue is more that tandemers 'tend' to be more the recreational types vs. the racer types.

Anyhow, here in the northeast I don't know of any road races. Our club puts on a weekly time trail series in Concord, MA which often has tandems show up. The Maine TT series also has a tandem category at many of the events.

I've often thought that it would be neat to try and organize a tandem stage race in New England. Too bad I don't know anything about promoting.

-Couch

Majority of races these days are crits. I don't think I'd care too much to do a tandem crit. Definitely wouldn't be the stoker.

15 years ago when I first started racing our local crit series had a tandem division.
Got REAL ugly with crashes so they stopped. Guys with too much testarone would talk their wives into stoking then forget they were on a tandem. Not a pretty site at all.

The Co-mo stage tandem race in close by Eugene, OR does have a crit stage... It is a lot of fun!