Is 100K the standard distance for events?

[andydreisch]

My wife and I just finished the Tierra Bella 100K this weekend. I've noted from comments regarding that event and others I've read about here that 100K may be the typical route for tandem types as opposed to 100M.

Yes, no, maybe?

Andy

[TandemGeek]

Tandem teams aren't all that different from solo riders: some prefer the metric century length / time whereas the racer types will opt for the full century, and then there are the randonneurs and ultra-types who crave double centuries and brevets of several hundred K's.

Most tandem rallies tend to target the metric century mark for the 'long rides' on a Saturday and a few will offer a full century, usually broken up into a 40 mile AM and 30 mile PM loop with lunch served about 3/4 of the way through the ride. Medium routes might use 30 miles in AM and 10 miles in the PM, with an even shorter 20 mile / 10 mile route for others. As you can see, mixing and matching the various routes would yield all kinds of different lengths.

[zonatandem]

Yes, no or maybe?
Lots of choices for distances . . .
Metric centuries (63 mi) are quite popular as a tandem event.
Seems a couple decades ago more tandemers were doing 100 milers than now.
We've done countless metric centuries, well over a 100 centuries, several double metrics (125 mi), back-to-back centuries, but 'only' one 325 miler over 3 days (with 22,000' ft of climbing and 104 degree temp at the finish line).
Now in our 'golden years', we no longer keep nose to the front wheel!
Enjoy the ride TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

[ljonesjo]

We were the couple on the red KHS. Where you the couple on the Cannondale that we met???

[andydreisch]

Yep, loaded up with trail mix. That's us!! We missed you guys at the chowfest at the end. We were there for about an hour or so.

Andy

[specbill]

Yes....We're a 50's - 60's recreational team and the 100K is definitely our preferred distance.
Bill J.

[JanMM]

100M (meters) just isn't far enough. ;)

[andydreisch]

Hee hee on the meters thing. Oops.

I suppose that proportionally more tandems do 100Ks than 100M(ile) centuries, when compared to their half-bike brethren. That's my theory and I'm sticking with it.

Andy

[Niobium Rocket]

Getting my wife back into cycling last year, we have been doing minimum 100K loop up and down the San Francisco peninsula every weekend. This includes some climbing, sometimes up to Skyling. When time is a constraint, we will do an organized 100K. If time is not a consideration, 100 miler. We also have a horse that requires a lot of my wife's time.
I think that the lenght of the ride enjoyed is more of a function of the stamina and fitness of the whole team. If the "weaker" rider is completely out of gas, the rest of the ride will be no fun at all.

David

[regomatic]

100M is just enough to make sure we're clipped in and ready to go 100K.


100K is a good distance for us to have fun and enjoy ouselves on a group ride.


100 miles is about 38 miles more than either of us usually care to be stuck to the saddle.

We're signed up for the MS "150" in our area this weekend. The route choices appear to actually be 50, 83 and 100 miles. We've done 5 metrics or more in the last 5 weeks, one weekend back to back 63 and 70 miles, so we'll do the 83 on Sturday and see how we feel on Sunday.

[JanMM]

Haven't done 100 anything (except Meters) for a long time; me and my stoker could do 100 kilometers without too much pain but 100 miles would be painful.