Northern California - Tandem riders of Grizzly Peak

Hi,

Is there anyone on this forum who rides tandems around Berkeley Hills area? My wife and I just got a tandem and we're training for STP 2009. I was wondering if I could find an experienced tandem group to latch on to for some group rides. I know I've seen a couple riding around on a tandem before.

Thanks

I only see tandems on Grizzly Peak every once in a while. You might try contacting the Grizzly Peak Cyclists as I'm sure they have some tandem members.

Right on! We live in Oakland and rode Grizzly Peak on a tandem last Saturday! I haven't been tandeming much lately, but I hope to get back into it soon.

Here is a cool event you might like:

Sun Mar 15 3/T_TM/35-55 Marin Tandem Rally
Calling all Tandems... meet at the Marinwood Community Center on Miller Creek Rd at 9:40 a.m. for a prompt 10:00 a.m. departure. Join us as we ride through the scenic back roads of Novato and past Stafford Lake to the Cheese Factory. From there it's on to Pt Reyes Station to the Bovine Bakery. Return via Bear Valley, Olema Hill and onto the bike path through Samuel P Taylor Park. Continue on Sir Francis Drake to Nicasio Valley and Lucas Valley Rd. The optional 35 mile route will return to Miller Creek after the Cheese Factory stop via Nicasio Valley and Lucas Valley Rd. Everyone is welcome to join us, single bikes and faster riders alike. We will ride at a social T-pace for the first 11 miles out to Novato Blvd. Come prepared to enjoy the scenery, be happy and have fun! Bring H20, snacks and lunch or $ to buy. Rain cancels. Nancy Yu, nancyyu7 at hotmail dot com or (510) 697-7736, Mark Abrahams, dma at abriz dot net. Take 101 N, exit Lucas Valley Rd, go one mile west on Lucas Valley and make a right on Miller Creek Rd. Park on the street across from the community center.
http://grizzlypeakcyclists.org/rides/rides.March.html

The Fremont Freewheelers are also very tandem friendly and usually have at least two tandems out on each club ride: http://www.fremontfreewheelers.org/index.html

I saw a yellow cannondale tandem on Grizzly Peak, close to Spruce last Saturday. WOOHOO!

Tohso, you and your partner are close to my heart. We lived in Montclair for 25 yrs and rode Shepard Canyon/Grizzly Peak many times.
We are also riding STP this year, but rain cancels. We will ride the Death Ride as an alternative.

My advice is to ride a lot of hills (Diablo) and just stay in the saddle for up to 8 hours. Ride a bunch of centuries that are coming up. The Sierra Century (6/6) will give you a good idea of your shape. I have clients in WA, so am pretty familiar with the terrain. To us, it is flat for the first 100 miles. Then, you get rollers. No big deal. Follow the thread to the PNW STP to get a flavor of the event. I think it is more the number of riders, ant the inexperience of some of the riders, than the terrain. (10k of your closest friends.) Stay away from pacelines for at least 100k and I think you, and I, will be ok.
Keep in touch. Love to hear of your progress.
VG

Anyone seen the family around that ride a tandem? Asian family I believe with the mom and dad on the tandem. The son is on a trail-a-bike on the back, and the girl sits in the Burley trailer connected to the trail-a-bike. It's absolutely ADOOOOooooRABLE!

Seen 'em a couple times going up tunnel.

We live in Walnut Creek and ride all around. We must have just been ahead of you because we saw the yellow cannondale about 1/2 way up wildcat.

Our ride was 76 miles with about 5k climbing averaging 15 mph.

Don't have our next one planned yet.

Hi VaultGuru,

What's wrong with the pacelines?

Hi VaultGuru,

What's wrong with the pacelines?

Here is the link
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=464931
Also, look up past posts about pacelining in the STP. Seems that there are a lot of people that don't know how to paceline, but their testesterone is high, and they want to ride at a faster pace than they normally ride. They overlap wheels, ride on tri-bars, etc. There appears to be a lot of accidents in the first 60 miles. Then things settle out. As you know, tandem riders are targets for pacelines. Most of the ride from Seattle to Centralia is relatively flat, which invites pacelines. Just be REALLY careful. If you plan on riding it in one day, you get to start with 2500 of your closest friends. (About 2500 riders do it in one day. Start time is from 04:45 - 05:15. They send you off in waves.) If you elect to do it in two days, then you get to start with 7500 of your closest friends.

It is our first STP also and I am looking forward to it. Some century rides that will prepare you for it.
http://www.valleyspokesmen.org/cinderella_classic.php
http://www.chicovelo.org/
http://srcc.memberlodge.com/
http://www.grizzlypeakcyclists.org/century/
http://www.sacwheelmen.org/

See you there
VG