stapfam

Our Local Seaside resort is having a Bike Fest this weekend. Various aspects of cycling including a 30/50/100 mile road event- Some Criterium road racing- Fun rides for the family- Mountain biking- Skill tests and a Time trial.

I was thinking about entering the 50 miler with my neighbour and at my current level of fitness that would push me to my limits with the amount and severity of the hills. On top of that my neighbour is borrowing my hills bike so I have an easy let out. My Son in Law has an easy let out in participating too as he has a stinking cold. He was going to try the "Come and Try it Time Trial"

So my me and a few friends are going to go down on the MTBs and just watch and encourage some of the other participants. But something happened this afternoon. Could put it down to the nice pleasant weather in the back garden while I was preparing the bikes- or the fact that I have had a bit of Brain Fade.

That "Come and Try it TT" still has a pull for S-i-L and instead of preparing the hardtail- I got the Tandem out. At a joint suggestion we are going to try and get an entry into this event. What makes it so stupid is the fact that I have agreed to be stoker.

Link to the event is below and I think I can see a let out in that the rider has to do it unassisted but---This is a fun event. They will take allcomers of any ability on any bike. A Full Offroad Tandem with two unfit riders on it would give a nice easy target for everyone else to aim at.

HELP

https://www.visiteastbourne.com/event...&venue=3419746

overthehillmedi

Reminds me of the song "Que sera,sera" by Debbie Reynolds, go ride, have quality time with the son in law.

wobblyoldgeezer

Well now, Mr Stap

Your title is 'talk me out of it'

Then you go on about bikes, and getting ready, and so forth

Now, I've earned my living as some kind of industrial psychologist, so I feel fairly safe in saying

'Shuddup, ride it, it's clear you want to, have a wonderful time with SiL, and if you're not as fast as you wish it's his fault'

My bill's in the post. Surprisingly modest, considering.

freedomrider1

Just DO IT!!!

JanMM

Try to make the best of a [not so] bad situation. Have fun! Don't try to steer from the rear!

despoke

Go for it. Chances are you'll become hooked and all the kings horses and all the kings men will not be able to keep you from being a participant in the next bike fest.

NOS88

Talk you out of it?!?!?! Are you serious? This (your last line):"A Full Offroad Tandem with two unfit riders on it would give a nice easy target for everyone else to aim at." is quite a gift you're giving others. I never try to talk someone out of being generous. We expect a full report.

cyclinfool

OK - let me take a shot at it:
You are really too old for this kind of activity. It's high time you sold all those contraptions and acted your age. Instead of wasting time with all this silliness you should be planning your move into the rest home and making sure your will is up to date.

Did that work?

jgjulio

+1

Pete In Az

no... no...

Think of the children!

What will the neighbors say?

Oh The humanity.

The world is ending (no, wait, that didn't happen)

Oh... The Horror.



anything?

stapfam

If that is the only alternative offered- Then I will take a leisurely ride round the course and blame the pilot. If he hasn't learnt to steer yet- then I won't be pedalling.

wiredfoxterror

Wear a shirt emblazoned "I take full blame for everything" and go for it!

bradtx

stapfam, You know yourself that if you don't ride the TT you'll regret it. Pics!

Brad

Retro Grouch 

I have a close personal friend who took a tandem, along with his son, to a similar event. They said "OK, as long as the stoker crosses the starting line 1 minute behind the captain.

If they offer you that option, 1. lie, 2. take off immediately with your son-in-law, and 3. graceously offer to give back the trophy after you win.

CHAS

You can't miss the chance to be your SIL's stoker b-i-t-c-h. lol
Be sure to report on the experience.

rdtompki

I am jealous. My son is 30 years younger and a very strong Cat 3. I'd even stoke for him on our tandem is I could get him on the darn thing. I love my DW, but "I feel the need for speed".

Go for it!

stapfam

Got to the bike fest and although only a small event- it was very popular. There was a lot of races going on and the "Closed" course was on the roads and only 1 mile long. Two straight roads with a hairpin at each end. One went up-And the other came down. It ran east to west and the only problem was the 5 to 8% uphill on the westerly leg---And the 25mph headwind on that leg.

Plenty of time to look around before Our event and there were some watt bikes.They have a time from "Sir Chris Hoy" on these for a 250metre sprint and that is what you have to aim for. Ross and I did it and our times are on the Attachment. At least I made the top ten but Ross made 2nd. Considering as how Martyn and Mike also had a try- and they are known to be respectable "Non Club" timers Ross did exceptionally well and I was not too bad.



Couple of other pics and it is not sexist. The mechanic from my LBS and his girlfriend came down and I had to take a picture of her bike. It was immaculate- Ultegra right through and light. I also had to get a pic of these girls warming up for their race. They were so confident on the rollers and had set the rollers up in a line so they could talk race tips to each other.



So onto the TT. 80 entrants- 30 of which were regular TT riders from the area. The rest of us were as the entry suggested-

Any rider on any bike of any capability and in any clothing.

I thought it a bit mean but I talked one of the Unicycle riders into doing it. That was the grade of rider participating but I have to be fair and say that he surprised everyone. He may have come last but other than when he was blown off his bike on the uphill- He rode all of the course. Other pic is of two other competitors



So onto our "Race" It was only 3 laps of a 1 mile course. The Tandem was in Full Offroad spec and the only concession was to pump the knobbles up to 80psi. Start was about 100yards from the 1st hairpin so it was sprint as hard as possible. From the hairpin it was flat for 200yards and then the slope came in. 1st time up was hard as Ross tried it in too high a gear for my cadence- slight downhill to the turnround hairpin and that tandem can corner quite well for a beastie. So well that I warned Ross on the next lap to take it wider. I caught the Straw bale on the Armco barrier with my shoulder and was picking straw out of my beard for the rest of the lap. 2nd lap and the uphill was taken a bit slower- I was beginning to hurt. No rest on the downhill but I got worried on the hairpin on the start/ finish straight. Ross Took the braking to the limit and no skidding but I did feel that rear wheel lift a bit. 3rd lap and it was all out on any reserves that I "May" have left.

Boy did that race hurt- only 13 minutes but 13 minutes of all out sprinting. Haven't done that--Ever. Took me a while to recover but We got the results back this evening. 80 entrants and we came 36th. At least we were in the top half but our time of 13:12 is well behind the winners time of 8:44 I don't care- I did it- am still in one piece and had a fantastic day out

Vid is of us passing the line d and down to the haipin on the 1st lap- and you can see the slope we had to endure on the westerly leg.

bradtx

stapfam, I loved the roar of the tires! Looks like it was a ton of fun.

Brad

cyclinfool

Seems like you've made yourself quite a friend.

freedomrider1

Good Job,looked like alot of fun.