I did triathlon on a Brompton... by mistake!
I wanted to try out a folding bike. I wanted to see how easy it would be to take it on a plane. I wanted to try out "wild camping" in a campervan in the Canaries. This is how it all came together...
I joined the excellent Brompton Hire scheme and booked a return flight to Tenerife with hold luggage. I hired the Brompton and parcelled it up with protective material and a few bits of luggage as an odd-shaped bundle suitable for transport in the hold. I arranged to hire a compact motorhome in tenerife and flew out without a hitch. I found a nice beach at Las Teresitas, just north of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, near the TF-11 "motorway". As well as the official car park there was an unofficial, but clearly tolerated, overnight parking area for campervans and motorhomes. After a good night's sleep and breakfast on the beach I unfolded the Brompton and set off in my beach shorts and tee shirt... and cycle helmet. The town of San Andres had been taken over by the Santa Cruz triathlon (oceanlavatenerife) for the cycling component. The only road along the coast, theTF-11, had its southbound carriageway closed to traffic, with 2-way traffic on the northbound side. Of the 2 southbound lanes, one was dedicated to the tri cyclists and the other for pedestrians. I was directed to avoid the motorway traffic and the pedestrians but carefully share the cycling lane. I attracted wide-mouthed stares, laughter and cheers. After a while I decided that a 3-gear commuting bike wasn't going to cut it, especially when I found a turning off into the hills!
It also convinced me that I should try a folding bike with more gears and bigger wheels. I've just bought a used Tern Verge P18 which is light, fast and has a great range of gears. Can't wait to fly to tenerife with it. Maybe I should learn to swim?