Hermes

My wife and I went for a 40 mile ride on Saturday, December 23rd and we accomplished a personal best on our new bike of 18.4 mph average speed – no drafting. The ride included 3000 feet of elevation gained which included one 5 mile climb. Our max speed was 34.5 mph. We had power on (no coasting) the entire ride and the winds were light with a temperature of 52 degrees F. There is nothing better than a fast tandem ride (well almost nothing): it was a real rush…We must have found our happy thought or maybe it was my wife’s new Webcor team kit (see looked very fetching). Our previous times for that ride have been 17 mph with the best time on any Peninsula ride of 17.7 mph.

On Sunday, December 24th, we did a 30 mile ride on our road bikes (active recovery day). The weather was nice, sunny and 55 degrees. It was fun, but no comparison to yesterday. There we very few other cyclists and we saw one other tandem.

On Christmas the tandem comes back out for another 30 to 40 miles. The weather should be about the same as the last couple of days.

We take a break from cycling and go skiing over New Years and then its back to work on January 2nd.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

rjberner

I hate it when you guys out there try to make us mid-westerners feel bad. We did 20 miles in a 25 deg wind chill yesterday and it sucked. Congrats and merry Christmas (or happy holidays).

vosyer

Been a lousey year for winter riding here in Seattle - can't get my stocker interested at all - did a chilly 25 miles on my single 2 days ago, but with the wind and rain not to pleasant. You mid-westerners have it bad, but try 15 to 20 inches of rain in a month. All I am dreaming about is riding!!

Trsnrtr

You people in the NW do seem to have it rougher than normal this year. I've been riding most days so far except for the week that I missed with the 12 incher snow after Thanksgiving.

Sorry for your poor weather, but I hope the holidays are good to you anyway!

Hermes

My wife and I grew up and attended college in Cleveland, Ohio. We still remember the Midwest winters very vividly. On the positive side, we are past the winter solstice and spring will be here soon.

Velodiva

Congrats! I think I saw you on Sand Hill Road - hot tandem.

The Weak Link

did anyone say this yet?

YOU RULE!

That ride sounded really fast. Wish me and my stoker could do that.

SteveE

Would that be a Webcor Platinum kit or just your run-of-the-mill A/V kit?

teamcompi

We live in Northern Canada and you are making me jealous, I have spent a few hours on the trainer, and a couple of hours of x/c skiing. Tonight I am going to put the tandem back together and get it ready for Vancouver and a little riding there next week. One advantage of living up here is my tandem will last longer....uhm....I am not sure thats a good thing.


Best of the holidays to all!

Hermes

It is a Webcor Platinum kit.

SteveE

Schweet! Nice looking kit!

zonatandem

One of our personal bests on the tandem was covering 43 miles, with rolling hills, in 2 hours even.
Have covered 25 miles in 1 hour even, but with a 5 mile downhill (no mountains).
Speed: 44.5 mph, still pedaling and bouncing on the saddles in our then 120-inch high gear. A downhill (no mountains), racing 3 male/male tandem teams. Kay proved she's as good/better than most stokers!
Coasting speed: 53 mph in the White Mountains of northern AZ.
Distance: 325 miles in 3 days with 22,000 feet of climbing in Arizona. Temperature at the finish line was 'only' 104 degrees.
Most miles tandemed in one year: 13,113 in 1986.
These personal best were in our 'younger days' when we were in our late 40s, 50s and even early 60s.
Oh, to be that young and foolish again (not really!).
Tailwinds and downhills in 2007!
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

teamcompi

Bike forums bring a smile to my face, such wisdom from so many....thanks