cornucopia72

That is a big plus. We think that you will find teams with similar speed as yours...

Radish_legs

is it psychologically easier to pedal as the stoker, because you are out of the wind?

twilkins9076

There's been a lot of good input already, but I wanted to add that if you're going to do the HHH for your first real tandem ride, you need to be very careful. The first 20 miles are very fast, very crowded, and there are too many folks out there to trust to know what they are doing. IMO, that's no place for an inexperienced team to be, unless you can stay at the front of the pack until after the metric century splits off.

With that said, we would like to go back and do that ride on our tandem one of these days. We've done it on singles, but I believe it will be an entirely different experience on our Burley.

Radish_legs

Yeah this is the HHH and I am very familiar with the crowded start. But since tandems go first, that may help.

SDS

Yes, as you noted, this is madness, but if it works, the memories will be priceless.

As noted, you are indeed going to find that your upper body gets more of a workout than on a single bike.

While you may be able to set the tandem components so that they duplicate your dad's (he is stoking?)single bike position, the stoker position usually lacks the space in front of the rider (captain is in the way) that the stoker would use on a single bike. All you as captain can do to help, is to not wear a Camelbak. Those four or five inches of space may matter greatly.

Bolt on some aerobars, preferably the Profile Airstrykes with the flip-up armrests, and use them responsibly. As captain, you are responsible for applying the brakes when needed. The aerobars may save you from a ton of suffering on the long, windy HH100 course.

Take a pocket camera and make your dad tailgunner. You will want pictures afterward. There can be some hot tandems lined up at the tandem start. I can remember seeing Jim and Rhonda Hoyt on their Calfee a few years ago, and various other scarce brands and models.

I understand the course has changed since I last rode it, to make the finish easier. Around mile 82, there used to be a right turn into the wind that marked the beginning of the real suffering for those having a bad day. I have heard that the course has been rearranged to address that. If you are having a bad day, find a garden hose at the rest stops, and hose yourself down. That cuts back on the overheating.

It shouldn't be a problem, but remember, Hell's Gate closed 90 (?) minutes early last year, owing to what were considered to be extreme conditions. Plan on beating that, if it matters to you.

merlinextraligh

Well, I've done it. It's not a big trick to lock the front wheel on a single bike without flipping it, as long as you hang your butt all the way off the back of the saddle, just above the rear wheel. Now the trick is keeping control of the bike as the front wheel skids.

However, you get maximum braking force at the threhold before lock any way, and you don't want to lock the front wheel on a tandem or single, both for control and for minimum stopping distance.

Admitedly, I haven't calculated numbers, but my experience is definitely that I can stop a single racing bike faster than a tandem, and it makes sense given the mass /contact patch ratios involved.

merlinextraligh

Ok, you're not really serious are you?

They've never ridden a tandem before, and you want the captain to put Aero bars on it to do his first ride on it, a crowded century no less.

cornucopia72

I do not recomend aero bars for any novice. Having said that, I was very nicely surprised to find out that using aero bars on our Santana is easier, more stable, than on my single. I will not use them unless we are by ouselves, leading a pace line, or doing a TT

Radish_legs

well, my dad and I tried out the tandem yesterday evening, and we are ABANDONING our attempt, yes we are abandoning even the THOUGHT of doing this.

First off, the bike is too big for me to be the captain. Jumping into the seat is tough when you're on your tiptoes. So my dad took over the captain role, and starting and stopping were quite the adventure, and as such, made the activity seem more like russian roulette.

So it's disappointing, cause I thought it would be fun. But we need extensive practice starting and stopping before this would be a good idea IMO.

Thanks for the advice, but as they say, discretion is the better part of valor!

Old Hammer Boy

I think you're being very wise. Go practice all year and do it next year.

Jinker

You made the right choice, for sure. Fit on a single (within reason) is mainly about comfort. But the extra manhandling required on a tandem, not just starting and stopping, but even under way means that being comfortable as captain is very important.

Anyway, better luck next time, hopefully you can find a tandem to ride which meets your needs better in the future.

Red Rider

Props for being smart. Obviously you two need some time to sort things out and to practice once you've sorted things out.

There are plenty of centuries throughout the year, so don't despair. You'll find one that will be suitable for your first. Our first tandem century this year was in Palm Springs, a relatively flat, fast ride. We found it so easy that, if we chose to do it again, we'll make it a hammer fest and see how fast we can finish. We'll have friends waiting for us; can't keep them waiting all day, can we?

Good luck to you both, and enjoy the process of getting used to the tandem. I hope you both have that same enthusiasm in a year that you have now.

merlinextraligh

good decision.

The good news is that you adapt to the tamdem pretty quick, so with a few rides under your belt, doing a a century should not be that difficult,so you could still do one this year if you have time to do a few shorter rides first.