Spud
Posts:525
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| 11/23/2016 02:52 PM |
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Finished 11th out of the 22 tandems entered for the 106 mile route. Wind was wicked. No hiding from it no matter how hard you tried. My Stoker did an amazing job. 11 years younger than me, and a marathon runner, was a plus. Looking forward to next year. Riding solo though, that was a lot of work on the tandem. I managed to run into Denise Mueller at the expo. Damn,147 miles an hour on a bike. She said, her goal is to beat the men's record.
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 11/24/2016 07:03 AM |
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| Cool pics!
How big is that big chainring? |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 11/24/2016 07:09 AM |
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Geezer reminiscence warning:
Back in the day we called the large ring "the big meat". With the narrow range freewheels we used back then plus that we were slower riders on slower bikes, going uphill in the big meat meant serious sufferfest time. I wonder if that slang survives. |
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Nick A
Posts:625
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| 11/25/2016 12:29 PM |
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| Cool bike, cool ride. Never heard of "big meat", but one who pushed big gears was a "hammer pilot". |
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Spud
Posts:525
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| 11/27/2016 08:45 PM |
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| Big ring, big meat, whatever you prefer, is a 52. |
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Spud
Posts:525
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| 11/28/2016 11:54 AM |
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On a side note. A few women upset about this year's winner.
http://tucson.com/sports/local/transgender-cyclist-is-top-female-finisher-at-el-tour-de/article_2c7d291f-4376-57a6-9578-3831353032bc.html |
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Nick A
Posts:625
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| 12/01/2016 12:45 PM |
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Ooh, boy. You had to post that link. And I had to read it...and I had to read the COMMENTS. I need to go clear my head now. LOL.
Nick |
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Spud
Posts:525
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| 12/07/2016 10:50 AM |
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Found this pic on the El Tour site. After the ride, we sat and enjoyed a brat and a beer. We were complimented by a rider walking by. He thanked us for the pull we took at the front. We did have quite a few wheel suckers that day, but I guess that is to be expected when your hauling ass on a tandem :-)
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 12/07/2016 06:48 PM |
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| Yes, we do love following tandems on long rides! |
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thinline
Posts:325
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| 12/08/2016 11:24 AM |
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Re: the "Big Meat"
When I first started riding about 15 years back, I got an entry level Bianchi. Heavy thing with a triple crank. The first time I pedaled up the "App Gap" road near my house that year, a beast of a climb if anyone is familiar with it, I got to the top and was thrashed. Legs shaking, hardly able to prop myself up when I put a foot down. There was a group of hard core, experienced riders at the top taking in the amazing view west to the Adirondaks. One steps out, puffs himself up a little bit, points at my cranks, and says, "Real men don't ride triples." I replied, "Real smart men do."
His buddies laughed him into the pavement.
Now, when I see someone up there with a triple, I say, "Nice day, where are you riding today?"
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 12/08/2016 08:31 PM |
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| Yep I've ridden up App Gap too, maybe 30 times, but not for many years (I was a btv resident in the 90s and when younger lived in other parts of VT). Definitely damaged some knee cartilage doing that climb with a 23 or at most 26 on the back, with a manly double crank. That last pitch is just insane, like the last ramp on Mt. Washington, but much longer. And the frost heaves and giant pavement cracks make the ride down a tad exciting.
Of course then there is Lincoln Gap from the east side, a sustained 15-20% for at least a mile. More cartilage gone. |
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