I’m trying to persuade Mrs MTG to enter some MTB events on the tandem.
It’s not easy because she likes cycling, but has little interest in all that I think goes with it, STW forum, racing and riding big events. She just likes riding a bike.

She’s still not fully recovered from two broken legs, so 12 hour solos are out, which rules out Bristol Bike Fest and Erlestoke 12, two courses that I thought were just about rideable on a tandem.
Maybe we could do the 6 or 3 hour event at Bristol on Sunday. We could always drive down one weekend and pre ride the course to get an idea of lap times.

Wiggle 6 is a bit too twisty in the trees, so I don’t think that’s suitable.

There were a couple of tandems at HONC, when I did it last, so that’s an option, if we enter quick enough and get a place.

Some of the MTB Marathon series would be good maybe. We could manage one big loop of a Welsh mountain.

Any other ideas ?

Salisbury Plain Challenge? I did one on a t*nd*m, yonks ago mind.

Check with the organisers first as organisers dont like tandems on course especially when racing is involved as they apparently add something to insurance. Pat Adams events are a no no, asked before and was always told no, however maybe this has changed.

Dusk til Dawn used to be the best one we entered but even that stopped many years go, though we did get a good three years worth in solo category.

Your probably going to be limited to either distance events, HONC etc (Gorrick Test Valley Hot event is a particularly good tandem course) or trailquest/orienteering events, we always did well with ours at the old Navigator races years ago even won the mixed class on a couple of occasions.

If you find any races willing to let you in let me know and you may get some tandem class competition or if you want a ride out with another tandem in a different area (ie down south) drop me an email.

Big Bike Bash in the New Forest on the August bank holiday weekend, all types of bikes and riders welcome, organise a tandem event for it, they’ll love it

We’ve already done a few orienteering events, we won the Midland Trailquests Autumn League mixed pairs category last year.

Salisbury Plain Challenge is SPAM Biking event, same as Erlestoke 12, on a similar course, so that would be a good one.

Yes, I guess it would be polite to contact the organisers first to check they are OK with it.

We’re in Worcestershire, so the MTB Marathon series are mostly within easy travelling distance.

Dorset Gravel Dash looks good, but 160km would be 12 hours or so at a guess. Maybe we should spend this year working on endurance and once we know what we can do, make this a target for next year.

I saw at least one tandem on the Brecon Beast last September. Last year’s route looked fine for a tandem for the majority of the distance. Maybe just a few tricky sections to negotiate.

I’m seriously thinking of persuading my 13 year old daughter to do the “Up the Buttress” event this year on our tandem. It’s only 400 metres, how hard can it be?

Tandem Jeremy has a trophy for second place tandem trio from ten under the ben. Yes, he was only in the second best team of three tandems. So, yeah, find another two tandems and do ten under.

I’ve done Brecon Beast before, so yes, that’s a good suggestion.
I’ve been in touch with Paul from Bristol Bike Fest and he’s mentioned there may be another tandem entering. It would be good to get some sort of unofficial tandem race within a race if that’s so.

Thetford Summer Enduro?

We’ve done the HONC on ours and are thinking of doing this years Dyfi enduro.

The Merida/whatever they’re called now events would be quite suitable.

I’d think a tandem would be a pain in the ass for others around the Brizzol course. 😕

We did D2D a few years ago on ours and TBH although it was quite fun it also did bring us into conflict with some riders for whom a shout of rider and then swearing are all the words they know as they didn’t consider how long we were in her efforts to overtake (most were ace though). We have also ridden on the Isle of Wight and longer runs with space suit mixed tandem/ solo rides better. We did get round Checkendon on a Ride for Russ as well.

Try the Selkirk marathon in May.

Knowing the route, it’s more tandem-friendly than most.

And watching a tandem go full-bore down off the 3 Brethren or Duchess Drive (search ‘Sheep Encounter’ on Strava) would fun 🙂

There was a tandem at the Selkirk Merida a few years back.
Looked like they were having a right laugh.

This has got me thinking about doing a few more events on ours now. 🙂

Enduro type events are usually good. And trailquest, but you know about that.

We did the transrockies once – perhaps not the best choice for a dubious stoker 🙂

I’ve done the Real Ale Wobble at Llanwrtyd Wells on a tandem before now; a sociable mode of transport at a sociable event, albeit not ’til November.

Thanks for the various suggestions.
I always think of the 12 hour race at BBF as the one for proper racers. The 3 & 6 hour events are more like fun rides, so I wouldn’t feel so bad about causing temporary traffic jams there. We’d probably be no more of a hindrance than a lot of other novices anyway.

Didn’t I see you on a tandem at HONC a couple of years ago, Stu ?
A friend posted on Facebook this morning that she’d got a HONC entry going spare. I would have taken it, but Mrs MTG’s going to a wedding that weekend.

Graham.
I have no idea what you saw at the HONC.

We did start about half an hour before the main event so we’d not get in the way and only about 50 people passed us.

As much as we love riding the tandem we’re always very aware of getting in the way of other people.

I’ve roped my missus into heaven of the South Cotswolds on out tandem!
Just need to get it into running order now!

DrP

It’s a couple of years ago now, Stu, so I could well be mistaken or have misremembered it, but I thought that as I overtook a tandem, the rider shouted out “Hello Graham”.
A lot of people recognise me by my Vegan Cyclists kit, without me knowing who they are in return, so I shouted back “Who’s that ?”
He shouted “It’s (hard to hear, but sounded like “Singlespeedstu”), from STW”.
I knew you had a tandem, so I assumed it was you. Could well have been someone else and I misheard the name.

Anyway, BBF is looking more likely, following this short conversation with Paul.
https://www.facebook.com/bristol.bikefest/posts/734974609869081?stream_ref=10

Anybody else want to join in and make up a tandem category ?

Nope.
Not me at the HONC.

HONC, Tandem? Maybe Oldgit, he rides tandems and lives down that way?

Hit The North should be back next year and they allow tandems 🙂

Doesn’t Mrs MTG have a podium placing to retain at the next “full” HTN, should it ever happen again?