Distance per day for tandem touring?

[srw]

And tandems are great for steaming up hills. Think about it, they don't weigh that much more than a single bike (nowhere near double) - and you've got double the pushing power? And higher gears for powering down into a good fast cruise.

It depends on the tandem. One of ours is easily double the weight of a touring bike - and we're always the slowest up the hills.

The other is a stone lighter. Over the last couple of days we've pulled away from riders, and overtaken them uphill - and not just with the benefit of momentum, either.

 

[swansonj]

I hesitate to contribute as my last tandem tour was sixteen years (the age of my elder daughter plus six months) ago, so i feel a slight imposter. But another factor is how easily matched the two of you are in things like cadence, choice of gears, frequency of changing gears, willingness to spurt rather than change gear, etc. You will have to compromise on these which means you will each not be cycling at your optimum. That may not be a big problem, but if you have become very finely tuned to one style of cycling, being forced to change it can make the miles more tiring.

 

[Herbie]

Hmmmmm -

Something tells me some Lycra-clad roadies I've seen in my mirror, legs a-whirring, lungs a-busting, hearts a-breaking, might have some very choice responses to that? Especially as they'd been passed, going uphill, by a guy in his 50's with a young teenage daughter stoking, laden with tent and sleeping bags and panniers front and back, wearing jeans, T-shirts, and walking boots.

For three guys in York a few years ago, I have reprimanded my (then 13-year old) daughter for pulling a book out of her shoulder bag and very obviously making a play of reading the latest Harry Potter, as they tried (and failed) to keep up! That was rubbing it in! [But worth it ]

I hesitate to contribute as my last tandem tour was sixteen years (the age of my elder daughter plus six months) ago, so i feel a slight imposter. But another factor is how easily matched the two of you are in things like cadence, choice of gears, frequency of changing gears, willingness to spurt rather than change gear, etc. You will have to compromise on these which means you will each not be cycling at your optimum. That may not be a big problem, but if you have become very finely tuned to one style of cycling, being forced to change it can make the miles more tiring.

THATS WHAT I CALL SHOWING OFF...COOL

 

[patheticshark]

ooh loads of replies! sorry, I am rubbish at remembering to check back. Thanks everyone.

I have been progressing in my tandem expertise! We managed to make it to the Chilterns with camping gear and then back the next day, only 50 miles each way but it was pretty easy (especially on the way back as it was downhill). We managed to get up a 24% hill without dying and navigate the entire of London (I live south east, the Chilterns are north west of London) without killing anyone so I am feeling optimistic! Think it was about 16mph so that'll do (I am hoping rural France will be a little less congested than central London). We actually seem to be pretty well matched, though I do forget to put effort in at times and have to be prodded; but when I do we can hit 30mph on the flat without too much difficulty. We both spend a lot of time riding fixed on stupid grindy gears (him 84", me 81") which probably helps.

I have a vague itinerary - have changed plans slightly to head straight down through the flat bits of France as far as possible, somehow get over the Pyrenees and then get the ferry back from Santander, but I am prepared to chuck the itinerary out of the window (well, apart from the getting to Santander bit) and see how we get on - from the sound of things we'll be OK without booking campsites, and failing that I'm prepared to risk a bit of wild camping. So going to stick with the mad 100 miles a day plan but with a few rest days factored in, then we can lower the mileage if need be (or up it...).

Now I just have to do something about the fact that I have no maps, I can't remember any French or Spanish and I am extremely disorganised. Hmmmmm.

 

[growingvegetables]

when I do we can hit 30mph on the flat without too much difficulty.

30 mph ; on the flat ; WITHOUT TOO MUCH DIFFICULTY . Hmmm - 100 miles in 3 and a bit hours; arrive at your campsite in time for breakfast


Seriously though - sounds like you're going to have a ball; enjoy!

 

[srw]

In the right conditions (basically flat, undulating terrain, or slight uphill or downhill, no cross-wind), tandems can be several mph faster than solo bikes. You get two engines, a lighter bike than two solos, and only one lot of wind resistance. On our test ride on our Santana we got up to 20mph with no difficulty - and neither of us is exactly a speed merchant; I've never got up to 20 on the flat on my Van Nic, and I'm probably the faster rider at the moment.

Cross-winds kill tandem speed because you have to put so much effort into controlling the bike. Long uphills are also a drag, but short ups are great because you get so much momentum going down - as long as you're willing and able to let the speed build up.

 

[patheticshark]

Tandems are fun! We did our second ride; the Dunwich Dynamo, with full camping gear (sleeping mats, bags, pillows etc). 113 miles in six hours overall, 19.1mph average. It's pretty good, this tandem touring business.

 

[srw]

Tandems are fun! We did our second ride; the Dunwich Dynamo, with full camping gear (sleeping mats, bags, pillows etc). 113 miles in six hours overall, 19.1mph average. It's pretty good, this tandem touring business.

Where's the "violent dislike" button?!?!?!?!

19.1mph over six hours with full camping kit on only your second ride is simply inhuman! I think you should aim for 120 mile days in France.

 

[patheticshark]

Heh. It is a really flat ride and we had a tailwind, but yeah, quite pleased with how well (i.e. quickly) it went. The ride back was a bit slower but overall feeling much more confident about the 100 miles a day plan.

 

[srw]

The ride back

*quietly starts weeping*

 

[patheticshark]

I finally got around to doing my ride report, if anyone's interested. It's mainly photos of food.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/frain

 

[biggs682]

tandems are fun too true

 

[srw]

I finally got around to doing my ride report, if anyone's interested. It's mainly photos of food.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/frain

A fantastic write-up, which illustrates the fun you must have had. You're not really human, are you? 100 mile fully loaded days on a tandem in hilly country is impressive.

 

[mcr]

I finally got around to doing my ride report, if anyone's interested. It's mainly photos of food.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/frain

I love the way your 'rest days' are far longer than my travelling days!

 

[patheticshark]

Me again! So this time we're doing London to Munich and back via Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, France. In two weeks. Camping. Hurrah! Anyone been to, er, any of those countries and have any recommendations? (Ideally for towns to cycle through or campsites to stay at, rather than anywhere that requires time off the bike, seeing as I can't get enough time off work to do this in a particularly leisurely fashion).

An approximation of a route is here, but we'll be taking pages of an atlas and making it up as we go along.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2700249