Next adventure!
Discussion
Well not really an adventure but a challenge none the less.
For the past 2 out of the 3 years I’ve organised / taken part in an annual charity cycle challenge covering usually 500 miles in 4.5 days (half day so we can have friends and family cheer at the end).
We’ve had around 40 – 50 people completing a route which has gone either around the coast of Scotland (Glasgow to Rosyth) or south coast to Scotland (Portsmouth to Rosyth).
This year we took a break as it is a heck of a lot of organising with the route & logistical nightmares when you want to get 50 folk (of varying ages and abilities) to ride 500 miles and end in the same place each night and all to get to the finish safely.
Anyway 2014…. What to do!
As you can guess I want to keep it cycle related and so swimming / running or even kayaking won’t be happening.
My idea is to get a smaller group (10 people) to get onto one of these and ride London to Rosyth.
However I’ve never ridden one and reading up it looks A) heavy and B) slow. Gearing can be changed and with 10 fit boys and girls I’m sure we’d go faster than people riding around London half cut.
Has anyone got any experience of this? Know of anywhere which would rent me one for say 6 days (1 day to transport it back).
My concerns are obviously cost / time and to be honest safety . When you’re riding on a road bike you can ride along busy A roads for a mile if needs must but with this thing I’m not sure if the local authorities would be enthused to have me clogging up their public roads.
For the past 2 out of the 3 years I’ve organised / taken part in an annual charity cycle challenge covering usually 500 miles in 4.5 days (half day so we can have friends and family cheer at the end).
We’ve had around 40 – 50 people completing a route which has gone either around the coast of Scotland (Glasgow to Rosyth) or south coast to Scotland (Portsmouth to Rosyth).
This year we took a break as it is a heck of a lot of organising with the route & logistical nightmares when you want to get 50 folk (of varying ages and abilities) to ride 500 miles and end in the same place each night and all to get to the finish safely.
Anyway 2014…. What to do!
As you can guess I want to keep it cycle related and so swimming / running or even kayaking won’t be happening.
My idea is to get a smaller group (10 people) to get onto one of these and ride London to Rosyth.
However I’ve never ridden one and reading up it looks A) heavy and B) slow. Gearing can be changed and with 10 fit boys and girls I’m sure we’d go faster than people riding around London half cut.
Has anyone got any experience of this? Know of anywhere which would rent me one for say 6 days (1 day to transport it back).
My concerns are obviously cost / time and to be honest safety . When you’re riding on a road bike you can ride along busy A roads for a mile if needs must but with this thing I’m not sure if the local authorities would be enthused to have me clogging up their public roads.
Edited by CooperS on Tuesday 10th December 13:05
The problem is the gearing, they are geared so short that you pedal furiously and made no progress at all, fine for a hill or for non/occassional cyclists but terrible for the flat and the experienced. They are also fairly uncomfortable, again they are designed for non-cyclists so have huge saddles and a terrible riding position, they are great to bimble arounbd Berlin with your mates as you smash in some beers, terrible if you are used to riding a real bike.
It won't be enjoyable, and you won't make it.
I did one in Hamburg, albeit with a few drinks, and we were a fairly fit bunch - (Ironman finishers, Marmotte, LBL, etc). It was exhausting. Even on slight inclines we were out the saddle grinding.
You won't make the distance. Those things are heavy, uncomfortable and un-aerodynamic. And you'll have to put up with a lot of flack for taking up a lane travelling at 10mph.
I commend your ability and will to put on these events, but for the love of cycling choose something for cyclists.
I did one in Hamburg, albeit with a few drinks, and we were a fairly fit bunch - (Ironman finishers, Marmotte, LBL, etc). It was exhausting. Even on slight inclines we were out the saddle grinding.
You won't make the distance. Those things are heavy, uncomfortable and un-aerodynamic. And you'll have to put up with a lot of flack for taking up a lane travelling at 10mph.
I commend your ability and will to put on these events, but for the love of cycling choose something for cyclists.
lol..... ok i knew it was going to be tough.
Going to give a few companies a call to hear from them their reaction to what i'm attempting to do.
I guess in the back of my mind we've raised over £75k over the two events and i want people to stick with us and not think ah massive holiday for that group again.
Thoughts had turned to Rickshaws or tandum bikes but seems rather ordinary.
Going to give a few companies a call to hear from them their reaction to what i'm attempting to do.
I guess in the back of my mind we've raised over £75k over the two events and i want people to stick with us and not think ah massive holiday for that group again.
Thoughts had turned to Rickshaws or tandum bikes but seems rather ordinary.
I've just walked across the Sahara with a chap who is organising mini tours for charity on 7 seated bike.
He is warming up to an A to Z of uk towns.
Lovely chap by the name of Geoff major. His website is here and he's looking for recruits to join him
http://www.morethanjustgiving.com/index.php?page=i...
He has a space in our office that we've given to plan his lunatic adventures.
If you want an intro pm me
He is warming up to an A to Z of uk towns.
Lovely chap by the name of Geoff major. His website is here and he's looking for recruits to join him
http://www.morethanjustgiving.com/index.php?page=i...
He has a space in our office that we've given to plan his lunatic adventures.
If you want an intro pm me
Gizmoish said:
You might be as well to do a 24-hour marathon on a closed track - Thruxton, Goodwood, etc - you could do it do the bike thing never stops, but a couple of riders hop off and are replaced each lap...?
What a great idea! If only someone could do that and then not f
k off with everyones money!Yes that means you Tom Wenham.
Is that tandam real? That would be epically funny to use!
I'm still keen on the bus so will keep poeple posted on where i get to with my enquiries.
Then its onto routes. I think i'm covered for the north bit but previous route went no where near London so will need to understand how i get out and up the country from there.
I'm still keen on the bus so will keep poeple posted on where i get to with my enquiries.
Then its onto routes. I think i'm covered for the north bit but previous route went no where near London so will need to understand how i get out and up the country from there.
CooperS said:
Is that tandam real? That would be epically funny to use!
Yes, custom made according to the forum I nabbed it from.4-seater tandems are not too uncommon. That's the only 5-seater I've seen though. They get disproportionately difficult to manufacture, disproportionately heavy, and very difficult to control... all from what i've read.
Good challenge though.
There are multi-seat recumbents too.
All of these are made with cycling-type materials as opposed to those "platform" machines you included in your post which are box-steel chassis. As a result, the tandems will be much lighter and much (relatively) faster.
Eddh said:
Gizmoish said:
You might be as well to do a 24-hour marathon on a closed track - Thruxton, Goodwood, etc - you could do it do the bike thing never stops, but a couple of riders hop off and are replaced each lap...?
What a great idea! If only someone could do that and then not fk off with everyones money!Yes that means you Tom Wenham.
Gizmoish said:
Eddh said:
Gizmoish said:
You might be as well to do a 24-hour marathon on a closed track - Thruxton, Goodwood, etc - you could do it do the bike thing never stops, but a couple of riders hop off and are replaced each lap...?
What a great idea! If only someone could do that and then not fk off with everyones money!Yes that means you Tom Wenham.
Back on thread, how about a challenge that I thought of whilst thinking of plans for a cycle themed stag weekend that never happened, the idea was each person bought a bike for a max of £50 and brought it with them, the bikes were numbered and those present drew cards for the respective bike on the first night which they then had to ride on the following day. As a slight twist, only I knew what the ride planned was, so no one knew whether a road bike or a mtb was more appropriate. After discussion with another guy attending, we agreed that people would buy girls bikes, single speeds, bmxes etc purely to try and screw someone elses weekend up and it would be a good laugh...
pablo said:
Sorry to derail the thread a bit but Tom Wenham is now the sole director at GTD Events Ltd so be careful when booking any sportive/events and be sure you know who is the organiser....
Seriously?! I swear to god if ever I meet him there will be some VBRJ handed out, even if I have to do it myself.Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff