Tandem update
Last week, during our first DIY multi day mini ultra, the captain’s bottom bracket started clicking about 150 km (93 miles) before the end. Every rotation came with one to three clicks at exactly the same point in the pedal stroke.
Very rhythmic.
Very annoying.
Like a metronome designed by Satan.
On Monday we contacted our tandem mechanic and brought the Limousine in for a quick check up.
It turns out we fried another bottom bracket. Apparently one of the ball bearings broke. We decided to have him replace the whole unit and install the same model we use at the back, which has been performing well so far.
1200 km (746 miles).
Two bottom brackets.
The Limousine appears to be on a strict training plan that involves burning both calories and components 🫣.
The good news is that we should be able to pick it up next week, just in time for our second DIY mini ultra.
Gear update
This week I made a few small adjustments to our setup.
Fidlock bottles
First, I bought two more Fidlock bottles. That brings our total to five bottles of 590 mL (20 oz), which means we can now carry almost 3 liters (101 oz) of water on the bike. There is technically room for more, but at some point the bike starts looking less like a bicycle and more like a migrating water reservoir. For now, this should do.
Wind muffs
I also purchased small wind muffs for the microphones on our Sena helmets. The system already works quite well, but not all wind gets filtered out. Especially in strong headwinds I spend entire rides listening to wind blasting through Marco’s helmet like an angry jet engine. Hopefully these will calm things down a bit.
Cable spaghetti
Next up were some small Velcro cable binders. When you ride a tandem, the cables inside the bag tend to evolve into a sort of electrical spaghetti. These binders weigh only a few grams but should keep things neat and organized instead of resembling the aftermath of an Italian food fight.
Saddle update
On Wednesday I went to the store to replace my narrower Terry Figura gel saddle with a wider one. The shop had one of those devices that measures sit bone distance. I sat down on it and discovered that my sit bones are 15.2 cm (6 inches) apart.
Which immediately explained several years of suffering.
My previous saddle was designed for a sit bone width of 9 to 12 cm (3.5 to 4.7 inches). I am apparently built for 12 to 16 cm (4.7 to 6.3 inches). No wonder it hurt.
For five years my sit bones were basically yelling:
“HELLO?! WE WOULD LIKE A CHAIR!”
Meanwhile the saddle replied:
“Best I can offer is this narrow medieval fence rail.” 😈
I now have the correct saddle size and bought an extra one for the Kickr as well. I probably should buy one for Rainbow Dash too. I genuinely cannot believe I rode almost five years on saddles that were simply too narrow. My Bontrager saddle does not even come close to 15 cm (6 inches). Measuring this earlier might have been… helpful.
Socks
And finally, finally, I bought proper cycling socks. Up until now I have been riding in cotton socks. They worked reasonably well, but I am slightly concerned about what will happen once things get really wet. I am not particularly interested in discovering what trench foot feels like.
Training update
After the 500 km (311 miles) ride last week my muscles were a bit stiff, but within 48 hours everything returned to normal. Recovery seems to be working, which is reassuring.
I did notice a slightly higher heart rate during my Kickr sessions this week. The cause turned out to be extremely sophisticated sports science: I was dehydrated. Once I drank enough water my heart rate dropped right back to normal.
Because Marco was on a seven day night shift, it was not possible to go on a long tandem ride this week, so I resorted to indoor training.
I am now running a new setup. I use my Wahoo ELEMNT Roam to control the Kickr, while my Garmin Edge simply records the ride. This has reduced power dropouts to almost zero, usually around one or two dropouts every 60 to 90 minutes.
My working theory is that there is too much interference when the Garmin tries to control the Kickr via ANT+. The Wahoo connects through Bluetooth and behaves much better. Interestingly, the Garmin does see the Bluetooth Kickr connection, but whenever I try to connect it just times out.
The new setup did, however, cause my Garmin to crash once during both indoor training sessions. I performed a full device reset and am now hoping for the best.
Outdoors the unit is an absolute beast. Indoors… we are still negotiating the relationship.
It does feel slightly ridiculous to pay around 800 euros for a cycling computer that occasionally behaves like a confused toaster. But on the bright side, I get to use the Wahoo again. At this point I simply do not have the emotional energy to get angry about it.
RATN update
This week I also prepared several more stages for the Race Around the Netherlands. I identified bakeries, convenience stores, and noted a number of hotels with 24 hour reception. Basically anything that might provide food, water, or emergency horizontal time.
I will admit that sometimes a bit of doubt creeps in: 2000 km (1243 miles) really is a ridiculous distance. The 500 km (311 miles) ride we did recently was only a quarter of the total distance. It went well, but it was also just the beginning.
The RATN is a huge undertaking. Logistically, nutritionally, physically, mentally. And the funny thing is that it is still only half the distance of the Transcontinental Race. I have enormous respect for the people who ride that event. Truly insane in the most admirable way.
One thing I did learn from riding the tandem is how valuable it is to have someone with you during the rough moments. We really helped each other through difficult patches and managed to cheer each other up when things got hard.
There is one potential downside though. So far only one of us has had a bad moment at a time, which means the other person could help. I do sometimes wonder what will happen if we both hit a bad moment at the same time. For now, that remains a theoretical problem. A problem for future us.
Life update: the book I’m reading
Endless Circles by Ian Walker
In this book he writes about his journey from a sedentary lifestyle to becoming an endurance athlete and eventually an ultra endurance cyclist. It is not just the large number of practical tips and insights that make it interesting. I also enjoy reading about the journey itself. It is very inspiring, and written in a style that is completely my jam.
I am really enjoying this book. I am about a third of the way in and have already filled several pages with notes.
Wrap up
This week was a bit quiet from a blog perspective. Some minor gear upgrades, several indoor training sessions, and the Limousine receiving a fresh bottom bracket.
Next week brings another 500 km (311 miles) adventure.
Until then: may your cables never resemble your favorite spaghetti dish, may your sit bones feel both physically and morally supported, and remember to keep the rubber side down!