# Playing hookie!



## MB1

Well we have had the bike for a couple of weeks now and hadn't done anything really long yet. Mostly because the weather on the weekends has been iffy.

OTOH this week forecast was looking awfully good for mid week- lows in the 50's highs in the 70's with only a chance of afternoon thunderstorms.

I guess we will use some of the buckets of vacation time we have saved up.

Wednesday we loaded up the panniers and bike pooled to work. Late afternoon I headed over to the Hill to meet Miss M. In no time we were way out of town heading to Frederick.

Bright and early Thursday morning we were on the road. Nice rural roads in Frederick Valley heading north.

Actually heading north wasn't exactly what we were doing, we were flying north. Better yet when we turned around and headed home that stubborn headwind turned into a raging tailwind. [email protected] that bike is fast. 

Hit town just in time to see the first traces of afternoon rush. Sure is nice to be on a bike.

A nice easy 300k under our belts.


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## jaimeS

*Terry Fly is a great saddle*

Hi MB1, I see you've settled on the Terry Fly saddles. I've really enjoyed mine for the past 3 years and hope you enjoy yours as well. 

How can I get one of those American Red Cross jerseys. I've been donating whole blood regularly for the past 2 years, and now do the double red cell donation every time I'm eligible. Thanks.


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## MB1

jaimeS said:


> Hi MB1, I see you've settled on the Terry Fly saddles. I've really enjoyed mine for the past 3 years and hope you enjoy yours as well.
> 
> How can I get one of those American Red Cross jerseys. I've been donating whole blood regularly for the past 2 years, and now do the double red cell donation every time I'm eligible. Thanks.



Those are the stock saddles. We haven't made any changes to the bike yet, still trying to figure out if the saddles will work for us or not. It is one thing to be comfortable on a day ride but we plan to be on the road for weeks at a time which is where Brooks saddles shine.

The jerseys are from a ride about 4 years ago. If we run another batch off (people at work sometimes ask) I'll keep you in mind. http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=13806


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## abiciriderback

I just hear that Santana call out for a Trans Am Coast to Coast adventure. That sure is a huge disc rotor on the back my god but then again you gotta be able to stop the speed demon. Glad the weather was on the good side for you guys.

Ray Still


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## FatTireFred

that is a HUGE rotor... seems to me that you would want the disc in front, rather than doing a reverse mullet. no racks mod needed either. but santana built it, so they would know best


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## MB1

*Ha! You must be thinking of half bikes!*



FatTireFred said:


> that is a HUGE rotor... seems to me that you would want the disc in front, rather than doing a reverse mullet. * no racks mod needed either*. but santana built it, so they would know best


With that huge rotor (putting the caliper a long ways from the dropouts) and the 160mm drop out spacing no rack mods are required at all.


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## FatTireFred

MB1 said:


> With that huge rotor (putting the caliper a long ways from the dropouts) and the 160mm drop out spacing no rack mods are required at all.




how big is that rotor, anyway? and how much clearance from the bag?


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## dingster1

Who is this woman who actually stood still for a pic??  Wheres Miss M???!!!!


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## MB1

FatTireFred said:


> how big is that rotor, anyway? and how much clearance from the bag?


You know, I don't really know how big the rotor is. It is what impressed the guys in the shop the most. However big it is there was no problem with the small bags we intend to run- likely would be a problem with any size bag that I can tell.

It was the 11-34 10 speed cassette hooked up to the 30/39/53 rings that suprised me the most (110" gear range with most of them usable thanks to the long chainstays). Haven't needed the small ring yet with a 31" low gear in the middle ring.


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## Marc

Whoever thought MB would go in for the CF-bartape look   


Looks like a beatuful day with a dam nice bike  

PS-Have you started to wax that frame to keep the CF bits shiny?


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## DrRoebuck

That bike is mindboggling. Congrats.


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## Ridgetop

Very awesome ride, pics, and bike.


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## thinkcooper

Nice ride. Nice shots as usual.

The big question - you guys have figured out how to bunny hop on it, right?  

ps. this in the tandem forum too?


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## thinkcooper

FatTireFred said:


> how big is that rotor, anyway? and how much clearance from the bag?


I think it's a 10".


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## MB1

thinkcooper said:


> Nice ride. Nice shots as usual.
> 
> The big question - you guys have figured out how to bunny hop on it, right?
> 
> ps. this in the tandem forum too?


How do you like the new photographer?

No, we just like to crush anything in our way.

Yes.


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## MB1

abiciriderback said:


> I just hear that Santana call out for a Trans Am Coast to Coast adventure. ....


We partially got it for a tour we are taking next month. 

Frankfurt to Budapest.

4 or 5 countries (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic and Hungary) in a couple of weeks.

We are getting excited now.


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## thinkcooper

MB1 said:


> How do you like the new photographer?


I'm sure I'd like her just fine. Her work is inspiring. The held up high overhead shot is one of my signatures, and she's arrived at the same place but 3000 miles to the right. The continuity is the only thing that jarred me. Miss M shoots, then MB1, then ???. 

Follow-up question - the two of you swap stoker/captain roles?


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## MB1

thinkcooper said:


> ...Follow-up question - the two of you swap stoker/captain roles?


Too big a height difference.

We can't get the captains seat down far enough for her to actually reach the pedals sitting down and still have room for a stoker stem.


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## jd3

dingster1 said:


> Who is this woman who actually stood still for a pic??  Wheres Miss M???!!!!


With that rig, when MB1 stops to take a pic, Miss M has no other choice.


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## Chain

MB1 said:


> How do you like the new photographer?


Very nice, but I kinda liked the pics of her bum better than yours. :blush2: 

Actually you will have to make sure she doesn't have any reason for revenge from all the pics you have taken of her over the years.

Looking forward to your trips and the pics.:thumbsup:


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## JP

Nice as usual. Where are the rest of your spokes?


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## rodar y rodar

MB1 said:


> 4 or 5 countries (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic and Hungary)


Better be a LOT of pics.

It kind of looks like an unused set of canti studs (rear) in one shot. Is that what it is, or just part of the rack?


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## YuriB

It the set-up such that you two can rotate capt and stoker?

I'd love to darft off the two of you on that thing. If I could even get close enough...


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## PomPilot

MB1 said:


> We partially got it for a tour we are taking next month.
> 
> Frankfurt to Budapest.
> 
> 4 or 5 countries (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic and Hungary) in a couple of weeks.


Do you have a tenative route planned out yet? (Sez the goof who studied in Salzburg back when there was still a Berlin wall, and checkpoint Charlie).


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## MB1

*She took a few.*



Chain said:


> Very nice, but I kinda liked the pics of her bum better than yours. :blush2:
> 
> Actually you will have to make sure she doesn't have any reason for revenge from all the pics you have taken of her over the years.
> 
> Looking forward to your trips and the pics.:thumbsup:


OTOH I am the one who does the posting so don't expect to see a lot of this....


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## Chris H

Not very often I see you in front of the Mrs...

Strong work.

Lovely bike.

Secretly wishing I had a tandem as well.


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## bigrider

Great pictures as usual. 

Every time I see your tandem I get a mental picture of you sitting up front with your feet off the pedals and MissM pedaling her tail off.


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## MB1

JP said:


> ....Where are the rest of your spokes?


We had to save money somewhere and spokes don't really do much anyway.....


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## MB1

Room 1201 said:


> Whoever thought MB would go in for the CF-bartape look


Stock bike, stock bike, stock bike!



Room 1201 said:


> ...Have you started to wax that frame to keep the CF bits shiny?


Do people really do that? Does it actually make a difference?


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## MB1

YuriB said:


> ....I'd love to draft off the two of you on that thing. If I could even get close enough...


Likely when Miss M kicks in the turbo power you can feel the draft in Arizona. 

BTW it isn't out of the question that we travel out that way again.


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## Wonger

*Route?*

Thanks MB, terrific pix, as usual.

Looks like you rode the canal for part of the way, but how did get up and over to Frederick?


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## MB1

Wonger said:


> Thanks MB, terrific pix, as usual.
> 
> Looks like you rode the canal for part of the way, but how did get up and over to Frederick?


We took the Tow Path from Old Anglers to Rileys Lock to avoid the rush hour traffic on River Road and from Monocacy to New Design to avoid the traffic on 28. New Design took us right into Frederick.

Coming back we skipped the Tow Path between New Design and Monocacy by taking Park Mills and Big Woods.


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## treebound

bigrider said:


> Great pictures as usual.
> 
> Every time I see your tandem I get a mental picture of you sitting up front with your feet off the pedals and MissM pedaling her tail off.


You just know that at some point there will be a pic of just that reflected in a large window, probably from someplace in Germany.


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## Thommy

Great pics and great looking tandem! I hope you don't get tired of hearing that. I'm tandem-curious as well. My only question is concerning the shifting. I too secretly want a tandem for me and my lady. I enjoy being my own mechanic including wheel building. Are the majority of tandem wheels 40 spoked? And, does having the obvious longer gear cables affect the shifting performance in any way? 
That rear disc set-up looks awesome.


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## wooglin

Thommy said:


> Are the majority of tandem wheels 40 spoked?


Given the improvement in spoke and rim strengths over the years, and depending on team weight and intended purpose, nowadays you can get away with 36h or even 32h. Not to mention that boutique wheels have found their way into the tandem market as well.


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