# Leadville 100 - tandem style



## ds2199 (Sep 16, 2008)

Well we did it! My wife and I decided a year ago that we wanted to take a step from road tandems to mtb tandems. Many phone calls with Alex (BigNutt) at mtbtandems.com (he’s awesome by the way), and October our big green machine arrives. We managed to log about 900 miles on it since then with about 100,000 ft of climbing. The goal of all of this was to register and complete the Leadville 100 mountain bike race and finish under 12 hours. Yesterday we achieved that goal. It was a LONG day. It was cold, it rained, it was muddy (and that was all in the first 20 miles).

There were 5 tandems, we managed 4th place 11 hours 23 minutes. The second, third and fourth place tandems were only separated by ten minutes. The first place team (team Warner) came it at 10:48 defending their winning streak at Leadville.

Great race! It was no picnic, the mud took a toll on the drivetrain and we had some mechanical issues, we overcame those and managed to work through all the low points that occur when you’re on the bike for 11 plus hours. I can’t put into words how proud I am of my stoker, wife and best friend. She’s a rocks-star! Completing Leadville on a tandem is exponentially more fulfilling than on a single bike. :thumbsup: 

I have multi-page race report that I am compiling, PM me with your email address if you would like me to share. I don’t have a blog and the length of the race report is probably not appropriate for the message board.

Dan


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## Team Fubar Rider (Sep 3, 2003)

AWESOME JOB! I have been contemplating riding in the Dakota Five-O with my son and that inspires me to do so. Congrats you two, you deserve it!


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## TandemNut (Mar 12, 2004)

Congratulations on a great accomplishment! I'm constantly in awe of you folks who can lay down those kind of miles under conditions like those you experienced. You guys are our heros! And thank you for the kind words. Email me the race write-up when you get it done, and I'll post it on the website.


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## DaleTR (Apr 6, 2007)

*big & green*

pic of a big green Ventana on the Front Range forum. Twin lakes outbound.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=546852

I am amazed at the crowds out there... 
good job on Leadville. Impressive :thumbsup:


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## ds2199 (Sep 16, 2008)

*green tandem*



DaleTR said:


> pic of a big green Ventana on the Front Range forum. Twin lakes outbound.
> 
> http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=546852
> 
> ...


That is not us.

There were actually two grinch green Ventana tandems at the race. That is Chuck and Carla from Wyoming. They're awesome!

I need to find someone with pics of the other green tandem...


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## jjensen (Mar 31, 2009)

Excellent performance; congratulations!


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## Crankarm (Jan 12, 2006)

My wife and i were at Leadville as spectators...she was "stoked" to see the tandems and what you guys were doing with them. We too have a grinch green ECDM we got from Alex about 5 years ago, have not been using it much the last couple years due to injuries, but from time to time you might see us out on the trails in and around ABQ NM. Anyhow, to all you tandem riders from Leadville...way to go, you really made us proud!!


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## ds2199 (Sep 16, 2008)

So I have been coerced to put to post my account of Leadville.

It's quite long and rambling, but it is my best recollection of how I spent my Saturday. 

http://leadvilletandem2009.blogspot.com/

Have a look if you have some time to kill

Dan


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## banks (Feb 2, 2004)

Yeayea Mr. Chuck Schuster and the power in the back!!!!


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## ds2199 (Sep 16, 2008)

banks said:


> Yeayea Mr. Chuck Schuster and the power in the back!!!!


That's a great photo of Chuck and Karla!!! :thumbsup:

Nice work! (nice bike too!!!!  )


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

I had followed this post and another on Bikeforums, plus a third about Bobs brakes on DF.

I know a race like this would kill us for many reason, but I have been asking the stoker for nearly two months. Never a definite answer.

I told her about the movie last week. Being a bit lucky, the theater showing it is less than a mile from home. Wife went by a few days ago and bought tickets.

Tonight we went to see the movie. Saw many riding friends, some we hadn't seen in a while. 

The movie was great. For us it meant more than another movie or video, very impressed with anyone that even attempts the ride.

With some hope and convincing, plus some play money, possibly we can enter and get in next year or if not 2011.

She hasn't said no...there still is hope.

And again, very impressive to those that rode it.

BTW do they have oxygen bottles at the sags.

PK


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## ds2199 (Sep 16, 2008)

PMK said:


> The movie was great. For us it meant more than another movie or video, very impressed with anyone that even attempts the ride.
> 
> PK


It was a good movie. I thought it really gave a good perspective of the ride, something that is otherwise hard to describe to those who have not been there. I wish they spent more time on the "mere mortals" and less on Lance and the top five. But I guess that's just what sells.



PMK said:


> BTW do they have oxygen bottles at the sags.


I am happy to say that I do not know what is in the sags...:thumbsup: but I would not be surprised if they had oxygen.


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