My Sexy Ass Tandem

Approximately nine days ago a real beauty came into my life, it was love at first sight! And what's even better, Sophie doesn't mind, in fact she's in love too. We are now in a three-way relationship.

Myself - Sophie and :

Claud Butler Majestic Two (Nickname - Weasel Homicide)

1984 Claud Butler Catalogue

1985 Claud Butler Catalogue

1986 Claud Butler Catalogue

Here's some spec for the bike geeks!


So nine days ago we mounted our tandem and tried to cycle, we wobbled, we shouted, we suddenly remembered how bloody difficult it is to ride a tandem! After three hours of trying to find quiet roads in Cardiff (where we bought the bicycle) and get onto a road where we could start cycling to Newport we eventually started getting somewhere. We cycled through the beautiful meandering country roads along the Severn Estuary, when I say beautiful I mean semi industrial barren wasteland reminiscent of the final scenes of 'The Road', and started getting used to the bike. Phew!

By the time we reached Newport (which incidentally is where the photo in the Song of The Summer post was taken) we had to abandon our ideas of cycling all the way to Bath in favour of hopping on a train to Bristol and cycling to Bath from there. I know what you're thinking - easy option! Not so. Tandems and National Rail have a strange relationship, we bought our tickets, with the tandem in clear view of the sales staff, and headed for the train. When we got onto the empty train and placed our bicycle in the empty space for bicycles the Train Manager suddenly got all excited and started to tell us that tandems were not allowed on the train. Bugger. We thought we would have to change our plans and get a train to a different station on a service that did accommodate tandems but then decided to chance it with the next train and didn't have a problem at all. Despite this train having two bicycles and a buggy in the designated place we all managed to find space, get along fine and nobody was kicked off the train. Wooop!

So then to meet George, James and Chloe in Bristol and cycle back to Bath along the beautiful route along the disused railway track, probably the first time we started to realise the true potential of our tandem. (Before this point the most suitable nickname for the tandem was 'relate').
The Bristol - Bath cycle track.

This weekend however was absolutely magical. We cycled from London to Brighton on what was the hottest day of the year thus far. After extensive research we chose this route which I have to say was an absolute joy. Hardly any busy roads at all just beautiful winding country lanes through tree tunnels, past fields of bluebells and rapeseed with dandelion clock fluff floating past. It truly felt like being in a dream sequence.



A weasel






What's more our chosen destination was on top of the South Downs at Devil's Dyke where it felt like you were stood on the top of England with a view of the south of the entire country. Marvellous! For anyone who is considering a day ride in the countryside from London I couldn't recommend this trip more, it was mostly downhill, mostly easy, mostly quiet and mostly absolutely beautiful.