New e-tandem weekend as my Matildas Musings crew take delivery of e-Matilda!

Excitement personified! – Team e-Matilda with the keys to their new e-tandem!

This blog is the story of my dynamic crew having a brilliant weekend – starting with a trip to the wonderful JD Tandems in Gargrave, North Yorkshire on Easter Saturday to collect and test ride their new e-Matilda; followed by Team Matilda’s first pedal from home on a blustery Easter Monday trip to Bridge of Earn.

The “old gal” and “old git” left home at silly early o’clock to drive to Gargrave where a brand spanking new e-tandem was waiting for them – built to their own specification.

There was massive excitement when my dynamic crew saw their new “baby” for the first time – a Gepida Bikes Thoris Voyage, (full details by clicking link) with not one, but two 500Wh batteries and the Bosch eBike Systems Performance CX 250w motor.

My crew had visited JD Tandems – whose customer service can’t be praised enough – three weeks before and had full test rides on three battery assist e-tandems, before choosing the Gepida.

You can read my blog about the test ride weekend by clicking here – and if you are thinking about taking the big plunge towards a battery assist tandem, then hopefully the blog will give you a definitive guide from fellow tandemers as to what to expect from your visit to JD Tandems.

So why the decision for Team Matilda to go for a battery assist e-tandem? Well whisper it but this “old lady” classic Jack Taylor tandem is actually on side with the decision as I know that old age brings its own mechanical problems – just as my dynamic crew are discovering that the passing years always seems to throw up some more new health and fitness issues. Being older than both my Stoker and Captain, I am also well aware that (like them!) I am not getting any lighter!

After a run down of all the equipment from the highly patient Jamie – despite fairly constant interruptions and questions from my Captain! – it was time to take e-Matilda out for an inaugural short test ride to make sure everything was working OK … but only after the ceremonial handing over the keys (for the batteries).

Handing over the keys – Jamie from JD Tandems does the honours!

You can check out the details of our exciting inaugural sunny short test ride route by clicking on the Strava map below.

My crew headed up hill on a suitably lumpy loop which took in a tasty lunch at the incredibly scenic and busy Town End Farm Shop & Tearoom.

Spring has sprung – new e-Matilda among the daffodils at Town End Farm Shop at Airton.

It’s all about the smiles after climbing some steep hills to Airton with battery assist.

The “old gal” enjoying her lunch at the tearoom at Town End Farm Shop.

My dynamic crew were glad they had  booked to secure a table, and it was good to see the venue attracting so many bikes – all solos. It clearly has a good reputation with cyclists out on their Saturday pedals. The location – at the top of a hill – gave an ideal spot for some photos of Team Matilda in their new Team Bahrain Victorious cycling tops!

The “old git” at Airton sporting the new Bahrain Victorious cycling tops for new e-tandem day!

Time for a quick smiley selfie after a tasty lunch at Airton.

Smart new e-tandem! The “old gal” is delighted to have battery assist!

Back to Gargrave for some very minor fine tuning to see our car had been fitted with the amazing new e-tandem carrier which JD Tandems sell. Time for an in-depth lesson from the equally patient John, going thru how to put e-Matilda on and off the roof.

The “old git” making sure e-Matilda is secure on the new e-tandem rack.

I am sure my crew will get the hang of it with a bit of practice – as initially it is quite daunting – but it is a great piece of kit!

Looks like the “old git” is going to have to invest in a set of small steps as his legs are pretty short and Matilda Transport is quite a high car! In fact the height from ground to handlebars when the tandem is on the roof is no less than 9 feet!

Ready for the journey back to Matilda’s Rest. 9 feet high – watch out for low barriers!

Thanks again to Ruth, John and Jamie for their patience at the highly recommended JD Tandems. Nothing was too much trouble for them. Their service has to be experienced to be believed. Quite simply, think of any superlative then take a step up.

My crew then drove back to Matildas Rest full of excitement about their new purchase.

Unfortunately the trip to Gargrave meant my crew were unable to join the Tandem Club AGM happening at the Easter Rally – but I think collecting a new e-tandem is a good enough excuse!

As a faithful Captain, the “old git” checked Strava which officially recorded the ride as an e-bike ride. The detailed figures showing my dynamic crew tandemed a modest 10.5 miles with a moving time of 51 minutes. The average speed was 12.1 mph over the lumpy terrain. Elevation was 841 feet. The maximum speed was 34.4 mph and Team Matilda managed to burn up 797 calories and produce an average power output of 230 W.

As always the route is brought to life in our Relive 3D mapping video – so click here to view or on the image below.

Easter Sunday dawned and my dynamic crew’s first job was to remove e-Matilda from the bike rack – then fit all the panniers and gadgets like Captain’s Elemnt Roam on board computer. He even found a spot for my La Bouclée prosecco carrier for future picnics!

New e-Matilda outside Matildas Rest fully kitted up with new panniers and kit.

My dynamic crew made sure there was room for their personalised water bottles!

The Bosch Intuvia on-board computer and the Elemnt Roam.

No ride on Sunday as my Stoker had a rather important event to attend – her daughter’s baby shower.

Heavy rain fell on Monday morning meaning my crew thought a ride on Easter Monday wasn’t going to happen with the forecast for a wet day. But mid morning the rain surprisingly stopped and my crew decided they would head out in the afternoon for their first pedal from home on e-Matilda.

The destination was Bridge of Earn as it is a hilly route and my dynamic crew wanted to test the battery assist. As it turned out, it was very windy so it really was a good test!

The sun unexpectedly came out to play as the rain stopped – but it was windy!

You can check out the details of our first pedal on new e-Matilda from home by clicking on the Strava map below.

My crew literally flew along on the outward leg, helped by a tail wind. It is a scenic country roads route thru Forteviot where there was a fab picture opportunity at the Cradle of Scotland- A Stone for Forteviot in the centre of the small village of Forteviot, which is an ancient Pictish capital of Scotland.

The “old gal” giving a thumbs up to e-Matilda at the Cradle of Scotland stone in Forteviot.

Team e-Matilda selfie time at Forteviot, an ancient Pictish capital of Scotland.

In no time we were at our destination of Bridge of Earn and dropped into a busy The Earn Coffee Shop for some welcome coffee and cake.

Coffee and cake stop at the half way point – The Earn Coffee Shop in Bridge of Earn.

The “old gal”, aka Stoker, with new e-Matilda at The Brig at Bridge of Earn.

The “old git”, aka Captain, gives his thumbs up verdict on the new e-tandem at The Brig.

The return leg was obviously a bit tougher – given my crew’s lack of tandeming fitness – but the battery-assist was brilliant in helping to battle a ferocious 18mph headwind.

On return to Matildas Rest, The “old git” checked Strava which officially recorded the ride as an e-bike ride. The detailed figures showing my dynamic crew tandemed 27.7 miles with a moving time of 2 hours and 6 minutes. The average speed was a healthy 13.2 mph given the hilly, testing route. Elevation was 1,467 feet. The maximum speed was 31.1 mph and Team Matilda managed to burn up 1,649 calories and produce an average power output of 195 W.

As always the route is brought to life in our Relive 3D mapping video – so click here to view or on the image below.

The verdict of my dynamic crew – e-Matilda is just fantastic and is going to transform Team e-Matilda’s tandem experiences! So it is a huge thumbs up and both the “old git,” and especially the “old gal,” had huge smiles on their faces during the rides!

Spot the huge smiles on my dynamic crew’s faces after the first pedal from home.

Team e-Matilda can’t wait to be back out in #tandem very soon. Here’s to the next blog!

Mini weekend break to test ride three potential new e-Matildas at JD Tandems

My Stoker and Captain enjoying the e-assist tandem. The smiles show just how good it is!

Matildas Musings – the UK’s only blogging tandem is back … after an 18 month hiatus!

Read more about the gap in our #tandem blogs at the end of this post, but for now this blog is the story of my dynamic crew having fun on a brilliant mini weekend test riding potential e-Matildas at the wonderful JD Tandems in Gargrave, North Yorkshire – aided by our super fellow #NuttyTandemers Jane Termini Taylor and John Taylor.

The “old git” and the “old gal” left home early on Friday morning and met John and Jane in Gargrave where the plan was to have shortish test pedals on three battery assist e-tandems Team Matilda had identified as being potentially suitable.

So why the decision to go for an electric assist tandem? Well whisper it but this “old lady” classic Jack Taylor tandem is actually on side with the decision as I know that old age brings its own mechanical problems – just as my dynamic crew are discovering that the passing years always seems to throw up some more health and fitness issues. Being older than both my Stoker and Captain, I am also well aware that (like them!) I am not getting any lighter!

And if you are thinking about taking the big plunge towards a battery assist tandem, then hopefully this blog will give you a definitive guide from fellow tandemers as to what to expect from your visit to JD Tandems.

You can check out the details of our e-tandem routes on Day 1 of our test ride weekend by clicking on the Strava map below.

The first was the Gepida Bikes Thoris Voyage, (full details by clicking link) and we set off in unexpected sunshine on a suitable lumpy (hilly) 10 mile loop to Town End Farm Shop & Tearoom at Airton.

Smiles from my dynamic crew on the Gepida Thoris Voyage at Town End Farmshop and Cafe at Airton.

The verdict from my Stoker was a huge thumbs up, having never been on any e-bike before. My Captain was also suitably impressed. The intuitive top of the range Bosch power assist was just amazing as my dynamic crew sailed up hills we would have been pushing up even at our fittest!

The Gepida up close.  Only one battery on test model. 2023 models have 2 x 500wh batteries.

Sadly no table for coffee and cake inside as it was a busy lunchtime, but suitable take-out supplies were purchased and enjoyed outdoors.

No tables inside on a busy lunchtime, but plenty of room outside for coffee and cake!

The return to base at JD Tandems’ workshop was equally fun, before a full debrief from the highly knowledgeable team on the positives and negatives of the bike before a quick loo stop and being presented with the second option for a test pedal.

Thumbs up and smiles from my Stoker on the Gepida back at JD Tandems.

Second up was the pre testing weekend favourite of my Captain – the Moustache Samedi 27 – on a repeat of the first loop back to Town End Farm Shop and Cafe. But very quickly this e-tandem was dubbed “the beast” as my crew found it much heavier and more difficult to control.

My Stoker with Moustache!!!! This e-tandem was quickly dubbed “the beast”!

The Moustache Samedi 27 at Town End Farm Shop and Cafe on the 2nd circuit

It’s all a matter of personal choice of course – and many people are absolutely delighted with their Moustache bikes. It just didn’t feel right for Team Matilda – despite the pre conceived idea that it would be best, based on nothing more than on-line reviews. And of course that is the whole point of doing multiple tests of different e-tandem options in person.

Testing the different e-tandem options in person provided lots of fun and laughs for my crew!

The third test ride of the day was on JD Tandems’ own brand Orbit Velocity Electric Assist Steps E8000. The Nutty Tandemers crews decided on a slightly different and shorter route to Hetton.

Ready to set off on test ride 3 – on the Orbit Velocity Electric Assist Steps E8000.

My crew were impressed with the Orbit, more so than the Moustache. But as my Stoker said: “It’s a bit like riding original Matilda – but with a battery fitted; and no other comfort or additional advantages.” My Captain agreed, mentioning if felt very rigid.

The Orbit Velocity. A bit like original Matilda, but with a battery fitted!

The Orbit was the second favourite, but my crew’s minds were now made up on the Gepida when we returned to JD’s premises.

After the Orbit debrief with Jamie, Ruth and John, a chat followed about altering and tweaking a few things on the test ride Gepida model – like saddles, grips and pedals – for a planned longer test ride on the Saturday on a bike more or less to our personal specification.

The Nutty Tandemers crew’s then retired to their base for the night at the Premier Inn Skipton North Gargrave where we celebrated the days amazing test rides with some prosecco – before a walk to the nearby The Old Swan for a well deserved and tasty evening meal. A wonderful hospitable way to end the first day of our test ride mini weekend.

The Nutty Tandemers enjoying drinks and dinner at The Old Swan in Gargrave.

Back at the Premier Inn, the “old git” checked Strava which officially recorded the ride as being worth six gongs – made up of three personal bests; and three 2nd bests.

The detailed Strava figures showed my dynamic crew tandemed a distance of 28.3 miles with a moving time of 2 hours 25 minutes. The average speed was 11.8 mph given the lumpy conditions. Elevation was 2,203 feet. The maximum speed was 34.5 mph and Team Matilda managed to burn up 2,201 calories and produce an average power output of 228 W.

As always the route is brought to life in our Relive 3D mapping video – so click here to view or on the image below.

Saturday, Day 2 of our test ride weekend,  started with breakfast at the unique The Dalesman Cafe & Sweet Emporium / Gertrude’s Vintage Gardenalia in Gargrave before the tandem crews returned to JD Tandems to collect the now personalised Gepida for a full test ride.

You can check out the details of our e-tandem routes on Day 2 of our test ride weekend by clicking on the Strava map below.

Jane decided that a somewhat testing (very hilly almost mountainous!) 19 mile return trip to Burnsall with 1800 feet of elevation would be an ideal route to test the battery assist in the Gepida.

Stoker enjoying herself on the Gepida Thoris Voyage – our new e-Matilda of choice.

And she certainly was correct as my crew beat the challenge with relative ease. Of course you still have to pedal, and the “old git” and “old gal” were still out of puff. But Team Matilda climbed every hill on The National Cycle Network Route 688 that my crew would have had to walk up before … even at our strongest. One of the best things was there were huge smiles back on my crew’s faces!

Jane shot a video of us just after cresting the top of one of the climbs, and enjoying a bit of downhill action. You can click here to view the video, or click on the image below.

All great apart from my Captain’s operator error with Strava, which saw the outward journey not recorded. Oh how he laughed at the half way coffee stop!

My Captain at Burnsall before he discovered the Strava operator error (his!)

That coffee stop was at the very welcoming Riverbank Burnsall, where there was an excellent discussion amongst the Nutty Tandemers about the benefits of battery assist tandems. A comment often repeated was: “Why didn’t we do this before?!”

The Nutty Tandemers having a welcome coffee stop at Riverside Burnsall.

Stoker, Captain and John deep in discussion about the merits of an e-tandem!

Back  at JD Tandems – highly recommended doesn’t even begin to be enough praise.

So back to sign the deal with Ruth and John at JD Tandems – after going thru everything to personalise the specification to our very individual requirements.

Nothing was too much effort, including bringing a brand new Gepida Thoris Voyage out of its box to check a few things on the new 2023 model, which has 2 x 500w batteries for extended range!

Stoker with our brand new Gepida – which is going to be built to our own personal specification.

So the paperwork is signed and we now await our new e-Matilda being built. Fingers crossed that we will pick up on Easter Saturday! It is soooo exciting and going to be transformational!

Team e-Matilda signing the paperwork, with John from JD Tandems.

Thanks to Ruth, John and Jamie at JD Tandems. The service was just exceptional … patiently answering every single one of Captain’s questions! Think of any superlative and then take a step up. The business cannot come any more highly recommended. Thanks also to our fellow Nutty Tandemers, John and Jane, for coming along to help make it easy for Team Matilda.

Before heading back to Matilda’s Rest, the “old git” checked Strava which officially recorded the ride – but, as previously mentioned, was compromised by only recording the return journey.

The detailed Strava figures showed my dynamic crew tandemed a distance of 9.4 miles with a moving time of 47 minutes. The average speed was an encouraging 11.9 mph given the very hilly conditions. Elevation was 858 feet. The maximum speed was 30.1 mph and Team Matilda managed to burn up 783 calories and produce an average power output of  248 W.

Jane and John’s Strava record – outbound and inbound – showed that the Nutty Tandemers tandemed a total distance of 18.8 miles with a moving time of 1 hour 42 minutes. The average speed was 11.0 mph. Elevation was 1,832 feet. The maximum speed was 31.3 mph.

As always the route is brought to life in our Relive 3D mapping video – so click here to view or on the image below.

It was quite simply a marvelous weekend – and a great way to decide exactly which e-tandem suits the needs of my Stoker and Captain. Stay tuned for blogs about delivery and our first rides on the new e-Matilda. Team (e)Matilda can’t wait!

Don’t forget to look out for updates on our tandem adventures on my Matildas Musings social media feeds on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube feeds.

A final note on the 18 month gap between this blog and my previous one.  Suffice to say my dynamic crew has had an enforced layoff after being bogged down with a number of life changing family illnesses and issues, followed by my stoker suffering a serious leg injury in an accident.

So please excuse my lack of blogging activity over that period as Team Matilda simply didn’t feel comfortable blogging about fun happy adventures in tandem when there were some pretty serious issues to get their heads round.

So why a re-launch? Well after a few tentative rides on Matilda, and our recent test ride weekend on new e-tandems, my dynamic crew thought the time was right to get back to some much needed light hearted blog writing.

A quick precis if you are new to this blog (or if you have forgotten!): Matildas Musings is a blog written by Matilda, originally the “old lady” classic Jack Taylor tandem – and her Musings about her adventures, trials and tribulations with her “dynamic crew” – the “old git” and Captain, aka Colin, and the “old gal” and Stoker (as well as Chief Engineer) aka Diane.

Blogging tandem Matilda writes Musings about her adventures on the road on a bicycle made for two – focusing on tourism and food & drink experiences en route in Scotland and abroad!

So if this is your first time, Team Matilda sincerely hope you find the adventures of the UK’s only blogging tandem entertaining – and that our self-deprecating humour makes you smile – while finding something that you (as non-professional non-lycra-clad fun-loving fellow tandemers) can relate to!

So here’s to the next blog!