Di and Martin Bentley have taken their Gitane tandem on regular trips around Australia including one from Adelaide to Melbourne and last Saturday they participated together in the Strade Bianche piccolo ride, one of several rides in the event.
Taking the back seat Di joked that she could take it easy and enjoy the scenery while Martin did the hard yards but with the brakes in his hands she missed out on stops she would have liked at boutiques and homeware shops. But really they like the social side of riding tandem as well as the event which this year attracted 350 riders, an increase of 50 riders on last year.
“We’re together and we can talk to one another,” Di said of the tandem.
In the vein of the Eroica rides through Europe, Africa and China the Strade Bianche (French for white roads) attracted riders of steel framed bicycles with down tube gear shifters along dirt roads.
Committee member Warren Smith said participants came this year from across Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US to the social rides which showcase their bikes and the Noosa hinterland.
