embankmentlb

Over the last year I have made an intentional move away from Brifters and even indexed shifting in most cases. I have several bikes in my stable.
I have really enjoyed it. Even single pivot brakes are not that bad.
It all takes me back to a similar time.

3speedslow

Sheer Profundity!

tiger1964 

Maybe, for those who can afford it, a "gateway drug" to real C&V?

gugie 

Wanna make this thread go 10 pages?

Grant Petersen.

bikemig 

I'll give it a shot:


1993 Bridgestone MB 1

1993 Bridgestone RB 1

1993 Bridgestone XO 2

Bridgestone BB 1

nlerner

Not all vintage bikes were made to duplicate Tour de France kit. Plenty of tourers in the mid 1970s featured 5-speed free wheels w/ 30 or 32 max cog, long cage RDs, and TA chainsets with 46/30t rings; yeah, compact doubles.

Classtime 

Maybe you do.

My son has a buddy who rides his yellow Raleigh Record everywhere. At Eroica Ca, I met a guy at a rest stop who was riding one and I remarked that I was going to tell my son's buddy that he could do it too. And the guy riding the Record (on either the long or coastal route) replied, " Why? Is he stupid?" I've never met such an unhappy upright rider.

Drillium Dude 

I can't believe we're on page 2 and still haven't seen a pic of the offending bike. C'mon, what's the fuss all about?












DD

tkamd73 

I like the new bike, that looks like an old one, especially if it’s a Bianchi. I can see one in my future.
Tim

brixxton

well here it is. Didn't mean to offend just my personal opinion. I wouldn't refuse one if I won it........

cb400bill

Here is a bigger and more detailed picture.

joesch

Im happy that many bike manufactures are still producing steel bikes and especially retro tributes.

What is a more interesting topic IMO is how riders, many classic can still conquer the eroica on classic setups, not modern gravel bikes which would still be a challenge.
Very heroic efforts and abilities.

martl

i can get a real vintage bike for a 1/10th of the price and then i have the real deal.

rccardr 

For comparison purposes with the above, a shot of the one I built from the frame up with Campagnolo Nuovo Record that was auctioned off at Eroica 2018:

BFisher 

I don't mind the retro bikes at all. Wouldn't some argue that many of the advancements seen in new bikes are unnecessary, and new bikes should still look like vintage bikes? I know I've read comments that suggest such.

If you bought something for $1000 in 1980, inflation alone puts that price at $3,140.91.

non-fixie 

I do indeed. But maybe I'm a little better at scoring nice $10 bikes.

On a more serious note: I have seen a few unhappy people at Eroica events and the like. But in each case that had nothing to do with their choice of bike, but everything with a lack of preparation, like going into the Tuscan hills with a 58" lowest gear, or a total mismatch between fitness and route chosen.

Eric F

And then you'll spend probably that same amount replacing things like tires, cables, tape, etc. to make it rideable and look decent. To make it look and function like a new bike off the showroom floor, you'll spend a lot more than that.

keithdunlop

While the bike qualifies for Eroica rides that us "privileged" folks take part in, there's nothing preventing someone from riding the bike other times. I ride my vintage Bottecchia all the time - it's fun!

brixxton

Rescued from a nice older gentleman in Berkeley with the promise to do my best to restore and send pictures for $100
White saddle, bar tape, chaining, chain , pedals, brakes ,handlebars >$150
. not to forget wheels, trade
lots of time.
still not $3K but I guess it's Apple's and Oranges, not quite the cache
Wish I had pictures of the finished machine, ignore the wrap,
thinking about it having the time, the ability and the passion to bring a classic back to life puts me in a group of privileged few

icemilkcoffee

Bianchi made a similar retro-bike earlier called the Dolomiti:

It was made of Spirit tubing and sold for $1199 back in 2013. In 2020 dollar that would be $1332. By comparison today's L'eroica is made of inferior Zona tubing, but sells for $3000.

martl

I.'ve ridden the Eroica 3 times on 3 different bikes that, combined, cost less than that one. If it wasn't for that gold plated Casati, it'd have been around 1/3rd.. All of them real vintage bikes. Had to refurbish one of them (the Cinelli B) for less than 150€ (new tires, cables, chain}.

keithdunlop

I put this together from a mixture of new and used parts, including hand building the wheels, for about $1,700.


1987/88 Bottecchia Professional

Eric F

Okay, cool, but that's not the point I was making. Yes, there are a ton of modest-budget vintage bikes that can adequately get the job done. No doubt about it. I recently rehabbed my own vintage frame, and built it into a very capable retro race machine that I'm hoping to have my own Eroica experience with. My build cost me north of $1k, did not include new paint, and was mostly used parts.


If you start with a vintage frame, and refresh it to showroom-new condition, including never-been-used/NOS parts and new paint, you're going to get into the same realm as the Bianchi pretty quickly. Not all people are motivated to go through the process of building/resurrecting a vintage machine. The cache of the Bianchi name certainly has a factor in the equation. If it's not for you, don't buy one.

martl

The Eroica, in my perception, is about experiencing how it was back in the days, not, how it would have been if modern tech like 20spd drive trains would have been available. But that's just me, ignore me pushing my bike up. That 14% by will

bikemig 

The Bianchi is a good looking bike. But for me, part of the fun is tracking down an old bike and rehabbing it. I'm good with patina and I like getting old parts to work. I like the challenge of figuring out the gearing that will work on a hilly ride on an old racing bike. I don't race anymore and I don't mind riding a bike that has a few years on it. Heck I have a few years on me. I'm just happy to be out there getting up those hills.