FrontFive

It was colder than it looks!


The pub!


The gin bar was giving free rides on mini penny farthings. Amazingly I only saw one person go over the bars.


We took a caravan (or trailer for our American friends) to the site, but could not compete with this outfit.

I know there's at least one more thread about Eroica Britannia but, hey, these pictures show a slightly different story. Unfortunately the festival coincided with the one bad weekend of weather this summer but it was still an amazing festival. It's like the grandest of English village fetes, both high class and slightly shoddy all at the same time. What can't be faulted is the enthusiasm and handsomeness of the attendees. It's a joyous celebration that happens to feature bicycles, everywhere. How can you not like that? Anyway, some pictures....

FrontFive

Not just bikes



I think this chap was seeing off Zulus five minutes earlier.

FrontFive

I know it's not old but it's lovely.


Drop. Dead. Gorgeous. Nicest bike I saw (apart from maybe the 24ct gold Raleigh - no pictures, sorry). I don't think the vendor was that displeased that I shouldered the prospective buyer aside saying that I had to get a picture. I mean, check out those lugs!


How is that possible?


I have to confess to loving twin tubes so picking them out seems like a great idea. Is this the only event where tandem riders are made out to seem normal?


I just really liked this. The sad thing was that the owner was too tall to ride it.

FrontFive

FrontFive

FrontFive

I'm gutted I didn't get a better picture of this father and son combo as they were great fun and riding a singlespeed tandem up some brutal hills.


Where have you seen a more glorious start pen?


My hero. Can't say enough about this chap. I stopped to give him a round of applause - twice! He deserved a travelling chorus to salute him.


This is Eroica Brittania in a picture - minus the ale :-)

I could have posted lots more pictures of bike, to say nothing of 'best cake', 'best dressed dog' and 'best moustache', but the highlight of the festival is the Sunday ride, although the twilight ride to the pub on Friday evening takes a very close second place. I mean what could be more fun than donning a costume, draping your vintage bike with fairy lights and riding it to the pub with other like-minded fools? Only an epic ride of heroes and heroines...

FrontFive

Check out the radio on the front of the bike.


One of the feed stations. No energy gels, just beer and cake :-)


I thoroughly enjoyed riding down and up this valley.


I love this picture. It would not have worked without the effort put in by the couple riding the tandem.

FrontFive

That's it for pictures. They don't and can't do justice to the joy of this event. The organizers put a lot of effort into making sure that the food, drink music and other entertainment is all of a good quality and that everyone has a good time. If you haven't been before I urge you to go next year. I've been to a lot of festivals and this has to rate as one of the best, and then you add an abundance of bicycles and costumes into the mix. It's not just a celebration of cycling but of the good life.

Sir_Name 

merziac

Here, here, well done, Thank you very much.

Kilroy1988 

Thanks for all of the photos! That Bates is on Ebay right now - has been for a while - at a ridiculous price. I made a thread about it a few weeks ago. It's extremely lovely but if he gets half of what he's asking (around $7000) then I think he should feel fortunate.

ExPatTyke

Great stuff - thanks for posting the pictures. I'll get there next year, hopefully.

hobbs1951

I can see why Americans would be fascinated (no offence meant), it fulfils all your British stereotypes, but for many of us purists it has become a little too festival and not enough celebration of cycling, and far too trendy and corporate.

John.

Kilroy1988 

I personally think it looks like a carnival scene right out of Chitty Chity Bang Bang, but with bicycles.

2cam16

Thanks for sharing!

FrontFive

Thanks for the comments. This year felt less like a festival than last year as there were no big name bands. However the music was of a good quality although the stage was smaller. One of the highlights was the mass barn dance on Saturday night. It was just hilarious.

I agree that the festival is a bit cartoonish but that is what makes it fun. Yes you still have exhibitors and riders taking it very seriously which is important because that provides a bit of a cultural anchor. But for most it seems like a chance to dress up and have a laugh. I disagree that it is corporate though. Far from it!

Drillium Dude 

Oh, wow - thank you for a nice glimpse at this event through your own set of eyes. The pics convey a lot of fun and deftly portray the, how shall we say, quirky character in many British people

I found this same attitude prevalent among most participants in London to Brighton in 1995 and London to Cambridge in 1994. Quite fun days out, and ones I look back fondly on.

DD