Thalia949

The Eroica CA comparisons are not valid. They are different events with different standards.

The first L”Eroica I did, I rented a bike from the organizers. It was not period correct pre 87 but close. A 89 BMZ with shimano 600 and biopace rings. So there is some slack given on the setup. But the bike is looked over quickly as you roll out of Gaiole pre dawn. I’ve done 4 now, on a period correct bike.

I think of interest is that Vittoria is a sponsor again this year. They will be showing their tubeless tires - technically a clincher as the rules require. I’m sure the tires would be fine, but the black spokes and hubs may be an issue.

For years Bianchi was a sponsor - and their Eroica bike was a 2X10 campy set up - a tribute bike.

During the ride though, I’ve seen the following - a rider being followed by a friend on an bake and them swapping back and forth. The registered rider would ride the period bike into the feed stations and passport checks, more than a few riding various new equipment like clipless SPD’s with cages, and true Eroici riding single and dual speed bikes from the 20’s and 30’s on the full 209K ride.

Ride your ride and enjoy it, it is truly a unique event.

Thalia949

chune - Do the longer 50 mile ride. The 30 route is actually quite easy, the vertical feet is mostly paved up to Broilio, the longer routes have more varied terrain. And you will get a few more feed stops. I’m riding it this year and will do the 209K on Saturday, and I may poach the 30 on Sunday to get the stiffness out.

Have fun!

63rickert

Black Alpina spokes were available in early 80s. Not sure when first offered, I built with them in '82.

63rickert

What would not have occurred in '87 or earlier would be a ride populated mainly by guys in their 50s and 60s. There were older guys who rode but past 40 was quite unusual. Go back to 70s and the older contingent was all ex-racers.

Oldairhead 

People may not realize that L'Eroica has evolved as an event over the years. While today it is considered to be mainly a "vintage" themed bicycling event, it began as primarily something different!

"Starting out in 1997, L’Eroica was born as a non-competitive, vintage leisure ride. It was initially created as a protest ride to ensure that the last Roman white roads of Tuscany were preserved and maintained, as well as being a bonus ride for people who had ridden in the Bartali Gran Fondo two weeks earlier."

Back then a "vintage" bicycle was one that was 10 years old! They wanted none of that newfangled 90's technology on this protest ride. I believe it was a statement of opposition to "progress", which included both the elements of not paving these classic "strada bianca" and opposition to such heavy reliance on technological improvements in sports. Heroes did not need pavement or aerobars!

These days the event has become what most people think it is, a vintage themed bicycle ride. The events ethos statement still retains the "beauty of fatigue" credo but nowadays it is run by large sports groups who simply use the event to market their goods and services to sports enthusiasts. The early passion behind L'Eroica has been diminished as a result.

Don't get me wrong, I still love the event, but stressing over the current meaning of the rules is kind of missing the point. Eroica will continue to evolve and the rules will likely continue to change both with time and location. In the end however I believe that a tubeless tire is still just a clincher.

Drillium Dude 

Or batteries. When electronic shifting was looking like it would go mainstream I checked out on the idea I might one day obtain a modern bike. Bikes are simple, but modern technology is trying hard to make them overly complicated.

Are self-riding bikes next?

DD

iab

Bikes with self-balancing gyros do exist. And they are wonderful for people who are unable to do it themselves. My father lost the ability to ride a bike at around 80.

But again, why would anyone want to ride it at Eroica?

chune

laced up my first set of wheels (pacenti brevet) to the dura ace 7400 hubs. Went pretty smoothly for a first timer but I'm leaving the truing to the professionals. Hope to be riding on them tomorrow!

chune

Got so busy before the trip I forgot to post pics. Here is what I ended up with: 11-34 Uniglide cassette on a dura ace hub laced to pacenti brevets wrapped in 700x33c challenge strada biancas:





Strada Biancas, meet Strada Bianca

Posting the rest of my L'Eroica pics here: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...l#post22671543

63rickert

When I started riding tubulars and Campy in 1967 Campionato del Mondos were one of the most popular tires. 29mm wide from contemporaneous notes. Paris-Roubaix at 26mm were popular too. Roads that suddenly went from pavement to gravel were common. Sure do remember when 19mm tires came around. The group would meet gravel and continue without a thought, the guys on skinnies turned around.

Regina had a 31 tooth freewheel cog since forever. In the big wooden cog box. Atom had a 36, only ever saw one, on a tandem of course. Sometime in mid 70s the Japanese had 34tooth cogs and they were everywhere. T.A. had little chainrings since they began. Stronglight 49d would take same chainrings and had been available since early 1930s. Copies are still made. Three arm cranks that took a small of 36 were completely normal.

Instead of trying to do a gravel and broken pavement ride on a bike made for skinnies and limited gears why not just get a 60s or 70s bike that does what you want? The Italvega in photos above looks good to me. Is it a Torpado? That style of bikes that looked racy enough (maybe were racy enough) but could swallow a 35 tire were available a long time. Continued to be made after the herd was on 700x19 and low of 42x17 because they were good bikes and not everyone followed the fashion.

Clinchers were only beginning to be tolerable by 1987. Any eroic period rider was on tubulars. CX tubulars were still fairly narrow. Occasionally it was possible to get Grifo 61s. 28mm? Big wide tubulars you bought from traveling Soviet riders. Imagine that, Russians who just got visas, rented vans and went to races and were greeted happily everywhere. Some parts of the past we won't get back.

chune

Yeah it’s a 77 Sekai 4000. I had 36c tires on originally but was worried about lugging them up the 5200ft of elevation and mud clearance. Worked pretty good for me but I would have been better off with a 46/32 crank

Erzulis Boat 

The vast majority of the participants that do the California Eroica have no idea this forum exists. I have done 4, and for the most part, everyone seems to follow the rules.

"Easier" gearing, to include triples etc. is not as widespread as this forum would suggest. Straight blocks and the like are commonplace. Older cyclists nowadays that participate in these events are typically very fit, and a lot more people than you would predict manage the course with "correct" bicycles. My oldest brother that is pushing 60 made it up Kiler Canyon no problem with 42-24 gearing.

Ride, ride and ride. It's the body not the bike.