jpc2001

Apparently a L'Eroica bike is any pre-1987, steel frame road bike with downtube shifters, and without clipless pedals or aero levers. (Some clubs now allow aero.)

And here I thought it was an old ten speed that someone is asking $2800 for on Marketplace. But no! ​​​​​It turns out every bike in my garage is a L'Eroica bike! ("Yes, this is a true classic, the Schwini Giro di Chicagua...")

Or they would be, had I not installed dual pivot calipers on every one of them, thereby destroying $2700 or so in market value of each. Whoops! 😬


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mpetry912 

After several Eroicas I have found that if you respect the "spirit" of the event the scrutineering will let you get away with minor transgressions

Scrutineering may be more severe in Italy but don't worry about a dual pivot brake or clipless pedals

/markp

Chombi1 

Does it have to be steel framed to qualify for eroica?? There were CF, aluminum and Ti bikes in 87 and earlier....

jdawginsc 

Looks like Screwed and glued exception exists, but Cannondale/Klein are out.

Interesting on the spoke rule.

kani

According to eroica.cc «HEROIC BIKES (or vintage bikes) are all road-racing bikes with racing handlebar, built up to and including 1987, both with and without gears, such as those built in the late 19th or early 20th centuries. These bicycles usually have a steel frame but rare aluminium frames are admitted as long as the tubes are screwed and glued (like ALAN type frames) and not welded.» So some aluminum frames are allowed at least. Not sure about titanium, though🤔

oneclick 

So -

No Cinelli pedals (1970-ish)

Bianchigirll 

jpc2001 I have a very nice set of those dangerous, suicidal even, side pull brakes available. FOr a mere $847.00 American I can let you have a valuable set of vintage 1987 Dia Compe Alpha 5000s brakes to restore one of your precious vintage bikes back to the insane Erotic standards.

Personally I don't get the whole DP thing. Maybe I just don't go fast enough but I've seldom had trouble stopping on regular old side pull brakes, even the Chorus Monoplanor which weren't really intended to be "Stop on a Dime" type brakes (like the vaunted Delta brakes).

What I don't get is lots of people removed these dangerous single pivot brakes for the superior safety and herculean stopping power of the DP brakes but then demand a king's ransom for them when they list them on ebay

Kabuki12

As far as I’m concerned , I ride bikes that are all compliant , that’s just how I ride normally and why I have enjoyed this event. I keep my bikes rolling the same way I did in the early seventies so no worries. The event itself has become something else , dwindling down as it has. I’m not sure what direction , but more non compliance seems to be happening each year so I guess just ride what you want. I don’t think the organizers really care so long as the entry fee has been paid. If I wanted to ride a more modern bike , it would be modern and I would do the Nova ride .

BMC_Kid 

The only bikes I have that would be close to L'Eroica compliant are my 1983 Pro and Team Miyatas but since they both have contemporary aero Dura-Ace AX brakes and levers, they are not eligible. I grew up using aero levers and never had a bike with brake cable housing looping up and over the handlebars. I thought it looked goofy to me back in the day and honestly would not own a bike with it today. Funny rules if you ask me. I doubt I would be turned away were I to turn up at one of these events on either of my Miyatas.

iab

Oooooo.... A complain about Eroica rules thread. Haven't had one of those for days.

Kabuki12

Maybe this year I will ride my wife’s ebike!!! That will shake it up a bit!

daverup 

If you did keep the original AGC-300 brake calipers on your Pro Miyata, you would also have brick like original brake pads. No source for newer pads for those that I could find. Since the Dura Ace EX is correct is correct for the Team Miyata, that's probably as correct as you could get. I think your Dura Ace AX aero are a sensible upgrade for an aero bike.

daverup 

I put dual pivots on many bikes and will happily continue to do the same, I like the way they stop. I'm not even concerned about what anyone thinks about my braking crimes.

smd4

I’ve never had side pull brakes function as I expected they should, even Dura Ace 7400s. I was always surprised by how poorly they worked. It wasn’t until I got dual pivots that I finally got the braking experience I desired.

BMC_Kid 

Actually, the bike shop I bought my bike from sold these as framesets, not complete bikes. I still remember when I picked out the Pro at the time next to a comparable Team frame because that was all I could afford at the time. I was 16 and had saved up the money I had made working that summer. When I selected my group set, I wanted AX but the shop owner talked me out of it and sold me on new 600EX which had just come out if I recall correctly. It did have ACG aero levers though. It was a great group and I raced with it the next couple of years until my next bike. It had these parts up until the mid-90s when I rebuilt the bike the way I wanted it originally with a NOS DA AX group including the rare handlebar. I still have the old 600EX parts but that frame with aero fork and aero seat stays looks like it was made for the AX group. And with fresh Kool-Stop pads, the brakes are not too bad for the time. Certainly better stopping than the early Deltas.

Bianchigirll 

We survived about 100+/- years a trillions of miles with the single pivot and I don't recall anyone dying simply because the couldn't stop fast enough. No if you have cheap calipers and 'Turkey' levers that's a different story.

Again perhaps I just don't go fast enough to need all that masive stop on a ladybug braking power.

Pompiere

I found these statements on the L’Eroica web site. The rules have a lot of words about the aero brake levers and cable routing, but nothing very specific about the brake calipers. In my opinion, dual pivot calipers would probably not get you kicked out.

This one is for the Italian event: i) There are no restrictions regarding the type of brakes, as long as they are in keeping with the period of construction of the bicycle and they are safe.

This one is for the California event: i) there are no particular rules on the type of brakes as long as they are in line with the construction period of the bicycle and that they are efficient for safety reasons.

For California, aero brake levers are okay: c) we prefer the traditional brake lever setup on the bicycles, brake cables pass outside and over the handlebars (cables can pass inside the top tube of main frame), however, starting in 2017, aero brake levers without built in shifters will be allowed.

It seems that the Italian event has plenty of entries, so they aren't worried about losing a few people who don't want to comply. On the other hand, California is trying to attract more entrants, so they are more flexible. In the end, it's really just cosplay for bikes. There are a few concessions made for safety, but the idea is to experience what the old timers had to put up with back in the day.

smd4

Yeah, I know. No one died. And it’s not really about having to stop quickly from a high rate of speed.

I expected top end brakes to have a certain feel, and they never did until I got dual pivots, compressionless housing and Swiss Stop pads.

repechage

the short way down from my house has a 14% grade over about 6/10ths of a mile, traffic signal at the bottom that I rarely approach to a green light. I have two bikes with dual pivot brakes, two with Mafac. They are the top performers regarding less effort to slow or stop.
almost all the others are original Campagnolo Record. The Mathauser or kool stop pads are best but even with those the grip strength needed is much higher than with the dual pivots.

I did have to adjust the straddle wire on the Mafacs to improve mechanical advantage- shorter is the way.

northbend 

I don't understand the consternation some folks have for good quality single pivot brakes found on older bikes.
When they don't work well, it's likely a maintenance issue so give 'em some love (Proper adjustment, fresh brake blocks, cables and clean your rims).
[url=https://flic.kr/p/WvqFjt]

smd4

No consternation. No problem with maintenance. My 7400s just never functioned as well as my 7700s.

The Golden Boy 

I don't have any desire to participate in an Eroica event.

However, if I wished to, I would play along with the rules of the event. It's why the event is the event.


If you're really bent out of shape about it- start your own esoteric bicycle event... you can show those Eroica clowns who's boss- and you can put up with people *****ing about your eligibility requirements.

bikingshearer 

We are overlooking the many 100% Eroica-compliant dual pivot brakes that are out there. You know them as center pulls. MAFAC Racers and Competitions, Universal 61s, Weinmann 750s and the look-alike Dia Compes, to name some examples - they all have two pivots (and thus are dual pivot brakes), some work really well and most work acceptably well (Kool Stop pads, aero levers and modern cabling are your friends), they are readily available, and no one at Eroica will think twice about them.

gugie 

Hey, there's a ride up in Montana in September that's like that...

CINO

oneclick 

Any brake that will lock the front wheel is sufficient - as no brake will do more.