Manny66 

L'Eroica California Announced for Sunday , September 22 , 2024

There's been Enough complaining and negativity about this Event in the past. If you feel the need to Post negative Comments and Criticism feel free to go create your own Thread. This Thread is for those attending or wishing to attend this years Event .

We dont have a lot of options when it comes to Vintage Cycling Events so Im Very glad to hear this Vintage Cycling event is going to be held in California Again .

https://eroica.cc/en/california

Classtime 

This news will get me off my butt and working on my Le Champion. After last year, I promised myself I’d ride future EroicaCA with unEroica gears but now I have a Nuovo Record bike like the cool kids

Bad Lag

Wah Hoo!

cyclic_eric

I'll be joining you gents! It's nice to have a goal. 7 months to get ready.
I'm auditioning for a pit crew...

bikingshearer 

Can I complain about the fact that no complaints are allowed?

I'm glad it looks like the event is on. The positives of Eroica CA (pretty roads, great people to ride with, tons of bike eye-candy to ogle at) have always outweighed any issues, and I have every intention of going again this year. Plus, my wife always enjoys tagging along for a weekend in Cambria and environs. See you all there.

Manny66 

It'll be good to see there again Buddy !! And I concur, the Camaraderie of the Old Bikes is what makes the whole event worthwhile.

WaveyGravey

Went to the website and read the requirements for bicycles, equipment and accessories. Appears that everything must be 1987 or older.

Is there a division for participants with newer bicycles, clothing and accessories?

Kabuki12

Me three! I’m in for the count. Let’s make it a great event. It is up to us and it is hard to be on the central California coast with a bunch of really cool bikes and people without having an excellent time. O K now that the positive affirmations are dealt with , can I complain now? 😁 I’ll think of something…..hmmm, see y’all there

Andrew_G 

Admittedly, the Eroica-CA website needs some updating. That said, see sections 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3 here: https://eroica.cc/en/california/regulation


If you have a newer bicycle which meets Eroica requirements then you're good to go: Classic style, 7 cogs or fewer on the back end, toe clips & strap pedals, down tube shifters, non-aero rims with 32+ spokes.

Vintage saddles are encouraged but not required. It's the same with clothing; wool is preferred but modern fabric clothes are OK as long as they look classic. I'd skip the splash-style handlebar tape, as well as splash-style or neon-color jerseys.


Eroica-CA has not been as rigorous as Eroica-IT for enforcing the rules, but clipless pedals are a definite no-no unless you need them per a doctor's note, and get pre-approval. I know of one individual who got clipless pedal approval in advance of the event.

bikingshearer 

Yes, the Nova Eroica ride on Saturday is for pretty whatever you want to ride, with the exception of e-bikes.

As mentioned, the rules are not strictly enforced for the classical Eroica CA rides. I've been to the all and have never seen a bike inspection or anyone turned away. I use aero brake levers because I have to be able to brake from the hoods and aero levers do that better. I also use modern Kool Stop brake pads because they work better. (I love the old stuff, but I draw the line at feeling safe.) Nobody so much as bats an eye. Be judicious, don't do it in the street and scare the horses, and you'll be fine.

gugie 

Aero brake levers are specifically allowed as an addendum for the California ride. I'd try and find the online section, but I'm not allowed to complain about the website here.

Caliwild

Sweet! Glad it's still happening. Have been to every single iteration of the Eroica and Nova Eroica in California. Never disappoints. I love Central Cali!

mhespenheide 

I don't see any specifications about the number of gears/cogs in 6.1 regulations. Bar-end shifters are also explicitly allowed as long as they're not indexed. As I interpret the rules, you either need a pre-1987 bike or frame, or a more modern steel frame that's either lugged or fillet brazed.

That said, as others have pointed out, the enforcement of 6.1 is lax if not absent. You're choosing to participate in a vintage ride, so I wouldn't personally push it too far, but if you have a bike that's mostly compliant and you don't want to change anything, no one's going to stop you. At the very worst, you won't get the little stamped card that proves participation. No one's going to kick you off the course. On the other hand, it would seem a little off or weird to show up with something blatantly modern.

Kabuki12

Not complaining but still no updates....... just waiting .

bikingshearer 

You mean I'm not fudging the rules even a little bit? Well, that's disappointing.

Markeologist

At a pre-fairground Paso edition I saw a very famous constructor of bikes…frames and components … with toe clips and straps attached to his shoes as camouflage to the fact he was riding clipless pedals. Game was only given away when he was off bike and walking around with his pedals still seemingly attached to his feet … classic, almost Nascar-level cheating.

Choke 

You are correct. In fact, since L'Eroica put their name on a 10sp (with compact crank) Bianchi they are essentially approving of using more than 8 gears in the back. It is advertised as "certified to ride in all L'Eroica events".

https://www.bianchi.com/store/es_EN/...compact-6.html

I saw him as well....it gave me a good laugh.

Andrew_G 

In 2016, when I built my bike for Eroica-CA, I paid rigorous attention to the EC bike configuration rules. At that time, the requirements were for down tube shifters and 7 cogs maximum on the rear end, as well as exposed brake cables (out the top of the levers). Then the Bianchi Eroica bike came along and thus partially negated those rules. Eroica rule changes followed afterwards; I don't know when.

cyclic_eric

I ride year-round with clipless pedals, but I didn't find it to be much of an issue to switch to clips and straps for the ride.
I did have to stop and walk ~30 yards up a steep dirt hill last time, but that was when I rode the full century (102 miles).
They don't call it a Heroic ride for nothing, right?

But in 2022, I did have a modern saddle - plastic and leather, with a cutout. No one said a darn thing. And, my rear derailleur was from the 90's, when Campy finally copied the drop-slant parallelogram design.
Gosh, I guess I had modern grippy-rubber bar tape. Shame on me. Mostly everyone wants to have a good time, admire the style of bikes we rode in back-in-the-day, and enjoy the scene.

This year I think I'll tone it down to a social ~20 to 30 mile ride along the coast on Saturday, and then ride ~60 miles on Sunday.
This maybe impossible - but perhaps a bunch of us could agree on the rides?? Maybe on Saturday ride Cambria to Ragged Point and back, then on Sunday that longer Touroica ride: Cambria to Cayucos, but staying on Old Creek Road, up to 46 and cross over to Santa Rosa Creek Road, and back to Cambria?

What do you think? We have spring and summer to train...

mhespenheide 

I'm unlikely to make it this year, but when the food and water stops are working, it's a great ride in a great area.

mhespenheide 

The aforementioned constructor was also riding alongside Andy Hampsten, who brought one of his Giro-winning 7-11 bikes (or at least one from that era). Andy was riding the Shimano copies of the Look pedals from the time.

I supposed when you win a Giro, there's some flexibility in the rules, eh?!

Markeologist

I remember Andy’s participation…my wife and I stayed another night in Paso, most folks had left town and it was pretty quiet. We walked over to have dinner at a small establishment not far off square and Andy was having dinner there too.

Caliwild

I remember meeting him that year... I said, "Wow, Mr. Hampsten, it's an honor." He replied, "My dad's Mr. Hampsten; just call my Andy." What a nice, humble man.

Manny66 

Myself and Bert ,the Rancho Cucamonga Vintage ride organizer, were discussing doing the Cino-Eroica double this year . Starting in Los Angeles and making the road trip to Cino ,and then back to L.A. area in time for Eroica California in Cambria. Its alot of driving ,but road tripping thru Utah and Idaho doesnt sound like a bad idea at all.

bikingshearer 

At the dinner of the first Eroica CA in Paso Robles (one of the ones where we had the temerity to actually walk on the grass), Andy Hampsten was brought up on stage to help with the auction. He was, of course, asked about the famous Gavia stage and how he was able to make it through such horrible conditions. His first words in response were: "Well, I was being paid . . . ."

Great answer.