Spaghetti Legs 

Thats weird I posted the same book responding to a thread today on Paceline. Tim Moore also has a predecessor to this book “French Revolutions” in which he rides a modern TdF route solo on a modern bike. It’s more humorous in that he was spectacularly out of shape for the French ride, but clearly he stuck with cycling and was able to ride “heroically” in Italy.

I agree with you Neal, making subtle and not so subtle changes in gearing allows us to level the field a little in comparing ourselves to our 25 year old racer heroes.

martl

heh i read that book too
Yes cyclotourist equipent has been around almost as long as racing bikes, but in my perception Eroica is intended for racing bikes.
I guess there is a cycling culture gap to Europe to be detected. Most EU countries have a large number of recreational cyclists who don't have or dont have any more "competitional" ambition, (in Germany, for example, there are "Rennradfahrer" not to be confused with "Radrennfahrer" - the first is serious about using a racing bike, the other one is serious about racing). Point being, even recreational riders, to a large part, identify very much with the racing culture and will be very serious about fitting in in terms of gear gear and garb. When i joined my very recreational club, everysone used a racing bike. Some of the old timers maybe (grudingly) resorted to a 12-28 instead of the 12-23 which was considered the easy gear for spring training...

SwimmerMike 

With all this talk on gearing and trying to be "Heroic", I had to see what I could do today with some "Heroic" gears. I had already put my clincher wheels that have a straight block on my Bianchi which is running a 52-44 up front. I usually only use these wheels for the flatter areas with maybe some short sprinter hills. I tried some 300 to 500 foot climbs with inclines up to 10%.

I have to admit, it did feel Heroic to do the short climbs with this set up and I got some great looks and comments. But I think I'll stick with my plan for a NR triple (32-46-52) and a 14-28 in back for Eroica.

merziac

The culture divide is very much in play here and not for lack of seriousness. We take our bikes and cycling plenty seriously but many don't have the inclination or the background to ride these rides as europeans do, Its not in our DNA as it is in theirs.

We never worshiped the sport, champions and riders in the early days as they did with all their hearts and soul.

Many of us are not racing these rides and as far as I know, plenty are not racing yours either.

I never did race bicycles and personally for myself never cared to, again, not in my DNA. Now motorcycles which I know Germans also take very seriously is a different story, those I raced for 20 years.

We will do what it takes to make these a positive experience, I also personally need the most ridiculous gearing to do my regular riding with no real hills to speak of and at this late stage of the game I have no inclination to push myself very far beyond my comfort zone or aggravate any of my injuries any further.

I'm at the point now that any aggravation of physical problems will cause less riding and I don't ride enough as it is.

L'Eroica is too big of a deal, cost, time, energy and effort wise to not ensure it be positive experience.

If that takes a 24 X 36 granny gear, so be it.

YMMV

mhespenheide 

You're welcome to ride what you like. It's been decades since I was riding up mountains with only a 39x25 as a low gear, and steep dirt roads like Kiler and Cypress Mountain don't take kindly to standing out of the saddle and trying to muscle over a big gear.

martl

you're welcome to ride what you like but we are talking about a certain event which is supposed to transport a certain atmosphere. no one brings a goretex coat to a medieval reenactment, it sort of defies the purpose.

merziac

"supposed to", according to whom?

Depends on how hard its raining.

If its not spelled out in the "rules", then its up to the individual to determine for themselves what it takes for them to justify and reconcile what they need to do for themselves to enjoy the ride.

Anybody who expects anyone else to satisfy their expectations should just ride the ride they want to and not worry about anybody but themselves.

I'm not going to go out of my way to make sure you enjoy yourself, especially if your expectations of me are unreasonable to me, that is up to you.

Drillium Dude 

I think the context is being lost with regard to the postings @martl has made regarding L'Eroica. The event began in Europe, and he's describing how it was originally envisioned; his comments seem to be in reference to the original spirit of L'Eroica. Here in the US, the event has evolved in its own way. He's entitled to his opinion as to how the original "vision" has changed, just as others are entitled to their opinions as to the approach used by many riders in the US.

I lean towards making rides such as these (in my case, just Cino twice) heroic in the old-fashioned sense because I identify (as he noted some posts back) as a "Rennradfahrer"; others ride within the limitations of their aging bodies, trying to stay active but not damage anything beyond repair; it's all good

As for me, I'm proud to say my Cino 2021 rig was awarded an "H for Heroic" stamp after Hans gave it a good going-over prior to the start of last years festivities (just ignore that saddle):



DD

martl

Well its a classic racing bike event, no? Whats thew point in doing it on a bike which is neither racing nor classic... its possible, but where is the fun in it

"THE HEROIC SPIRIT
The beauty of fatigue and the thrill of conquest Eroica is more than a cycling event; it is a lifestyle. It’s what leads us to face our difficulties with tenacity and patience and appreciate times of struggle as a challenge gratefully accepted. Riding vintage bikes on gravel roads recalls the heroic cycling of Coppi and Bartali and recovers the core values of a great sport still able to fulfil the needs of today through the experience of fatigue in all its raw grandeur."

(l'Eroica Website)

absolutely

Kabuki12

Eroica California is the only such event I have attended-nothing to compare it to. I have done the Brian Baylis ride in San Diego but got left in the dust on the Strand , did great until that. It was a great ride with some very strong riders and I enjoyed every mile. I never raced in my youth , but I rode a racing bike with “corn cob” FW instead of driving for well over two years. I got very strong and rarely got passed. My local bike shop advised me to start racing but it wasn’t my thing, my bike was my transportation and I felt free and alone . When I did the first E.C. it rekindled those feelings in me as I did the event on the very bike I rode in my twenties. I still ride that bike but have moved on to bikes I could not afford back then as an apprentice tool grinder at the local factory. I still ride alone on most occasions but now enjoy the event as a way of connecting with others that share my passion for these great bikes. I will be 68 this year , so , not that strong even though I ride a lot. My FW has a 28 tooth low and that still pushes me on climbs. I still ride the old wool jersey’s and enjoy the spirit of Eroica . Looking forward to seeing all the beautiful bikes and the folks who love ‘em like I do. Joe

Classtime 

This is true. But I'm gonna try again. This time with a tire that says Gravelking on the side and a theoretical extra mm (26). There may be a bit of texture left on the tread come May 1 and I'll have some traction that combined with a Biopace 42 turning a 24 will most assuredly leave me panting on the side of the road planning to be a stronger and smoother rider for 2023.

gugie 

You really need to do Cino. Eroica style event, but much smaller and intimate. Rather than riding with 1000 of your closest friends, after 2 days you'll know most of the people riding it. It's a bit more of a commitment, I budget a Friday and Monday before and after to get in and out of Kalispell, and requires boxing your bike unless you want to take a few days to drive up and back.

But it's worth it.

If you're not ready to commit, I'll send @northbend over to talk to you. He'll stare right into your soul and say, "you really need to do Cino". Few are able to resist his siren call.

gugie 

I think a reasonable ethos for Eroica is to do it as hard as you think you're maybe capable of riding it. A really strong rider using a triple and 35mm tires? Meh. But if that's what it takes for your maximum effort to maybe get up Cypress, that's just as heroic.

Me riding a 42x24 goes well past heroic and into the stupid range, I'd be pushing up 90% of the three climbs route. This is a bike ride, not a hike.

Kabuki12

Yes , Matt is a great guy. Rich(Bikingshearer) and I did a pre ride in Paso Robles with him a few years back and I got to know him pretty well , a very strong rider that could give those San Diego guys a run for sure! Rich and I have discussed doing that event perhaps in a year but just a discussion at this point. I drooled over the pics that you guys submitted on the Cino thread and it looks ...AWESOME! Joe

OldCoot

I hope it rekindles some of those feelings for me as well. However, I have no desire to replicate my cycling equipment experience from the 70's. For me that would mean a $100 bike bought from E.J. Korvettes ( a local Kmart chain of sorts, stands for Eight Jewish Korean Veterans) with hand me down parts/upgrades from my friends bikes (Thanks Matt and Lance!) and wearing cut off shorts and a tee shirt. I don't even recall a water bottle. Lots of drinking from garden hoses.... But the feelings? Definitely, finishing a 50 mile ride for the 1st time, cycling 20 miles just for an ice cream, or stopping in at a local frame builders shop 10 miles distant. It felt like anything was possible when I was on the bike, still does for most part. So yes, let's rekindle!

Fredo76

ghost cog

Went with silver. Looks smaller already!

Classtime 

Nice spoke protector😉

Andy_K 

I'm now officially registered. I've been telling @gugie and possibly a few other people that I planned to do this for a couple of months now, but I hadn't made any arrangements until this week so I'm not sure how much credibility I had. Now, I've put my money down.

I'm planning to take my 1969 Raleigh Competition.



I'll probably remove the fenders and maybe even the front rack. I had thought about replacing the 46-36-24 Specialized crankset with a less vintage but more aesthetically correct VO 50.4 crank I just bought, but the route I signed up for includes Cypress, so that 24T granny gear might just come in handy.

gugie 

Just make sure you have a rack or a bag to carry your hiking boots.

cyclic_eric

Excellent looking Raleigh! The crank looks great to me. Some might say you're supposed to have non-aero brake levers. But averaging in the ages of the rest of the bike, it's still older than 1987!

Not the most scenic part of town, imho. I trust your home is not in the shot...

Fredo76

Nice spoke protector!

Andy_K 

That's the McLoughlin Promenade in Oregon City. It's a very strange mix of natural scenic beauty and industrial ruins. I kind of like it. This is a photo taken from where the bike was sitting.



As for the aero brake levers, they've allowed them since 2017 (though the rules still say they prefer non-aero). I rode down Cypress once with non-aero levers and single pivot sidepull brakes. I don't want to do it again. I might need to use centerpull brakes to fully comply with the regulations. Honestly, having done this a couple of times, I completely understand that the more you comply with the spirit of the rules the more you enjoy it, but I see this as a safety issue.

Spaghetti Legs 

Glad you’re coming Andy! Bring clinchers this time, or at least a spare wheel.

cyclic_eric

How is the region for goat head seeds?



So far my plan is ~28mm sew-ups, but maybe I'd better carry 2 spares...

Manny66 

When speaking of the Baylis Ride, I let new attendees know beforehand,, its a very casual ride,but there's this one spot where the pace picks up pretty good and all the old Racing legs suddenly revive and come out to play

. A good 7 miles of hauling ass .

Gotta love the Strand!