mech986 

Hey Joe, Kabuki12 , if you're looking for socks, here's a few suggestions:
https://lostinsocks.com/ in Ventura
https://www.downtownsb.org/go/find-y...nd-sandal-shop Find Your Feet in Santa Barbara.
https://www.bicyclebobs-sb.com/produ...94/socks-1205/ Bicycle Bobs, Santa Barbara

I was hoping the Short Route would eventually have some detours up into the hills east of Hwy 1 but that would entail getting access from Hearst family owned lands which isn't very easy as I understand it. Would make for more challenge for folks.

davester

Does anyone have any idea whether they will have a Saturday festival and concours this year. Based on the uncertainty and health risks surrounding Covid I suspect not. This might effect what date the intrepid souls planning the Bay Area to Cambria Tour d'Eroica set out.

Classtime 

So stoked that there is more bike and less c@#*& in this thread. (BF capitalized the c word but not Bike!?)

1.) I met a guy locally who had a new custom retro bike built so he didn't need to ride his Cinelli.
2.) Eventually, all our bikes get rebuilt, No? Mine will hang for months with its Eroica "Race" number still attached.
3.) I'm pretty sure Andy H. was riding 23mm Michelin race tires one year and never walked.

bikingshearer 

Joe seems to have no trouble finding happenin' socks - he's the one person I know who gets an automatic pass on my "socks should be white" rant.

Also, the options in your links are much too tame for Joe.

Straightblock

bikingshearer 

^^^ In case it isn't obvious, Joe and his Magic Socks are on the right. Nobody rocks the socks like Joe. I (along with my magic-wheel-you-want-to-be-behind-in-a-headwind) am on the left. Really, I am about as big a windbreak as you are likely to find.

Yes, I know my socks are gray, not white, but for the life of me I cannot find any medium-thick white wool socks for use on chilly mornings. If I could find medium thick wool socks in white, I'd get some. Most of the time, I wear cotton crew socks, like I have pretty much my entire life. This morning started out cool enough for me to want a little something extra for my feet.

Kabuki12

Hey! I actually got the pair of Soulmate socks in the photo from the shop in Ventura that you mentioned" Lost In Socks". I think it may be time to revisit them! Thank you for the reminder. I don't think they have Soulmates anymore but they have some interesting options! Life is too short for boring socks , especially if you are on a classic bike! I hope you are planning on being there this year , I missed you in 2019 , I never got a chance to say hello. Joe

Kabuki12

When I called him about the Colnago he had like a dozen bikes he was working on and he was having trouble finding warm enough days to paint. He also mentioned the dreaded "R" word(retire) but also said he WAS NOT .I actually called him on his birthday(unknowingly). He told me Fall would be a good time to get it to him but now that Eroica is in the Fall , it ain't gonna work out. I would love to see this bike done in the original orange , I love the color and I know Ed can make it perfect. He has done a few of Rich's bikes and they are beautiful.

merziac

Yep, he's a busy guy, I would get it to him as soon as he will let you.

gugie 

When Wes was busy moving the start point from Paso Robles to Cambria, he was trying to get access to the road up to Hearst Castle. That would have been really cool, and add a bit of climbing to an otherwise flat, short ride. I'd like to see the organizers continue to push for that. Imagine a wine stop up on the outdoor patios there...

As far as I can tell, the only thing Eroica has done is announce the ride date. I think your guess that the concurs won't happy if probably correct. I'm hoping not, it's one of the draws to this event.

Oldairhead 

I long for the days when Covid and politics didn't creep into every discussion about cycling.

gugie 

And the day when I can invite PNWer's over for another Ride Wrench and Grill at the Atelier.

iab

I long for the day when this thread would be dominated by "What gearing should I use" and "I won't walk up hills and use 26/34 gearing and not suffer like the spirit of the event, yada, yada, yada." Pages and pages of that prattle is better than some idiot politicizing a bike ride.

gaucho777 

@iab Not sure who that jab was directed at (pun intended). Am I the idiot? I long for those days, too.

iab

All I'm saying is it seems everything has been politicised. A few members have gotten the boot for making everything political when in reality, you are just riding a bike. Anything past that just seems really stupid to me. Or maybe I'm stupid thinking a bike is just a bike.

gaucho777 

EDIT: I bite my tongue a lot on this forum. I'd probably get the boot, too, if I said everything on my mind. I really do want to move on, but I do have to add that the whole point of this particular thread is to discuss who may be attending a mass event during a pandemic. To not even consider, or feel free to discuss, things like rate of spread and vaccination numbers in this context would be idiotic. Let me get off high horse now... [END RANT]

***
How about we talk about bikes?

I've only attended the event once. I rode my '72 Cilo Pacer on the medium route. It was a great bike for the event, thanks to the plush 32mm tubulars. I believe I had a low gear of 36x26. It was just low enough to get me up Kiler Canyon without walking, but I'll probably want something lower this year. Now that I built up my '72 Gitane Gran Tourisme with a triple and a 36x30 low gear, I may take off the fenders and bring that instead.
Gitane_side_view by gaucho777, on Flickr

merziac

See post #14

Pretty sure that was me and I'm fine with that, I was glad when the stats were brought up to give some data and more talking points, silly me, guess they were just for reference, not actual consideration, should have known better.

mech986 

Wish my wife would let me hang bikes in the house, got a few places in mind but I dominate the house with my audio hobby so Bikes just aren't going to be there...yet. I do like the "leave it as you rode Eroica" idea, I didn't clean off the dirt and dust for almost 6 months after.

As for tubular race tires, plenty of people sure did ride standard road or criterium tubulars without too much problems (there were a few flats and crashes, notably our Kabuki12 in 2018 and Tom Richey? same year). Always lots of helpful people around though to help so that's comforting. I helped a fellow who cramped up badly just southeast of the last Paso Robles bridge in 2018 with some calcium tablets and K+/Na+ from my electrolyte drinks. He was riding a 70's Bianchi with corn cob gearing which made it tough for him on climbs, plus he mentioned he wasn't fully conditioned for even the short 40 mile ride that year.

Socks may need upgrading but your calves obviously show great training efforts. I'm trying to work back to something close to that, 6 months could do it.

Yes, that Road up to Hearst Castle would be awesome and tough to ride, lots of switchbacks but fully paved. Sadly, unlikely with tour buses climbing and descending frequently from the visitor center if they are open. Not a lot of additional room on the road for passing. I was more thinking just some of the side roads that dot up and down the western slopes of the hills along the way to the lighthouse. IIRC, that's all Hearst Ranch owned land. Liability is probably the biggest issue since its private property. But oh the rewarding views for making it to the top!

Agree, so far, EC hasn't updated anything on their website - registration not open, old webpages with the 2020 info, entry for concours, display, or even vendor info. I suspect and hope things will ramp up in the last 3-4 months IF they decide to allow featured events, assuming they have secured and can use spots around Cambria. My understanding was they were planning on using the Rodeo Grounds near the current Cambria Dog Park off Burton Drive and Rodeo Grounds Road. It would be an interesting area to start from or at least have the festival. Don't know though how they are going to work any food or dinner plans since no one quite has any idea of how many will be attending. Again, probably a lot of emails will come from organizers asking 2020 registrants what their potential plans might be, and whether if not coming, will they transfer registration to someone else? Too many variables at this point and I'm confident they don't want to commit funds yet for any plans.

I'd still be up for sponsoring a big tent (well ventilated) for housing some of the activities for the weekend and provide a shaded area for sit down and light gathering.

Kabuki12

Yea, as we get closer I think we can rest assured that there will be more information. Worst case scenario , your idea(great plan!) is a good one and we can get a few of us together to pick up the slack if the organizers aren't able....stay tuned!! One of my favorites is the swap, always some good gems to be had.

bikingshearer 

Thanks, but my legs talk a much better game than I actually play. Especially going uphill. You do not want me along on a group ride that has a lot of climbing because you will spend more time waiting for at the top of each hill than you will spend actually riding up the hill.

My mantra is "I may be slow, but I make up for it by stopping a lot."

SwimmerMike 

Hey @gaucho777 - I'm still impressed with how the GT has turned out. I hope that's the bike you bring down to Eroica this year.

I'm planning on attending and will be bringing my '71 Bob Jackson that has the Campy NR triple that came off of Gaucho777's GT before he got it. I'm not sure what the final gearing will be. Bare minimum will be the 36x28 I have on it now, but I may choose to go lower. Tire size is also a question. I'm going to try on some 32's to check the clearance.

Mike

tgot 

Not sure if the Lambert with 32/24 is low enough for me. A 5-speed.14-28 may be needed, but at least those are available.

I have no shame about walking, but I'm too dumb. I always think "I can do this!" muscle-wise, and then the next day, hurting, I wonder if I'm grinding away cushioning that I'll never get back.

Of course, I'm not registered....

davester

If your going to ride Kiler Canyon and/or Cedar Mountain, the 32/24 will have you walking for sure unless you have legs like tree trunks.

rccardr 

Agreed. Swapping those numbers around to a 24/32 would make it more likely that you’d make it to the top without walking.
Ar least, it would for me.
First year I went figured a 34/28 would be enough to get me up to the top.
I was mistaken.

iab

Good to see things back to normal. Thanks!