Nice L'Eroica Vid

[Til Dropp]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcTV9FBHOlM

excuse to add yet another to the fleet...

[hampco]

some familiar faces there...

we're working on a 1982 tournesol model, should be allowed under the new rules

[Moke]

Did that ride on my 50th birthday. Best ride of my life so far. Got to talk to Andy H some. He had his campers there and was pretty busy. That was in 2002 before the new "old " rules applied. Hope to get back there for my 60th. My advice is to do it if possible once in your life.

[caleb]

we're working on a 1982 tournesol model, should be allowed under the new rules

Good idea. I couldn't help but wonder how much of that old gear never makes it to the finish line.

[Craig Ryan]

Anyone have a link to the rules?

[Moke]

WWW.eroica.it Is the homepage. Click English and search the site, it is in there someplace I believe.

To answer Caleb. All of them finish, believe me. Do not underestimate those old Italians. A lot of them are on their original race bikes from the 50's and climb like angels. If you want to see some smooth peddlars they are something to watch. The year I did it the winner based on Age of rider, age of bike, concours of bike, distance ridden and speed was some 60 plus guy on a 105 year old bike, that road the long course in one gear on a bike that had to weigh 60 lbs.
Some dudes had a tandem with no brakes that they dragged their feet down 16% "white roads " gravel type. Wine, salume, cheeze and grapes picked from 20 yards away served at the aid stations.

Please go, it will be worth it.

[caleb]

WWW.eroica.it

To answer Caleb. All of them finish, believe me. Do not underestimate those old Italians.

I was worrying more about the gear itself than the guys pushing the pedals. Glad to hear things generally work out.

[Moke]

I was actually more worried about the guys. Just cause they are old, those bikes are so simple not much to mess up. You could tell the bikes had been loved for 50-60 years. I laugh at the number of steel frames I went thru because I thought after a year or two the steel became too flexy. (yea right) to race.
Some of the climbs I had to get off and hike-a-bike with a triple up front and a 27 rear gear. Guys I deemed as "old" (remember I was 50 at the time ) had just stood up for 5 minutes climbing a 10-18% gravel road and stopped for a smoke at the top. On the downhills those with the nonfixed gears would drop a foot down like the motorcycle guys in the corners and I actually saw gravel fly a couple of times. I was totally suprised no one died of a heart attack. The best part was the kits those guys had. It was really like a storybook with those guys and gals.

[marten]

WWW.eroica.it Is the homepage. Click English and search the site, it is in there someplace I believe.

but the link takes you to a pdf in Italian, so you can start to get into the spirit of the event I suppose

[Moke]

Click the right upper corner sign that says English and then you can read Italian in English. Not too sure why more of it is translated, but oh well.i

[jsrieck]

L'Eroica...must be done. Here is how we did it:

Tune up an old race bike. Put it & you on a plane and fly to Florence. Take a cab to the train station and unpack the bike in the street. Pay some Euros to have the box held at the train station and GO! Wind around the tiny streets till you find "Florence by Bike" & ask for Lia - she will tell you the route to Montesenario & you will climb to the top and never feel more like a cyclist in your life. Then, if you are lucky, you can race a Ferrari F40 down back to Florence! He'll beat you on the flats but you catch him on the switchbacks....

The next day drink espressos until you catch the train to Montevarchi then ride the 19kms from Montevarchi to Gaiole straight up through the pass. Those last 4kms are downhill fast & when you round that last switch back & you see that long 5% slope switch to the highest gear and CRANK! Because around the corner they have set up a little trailer with a radar and scoreboard so you can see how fast you are going as you whiz into town, which has now become an overnight campground/party/swap meet/bike show for 3000 people who can only be described as 'ciclisimos.' If you are really fortunate, a barrel chested, gray-haired Italian will point at your 27-tooth rear cog, then point at his 23-tooth rear cog and say something in Italian that you know assaults the last shred of manhood you thought you possessed, even though you don't speak Italian. Then he'll pour you some wine from his bottle and you will drink to L'Eroica!

What follows will be the most amazing and punishing 205KM of your life...and every bike ride will only remind you of what you forgot.

DO IT!