Because that's the kind of party the organizers feel like throwing. The idea is to ride on old-fashioned road racing bikes. Pretend you are an Italian road racer of Francesco Moser's time or earlier. That's more or less what they are after.


As I recall, there was a semi-major blow-up about the use of cantilevers leading up to last year's inaugural Eroica California right here in Bike Forums. Lots of sturm und drang. I think it came down to saying period-correct cantilevers on old cyclocross bikes were okay. In practice, I seriously doubt it ever came up at the actual event.


Unless the SS has moved and taken over the event, the only comments you will get will be along the lines of "nice bike."