Salamandrine 

Yeah, I thought I'd mention it just in case any of you are crazy enough to do this with vintage cycling shoes and cleats. As it's 'authentic', I'm sure some must do it?

The first thing that becomes obvious is the need to keep the slots cleared. Hopefully you won't need to get off the bike much. Slot cleats can get clogged up when you stop to fill your water bottle or whatever, even if you don't walk one meter of the ride.

When you ride toe clips, straps and slot cleats all the time, getting in and out becomes instinctual. That being so a little practice is recommended. If you don't have pedals with flip tabs, I highly suggest something be improvised. Makes it a lot easier. A small nut and bolt capped with a valve cover works well.

davester

X2. Evets11, you need to step away from the keyboard for a minute and perhaps forgo your next hyperbole-encouraging triple espresso. Eroica is not in any way an "epic torture test" and is no more dangerous than any of the typical rides many of us do every weekend in northern California. Are you perhaps located in Kansas or Florida where freeway overpasses are considered to be steep grades?

I am almost two decades older than you and not at all worried about riding the Eroica Coastal Route again since it is about the same as a typical northern California century albeit with a bit more dirt added. It is also a much easier ride than L'Eroica Gaiole's 135 km ride. I'm much more concerned with my ability to finish Levi's Gran Fondo (also including optional dirt sections) and the Markleeville Deathride (130 miles, 15,000 feet of climbing, definitely an "epic torture test").

rccardr 

Andy, I had similar shifting issues with an extremely wide range vintage triple setup. I found that it would shift better from big to middle and middle to inner when three or four cogs down from the largest. Less chain tension, not as extreme an angle for the chainline, or some combination of those.

It's also perfectly acceptable to stop and change rings manually, rather like they did it way back in the day. The entrance to the steep part of Cypress, for example, is a sharp unexpected left turn...at which point multiple riders were seen to dismount and emplace the chain upon the smallest ring.

brockd15 

I bought a Davidson for this ride months ago planning to get everything ready well in advance and ride it for at least a couple months before Eroica. Well, that didn't happen.

I just rode it to work this morning and that was the first real ride for it. My gearing is pretty crazy compared to what I'm used to. 52/36/28 (not positive about the small ring) triple with a 12-34 cassette. Not exactly vintage gearing, but the cassette was already on it when I bought it, I just swapped the two big rings from 48/44 half step to the 52/36. Things on my to do list now:

- Tweak the saddle tilt
- Just ordered a 110mm stem. The 95mm Cinelli on there feels awfully short.
- Braking seems good on flat ground, but I ordered some Koolstop pads/holders anyway
- Brake cable housing seems a bit long so I may trim it
- I've ordered cloth bar tape
- I still need clips/straps...working on it
- Don't have bottle cages so may just swap from another bike

I think (hope) that's all.

davester

I have no interest in "putting you in your place". I'm also not a "top dog" in cycling ability. I'm just a regular guy who rides centuries and will be one of the slower folks going up Cedar Mountain. My only issue is that you are making statements that I feel are substantially exaggerated regarding the difficulty and danger of the ride and this may mislead people who come to the forum expecting reliable advice.

gaucho777 

@evets11, I think you are reacting too harshly to @davester's comments. From my experience on this forum and in person, he is very much a "people person"--kind, generous, and not at all the braggart you've taken him to be.

Let's move on...

Kabuki12

Davester, I agree 100% . This will be my third year and I am 63 years old. It is a great work out and can be as tough as you make it. Wes introduced a rider a couple of years ago who was 84 I think! I ride a lot , but by no means a racer dude, I love this ride and anyone in reasonable health can have a great time . I love seeing the mix of skill levels, and most everyone having a great time. Joe

Classtime 

And another thing....
The only riders for whom time matters are the carbon bike guys riding the New Eroica. For the rest of us, there is no time to be gained or lost by equipment choices or training or ...

Nice Davidson. I'm a little worried about my ride also. I hope my FW and/or my BB don't loosen up during the ride.

Ghrumpy

Yep. Wool shorts and jersey too. It's not as bad as it sounds, honestly. In fact it wasn't bad at all. The old leather shoes are very comfortable, like slippers almost. Unlike modern shoes, they form to your foot, not the other way around. The sole is stiffened by the cleat and often a steel shank, so it's got some give to it, not carbon-hard. I recommend leather toe straps for the same reason over woven ones that have no give to them.
I honestly have less foot discomfort with them than modern stiff-soled tactical footwear.

Even walking around at the rest stop will pick up pebbles and dirt. I carried a small screwdriver in my tool kit to scrape my slot clean. A piece of spoke will do it too.

Yes, it's a different motion from clipless, up-and-back instead of heel-out. It was the first motion I learned but if you're not used to it, it doesn't take long to learn.

I tend to leave my straps looser when I'm in town and/or I know there will be several stops or intersections when I might have to put a foot down. When I know I won't be stopping for a good while, I cinch my straps tighter, which makes me reach down and loosen them before I try to uncleat myself, a good reminder that it's the different motion.

Andy_K 

Thanks for the suggestion on shifting from the middle of the freewheel. I'll give that a try. Manual gear changes was my back up plan. I figure if there's any ride where people won't think twice about someone getting off their bike to change gears this is it.

jonwvara 

Things got kind of heated here for a bit, didn't they?

As a guy who has been enjoying this forum for many years, I can't help saying that much of my enjoyment stems from the good will that is well-nigh universal around here. No doubt people will occasionally make comments that seem to be critical--that's easy to do without meaning to in a forum like this--but my view has always been to assume that no offense was meant. I hope that others have extended me the same courtesy when I have expressed something awkwardly.

In my view, it's never a good idea to respond to perceived criticism by reaming someone a new bodily orifice.

I'll see you guys at Eroica one of these years.

evets11

Very well said jonwvara. So well said I feel like a total piece of $#'+!!! I'm VERY ASHAMED of myself. Hence the reason I spent the last hour deleting EVERY post I wrote on this thread. I guess I AM THE ONE WHO IS THE TOXIC PERSON and DEFINATELY NOT A PEOPLE PERSON. Unfortunately I am not able to delete the responses from others with my posts in quotes. I'm instituting a year long self ban on this forum, possibly permanent. Ignore any of my posts still left in quotes from other's responses. What's done and posted is done. Pretend as if I never existed. It's best if I can't control my impulses in self defense that I stay clear of these forums entirely. I apologize for making statements some feel are "substantially exaggerated as to the danger and difficulty" of L'Eroica's rides and for being a source of irritation and "misinformation and unreliable advice". Please refrain from any words of forgiveness or encouragement. There's a line in the sand where it comes to proper etiquette on these forums that warrants banishment if crossed and I crossed it. Therefore I must do the honorable thing and leave in shame. This is my last post.

jonwvara 

Evets11, I was making a general observation--nothing more.

rccardr 

Let's just all take a deep breath and calm down, shall we?


Extreme is as extreme does. We have enough of that in the world without bringing it here.

Ghrumpy

I didn't mean to add fuel to the fire. But I want to say that that Cypress descent is as challenging and risky as just about any I have done. The biggest part of that risk is, as you sorta say, what you do. And what you do it on. Skinny tires, vintage brakes and pads, going fast, yes, it's a bit extreme I suppose.

Please be careful AND enjoy yourself, don't fall off the bike, and I'll raise a glass to you for completing it safely.

Erzulis Boat 

Doing my fine tooth comb inspection, and found both SR pulleys cracked.

Grabbed a few more NR/SR derailleurs from the stash to pirate parts from and they are cracked, or are going to crack.

Went to a small LBS, and they had a bin of Shimano 10 tooth pulleys. Measured everything, and installed them. Work perfect! They don't have the bronze insert like the Campagnolo ones, and just use the polymer body as the bearing surface, but they will last a few thousand miles at least. Cannot beat the price either, a paltry $5.99!

Part number TY05/15/20/22/30 etc.

Running smooth.

I also was in Paso Robles yesterday having dinner, and drove a little of the route just for a laugh. Looks like it's going to be great fun. Roads were dry, the grass was green, and it was 64 degrees at 4:00PM

rccardr 

Not only that, but those Shimano pulley wheels will also result in better shifting. Bullseye pulleys work well, too.

northbend 

That descent is the trickiest of the day but if you look ahead and don't fixate on the obstacles but rather the smoothest and safest line, keeping your weight off the front of the bike by sliding your butt up and off the back of the saddle a little, and feathering your brakes constantly to keep your speed down, you'll be just fine.

brockd15 

All ready to go...

Erzulis Boat 

Yep. Took her out for a 20 mile ride, much smoother shifting. Had to tune a limit screw (outer range) on the rear derailleur a tiny bit, but it works great now. The Shimano pulleys are a more forgiving setup and don't require such precise positioning to get quiet like the original Campagnolo ones. Very happy!

Classtime 

That's just great! We still have a week to go. Your next post will be about the improved braking from your 6600 dual pivots

What fun. I'll be shifting modern 6 speed: hg chain, shimano pulleys, Sachs FW., braking with Koolstops, on Black Chili tires.

And, I'll be walking in some Retro-ed Sidi Genius-3 with the straps loose.

Erzulis Boat 

Have not been riding my vintage bikes for a few years, so it was a little learning curve. The biggest difference I feel is when I sprint, the modern bars and stems are light years ahead of the old stuff. Shocking, really!

Erzulis Boat 

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Tool kit for my Eroica ride. Running tubulars has it's benefits.

8mm wrench
10mm wrench
Multi tool
AK47 sight tool (derailleur adjustments, and cleat cleaner)
Mini Pump

ThermionicScott 

Well-played, @Erzulis Boat.

gugie 

Deathride. I promised myself on the last climb a few decades and 35 lbs ago that if I made it to the top, I'd never doit again.

Promise kept.