non-fixie 

The rules weren't really made up by the L'Eroica organizers, but are basically just a description of what racing bicycles looked like during what is considered the 'heroic period' in competitive road racing in continental Europe. When shorts were black, socks white and jerseys wool. When both the bikes and the riders were made of steel.


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A period which ended sometime in the mid-eighties. In the wake of Greg Lemond and the 7-eleven team came the American TV networks and the advertising dollars. And within few years many traditions went overboard, the power shifted to the sponsors, technology development budgets bloomed and the riders basically became well-paid aero billboards.

One weekend a year, at L'Eroica, we all try to be Fausto Coppi, Louison Bobet or Ferdi Kübler.

70sSanO

I think any event that celebrates a bygone era is always fun. Examples of older bikes, or whatever the item, is like touring a museum.

But it tends to be generational, and participation tends to decline as each generation moves on.

In the late 80’s/early 90’s I was involved in classic cars. It was a time when every week there was a cruise night somewhere; 50’s music, old cars (mostly hot rodded), and a lot of fun comparing and reminiscing. Every year, there was the Great Labor Day Cruise with a 1000 cars. It’s all gone, or nearly all gone.

For these events to continue, they do need to move forward. I can support a pecking order and special consideration given to those bikes that embrace the original criteria. I have not participated in one, but the start should be era driven.

John

genejockey 

It would be interesting to look at the age profile of these events over time. Our little monthly C&V ride does tend to skew older, but we also have a couple younger riders.

But the organizers are the ones whose vision this is, and they get to decide whether and how much to compromise it for participation numbers. It strikes me that part of the ethos is NOT compromising with modernity, in the quest to honor and emulate the heros of that era of cycling.

(As an aside, those of us whose interest in bike racing dates to the 90s and 00's have plenty of bikes to love, but a lot of our heroes at the time were subsequently brought low by drugging scandals. One hates to imagine what kind of ethos THAT would bring to historic cycling events honoring THAT era!)

Mr. Spadoni 

The Eroica folks do have a plan to move forward. That’s why they set up the Nova Eroica events. In the Nova events, so long as it’s a road bike, you meet the criteria. You’ll still have a good time, but it won’t be the same trip to the past.

smd4

I was running downtube index shifting before 1987. Still am. Disqualified.

I think it's more a case of telling everyone that only Dracula and Frankenstein costumes are allowed.

bikingshearer 

Just as long as you are not trying to be Ferdi Kubler on Mont Ventoux in 1955, were he basically rode himself into career oblivion . . . .

And pro road-racers have always been rolling billboards. Well, James Moore may not have been a rolling advertisement when he won the first Paris to Rouen road race (1868?), but damn near every one since then has had an advert or more on their back, front, and wherever else imagination came up with. Even when the TdF was contested by national teams, everyone had a sponsor's strip sewn onto their jerseys (and at some point, they had the sponsor's name on the legs of their shorts, too). The riders have become more aero, and the number of sponsors crammed onto a single jersey has long since gotten out of hand, but the fundamental truth that road racers are rolling billboards has been true long before any of us were born.

70sSanO

My understanding L’Eroica first started in 1997 with a 1987 bike cutoff. So originally it was a 10 year old cutoff.

The Nova is basically a separate event so a person would not be riding along with vintage bikes in the same event.

I’m less in favor of a wide open event as I am less interested in modern/current bikes. But I would have a rolling date to include, at the least, 90’s bikes. But organizers can do what they want. A change would not impact me either way.

As a reference I first went to downtube index shifting in 2015 and still haven’t gone to STI’s. But I’ve used STI’s and can truly appreciate their significance to the sport. They will potentially have a longer use, on whatever future new bikes are offered, than downtube shifters.

John

icemilkcoffee 

At this point in time when steel bikes are facing extinction, I think a simple rule would suffice: steel bikes

70sSanO

I would add titanium.

John

Lamont Cobb

I'm wondering what would happen if you show up at an Eroica event and your bike isn't right. Do they turn you away? That would be harsh, if you travelled to the event, stayed overnight in a hotel, and had incurred other expenses and inconveniences.

Kabuki12

I would think if you attend an event and "incur other expenses and inconveniences" to do so you would follow the guidelines unless you just don't care . The rules are easy and no one really checks your bike, but at least show up with the intent to look like you are following the guidelines. I have seen folks with bikes that are technically not within the rules but they are fine and they are there for the spirit of Eroica. Probably not a good idea to show up with a carbon bike with electronic shifting , but hey , it's up to you.

genejockey 

Well, and as others have stated, different Eroica rides have differing standards. I think the original Italian version may be the most strict. I think they might chuck you out.

The Trek 5000 only missed by 2 years (1989), but Mavic Zap missed it by 5 (1992)

non-fixie 

Cycling has been a professional sport from the very beginning in the late nineteenth century, but until the 1980's the average pro could hardly make a living from it. The very best, yes, they did well, but the rest? There is a reason that they all opened bike shops, became frame builders, bike mechanics or TV repair men as soon as they got off the bike.

L'Eroica is also a tribute to those unsung heroes, the domestiques, the gregarios:

bikingshearer 

The average pro still made more than he would have in the fields, the mines or the factories. It was the savings from being a pro that gave some them enough capital to open a bike shop, a bar, a small restaurant, etc. when their careers were over, usually in their home town or home area to take full advantage of their local fame. A career as a gregario could lift the rider and his entire family out of poverty and into the merchant class - a very big step up for many, and the reason other family members would sacrifice to give the cyclist better food, decent equipment, time to train, etc. Pro cycling drew most of its riders from the same socio-economic pool as boxing and baseball did in the USA - the urban and rural poor. It was never an easy way to make a living - it still isn't.

You are absolutely right - for the average pro, they were not going to get rich and likely had to scrape by on their regular pay (assuming the team actually paid them - far too many racers got stiffed when it is was time to collect their pay envelopes. Salaries were paltry for all but the Coppis, Bartalis and others in that stratosphere. Most of the riders had to have off-season jobs, and most had to race as hard as they could in as many racers as they could over the entire season. The real money was in (1) endorsements (increasingly so as the years went by) and (2) appearance fees at post-Tour criteriums and six-day races. One of the ways a team leader insured the loyalty of his domestiques/gregarios was to make criterium promoters include some of the leader's lieutenants and pay them an appearance fee, too. Just as the brighter lights got higher appearance fees, so too they could negotiate to bring along a greater number of their domestiques.

Thalia949

Even this is subject to interpretation by the local judges.

I had a friend that showed up to the start in Gaiole on a perfect 1970's era Alan cyclocross bike. They told him that his brakes were non compliant (canti's) - while he was welcome to do the ride, he could not get his ride card stamped, therefore despite doing the long ride, his finish wasn't registered.

gugie 

I’ll see your titanium and raise you an unobtanium.

bikingshearer 

I'll see your unobtanium and raise you a beryllium. (I've actually ridden a berryllium-framed bike. Once. 25 or 30 years ago. A short ride. It was significantly too small for me. Stupid light. )

genejockey 

Good thing Beryllium frames were so light, because taking a drill to it could kill you!

non-fixie 

I can't find it anymore in the current version of the rules and guidelines of L'Eroica, but there used to be an explicit statement in them that cyclocross bikes were not allowed. They now just say it's for "road-racing bicycles", which boils down to the same thing.

WRT brakes the current rules state:

Modern dual-pivot brakes are from the nineties or later, so don't qualify. There were much earlier versions, such as the Altenburger Synchron, but this is what Sheldon Brown had to say about those:

bikingshearer 

True that. I am told that solid beryllium is not a problem - someone told me you could lick it without ill effects, but I refrained from putting that to the test - but anything that could get inhaled into your lungs makes asbestos look positively benign by comparison. I am also given to believe that beryllium is tough and hard to break, but that when it does break it kind of shatters and woe unto thee if you are within breathing range of such an event. As in "get your affairs in order" level woe.

Of course, I am speaking from the unique position of having zero first-hand knowledge of beryllium fabrication. I just rode a beryllium-framed bike once and have had people tell me things.

chain_whipped

genejockey 

I remember discussions of Beryllium's toxicity from years ago, but I'm not sure where.

chain_whipped

Perhaps the One and only from Minnesota.

Classtime 

Don't forget to measure your rims -- 20mm max.

Pompiere

I live less than five miles from one of the only Beryllium processing plants in the country, and I know several people that work there. I also have had tours of the plant when I was a volunteer firefighter. Beryllium disease is serious, but the likelihood of getting it from a single exposure to some drill shavings or a broken part are extremely low. It is the long term effects of inhaling the dust or vapors from casting that can cause severe scarring on the lungs. However, it only affects those who are sensitive to Beryllium, which is a small fraction of the population. Unfortunately, you probably won't know if you are sensitive unless you work in a Beryllium plant and get tested for it. I know one guy who found other work when he learned that he had the sensitivity to Beryllium. They are really careful that nothing leaves the plant. The workers at the plant have to take off their uniforms, shower, and put on clean clothing before going home. During the tours, they would pass around aircraft parts that were made from Beryllium and they are crazy light. A bolt the size of your thumb felt like the weight of a paper clip. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/healt...yllium-disease