Eroica California

[Stephen Durfee]

Curious if anyone on this forum is also a Vintage enthusiast and has interest in the Eroica event that is run on the Central Coast of California. I've ridden it a few times on my PX-10... its a great ride, although the organization that runs the event has had its ups and downs over the years. Currently, the website lists September 22, 2024 as the run date, but the registration button leads to last year's sign-up....does anyone have any better intel? 

[Jkarlin]

I'm also curious about this. I tried sending an email to the contact on the webpage (in...@eroicacalifornia.com), but I got a message back saying the address couldn't be found or was unable to receive mail.

[Patrick Moore]

I certainly won't be riding Eroica, but I am very interested in hearing more from RBW-listers who will be, and to hearing about and seeing pictures of the bikes they plan to ride in the event, doubtless Rivendell KOF bikes. 

I'm certainly not a vintage enthusiast as exhibited on the CR list, but I guess my bikes, all customs at this point, are KOFs, more or less, and feature old and even ancient componentry, tho' not so much (a little, but not principally) for the historical schtick as for the type of riding I like, which in many respects can't be achieved with modern components -- multispeed, commuter and errand fixed gear road bikes, fat-tire sandy but pavement-worthy road bikes, light, fixed-gear gofast road bikes; eventually, beater, nice-light-531-frame fixed gear errand bikes.

I do think that a Rambouillet, Heron, Roadeo, RoadUno, Quickbeam, Roadini, Redwood, etc etc, not to mention Riv Road customs, can fit right into the Eroica mold and I'd love to see Eroica-approved Rivendell builds.

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Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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[Bill Lindsay]

I've got the bike for it, and I'm just waiting for the stars to align to do the ride.  My "Eroica Bike" is a time capsule 1983 Univega Gran Premio.  I've got ~700 miles on it, and will not have any issue using it for an Eroica day.  

https://flickr.com/photos/45758191@N04/49563967306/in/album-72157713199195553/

BL in EC

On Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 9:41:21 AM UTC-7 chefd...@gmail.com wrote:

[Keith Weaver]

Bill, 

I also have a brown Gran Premio! I especially like the Suntour symmetric shifters. Univega was the brand sold in my childhood bike store, so when I saw mine in a used bike shop, I had to have it. They'll always have a soft spot in my heart. If I were to ride mine in the CA Eroica, I think I'd need some lower gearing, maybe the Velo Orange 46-30 crankset.

Cheers,

Keith

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[Bill Lindsay]

If I decide to gear way lower, I'll swap over a vintage compact double.  I have a Sugino AT triple converted to Guard/46/30.  

BL in EC

[Jim M.]

I rode it on my Eisentraut with period appropriate Campy Nuovo Record and 30mm tubular tires. As I recall, they allow newer lugged steel bikes, and I definitely saw a few Rivs. There were several folks from this list and I-BOB. There's a bike expo and Concours for people to show off their rides, which is great if you like looking at old steel bikes. There were awards for things like best original Cinelli. Central coast Calif has a lot of beautiful areas for riding. They partnered with local wineries to route through vineyard roads, so there was a lot of strade bianche. Riv content -- I met George Mount, who used to race against Grant back in the day, and I met Andy Hampsten, who has extolled Jack Brown tires. 

jim m

walnut creek

[Corwin Zechar]

According to the website, Eroica California is open to all road racing, cyclocross and gravel bicycles with carbon, steel, titanium and aluminum frames.

The only requirement left over from prior years appears to be that the bike must have drop handlebars.

Regards,

Corwin

[Bill Lindsay]

Wait, so I have to sell my dedicated "Eroica Bike"?!?!  Dang it!

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[Peter Adler]

That doesn't sound right. Aside from the fact that all the information about the California events except the 2024 front banner is dated from the 2023 event or even earlier - site consistency is not this organization's strong suit - the bike descriptions you offer sound like the ones for the Nova Eroica events, where you ride the Eroica routes on modern road, "gravel"* or cyclocross bikes/components. 

In the absence of some major revelations that they blindside riders with (assuming that a 2024 Eroica/Nova Eroica California happens at all, which seems...improbable), I'd operate on the premise that the bike regulations will be the same as the 2023 ones:

Eroica CA 2023: https://eroica.cc/en/california/regulation

Nova Eroica CA 2023: https://eroica.cc/en/nova-california/regulation-nova-eroica-california

Peter "all lugged steel+drop bars" Adler

Berkeley, CA

* I've given a miss on all the ins and outs of "gravel bike" definitions, although I suspect most bikes I own/ride would qualify. Is there any meaningful difference between a gravel bike and a cyclocross bike, or is a cyclocross bike a subset of the gravel category?

[Bikie#4646]

Your bike profile pic is as classic-looking as all get out Bill. Very tasty. Question: Is this bike taller then you usual? (I'm trying to recall all those...)

If my bro-in-law still lived on the West Coast, I'd consider doing that ride, since I have read about it for quite a long time.

A Flickr album from you if you do i, please kind sir..

Paul Germain

Midlothian, Va.

[Bikie#4646]

Peter said: "Is there any meaningful difference between a gravel bike and a cyclocross bike, or is a cyclocross bike a subset of the gravel category?"

Peter, I'm not up on current regs, but a "true" cyclocross bike is/was limited to 32mm knobbies. It would, by necessity, have a tall bottom bracket too, for obvious reasons. I am not sure, but I believe I read that you can use disc brakes now, though not too sure about that. As I am sure you know, the origins date back to a European wintertime pursuit, using road-like bikes in muddy and obstacle-strewn closed courses.

 You'd find almost all current "gravel" bikes would be shod with fatter tires. Also, I think most "gravel bikes" now would be outfitted with appropriate braze on fittings for bikepacking. So, yes, the two are distinctly different but overlap.

I ride my cyclocross bike weekly. It was built by Keith Bontrager in 1989 for me with the intention to ride local fire roads, not race. It is a lot of fun on smoother dirt roads where I don't have to be on the lookout for chunky gravel and ruts. So, limited a bit by today's standards. 

I converted it to a 1x7 in the late 90's. A delightful bike for underbiking here and there. Interestingly, it has a rather tall (CX) BB height and I cannot tell much difference from my other bikes with lower BB's. (Unless I enter a sharp turn with abandon, still pedaling.)

Paul Germain

Midlothian, Va.

. 

[Bill Lindsay]

Paul asked:  "Question: Is this bike taller then you usual?" in reference to my Univega.  

I guess that depends on what you mean by "taller" and what you mean by "usual".  I have six vintage level top tube road bikes in my stable, and I would not consider the Univega "taller" than the other five.  I'm a Stack and Reach guy, and in order to get the Stack and Reach I want/need on a vintage road frame with a level top tube, I'm looking at a solid "Large" frame size.  Even though I'm 5'10".  Back in my teens and twenties I fit these bikes more like racing bikes and I would have been in the "Medium" range.  I also have two contemporary level-top-tube bikes and those have a similar silhouette to the vintage machines.  Those 8 bikes have a "fist of seatpost" as is typical.  

My modern sloping top tube bikes have a similar Stack and Reach but have a more modern compact look.  Those range from slightly sloping bikes like a Roadeo/Legolas/Quickbeam/Romulus to more sloping approaches.  All my bikes in my stable fit me fine.  :)

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[Paul Germain]

Thanks for the explanation Bill. Sorry for the late-night typos.

Your stable is envy-inducing.

Paul Germain

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