This calls for a country bike!

[Mike]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/mar09/eroica09/

[Mike]

I should have added this quote from the article:

"It's 'renegade,'" said Hesjedal to sum up the race in one word.
"Because it's road bikes racing off-road."

[Steve Palincsar]

On Fri, 2009-03-06 at 06:31 -0800, Mike wrote:
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/mar09/eroica09/

And all they're really doing is re-creating road racing as it was years
ago.

[Doug Peterson]

Spent a few minutes looking at the photos, and still looks like standard CF
racy bikes with skinny tires and low spoke count wheels. Lots of rider pix
but no bike close-ups.

Looks like a fun 2-3 day ride on plump tires and steel.

dougP

-----Original Message-----
From: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Mike
Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 6:32 AM
To: RBW Owners Bunch
Subject: [RBW] This calls for a country bike!


http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/mar09/eroica09/

[Doug Peterson]

Hmmm....."off pavement", yes, but hardly "off road". Support vehicles,
camera motors.

-----Original Message-----
From: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Mike
Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 6:33 AM
To: RBW Owners Bunch

[Mike]

It's Italy's bid for a Paris-Roubaix type race. And yes, many old
races and even the big tours have a past history of going over gravel
roads it is something that went away and seems to be making a
comeback. I like it.

[CycloFiend]

on 3/6/09 9:45 AM, Doug Peterson at doug...@cox.net wrote:

>
> Spent a few minutes looking at the photos, and still looks like standard CF
> racy bikes with skinny tires and low spoke count wheels. Lots of rider pix
> but no bike close-ups.
>
> Looks like a fun 2-3 day ride on plump tires and steel.

Ahhh....let ye not be mislead by the annointed ones under the UCI who have
team cars, replacement bikes and such plush appointments.

There is a still beating heart in this event, or perhaps, more
appropriately, a more timeless version:

http://www.cogmag.com/05/leroica.html

http://www.flammerouge.je/content/6_cyclos/events/leroica.htm

http://www.eroica.it/

or, with some translation...
http://tinyurl.com/d8zca5

- J

--
Jim Edgar
Cyclo...@earthlink.net

Cyclofiend Bicycle Photo Galleries - http://www.cyclofiend.com
Current Classics - Cross Bikes
Singlespeed - Working Bikes

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"That which is overdesigned, too highly specific, anticipates outcome; the
anticipation of outcome guarantees, if not failure, the absence of grace."

William Gibson - "All Tomorrow's Parties"

[CycloFiend]

on 3/6/09 11:29 AM, CycloFiend at cyclo...@earthlink.net wrote:

> or, with some translation...
> http://tinyurl.com/d8zca5

<DOH!>

or, you could just read the English version -
http://www.eroica.it/index_en.php

</DOH!>

--
Jim Edgar
Cyclo...@earthlink.net

Cyclofiend Bicycle Photo Galleries - http://www.cyclofiend.com
Current Classics - Cross Bikes
Singlespeed - Working Bikes

"Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do
it."
Mahatma Gandhi

[carne...@bellsouth.net]

Louisiana version. This Sunday.
http://tinyurl.com/b2rqwx

Mike wrote:
>> or, you could just read the English version -http://www.eroica.it/index_en.php
>>
>

> This race is different than the one I initially posted about which is
> a "pro" race with some of the big guns. The Eroica, if I understand,
> is more of an event where folks ride the course on retro bikes. I
> think both events are interesting.
>
> I do remember seeing a thing a few years back about how some of the
> Pro Tour riders were using standard reach calipers for Paris Roubaix
> to allow for bigger tires (25s!) and some mud clearance.
>
> And when I lived in SF I remember doing a few of the Grasshopper
> "races" that Soulcraft puts on which took in some dirt roads.
>
> --mike
>
> >
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
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>

[Doug Peterson]

Great links, Jim. The l'Eroica crew has got it right. I especially like
poster in the background of the cogmag collage that says "MTB? No, grazie."
And the reference to guys who've gotten a bit stocky since they bought their
wool jerseys. Sounds like a fun event.

dougP

-----Original Message-----
From: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of CycloFiend
Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 11:29 AM
To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [RBW] Re: This calls for a country bike!

[David Estes]

I was just discussing earlier on flickr how there is no comparable event here in the States.  The closest we have is the Lake Pepin 3 speed tour.  Would be great to have some events like this, but the folks that would support it/participate are too spread out geographically for one thing.  That and a lack of bike culture/appreciation of racing prior to any event not won by someone named Lance.

--
Cheers,
David
Redlands, CA

[Tim McNamara]

On Mar 6, 2009, at 9:52 PM, David Estes wrote:

> I was just discussing earlier on flickr how there is no comparable
> event here in the States. The closest we have is the Lake Pepin 3
> speed tour. Would be great to have some events like this, but the
> folks that would support it/participate are too spread out
> geographically for one thing. That and a lack of bike culture/
> appreciation of racing prior to any event not won by someone named
> Lance.

Au contraire! There are a couple of races around here that are
"country bike" races:

http://www.transiowa.blogspot.com/

http://www.almanzo100.com/

[Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery]

To add Tim's list:
http://ragnarok105.blogspot.com/

[Mike]

There is the D2R2 in New England.

http://www.franklinlandtrust.org/randonee.htm

Also, as mentioned, Transiowa. Last year Rapha did their "Gentlemen's
Race" which took in some dirt roads. I'm sure there'll be more events
like this in the future. But there still isn't a pro dirt road road
race. I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

--mike

[David Estes]

Cool!  I wasn't thinking "country race" as much as vintage/classic.  Pre 1970's bikes and kit sort of a thing like L'Eroica.

I do like those country races though.  The Rouge Robaix looks really great!

[David Estes]

One stop shopping list:  http://www.flickr.com/groups/backroadbike/discuss/72157614826008593/

Good stuff!

DE

[Mike]

Here are the race results if anyone is interested:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/mar09/eroica09/?id=results

[Paul]

Its definitely in a different category but I used to do these in grade
school:

http://www.michigantrails.org/michigander/

[David Estes]

looks like fun.

[SpeedyChix]

Here are a couple other races:
IronCross really calls out for a CX bike
http://www.yellowbreechesracing.org/ironcross/

This is dirt/gravel and a bit of of road mixed in.
http://www.kisscross.com/Barry-Roubaix/

Michigander is a great tour.

[David Estes]

Thanks, this is all good stuff!