L'Eroica Britannia 2015

I've haven't ridden the true Eroica and maybe they are still finding their feet, but a little more authenticity as a bike ride and less faux vintage would be better for me...

Finally got tickets.
As Dan said, it's twice as expensive as last year.
£145.00 for 1 rider + 2 extra for camping and parking etc....

Yeah, I'm probably going to bow out. Aside from the cost, IMO the weather and the random locals (all with dogs!) that wandered in last year added much to the event. If they're going to be charged £10 (for, let's face it, the chance t spend more money on old bike markets and food stalls) I think some of the atmosphere might be lost.

That's not to put a downer on it, it will be awesome. the dude welcoming you home on the PA was worth the entrance fee alone.

Fuck it, I might change me mind...

Just booked tickets but it is twice the price!

Well me and the Mrs are in. As we are doing B&B it works out cheaper than last year! Dan may be right about the locals but it allowed a lot of my friends who live around there to turn up and sink a few. Def right about the MC guy. See you all there!

In! anyone else doing the 100mile?

@hairnetnic and I are in! Yay! Also B&B.
It'll be worth the cost, I'm sure they've got bigger and better things to pay for so I'll support that. Ur right about the wandering locals, hope they get let in with a locals pass.

Entered, ....cheap ticket for me as Im a 'codger' wiv a cloth cap.........just got to find a hotel now !!!!!

hah, you might end up camping at this stage...

I'm pretty excited by this again TBH.
Thinking about it further, it represents great value for money for 3 people camping for 3 nights and a very well organised ride with food stops etc.

@tonyme - http://www.laterooms.com/en/hotel-reservations/205223_bagshaw-hall-and-sleep-lodge-bakewell.aspx - quick only a few left!
we not staying there this year but last yr we were there and was very nice...

Got a place - can't wait! Now to get my brake cables out from under the bar tape...

Ticket purchased for 50miler and camping. Quite looking forward to this. considering I can bring the whole family if I want the price was pretty reasonable I think.

hoonz!

Are you back in Britain or only coming for the Eroica?

thanks @hms for the heads up on twitter this morning.
I've entered me & mrs conker. I'll be doing the 30m route for no other reason than I will be accompanying this missus, ahem.
Mrs C has a circa 1978 steed, so all I have to do now is sort out a bike for me. . Looked at the vintage hire but it was going to be £100 - ouch! Or alternatively I could use my 1952 track bike?

30 miler is very doable on a sensible ratio, remember, modern steel with vintage components qualifies...

what - you mean me, fixed, up those bloody hills? Mind you her indoors will probably be walking up anything more than 7%
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*OK, I'll come clean, I fancy putting another bike together

Presumably, you can run modern componentry on a pre-87 frame as long as the bike satisfies the brake cable/downtube shifter/toeclip requirements?

You can, nobody checks. It's not really in the spirit, but I spent £150 I needn't have last year on period pedals, new cables outside the bar tape and that sort of thing. I wouldn't bother unless, like conker, it's a nice excuse.

I'm sure I paid £55 last year so £145 is a massive jump. Maybe they will make the village bigger and better and as others have said hopefully they won't lock everything off too much and spoil the relaxed feel.

that pricing is a joke but it will still be great am sure, i'll be there with work so just need to decide whether to camp or seek alternative accommodation - any tips?

Well it's true that no-one seems to check, but if you can't comply with the rules ... why go?

It's clear the rules are all about the look rather than anything too specific like componentry. I thought that the external brake cables/downtube shifters/no quick-release pedals was an admirable way of keeping the bikes looking 'Heroic' without getting into the extreme hassle of scrutineering. It's rather fine that there is no checking, but it relies on folk not taking the p....

There were a couple of bikes last year I thought a little close to the edge. I had swapped out my own cables and mildly deep CXP33 wheels for Open Pros in order to comply with the loose spec and I'll run the same bike (1986 Carlton) this year. But a bike on DHD's lines would not present a problem.

Can you get old skool cleats for toeclip pedals to fit a modern shoe?

if you can't comply with the rules ... why go?

Cos you can't afford to modify your existing bike to comply?

As you say, the spirit is the important thing. My Vitus was actually built a bit too late to qualify (shhhh), but the model and all components were available in period, so I didn't feel like I was cheating.

There were only a few bikes I saw that I scoffed at for being too new (at least one had brifters) by far the majority were doing it right. I agree, relying on people keeping in the spirit is a nice way of doing it, I've heard of people being turned away at the start line of the Italian event for minor infringements.

If anyone's looking for a fine, period-correct 22"/56cm ride, I'm selling one.

Timmy... nice bike. Proper Sheffield machine!

Re the regs... I've just been looking at the original L'Eroica rules. They are a bit more specific than the Britannia version but still pretty loose - see http://www.eroicagaiole.com/regulation. I too have heard stories, from folk who have ridden at Gaiole, of riders being thrown off the start for non-compliance.

Let's hope there are few 'infringers' at Bakewell this year too.