L'Eroica 2011

OK I have a question:
I'm going to fit a compact double cyclotourist chainset, to run with a medium spread 6 speed 14-24, and I'd love the benefit of any of your collective wisdom...

In short, how low to go? I was thinking about something like 42/27, which gives an even progression of gear inches, but only if I can accurately shift between 27/16 and 42/22, which seems highly unlikely! How much overlap between small ring and big ring ratios would people recommend to a relatively inexperienced user of gears?

Look what I've found...

200 dorra of pure heaven.

I cant tell you how tempted I am...

Someone buy these

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MOTOBECANE-SANTINI-EROICA-VINTAGE-70-80S-BIB-SHORT-Sz3-/350445856149?pt=UK_Cycling_Clothing&hash=item5198336595#ht_3201wt_907

And this top matching and your sorted.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MOTOBECANE-SANTINI-EROICA-VINTAGE-80S-DEADSTOCK-JERSEY-/350446646289?pt=UK_Cycling_Clothing&hash=item51983f7411#ht_3162wt_907

I'm still erring on my roughstuff setup rather than a road build. Was chatting to Patricia from Classic Lightweights at the weekend, she was telling me, above all, to get my brakes fettled well!

I'll be giving the old rims a gentle clean and treating myself to new blocks the week before. Should suffice.

I've read too much of your work, I got half way through that first sentence and expected it to get sordid.

Hi all, I'm very interested to see your preparations for this years event. I'm pretty keen to do next years, and I've even got the Doris to agree. "Would you like to go to Tuscany for a holiday darling?"

Bit of planning required especially on logistics from Australia...

From what I've read in this thread, entry to foreigners sells out pretty quickly after opening in Feb???

I believe that they sell out rather quickly, for both foreigners and locals. Unless you're over 60, that is.

Entries for under 60 were full by April 6th

http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2011/04/leroica-under-age-60-registrations.html

I'm still erring on my roughstuff setup rather than a road build. Was chatting to Patricia from Classic Lightweights at the weekend, she was telling me, above all, to get my brakes fettled well!

Thinking of taking two bikes. One with larger tyres/mudguards etc and the other a 1976 Bianchi. As if it rains i can use the larger tyres/mudguards one and keep all the chalk off me.
But thats half the fun!

And brakes are very important to have set up well as i did them as i would for racing and had cramps in arms etc trying to operate them too much.

Re: brakes^ That's exactly what Patricia from Classic Lightweights said to me about it when we spoke in Cambridge last week: make sure your brakes are tip-top!

i don't want to think about my arms, to break with my bike you have to be popeye!

Its two-hours *drive *from Pisa to Gioli - cycling would take a day or two at least! I have got the train from Pisa to Sienna many years ago and that was fine (but didn't have a bike) - then about 20km ride to Gioli. But easiest is to hire a car from the airport...

I rode down from Pisa a few years ago. We did it in a very gentle 3 days, including plenty of beer, pizza, a slight diversion onto the motorway, then climbing over a fence and through a field to escape. If thats too far, or too slow, take the train from Pisa, and the ride from Siena up to Gaiole is no trouble. I've managed easily with a backpack and a fixed wheel, but Ive seen a few people use seatpost-mounted racks. You dont need that much luggage for a weekend anyway.

I wouldnt drive from the UK unless I had to. I drove there in a van in 2009, and not only is it a fuck of a long way, the fuel/motorway charges were way more than I'd have spent flying (happily, I was getting paid so I didnt really care). If youre flying from anywhere near london though, BA are probably cheaper than Ryanair/easyjets bike charges..

+1 to the brakes, btw. There are some truly amazing descents. And some amazingly sharp, blind corners on dirt roads, with surprisingly large drops off the side..

shirts I have plenty, but who has any idea where to get wool/not lycra cycling shorts?
Peter, I just spotted in another thread a link that might be of some interest: http://www.universalcyclecentre.co.uk/Genstock.htm

hey thanks shredder, I'll contact them and ask for some pics!

^ no response whatsoever, I'll try again tomorrow, to figure out if they still exist

anyway I think I've found a shirt (although I am starting to think 'should I change my DA groupset on the Nishiki...' oops)

http://www.gmo-toku.jp/CYCLING+T-SHIRT/item/4175203/

It seems that they have not updated the site since sometime last year, so they might be a dead horse...

Cool shirt. I have a hairnet with a big Cinelli label on the outside whereas I have absolutely no Cinelli parts on my bike...

@peterV
In my experience Universal don't answer emails. Use the old dog and bone.

anyone fancy doing a run to brighton and back on their old steed as a training ride?

http://www.lfgss.com/thread65611.html

all
OK so I've been abit of a dork. I've gone and got the rings I mentioned above, and realised there's no way my NR deraillieur will have enough length to take up the considerable slack between 42 and 27 rings... duh. Goingbto exchange the granny ring - how much difference can an old short-arm handle: 10 teeth max? Currently using 52/42 and I guess that's my limit. Anyone KNOW, as I guessing here?

Lowest you can go on NR cranksets is 42 due to the 144 bcd... My friend Frans is planning to use either his steel Reus or this Speedwell ti from the 1970s, as you can see with a TA crankset with a 50 and a 34 ('granny') ring. On the back he has a 13-26 if I'm not mistaken, also with a short cage Campagnolo NR derailleur. This works fine as long as you get the chain length right.

i am going with 52/42 may need to find a bigger set of cogs for the back. loads of walking to be made me thinks!

i have been fine in the past with 54/44 and racing block but this year i will get a nice big block for comfort (not essential)

can't wait!!!

I really wana do this...

Peter V thanks, that's great info, and the rest of you. I, stupid sod, have bought really tiny rings. But I like spinny. The big one won't be too far off the smaller, going from what Peter says. I am really crap at climbing. Looks like I'm going to be OK with what I have planned if I fettle it carefully. Might try to build this today as it's bloody pissing down out there at the mo.