L'Eroica 2011

Thanks, Peter. Wallonia, it is then.

My first proper hard ride in Wallonia: Did (180kms of) this
&referrer=trackList last Saturday. I think one might consider it a good training ride for l'Eroica, but I do hope the hills in Italy won't be as ridiculous as the Redoute, Stockeu, Thier de Coo and the likes!

some shoes that i used at l'eroica last year -

http://www.lfgss.com/thread67346.html

My first proper hard ride in Wallonia: Did (180kms of) this
&referrer=trackList last Saturday. I think one might consider it a good training ride for l'Eroica, but I do hope the hills in Italy won't be as ridiculous as the Redoute, Stockeu, Thier de Coo and the likes!
Thanks, Peter. That looks evil. How long did it take you?

some shoes that i used at l'eroica last year -

http://www.lfgss.com/thread67346.html
What are you wearing this year?

Thanks, Peter. That looks evil. How long did it take you?

this is the readout from my mate Ed's Garmin so that should be it!

[ame]http://connect.garmin.com/activity/92927257[/ame]

Pretty quick! Well done!

Bike ready for the ride (almost)

Henry Burton by windy_, on Flickr

classy! what tyres are you using?

very nice

That's a lovely bike...

Cheers
Frame is a Team Raleigh, that I raced on 1978-1981 whenI was in the Nottingham based 'VC Europa' .

When I left the club and joined Halesowen I had a new Henry Burton frame (built by Henry's original builder Charly Bettley) and used the Raleigh as a second bike having it re-sprayed and rebadged as a Henry Burton some years later and was using it as a fixie. It was last re-sprayed in the late 90s, was starting to look worse for wear so I've had it done again and re-built it with gears for italy

Spec as follows:

Wheels are Dura-Ace hubs with Sputnik rims and Panaracer Pasella 32c tyres
Cinelli Bars/Stem
Campag Nouvo Record gears and brake levers
Shimano Dura Ace Calipers
Pedals are Assos with cinelli clips

To keep the 'retro' look, I'm using a Selle San Marco Regal saddle with copper rails and rivets and I've converted an FSA Gimondi single to a double giving me 48/38
I'm waiting on a new block and chain as the one on the pic is worn and not running smoothly (6spd 14-24)

More pics here (with more to follow):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/acf_windy/sets/72157627027991384/

peter v, were you at the Retro Ronde today wearing a blue jersey? We looked at each other for a split moment after we arrived back at CRVV, and I thought, 'this chap looks familiar' but could not place you. Only later did I think that it might be you as I saw you leave on a Nishiki. I was wearing a white hairnet, black jersey with cream stripe across the chest, black shorts and shoes; not too many Japanese around...

hi shredder, what a great day it was, superbly organised and well catered (strawberries, ice cream, rice cakes, wter, lemonade, wortegems liquour ;-)) there were some seriously beautiful roads and that lovely flemish countryside, with its brutal cobblestoned hills.

and yes, that was me for sure - haven't seen any other nishikis around, and now you describe yourself i remember looking at you as i walked past and entered the bike parking at the CRVV indeed thinking 'hey, a japanese guy, first i've seen around'. if only i had known we could have had a chat but we will meet at the eroica of course.

have you done the 40 or 70? and have you tried the fleche wallonne yet?

And, the weather could not have been much better! Too bad I was not able to put two and two together quickly enough when I saw you… I did the 70km. I presume you did the 70km as well? The route is absolutely fantastic. Since I was on my single-speed bike, I had to walk up several climbs, but it was good fun.

There were quite a few Brits, so I wondered if any of them are on here. I spotted several Americans, a Czech couple, and lots of Germans…

Do you remember the gravel stretch right after the ice cream break? For a little while, I was riding with a chap called Carsten from Düsseldorf, riding a beautiful baby blue number from Aachen whose maker’s name escapes me, who rode l’Eroica last year (75km) and will be going this year as well (probably 135km). He told me that much of the l’Eroica route is like that gravel stretch. I was gunning through that stretch, slithering like a snake through water, secretly wondering when I will have a spill. Going around a bend on that kind of surface can be very tricky! I hope the gravel in Chiantishire is a lot finer and shallower. Either way, I am going to install a fat front tyre for l’Eroica.

I have not been to Wallonia yet. I had been nursing a tendinitis in my right knee for a few weeks, and this weekend was the first weekend that I did much distance. The cause was simple enough (saddle too low), so I’m now getting back into the rhythm. I rode from Antwerp to Oudenaarde on Saturday to have a look at the bike jumble at CRVV, but because of the lousy weather I arrived looking like I just came back from a cyclocross jaunt… My rain jacket proved its mettle, so that was good news!

I see the most important detail is missing from the website. When the hell is it?

this stretch, yes I do, I was riding here taking pics with my phone... so I think I better not do that in Italy ;-)

yes the 70 km

[edit, I was on a mobile (not very retro) and had to catch a train] much respect for your ride on saturday, the weather was horrible indeed. maybe we can ride together sometime if you're living in or close to Antwerp, that's not very far from my hometown Tilburg, the Netherlands

^^Cool photo! Am I the only one who doesn't have a camera phone? Kinda retro?

BlueQuinn, it's 2/10, cf., first page of this thread.

I don't have a camera phone - I'll be using a Rollei 35 on the ride

Ha! Excellent!

Does anyone know if brake cables are allowed to be routed along the handlebars (rather than sticking out of the top of the brake lever)? The rules only refer to "external brake wires" but not sure if this just means they can't be routed through the frame.

Less than three months to go so I better put some effort in to making sure my bike gets past the "“Bici eroiche" judges.

I think it means they should be sticking out on top of the levers. But if you can prove your bike (or the likes) had the cables under the bartape before 1987, that should be OK I guess?

it means internal cable routing in the frame asfaik

does anybody need an accommodation buddy? all the rooms are taken taken now and quite expensive for only one person. I think that I will have to bail...

noo, don't do it! somebody will have some space am sure

i think thta i will make this a family trip . i booked in an hotel BB called olmo it is in the outslirts of radda, like i hope that it is not too hilly!