UK Eroica takes itself very seriously
ukdavvy
Posts: 42
This event caught my eye having always fancied the Italian one but the closer I look at it the less Italian it seems and I am now wondering if its less of a trip down memory lane than a commercial money making exercise
I can only guess how many riders they're expecting but if the first 500 get an early bird discount then I imagine the final projected number is orders of magnitude greater than this, even if its 'just' 500 the local trails and roads will become pretty choked.
The rules make pretty good reading too:
http://www.eroicabritannia.co.uk/file/rules
I have several favourites, excluding me from riding on the Monsal trail or any other public road and right of way when they are also on it being my current number 1
Nice little earner though, good luck to them.........
I can only guess how many riders they're expecting but if the first 500 get an early bird discount then I imagine the final projected number is orders of magnitude greater than this, even if its 'just' 500 the local trails and roads will become pretty choked.
The rules make pretty good reading too:
http://www.eroicabritannia.co.uk/file/rules
I have several favourites, excluding me from riding on the Monsal trail or any other public road and right of way when they are also on it being my current number 1
Nice little earner though, good luck to them.........
0
Posts
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... 2&t=249280
Oh yeah, we did a bit of that...
I (genuinely) don't get the obsession with the price of it. £70 (although I seem to recall pre register is £55) for 3 days camping, some food, and a bike ride - sounds OK to me.
I have a British Eagle Randonnee built in Newtown Wales 1989. It seems to meet all the other criteria - steel frame, down shifters on the downtube etc but is 2 years too young.
I posted the details and a photo here a couple of years ago if anyone's interested.
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=161617
It will be fine. Nobody will try to date it using C14... so long as you have downtube shifters and old fashion pedals, you can use a replica frame made yesterday
Although you will have to live with the moral guilt of bike doping
Le Domestique Tours - Bespoke cycling experiences with unrivalled supported riding, knowledge and expertise.
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You should go in principle - it will drive anyone from retrobike there NUTS.
I'm thinking of putting some columbus stickers on my reynolds frame. Hope they have first aid on hand.
Some might not want to camp in a field... imagine you have three days of wet... do you really want to camp and censored in a portaloo for a full wet weekend? If you leave it to the last minute, you won't find a room within miles. Sounds like a pretty miserable experience.
That leaves 70 pounds for a ride and a bit of finger food, which is what you spend per person for a three course meal in a Michelin star restaurant, give or take.
More importantly it is the principle: nobody knows these people, they have no track record of running big events and it might well end up being a complete disaster... why would you pay 70 pounds? The Eroica has only just started charging big money, but for 15 years it did charge 10-15 Euro
Cyclists not registered for L’Eroica Britannia will not be permitted to join groups on the day of the
event, on pain of expulsion. In case of accident they will be held responsible for any damage caused
Considering the event is on open roads I'm not sure how they intend on expelling anyone found in a "group". Also, they can't pre-determine the responsibility of an accident like that ...
Anyone not in the event isn't bound by those rules anyway so it's pretty meaningless ... !
That kind of prompts me to join the party without paying...
Only if you've got a brand new BLING bike with deep rim carbon wheels ... oh - it has to be 11 speed electronic shifting too ...
I'm looking at doing the Retro Ronde instead, after doing the 'Beer cycling contest' I don't expect I'll have any morality left.
http://www.retroronde.be/en/173-program
The Eroica is for vintage bikes generally defined as pre-1987 with steel frames, gear shifters on the downtubes etc. It is expected that the riders will wear clothing of a similar vintage. The L'Eroica in Italy is the original and most famous event of this type but they are becoming more popular all over Europe.
Exactly... I have seen the course they aim to use and it goes through towns like Whaley Bridge... now, I go to Whaley bridge frequently as I have a friend living there, there is a great fish and chips shop, but there is also a gridlock type of traffic at weekends... not sure how they plan to get thousands of cyclists through the busy roads of the Peak District.
Bakewell itself is a complete gridlock at weekends all year round, even more in June.
Closing the roads is impossible, as tourists outnumber cyclists by a long mile and bring more revenue... marshalling will be unpopular too... don't go there expecting friendly locals cheering you on the road
European events have something the UK will never have, whether it be the mountains, strada bianchi, weather, historic routes, crowds 5 deep cheering you through the towns etc etc and it doesnt matter if you call it Etape this or Eroica that, its just not the same. They just become (expensive) sportives and events like many others in the UK, which is not to say they are bad or anything, but its just not going to appeal to many people in the same way. There are so many well established UK events with a character and appeal all of their own that I'd choose every time over this syndicated wannabe stuff....
This is a very good post that sums it up... I agree and I don't think it's possible to recreate something with a franchise model
Whilst it is not possible to recreate the european events it doesn't mean we shouldn't strive to have our own equivalents - but they should stand on their own merits...
There is an event for vintage bikes already, very british and not a franchise, it's called the Pendle Witches ride or something similar. It's ran on Easter day, which is obviously an unlucky choice if you are looking at a big turnout. Nonetheless, more than 100 riders turn up for that. Modern bikes are allowed, as they were in the Eroica up to 2008 and they don't take themselves too seriously. They charge a few quid, charity money and you're on.
The thing with this Eroica Britannia is that it mushrooms out of nowhere, charging big money with the backing of a logo and promising something that frankly it's hard to deliver = an Eroica-like atmosphere
The only thing vintage on my bike is me ...
Can you see Boardman riding the Eroica Britannia together with Robert Millar and Stephen Roche? I don't think so...
...and very good it is too. Cracking route (which is well marked and takes in the Nick O'Pendle climb) and the departee/arrivee is a pub that has a very bike friendly landlord. The chap who runs the event fills the pub with bike memorabilia (TdF shirts, etc.) and when you get back there is a free pie and peas, which can be washed down with a decent pint. All proceeds go to a local hospice and cancer research (with no deductions for big name event organisation). British event at its best, IMO, and all for £17.
The only issue is they insist on doing it on Easter Sunday...