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Eroica Shed-tannia next year then.
Beers at my gaff, free music, free food with lots of old bikes and bits to look at!
Beers at my gaff, free music, free food with lots of old bikes and bits to look at!
Eroica Britannia 2018
- Thread starter JSH
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warrior4life
Old School Hero
Going to be my last year for a while.
Overpriced and over-styled.
I'm sure like many on here I've been riding retro bikes for a long time, 10 or 15 years ago i'd get ridiculed taking old bikes in to bike shops to got the occasionan seized part or random tool. "why are you riding the piece of crap?"
Now it feels like evryones jumping on the band wagon as its a cool thing to do.
I found the full thing a long way from what attracts me to the retro scene.
£80 for a sportive is obscene..
I happened to ride out on the saturday on my new carbon bike, I live in the area so passed some of the riders, I was wearing a 94 Motorla jersey (i just grabbed any jersey) and I had few comments as I was passing people, it didnt even click that I was semi retro until I got home. It w\as like I offended them in some way, I dont ever see these people riding retro stuff any other time of the year. I regularly ride or wear retro stuff as I like it.
I wish somebody woul organise a standard sportive with a nod to the retro and a descent entry fee.
I'd happily ride one of my old bikes but I dont want to wear wool kit and I'm not purchasing toe clips. be nice if it was more inclusive and didnt set you back over £100 just to take part.
On a positive not there where some stunning bikes.
Overpriced and over-styled.
I'm sure like many on here I've been riding retro bikes for a long time, 10 or 15 years ago i'd get ridiculed taking old bikes in to bike shops to got the occasionan seized part or random tool. "why are you riding the piece of crap?"
Now it feels like evryones jumping on the band wagon as its a cool thing to do.
I found the full thing a long way from what attracts me to the retro scene.
£80 for a sportive is obscene..
I happened to ride out on the saturday on my new carbon bike, I live in the area so passed some of the riders, I was wearing a 94 Motorla jersey (i just grabbed any jersey) and I had few comments as I was passing people, it didnt even click that I was semi retro until I got home. It w\as like I offended them in some way, I dont ever see these people riding retro stuff any other time of the year. I regularly ride or wear retro stuff as I like it.
I wish somebody woul organise a standard sportive with a nod to the retro and a descent entry fee.
I'd happily ride one of my old bikes but I dont want to wear wool kit and I'm not purchasing toe clips. be nice if it was more inclusive and didnt set you back over £100 just to take part.
On a positive not there where some stunning bikes.
Re:
Agree with the above post, all too tribal. My preference is for a little low key Spanish event that I've ridden several times in the last few years (an excuse to visit a friend in Spain).
The Spanish event usually has a few retired pros on the rides and it is a festival but low key, L'Eroica (maybe just in the UK) is all about the money and less and less about celebrating cycling.
The Anjou is another lovely event.
Rk.
Agree with the above post, all too tribal. My preference is for a little low key Spanish event that I've ridden several times in the last few years (an excuse to visit a friend in Spain).
The Spanish event usually has a few retired pros on the rides and it is a festival but low key, L'Eroica (maybe just in the UK) is all about the money and less and less about celebrating cycling.
The Anjou is another lovely event.
Rk.
warrior4life
Old School Hero
Re: Re:
When I see the photos of the euro events they look far more authentic, like most of the people have owned the bikes from new and not purchased them from ebay specifically for the ride.
roadking":1zc7jvyh said:
When I see the photos of the euro events they look far more authentic, like most of the people have owned the bikes from new and not purchased them from ebay specifically for the ride.
Re:
Reply to the above post is this, and it is only my perception as I'm not an ebay purchaser myself. The market for classic bicycles in France and Spain has perhaps not yet matured to the extent that it has in the UK - that may be the reason for your comment/observation.
Rk.
Reply to the above post is this, and it is only my perception as I'm not an ebay purchaser myself. The market for classic bicycles in France and Spain has perhaps not yet matured to the extent that it has in the UK - that may be the reason for your comment/observation.
Rk.
warrior4life
Old School Hero
Re: Re:
I'm 42, not old compared to some and my knowledge is pretty average at best on retro bikes, I just know what I like.
The first tour I watched was 89 and I've watched it since and it feels like cycling has always been fairly similar in popularity in europe for my 30 years as a fan. It doesnt seem as much of a fad, more ingrained in the culture.
It feels like people over here love a even need a profile pic or status update, they'll jump on the latest thing and it feels like cycling is just another big fad.
Obviously there are lots of long time fans and newer fans who love it and everything about it. There also seems to be quite a few who are in to it as its now a cool thing.
I loved road cycling as a teen because nobody else did, I liked it because it was different. It seems very mainstream at the moment and Eroica seems like just another cash cow.
This probably isnt the place to rant as its full of super passionate and knowledgable enthusiasts, i tip my cap to all of them, I even tip my cap to the people who are jumping on it for style points. There's nothing wrong with it at all. It just doesnt feel like the sport/lifestyle that I grew up loving.
Hopefully Eroica carries on succesfully, i do hope somebody starts a retro fondo with a more inclusive nature, perhaps with with bikes 20yrs or older. That would be cool.
roadking":366nf990 said:
I'm 42, not old compared to some and my knowledge is pretty average at best on retro bikes, I just know what I like.
The first tour I watched was 89 and I've watched it since and it feels like cycling has always been fairly similar in popularity in europe for my 30 years as a fan. It doesnt seem as much of a fad, more ingrained in the culture.
It feels like people over here love a even need a profile pic or status update, they'll jump on the latest thing and it feels like cycling is just another big fad.
Obviously there are lots of long time fans and newer fans who love it and everything about it. There also seems to be quite a few who are in to it as its now a cool thing.
I loved road cycling as a teen because nobody else did, I liked it because it was different. It seems very mainstream at the moment and Eroica seems like just another cash cow.
This probably isnt the place to rant as its full of super passionate and knowledgable enthusiasts, i tip my cap to all of them, I even tip my cap to the people who are jumping on it for style points. There's nothing wrong with it at all. It just doesnt feel like the sport/lifestyle that I grew up loving.
Hopefully Eroica carries on succesfully, i do hope somebody starts a retro fondo with a more inclusive nature, perhaps with with bikes 20yrs or older. That would be cool.
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What has really pissed me off is those bloody awful wheels on the Cortina. 'Orribble!
Am taking notes. Theres an RB roadshow brewing, will need to have a chat with a few people.
Am taking notes. Theres an RB roadshow brewing, will need to have a chat with a few people.
Re: Re:
I'm in broad agreement with your sentiments warrior4life, I began cycling at a very early age and had my first proper bicycle at 16, a Roberts which I still own and ride.
There was a cycling fraternity in the old days (sounding like my late Father here), that I don't see or feel these days - except in the clubs (x3) I am a member of. I guess it's the facebook/instagram instant gratification culture that prevails - maybe the sign of a deeper social malaise. As for France and Spain, yes the bicycle is part of the culture, in Brittany (the spiritual home of French cycling) it's in the Breton blood.
Rk.
warrior4life":2ys3kwz0 said:
I'm in broad agreement with your sentiments warrior4life, I began cycling at a very early age and had my first proper bicycle at 16, a Roberts which I still own and ride.
There was a cycling fraternity in the old days (sounding like my late Father here), that I don't see or feel these days - except in the clubs (x3) I am a member of. I guess it's the facebook/instagram instant gratification culture that prevails - maybe the sign of a deeper social malaise. As for France and Spain, yes the bicycle is part of the culture, in Brittany (the spiritual home of French cycling) it's in the Breton blood.
Rk.
dr nosh
Claud Butler Fan
I attended and did enjoy the weekend.
I'm in general agreement that its now more about lifestyle and less about the bikes and cycling.
Its my first at Friden Grange, having attended 2 events at Bakewell.
Will probably be my last Britannia event, the 'lifestyle' and the cost has just put me off.
The 'Tweed Run' in London went the same way. I went to the first 3 events, just a group of blokes who 'met on the internet' and agreed to meet, ride old steel bikes and raise money for Bikes for Africa, then a corporate takeover, sellout of the brand Tweed Run, expensive ticket, lifestyle. Lost interest, as did all of the original group.
I'm in general agreement that its now more about lifestyle and less about the bikes and cycling.
Its my first at Friden Grange, having attended 2 events at Bakewell.
Will probably be my last Britannia event, the 'lifestyle' and the cost has just put me off.
The 'Tweed Run' in London went the same way. I went to the first 3 events, just a group of blokes who 'met on the internet' and agreed to meet, ride old steel bikes and raise money for Bikes for Africa, then a corporate takeover, sellout of the brand Tweed Run, expensive ticket, lifestyle. Lost interest, as did all of the original group.
non-fixie
Senior Retro Guru
After having been to several continental events, mrs non-fixie and I decided to come to Eroica Britannia this year.
It was our first time, so we chose to do the short route. The ride was quite enjoyable, not in the least because of the beautiful Peak District landscape.
The festival, however, was a bit of a disappointment. Too much of a lifestyle/hipster/fun-for-the-whole-family sort of thing for our taste. The bicycle was just a prop, it seemed. The fact that it was out in the sticks and really spread out didn't help either.
What struck me was the almost total absence of international participants. In that respect the contrast with the previous week's Retroronde was rather striking.
It was our first time, so we chose to do the short route. The ride was quite enjoyable, not in the least because of the beautiful Peak District landscape.
The festival, however, was a bit of a disappointment. Too much of a lifestyle/hipster/fun-for-the-whole-family sort of thing for our taste. The bicycle was just a prop, it seemed. The fact that it was out in the sticks and really spread out didn't help either.
What struck me was the almost total absence of international participants. In that respect the contrast with the previous week's Retroronde was rather striking.
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