Gas Pipe special and the road to 205km plus

[bikerjohn]

This really carries on from my previous thread of

"first bike in 25 years food for thought"

The Gas pipe special is running beautifully its a joy to ride a bike with drop bars again!

I'll try and get some pics up of in in the next few days....

Now for some updates..

I've managed to get a Raleigh Clubman 531 frame just waiting for the postman to drop it off !!!!!

I'm also on the trail of a 1986 Raleigh 531c frame that hopefully will be mine before the week is out!!

Now ideas....

I was hoping over time to gather a full Arabesque group on the Clubman and an early Shimano 6207 600/105 on the 531c. I know I can run a Shimano 6207 Group an the later bike.

I'm also looking for ideas on wheel rims and Tyres with the 2014 L'eroica in mind as I'm still struggleing with the in's and outs of wheels in the mid 80's due to the lack of information online.

I'm going to go with clincher rims as I can change tyres and tubes with my eyes shut and I think they may be easier than tubs..

I'm just totally in the dark as to Tyres and rim makes and sizes to suit the event.. although i'm going with 700c sizes across all the bikes.

I've so far come across Mavic GR4's and Monthlery Pro's but any ideas gratefully received..

I've gone from 1mile to 12miles in a month, hoping to build up mileage on the flat over the winter then climbing as I get fitter. I'm also considering a turbo trainer and a Bryton 50 for Hrm and cadence to try and monitor my progress..

Any advise would be gratefully accepted along with idea's on training with the goal to ride the 205km event in 2014.

Cheers, John

 

[Old Ned]

GP4 and Montlhery rims are for tubulars not clinchers. For general riding clinchers (eg MA2, MA40 in Mavic) are probably best and there are still skin wall or tan wall tyres around if you look for them. They will be OK for L'Eroica, just make sure you have down tube gear levers and exposed brake cables.

Have a look in the catalogue scans and gallery sections for old Mavic brochures to show the ranges of rims they made.

 

[hamster]

A good tyre for general riding is the Conti Gatorskin - it's fast and tough and not heavy in the folding version. It's the only thing round here that lives for more than 1000 miles for me.
Conti GP 4Season is a little lighter and almost as tough.

 

[bikerjohn]

@ Old Ned and Hamster

Thank you both for taking the time to help, John

 

[Johnsqual]

Hello,

Some random thoughts on training.

Yes, getting a heart rate and cadence monitor is a great idea. The aim should be to get up to a decent cadence without going in the red, and it is handy to see your progress at this. At heart rate monitor also helps you to learn to ration your efforts a bit, you get feedback on how to lower your heart rate by lowering your cadence, for example. All very helpful.

Sounds like you have the right approach with building up your basic condition first. I read somewhere that the most important thing is just having lots of km in your legs, more so than thrashing up every steep hill that you can find (however fun that may be...). I think Lucien Van Impe said it, and he must know what he's on about.

For training, I would get a cyclocross bike before or even instead of a home trainer. I know you probably don't want to add another bike to your collection, but it's only one more 'Cross bikes are great, they keep you going out on your bike in the winter (better than sitting on a home trainer), they will help you practice technical and handling skills - handy for l'eroica, and they open up more route options so you're not just stuck on the same training routes. You could do it on the cheap by converting a tourer with cantilevers. I think someone on here did a convincing looking job of this with a Raleigh Pioneer.

Good luck with it all,

Johnny

 

[bikerjohn]

@Johnsqual

Hi John thanks for your input, I had considered the Cyclocross route but as I've already got a few mountain bikes they cover that side of it, I could always stick some drops on one of the Mtb's

I am considering a fixie as well but my main aim is to get my Raleigh Clubman built first and go from there generally building up the miles..

If I can get a couple of stone off as well that will help before I start the Climbing training..

Cheers, John

 

[ugo.santalucia]

I have done the Eroica three times... the 205 Km event is a monster, you are looking at 10-12 hours on the bike on a very hilly course. The 135 Km is already a very demanding ride, around 7 hours on the saddle if you are swift. Some white roads ramp up to 20% and I did just managed on a 41x26 ratio, but with a lot of experience from the Belgian cobbled climbs, most people walk the climb to Monte Sante Marie.
Wheel/tyres wise is not as demanding as a Paris Roubaix, so any combination will do, although for comfort I would stay away from 20 mm tyres. If you are on clinchers, get some 25 mm ones, if tubulars, then 23 mm is plenty

 

[Johnsqual]

@ugo.santalucia

Thanks, I am glad you said all that, it's very helpful.

I was looking at the map of the course and thinking it didn't look that hilly because there weren't any full on mountains (highest bits seem to be about 600m), but I am glad to have been relieved of that misunderstanding.

The stuff about tyres is helpful too, I have 23 tubes on my bike now, good I won't have to change them if I do it.

I was thinking of doing the course on my own - I won't be able to go in October for the real thing. I was able to do a ca175 km ride from Lucca to San Pellegrino in Alpe and back without too much trouble, on a retro bike with 42-28. I've also done the RVV course a few times and ride on the cobbles a lot at home in Beglium. If I can do that, do you reckon I could do the Eroica route?

Sorry if this is hijacking the thread, but hopefully it's useful to the OP too...

Johnny

 

[ugo.santalucia]

@ugo.santalucia

Thanks, I am glad you said all that, it's very helpful.

I was looking at the map of the course and thinking it didn't look that hilly because there weren't any full on mountains (highest bits seem to be about 600m), but I am glad to have been relieved of that misunderstanding.

The stuff about tyres is helpful too, I have 23 tubes on my bike now, good I won't have to change them if I do it.

I was thinking of doing the course on my own - I won't be able to go in October for the real thing. I was able to do a ca175 km ride from Lucca to San Pellegrino in Alpe and back without too much trouble, on a retro bike with 42-28. I've also done the RVV course a few times and ride on the cobbles a lot at home in Beglium. If I can do that, do you reckon I could do the Eroica route?

Sorry if this is hijacking the thread, but hopefully it's useful to the OP too...

Johnny

The Area is so beautiful that it's worth doing it over two days, rather than pushing to finish in one day.
Moreover, in summer is too hot, that leaves spring and autumn, when you might not have enough daylight to complete the course in one day.
You can sleep in Montalcino... there are worse places for a stayover.
The all course is fully signposted in brown. As for the hills... many, especially the second half... about 3.5 Km of vertical ascent, I would say

 

[bikerjohn]

Thanks for all the reply's please keep them coming, John