Someday (hopefully) we'll all be old farts on bikes

[thwart]

From Pez:

[Nooch]

second from the right is a friggin hipster, what with the showing up to a group ride with no brakes. psh.

(kidding... these are the hard men!)

edit: and the one on the left has the unmistakeable square face of the dude from 'Up!'

http://www.esquire.com/cm/esquire/images/esq-up-old-man-0609-lg-8782802.JPG

[soulspinner]

Look out for the old guy with the yellow jersey. He looks awful fit fer his age... :beer:

[tuscanyswe]

I hope thats me someday. Great pic.

[AngryScientist]

I hope thats me someday. Great pic.

hell yea.

[tiretrax]

this guy, too:


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Uzq0Ac7cmI4/S8zaztBge5I/AAAAAAAAEuM/K5wmSjqZACs/s1600/BillHurlowPCH.jpg

[David Kirk]

That is perfect.

dave

[laupsi]

I want a pair of those striped white and blue arm warmers...

[old_fat_and_slow]

Some of us already are. ;)

[itsflantastic]

What is the name for the kind of brake used by the gentleman on the right? What kinds of bars are those? It's an aesthetic/arrangement you never see anymore. is it even possible to build up a bike like that today?

[BumbleBeeDave]

From Pez:

. . . that IS PezTech, second from the left! :p

BBD

[biker72]

Those guys look fairly young to me.... :p

[Iowegian]

Is it just me or do the two bikes on the right have some sort of rod actuated tire brake? It looks like they both have a metal bar in the middle of the tire that could act as a brake of some sort.

[Fixed]

i am 2nd from the back
cheers

[54ny77]

i don't think those guys are ironic. or commenting on their vintage colourways.

[bironi]

Is it just me or do the two bikes on the right have some sort of rod actuated tire brake? It looks like they both have a metal bar in the middle of the tire that could act as a brake of some sort.

Yep, that's what I see as well. I did see one on Alpe d'Huez years back.

[old_fat_and_slow]

Is it just me or do the two bikes on the right have some sort of rod actuated tire brake? It looks like they both have a metal bar in the middle of the tire that could act as a brake of some sort.

I think you are correct about the rod-actuated brakes. I'm no vintage bike expert, but I don't see any brake cables.

[rugbysecondrow]

nice fat tires, like the good Lord intended.

[vqdriver]

that is a fantastic pic. so right in so many ways.

Is it just me or do the two bikes on the right have some sort of rod actuated tire brake? It looks like they both have a metal bar in the middle of the tire that could act as a brake of some sort.

i thought those were supports for the handlebar bags...

[alexstar]

That's a spoon brake.

[Elefantino]

It's not the age, it's the mileage.

[Frankwurst]

My kids always tell me I'm never gonna grow up, but when I do I want to be just like those guys. Thanks for the picture. It's a keeper. :beer:

[bicycletricycle]

im going to flip my drop bars upside down

[chuckroast]

"Oh don't worry, we're not fast at all, it's a friendly ride"

[henrypretz]

That is cool. Is there a way to share this on my Facebook page? (direct link to Pez, etc ....)

[Tom Byrnes]

Ahh, . . . L'Eroica. I was there last Sunday. It is a wonderful cycling event held in one of the most beautiful places on earth. It was on my bucket list and when I saw that I could participate in it by extending our already-planned vacation to Europe by only one week, I registered in the Over 60 category.

I had my my 1979 Richard Sachs shipped via BikeFlights to a local bike shop in Tuscany as I would be arriving in Italy from Greece and did not want to carry my bike travel case with me for the two weeks prior to my arrival in Italy. Big Mistake. Both Steve Hampsten and Andy Hampsten had warned me about shipping my bike. But, I could not drag my bike travel case on my wanderings through Istanbul, Athens and two islands in Greece. So, I took a chance and tried to give myself enough time and supply sufficient paperwork to ease the bike's journey through Italian Customs.

I planned for my bike to arrive several days before the event so that I could ride it and get more familiar with the shifting and gearing and ride through the beautiful Chianti countryside for a few days.

Well, my bike arrived in Italy on September 25th. L'Eroica was on October 2nd. It should have been sufficient time for Italian Customs officials to look inside my bike travel case, see that it was a vintage bike, check my accompanying paperwork (US Passport, proof of my registration in L'Eroica, copy of my itinerary and flight information, photos of my bike in the US, serial number, etc.) and release my bike. That did not happen.

I became concerned when the estimated Delivery Date of September 28th passed with Fedex Tracking showing that the bike is still awaiting clearance in Milan. For the next three days, I contacted Fedex International and Fedex Italy several times attempting to get my bike cleared. Finally, I was told that I could drive to the local distribution center in Monteriggioni, near Siena and pick my bike up on Saturday morning, between 9:00 a.m. and 12 noon. I did that, but the bike was not there, and instead was in the local distribution center in Florence.

I hastily located a bike shop that had a "qualified, old vintage" bike for rent at the price of 20 euros a day: a late 70's-early 80's Gimondi, with Felice Gimondi's (1973 World Champion and winner of all three Grand Tours) picture on the head tube. Despite its impressive pedigree, the bike was in very poor condition and not equipped for the roads of L'Eroica, either in gearing or tires. I had 27s on my Sachs and the Gimondi came with old tubular 23s. And, I would have liked a bigger cassette than a 23. But, hey, beggars can't be choosers.

I had planned on attempting the 135 km route, but with the Gimondi, I switched to the 75-79 km route.

The Ride Start was an amazing site. Lots of cyclists crammed into the narrow streets of Gaiole in Chianti. We were released in waves of cyclists, every five minutes.

I had a fine ride, despite the poor condition of the bike, but my ride came to screeching halt with a very loud blowout of my rear tire after an ascent on a strada bianchi. I had elected to take a chance and ride without carrying a spare tubular as I did not want to buy another tubular tire. I had a brand new Continental tubular in my bike travel case and did not want to spend any more money after spending 40 euros to rent the bike. I figured that I could make it through 50 miles without getting a flat. I had a patch kit, but the tear in the sidewall was too large to be repaired.

Earlier in the ride, I had seen a pickup truck converted into a mobile mechanical aid vehicle with a bike stand mounted in bed of the truck and signs advertising mechanical assistance. I was told by a couple of riders that there would be mechanical assistance at the next station provided by a local bike shop, so my L'Eroica experience shifted from a bike ride to an hour and one-half long walk with my bike on a white rock road through the Chianti countryside towards Rada in Chianti.

When I got to Rada in Chianti, a very beautiful hilltop town, there was no mechanical assistance or bike shop available. So, I called Debbie and luckily was able to reach her. She drove to Rada and picked me up. The end of my L'Eroica ride.

Despite my troubles, I had a wonderful time and look forward to returning to that area sometime soon to cycle. The countryside is absolutely beautiful and there are plenty of small roads to explore. Even though the roads are small and narrow, the motorists are very patient with the cyclists, of which there were plenty every day. No horning blowing or any hint of road rage.

Thanks for reading,

Tom

P.S. I have tried to attach a few photos, but they are too big. I do not know how to reduce them to 145 kb. Any suggestions?

[thwart]

Here's the pic link from Pez (Cor Vos photo): http://pezcyclingnews.com/cgi/gallerypicget.asp?pic=http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/races11/eroica11/eroicatour11-oldguys.jpg

Tom, if you want to email me your pics, I'd be happy to re-size 'em. PM me.

[Tom Byrnes]

The guy on the left side of the photo, in the yellow jersey, was the oldest cyclist participating in L'Eroica. He has participated in each of the fifteen L'Eroicas.

I saw him on the road, slowly climbing a hill in the 75 (really 79) km route, where he was greeted with applause. Very impressive.

While the rules relating to registration may have been modified or bent a bit, registration was supposed to close at 2,500, with the exception that there was no limitation for riders age of 60 and older. We had over 4,000 participants, meaning that more than 1,500 are sixty years or older.

I saw a few different US-based cycling groups, with matching jerseys, etc. Anyone up for a Serotta Forum group next year?

Tom

[henrypretz]

Thanks!

Here's the pic link from Pez (Cor Vos photo): http://pezcyclingnews.com/cgi/gallerypicget.asp?pic=http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/races11/eroica11/eroicatour11-oldguys.jpg

Tom, if you want to email me your pics, I'd be happy to re-size 'em. PM me.

[daylate$short]

I think that's my grandson on the right.

[Fixed]

nice story tom
i hope you got your bike back....
sounds like a great time
cheers

[Tom Byrnes]

Hi Butch,

Thanks, I got my bike the day after the event. Just in time for me to lug it home.

I hope all is going well for you.

Best regards,

Tom

[soulspinner]

"Oh don't worry, we're not fast at all, it's a friendly ride"

Ya. Heard that this weekend over 20 percent grades in the heat for 50 something. Front and back leg cramps. Won downhill every time cause I was the heaviest :p