Eroica 2017

Spokesmann

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This is a few accounts I have written on the Carlton Cycles of Worksop Group Facebook pages.
It can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1495959500629283/

There re also a number of videos I shot on the day which can be viewed on my YT channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiCB7A ... 007cYet2kw

These are just my thoughts and observations of this years event. I took part in the 55 mile route. This is my second time at Eroica.

Eroica 2017 - a few thoughts... (Part 1)

My overall impression of the event is a positive one, with great weather, great people and great bikes. Not to mention the stands, entertainment and quality of the facilities.

Parking was a little easier this year, although H&S still precluded anyone from getting near their tent. Why not have a drop off point to ease things along? So glad we brought a wheelbarrow this year to help.

Camp site signing in was easy, stewards were helpful and even funny! Plenty of room of the site itself, although by Friday evening it was getting near full. The idea of opening early on the Thursday was a good one, and help avoid the huge bottle necks experienced by many last year.

Once on site the camp site where we were was literally a stones throw form the main show ground entrance. The ground was much bigger this year, spaced out more and allowed people to move around freely. A much bigger stage for entertainment was a clear indication of where a lot of thought and no doubt money had gone. The two bars - the 'Britannia Tavern' and the 'HQ' tent were great. The lack of Thornbridge ales and not enough staff on the bars did wrankle with me somewhat. The queues on Saturday and Friday were unacceptable at times. We went to the other HQ bar sometimes to get served quicker, which being the HQ tent had a more relaxed and conservative nature - at times!

Overall the beer was OK, the IPA London Ale by Meantime being a good session ale. Peroni was expensive at £5 a pint, everything else at £4.50, up about a £1 on last year and also while I am on the subject of prices the Eroica Times was up £1 too to £3 a copy. Both design and print costs have not risen 33% in a year. OK complaints over...

Friday was a cool day, with cloud and wind, with people still ariving the ground itself was quiet and I had a chance to look around the stands and the bike jumble. One or two bits caught my eye, alas a lot of stuff was out and out junk. Some goo complete bikes for sale as well as better parts and steeper prices. I was on the look out for a stem and saddle but nothing really screamed out at me to reach for my wallet.

Saturday started warm and this set the tone for the rest of the weekend. Man it was hot. After a busy Friday night, getting back to the tent about 12am, I had a breakfast and rest as well as get a bike ready to take with me to the show - a bit like walking the dog, but with a bike. I took the Sun CB 10. We got over to the ground about 12pm and had a mooch around, bumped into several members here and chatted. Since I was riding the next day I reigned in the beer intake just have 2 or 3 pints all day. Entertainment was in full swing by now and I have to say a real effort had been made to cover all tastes, with acts form brass bands, folk and rock right through to 80s outfit ABC taking up the stage. All good stuff and enjoyed by all. We went back about 4pm for a bite to eat and came back later in the evening to see ABC as well as a pint of two. A great day and with the temperature in the high 20s the whole placed was very busy. One more thing I should add, the registration was much easier this year with the desk split in to numbered chunks.


I'll put part two, Ride day in a seperate post!!
 
Eroica 2017 - Ride day

Ride day was like the previous one, damn hot. It was clear from when I rolled up to the start line at 7.45am that things were going to get warm. A lot of the riders had switched from the 100 to the 55, this year the organisers had supplied little stickers so you could decide on the day which course you could follow - a good idea. The stickers went on your bib number and helped the marshalls a bit more with identifying riders... although it only works if you number is on the front! Thats said it did cause a problem with the food stops as because more piled on the 55 it meant later riders had to wait for their food boxes, I think the same applied for riders moving from the 55 to the 35. That said the organiser sorted it...

The ride itself start at a fairly early pace and almost suckered you into thinking it was easy... a lot of flat, slight gradients, paths and roads. Because this is the 55 you knew hills were coming though. By about 9-9.30am the sun was really beating down and everyone began to feel it. I was taking a gentle pace and making sure I kept hydrated, drinking on the go. My first real stop was at Middleton Top where a lot of the riders took the opportunity to stop, drink, chat, nip to the loo and stock up on any snacks.

After this stop marshalls warned you of the steep drops down, these come in two sections, both with drainage channels running across the path - you have to look out for them. I have to say the marshalls were great throughout the ride, giving advice, encouragement and warnings, I take my cap off to those in the outlying sections of the course who in some case took the full brunt of the sun.

As the rider progressed the hills started to appear, there were some great descents too, enabling me to get down on the bars on the Sun, which was handling and behaving beautifully. The 42/34 set up working well, except on some of the real killers which came later in the ride, where a 39/34 may have been better! Throughout the run I had my trusty old cycle tourmeter clicking away and was able to check its accuracy with Niall Motions Garmin/phone thingy! It was about 1/2 mile out at 25 or so miles. I was looking at this counting down the miles to the first feed station which was not until about 35 odd miles, a little too far in for many, I did hear a few complaints from participants.

Naill and I spent a good few miles cycling together, stopping at one village after a big descent to have a snack and top up water, form here things got a bit hillier as we made our way to the first feed stop. When we got there it was quite busy, however we got a parking spot leaning against the old station platform and made our way to the feed points. I have to say I thought the food boxes a great idea, plenty of water on offer as well as a few free ales, also plenty of other snacks and sweets. Man that food tasted wonderful after 30 odd hot miles in the saddle. We must have stayed there about 25-30 minutes, it was then a walk out of the old station and straight into a really draining hill, now the real riding started. I got up these hills keeping a steady pace, the gearing helped a lot. I know on one here was a 'flat' in between the two sections so stopped on that for water, waving Niall on ahead. By now it was really hot with the sun almost right over head, the heat was a real hinderance on this ride, thats for sure. From here on in it was a mixture of hills, tarmac, off road trails and paths. From here we made our way to Biggin, the next food stop, taking in Hartington on the way - another nice climb out of this village - I walked a bit here!

Arriving at Biggin, a lot of riders were already here, encouraged by the signs and the marshalls telling us its only another 5 miles! Food here was good, plenty of water, free ales, pies, pastires and flapjacks. Again I really fuelled up here taking in more water as well. Evertone was really feeling the heat now. My abiding memory of this is the intense heat and having a nice half of Marstons to finish off.

After climbing out of Biggin, there following some more off road stuff, this included a climb on really rough gravel, ballast and rutted, powdery surfaces - thrown in as a last slap in the face and challenge! It was baking. One up on the top there was a steady drop down, again on the same surfaces. I know it has cause a bit of controversy talking about this type of terrain and as to whether anyone would want to ride on it, well they did, in some case on very fragile looking machines, I witnessed no mechanicals or stupidity (except for a bit of shouting on the second drop from Middleton Top). My own view on this is that these bikes can do it, its part of the heroic nature of the ride, this stuff is abound on the 55 and 100 and you have to be ready for it. Knowing what I know now, I would not have taken my purple Flyer down this stuff last year, but with careful riding, keeping ones wits about ones self, I did it, so did the bike. OK I'll NEVER ride the 1960 Flyer down here and ruin and expensive paint job and I agree wholeheartedly with some comments in this vein, however I would take any other bike I have down it. The drops on the very rough terrain demand skill, balance, patience and to some extent courage, but by golly you feel great when you have done it. I have to say I really enjoyed these sections. This is what bikes are for - to be enjoyed and RIDDEN!

After this last rough section it was a fairly level ride back into the show area through Friden Grange station and back up the specially constructed 'road' to a rousing reception. Even a bloke on a bike with a flat, a wobbly wheel just felt the 'pull' of the finish line, hats off to him. I arrived back at 2.15pm, 15 mins outside my target time. That cheeky half at the Waterloo Inn, Biggin held me up maybe? Who cares, it was a bloody good day, I made it, the old Sun had made it too. Just wish there was maybe a bit less sun in the sky.

There you go, I probably missed out loads, but hopefully you get a feel for the event. I'll more than likely be back next year and Im taking the 1960 Flyer as a show bike and the 18-speed Corsa as the ride bike, the '100' and I have a date!

I'll put up a selection of images in a separate post again.
 
My bikes for this year, both Worksop built Sun machines:
1962 Sun Mass Start 100 build and a Chris Barber 10 Team Replica

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IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/SPOKESMAN/Eroica%202017/P6150449_zpsrqitvlse.jpg[/IMG]
In the guise of a Snipe Prestige.

Coffee time
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Love this...
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Bikes for sale...
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Busy in the beer tent...
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Best in show judging...
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Baking on the Saturday...
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HQ tent...
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ABC, Saturday night...
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The Boozer...
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Ride day, Middleton Top...
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A brief rest before some big descents.

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Second food stop at Biggin...
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Quieter Sunday night...
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Post ride drinkies...
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Friday night...
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Wholeheartedly agree with your great write up, fantastic venue, well arranged and a great ride (all be it a hot one) on the Sunday.
as you said the bikes can do it, I was riding 700c x 20 tries and rims and had no problems at all just had to be a bit sensible.
My only grumbles were as you mention the cost of some things like food and drink, but then I suppose you kinda expect that at festivals but with so many captive people maybe they could have bought it down a bit. But water was free.
Deff be back next year to do the 55 again.
 
Montello":2aoayqpm said:
Nice report.

What won best in show!

I did

Raleigh Centenary no 17. Won best in class (best preserved).
Then on to best in show.

Over the moon. Although I was shocked and had to be told to look like I'd won something
 
Maca":iebz2e10 said:
Montello":iebz2e10 said:
Nice report.

What won best in show!

I did

Raleigh Centenary no 17. Won best in class (best preserved).
Then on to best in show.

Over the moon. Although I was shocked and had to be told to look like I'd won something

Result, well done.

Photos please.
 
Re:

Great write up, thanks.
Glad it was a success, I wondered if a move to the middle of nowhere might destroy it, seems they were right.
Of course, the weather makes it, but im not sure about it being too hot - I wait all year for those days.

Congrats Maca on best in show win.
 
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