Solo Eroica Effort

add to that

gmac123 (plus 2 others non forum members)

I'm also

1) in the 42 x 28 camp at the moment, can't find a smaller campaq ring (victory, if anyone has one for sale?)

2) a little concerned about carrying stuff, not wanting to use any bags

3) hugely concerned about the fact my bike only has bosses for one water bottle cage

For number 2, perhaps you could carry some stuff wrapped up inside the spare tyres/inner tubes that proper vintage cyclists wear crossed over their chests. It would look properly old school anyway.

For number 3, you can get clamp on bottle cages. I might even have some
around somewhere - give me til the weekend and I'll have a look if you're interested.
If you're not bothered about being retro, Problemsolvers do a modern version, or perhaps you could even bodge something together with cable ties.

on number 3, that's what I've been thinking, I did have two clamps from my first 5 speed racer until a clear out about 5 years ago, a clear out I've regretted on more than one occasion. Actually a quick search show halfords do a elite product and a few possibilities on fleabay

Gmac, have a look around....I bought a clamp on NOS front cage for about 4 quid.....I've had to tape it on though, but it works fine....I'm in a dilemma as to whether I use my carradice....I might cobble it together on the front instead of the rear. I don't want a musette or bag either.

Great adventure John and chapeau (although I suspect that should be in Italian) for going solo. I also like the sound of the other ride you did.

For what it is worth, I used a compact square taper chainset when I rode the 205 km in 2010 and did not in any way rue the lower gears as I was able to ride everything. I carried what I needed in my jersey pockets and made do with one bottle as there were regular food/drink stops (I can recommend several glasses of robust red at about 150 km). That said, it was warm but not madly hot so may need to adjust liquid intake appropriately.

One thing worth noting for those doing the 205 km is that you will need lights either at the start and/or end unless you are very fast i.e. road racing fit - it might be 'only' 205 km with 12+ hours of daylight but the strada bianchi is much slower than tarmac and believe me you don't want to be descending with no lights by following the blinking LEDs in the distance.

I would like to add that by fitting lights you can start before 7am and enjoy the quite magical experience of the candle-lit section of strade bianchi up to Castello Brolio. I rode the 205km with 42x28 lowest gear, weigh 60kg and and was still chewing bar tape on the road up to Montalcino - if it rains the white roads take the texture of toothpaste. Like Ed, I only had one bottle cage on my bike but did carry a musette. Finally, if you're undecided on tyre choice, 32mm file-tread CX tyres are ideal - the guys on skinny road rubber were all over the place on the loose gravel descents whereas I could just chuck my bike down the hills.