Preserving Cycling History
“We are caretakers of these bicycles while they are in our presence. We must preserve them, we should in all possible ways preserve them for the next generation...”
Every year, for the past 18 years, BICI ITALIA has been a part of L'Eroica. A cycling event that commemorates 'the golden era of cycling' and racing cyclists of a bygone era, 'the heroic'.
Taking place on the strade blanche, 'the white gravel roads', of Tuscany, the event is as visually stunning as it is challenging to those who set off on their vintage bikes to grind the gravel with each push of the pedal. To bare witness to this event is to take a voyage in a time machine back through the early half of the 1900s - the bicycles, the cranks, the pedals, the hair nets, the apparel and lest we forget, the facial hair. It is a mecca for enthusiasts of all things cycling.
L'Eroica was much smaller in the early years and has grown into a much larger event. But the most poignant and interesting thing, to us at BICI ITALIA anyway, is the ages of the participants and spectators. The first few years, we marveled at the uber fit gentlemen, mostly Italian, that donned, what we believed, to be their own jerseys, from their racing days in the 1940s. Wrinkled and weathered, sure, but these men were handsome, fit and grinning from ear-to-ear as they stood at the starting line straddling, undoubtedly, their same saddle and bike they rode as their much younger counterpart. In more recent years, we see the same gentleman, but, the number of younger riders, the ones that could be the grandchildren (great grandchildren even) adding to the ranks of the starting line.
To be a cyclist is to enjoy more than just the thrill of propelling yourself on wheels. To be a cyclist is to be a steward of the past. The bicycle has, for the most part, not changed in over 100 years. What, if anything, in our world today can claim a direct link to our past? Who, if anyone, can ride back through time? Bikes and cyclists.
While time has moved forward and bikes and apparel have moved into a more 'technical' space, the essence and authenticity of cycling has remained the same. Better yet, the passion of cycling is essentially the same to an 80 year old as it is to a 10 year old. Passion for cycling is timeless. Modern and 'heroic'.
Consider joining us for L'Eroica - to witness and preserve decades of cycling passion. We promise a holiday of a lifetime. Visit our website to learn more and to contact us for more information.
A great timeless video that explains and shares the essence of L’Eroica.
Video Credit: Wheelin' - a video documentary by TrendyMinds