Road Cycling Clothing

Vintage Cycling Clothing Ideas: Portrait Series from L’Eroica 2015

L’Eroica, the vintage sportive in Tuscany, is a celebration of road cycling – and directly translating to ‘the heroic’ it celebrates its riders as well as the rolling hills and steel companions they complete the routes on.

This year, our writer Lorena Jones took part in the Italian partito, having been invited by Brooks, and found not only new roads, but a new appreciation of what cycling can provide a person – concluding: “As the sun fell over the horizon I made my way through the last few kilometres of the ride glowing with happiness having discovered ‘the beauty of fatigue and the taste of accomplishment’”.

Everyone dresses in vintage clothing at L’Eroica – here are just a few of the most impressive ensembles Lorena spotted along the way:

Florine Richter traveled from Luxembourg with her boyfriend

32 year old Giorgia completed the 75 km route – her favourite parts were Volpaia and Checchini’s Point

It was Juul Harring’s 40th Birthday!

This group kept smiling, even through the rain…

Note the pretty awesome traditional helmet

The men had numbers printed on white, the women’s numbers were printed on pink

This is Kathrin Lösing – it was her first time doing L’Eroica, she’s a passionate long distance runner and cyclist and has wanted to come for years

The rolling hills

The event was quite muddy by the end thanks to lots of rain and dust on the Strada Bianchi!

Some riders tried ‘alternative measures’ to protect themselves from the rain. Great idea until the sun came out and they could hardly pedal they were cooking so much … Apparently they had strapped themselves in so well they couldn’t take them off!!

Image: Tom Owen

Image: Tom Owen

We’re not sure those shorts are totally vintage – but the bike definitely is!

There were many vintage cars on display, too

What an amazing dress – and we want a dynamo light

Dungarees are pretty fashionable at the moment

Tine Willems, 33 from Belgium. Her shoes were 3 euros from second hand shop in Belgium and her jersey 10 euros.

Read Lorena’s account of L’Eroica here.

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