A simply stunning classic WilierWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Classic 1940s Bianchi Corsa (complete with winter training guards)Warren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Gino Bartali’s 1949 bike has sadly been lost, but this stunning recreation is as close to the original as possibleWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
This truly stunning Colnago frameset offsets the ugliness of those Spinergy carbon wheelsWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Marco Pantani’s Dosi Valter was ridden by the Italian great in the 1991 Giro DêItaliaWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Roger de Vlaeminck’s Gios is in immaculate conditionWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Fausto Coppi’s 1949 Bianchi Corsa Simplex. With hand-crafted chrome lugs and classic Celeste paint, it’s a work of art.Warren Rossiter / BikeRadar
The Bianchi Corsa Simplexhas a Simplex five-speed drivetrain with a 47-49 chainring pairing on the front and a 14/15/17/19/21 cassette on the backWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
The lever-operated front shifts between 47 and 49 (hardly seems worth it)Warren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Gorgeous chromed lugs (the frame number is stamped on the seat cluster)Warren Rossiter / BikeRadar
A classic cantina from 1949Warren Rossiter / BikeRadar
The ‘Paris-Roubaix’ derailleur is operated by a lever running up the seatstayWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Someone went to great trouble to coordinate this classic DaccordiWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
We love the early signature stem on Roger de Vlaeminck’s GiosWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
This 1905 Levocyclette features an ‘alternative’ drivetrainWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
It combines chains two sprockets either side of the hub and levers instead of traditional cranksWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
This Molinari of Torino bike has a beautiful copper finish, but we couldn’t find out much about the brand from the stallholder. We did know we wanted it thoughWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
This stand had more than one complete NOS Campagnolo Record groupset, including pedals and hubsWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Early Michelin compressor – yours for just €1,200!Warren Rossiter / BikeRadar
This handmade Italian Rauler low pro looked pretty sharpWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
This Eddy Merckx replica Colnago Super was absolutely complete…Warren Rossiter / BikeRadar
…it even had the drilled-out Merckx edition brakes and Colnago chainringsWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
The seat tube on the Eddy Merckx replica Colnago SuperWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
That handmade Italian Rauler in all its gloryWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
This tired looking low-pro Colnago frameset could easily be brought back to life and was on sale for €300Warren Rossiter / BikeRadar
No idea what this is, but we love the Bronze eagle on the frontWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
This Molinari of Torino bike has a beautiful copper finish, but we couldn’t find out much about the brand from the stallholder. We did know we wanted it thoughWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Trade tops from teams you’ve never heard of? You’ll find them hereWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Its not just race bikes on offer, plenty of utility machines can be foundWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
A decent classic could be found for just a few hundred Euros (if you were prepared to haggle)Warren Rossiter / BikeRadar
That Wilier was only enhanced by the 50th anniversary Campagnolo groupsetWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
These classic Bianchi shoes are seriously temptingWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
The sheer number of old parts had us geeking out for hoursWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Fancy a pre-war Club photo?Warren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Fermaguaina cable holders for a tidy classicWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Race cap or flat cap, you decideWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Clothing is abundant from every eraWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Some bikes are less loved than othersWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Chances are you’ll find that perfect set of period brake levers here…Warren Rossiter / BikeRadar
The official L’Eroica shop in the centre of Gaiole offers everything from classic bikes and kit to jewellery and the occasional bottle of ChiantiWarren Rossiter / BikeRadar
Every year L’Eroica celebrates the famous strada bianca (white roads) that ribbon their way through the Tuscan hills. The bikes ridden in the race have to conform to certain rules – that means no clipless pedals and no STI shifters.
Advertisement
To celebrate the event, the race centre at Gaiole hosts a weekend of vintage bike displays, a huge vintage market, and great food. We took a look round Gaiole the day before the race to see what vintage rarities and gems were on offer. Take a look at what we saw by clicking or scrolling through the gallery above.
