Eileen Sheridan

Eileen Sheridan in 1954

I was nervous to meet Eileen Sheridan. Not because she is a cycling icon; having set all kinds of records, most notably in 1954 when she cycled from Land’s End to John o’Groats in two days, 11 hours and seven minutes. Not because I spent a freezing February day riding around in vintage cycling gear on a replica of the Hercules bike she rode pretending to be her for a documentary. I was nervous because I knew after meeting her I would want to cycle from Land’s End to John o’ Groats.

L'Eroica// More Merino, Less Lycra

Or as my computer likes to spellcheck 'La Erotica' which brings up actual porn, not bike porn.

L'Eroica has taken place in Chianti Italy every year since 1997 and sees participants ride one of four courses that takes them through picturesque Tuscan scenery. I want to play but you have to ride a 'heroic' bike built before 1987 with vintage qualities. The nearest I have right now is a beat up BMX which doesn't match any of the criteria and I don't think it would do too well on those hills. And by 'it' I mean 'me'.

Penned as 'the Woodstock of vintage cycling' this elegant yet treacherous ride definitely features more merino less Lycra.

L'Eroica 2013 Sunday October 6th.

Images from the documentary by Morgan Bertacca  Bikes,Bread and Wine: L'Eroica: