Guest post - Hairy legs and old Bikes.

Something a little different now - an outside broadcast from a good friend of mine. So put your hands together and welcome Gordy, aka 'the man without a blog'.

Today came the realisation that I am in a new riding demographic…

Apart from riding as a kid on my Speedwell dragster and some bmx at highschool, cycling for me started around ’90 when I got my first MTB. A Repco MaxTracks, not a serious mtb at all, but enough to start me on the long road of up-grade-itis.

Racing cross country and downhill meant a race every couple of weekends through the 90’s. Then 1998 came along and so did my son Conor. I spent the next few years being a Dad and less a cyclist.

Early in the noughties I headed back out on my mtb. Now more recreational than racer, I got in with a good group of people, who rode a variety of bikes. Mtb, road, singlespeed, even fixed gear. I no longer think of myself as a mountain biker, but as a cyclist.

I now own more road bikes than MTB’s, most are steel, some are alloy, none are carbon! I blame Graham for opening my eyes to vintage roadies. Now I had found my new calling. There is a beauty in an old steel road bike. The welds, the lugs, the pantina, the history.

After Pushies Galore last week, I was keen for more vintage action. Fortunately Noosa Eroica answered my call. Old steel roadies, down tube shifters, hairy legs (on the men) and wool jerseys.

30 men and women lined up for the mini Eroica on Saturday morning - there is also a longer ride is on the Sunday.

We rode from Noosa Marina through the Tewantin National Park, which included a 3km climb up the MG Car Club Hillclimb course.

There was a great moment about 2/3rds of the way up, where we came around a cutting and as we climbed we were cheered on by a bunch of mtbers riding the bush tracks. Awesome moment.

We continued onto Cooroy along back roads that included strada bianche ( the white or unsealed roads) in the same vein as the original L’Eroica in Chianti, Italy.

There was a diverse group of bikes. Graham had his Chesini, set up as singlespeed for the day.

There were many classic steel roadbikes,

but also a guy riding 3 speed sturmey archer gears and a lady on a Brompton (small wheeled fold up bike).

From Cooroy we headed back down to Noosa Marina for the Show and Shine. Despite the steel on display, my favourite was an alloy Vitus 

So this is who I am now, though my average speed has dropped, my interest in cycling has not diminished. I now look forward to a slower pace and taking in the scenery as I go.

I am Beardo!