Vintage bikes head to Cambria for Eroica ride April 8-10

More than 300 riders of vintage bikes are expected to pedal into Cambria and Cayucos on Sunday, April 10, during the second annual Eroica California vintage bicycle ride.

Last year’s Eroica event brought 700 cyclists to San Luis Obispo County, but not all of them took the coastal route.

This year, four mostly “back road” routes are offered.

Volunteers are still being sought to help with a wide variety of tasks during the Eroica festival April 8 through 10, according to Jill Jackson, administrative assistant for the Cambria Tourism Board.

The county-appointed board, which uses a visitor-paid tax to promote more overnight stays in Cambria, will spend up to $8,000 to help create a memorable Cambria rest-stop experience for Eroica participants, including (Boni’s Tacos), photo opportunities, mementos and other amenities.

The Cambria rest stop will be at the Heritage Oaks Bank parking lot in the East Village.

Other activities help kick off ride

The three-day event is centered in Paso Robles, where the ride begins. Other activities include vendor fair, swap and “bike jumble,” vintage bicycle fair, dinner and VIP reception and a Concours d’Elegance for vintage bikes.

In addition to the inland portions of the ride, the 87-mile “medium long” and 127-mile, “heroic/long” routes include Cypress Mountain Road, Highway 1, downtown Cambria and Cayucos and Santa Rita Creek Road. The shorter, inland ride routes are 40 and 73 miles long.

Each route includes considerable mileage on unpaved roads, some of them quite steep.

Eroica events worldwide are restricted to bicycles manufactured from 1987 or before, with none of the technology or fancy bells and whistles on newer designs.

Vintage bikes are heavier than modern ones, so the ride requires a lot of skill, heavy-duty pedaling and a body that’s seriously in shape.

This story was originally published April 6, 2016 at 10:25 AM with the headline "Vintage bikes head to Cambria for Eroica ride April 8-10."