7 Best Vintage Road Bikes Spotted At Eroica Britannia | Our favourite retro steel rides

In September, senior tech writer Simon Smythe took part in a taster event for the Eroica Britannia ride at the Goodwood Revival Festival where only only pre-1987 bikes could be ridden. As a classic bike fan, Simon was happy to pick out his seven favourite retro-rides and, perhaps surprisingly, they aren't all steel race machines! Which is your favourite and, more importantly, what classic bike would you want to ride at an event like Eroica Britannia?
0:00 Intro
00:33 1982 Colnago Mexico
01:40 1979 Flying Gate
02:49 1953 Ernie Clement Mixte
03:51 1940 Westfield Compact Sport Tourer
05:01 1948 Raleigh Record Ace
06:15 1965 Bianchi Team
07:28 1905 Tapon
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[@fergusfitzgerald977]

OMG I realize I am not alone ! Crazy but not alone in my craziness !

[@MC57315]

I would travel to the UK to take part in this. It's so amazing seeing so many people love the history of the sport.

[@curtisducati]

This year will be great , come over to England and have a ride !

[@jamesporter5630]

Loved them all but if “pick your ride”, was offered I’d have to go with the Raleigh Record. Elegance.

[@jonburnell532]

That Raleigh is absolutely stunning!

[@BikesmithDesign]

The RRA was the 1st bike to have stainless spokes, starting in 1939.

[@simplexicated]

You can't beat the clean look of a singlespeed / IGH hub setup on a classic bike. :)

[@mileslong9675]

A blast from the past. I had a Reynolds’s 531 frame bike back in the early ‘70s.

[@roygardiner2229]

My bike is a circa 1978 Raleigh Grand Prix. It was made in England (Worksop, I think because the serial number stamped under the bottom bracket has a "W" by it.). It has "gas pipe" steel frame, Sturmey Archer steel rims, Raleigh Weinmann 610 centre pull brakes and a 10 speed Suntour derailleur. I bought it for $120 circa 2012 and I love it!

[@redwallace7934]

The Raleigh record ace had me drooling

[@TheDecguy]

Love the vintage bikes. I have a few of my own.

[@mobilecyclemedic]

I was there with my 1970 Holdsworth Campagnolo Professional, will be there next year too. One of my favourites things this year was the homage to Tom Simpson c/w Peugeot Car as his Service Vehicle.

[@a1white]

That Raleigh looks incredible. I bet that frame rides really nice.

[@badger67]

I have to say the Super Record Colnago had always been my dream bike way back in the 80's, but the RRA is just sublime.

[@jeanjeudi1111]

OMG Eye candy and a wave of nostalgia. Watched this twice so far.

[@lesliereissner4711]

Although I have a 1984 Colnago in Saronni Red myself, I vote for that Raleigh Record Ace!

[@richcrompton6891]

There are some great bikes there, but living near Ledbury, I have to go with the Clements! Ernie was a great guy and always had time when I went into his shop. His son is the same now. Quiet, understand and knowledgeable. A proper bike shop.

[@curiousmind.537]

That RRA! Wow, steals the show for me.

[@JohnsVintageRoadBikeGarage]

Wow, great selection.

[@CommaCam]

Love the Raleigh. That crankset is really beautiful.

[@Kim_Miller]

Nice video, and what a great assembly of old bikes. I'm plugging for the grandpa with wooden wheels. That is remarkable. I still have a custom 531 bike that I had made in 1972 - fifty years old this year. TA chainset, Stronglight cranks, Fiamme wheels, Concor saddle, all great names from back then. I love the lively feel of it when riding but it suffers from transmitting road buzz to my old guy's spine so a few years ago I got a Specialized Roubaix to make my life a little more comfortable. The old custom sits in my lounge room as a bit of classic art.

[@colinbarnes1501]

Beautiful bikes, every one. But that Bianchi! Oh My!

[@trackie1957]

That RRA is a fabulous bike.

[@Mistake_nasubi]

これらの自転車を貴重だからと言って大切に置いておくだけではなく自転車としてしっかり乗ってあげるというところが好きです

[@SkyhawkSteve]

Thanks for showing off these beauties! The Record Ace is very impressive, and the Flying Gate captures the British tendency to use rather unconventional frame configurations. I've got a Hetchins with curly stays, which is unique and fun.

[@dariuslankarian3282]

That French 1905 bike looks like a modern gravel bike with its generous tyre clearance and long wheelbase.

[@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe]

Why be so mean?

[@nielskjr5432]

Thank you so much! Very interesting. My favorite was the Colnago. 👍

[@jimmansi1187]

For me the Bianchi is the winner, absolutely stunning bike!

[@user-nt8dy4xw9r]

Bianchi! Cannot resist that color:)

[@gr8dvd]

Not a bad ride either ;-) …love my 30yo Columbus steel Bianchi - thankfully weighs way less than 24 lbs.

[@mrkeopele]

thank you, i just bought an Azuki Gran Sport 12 speed, 56cm, it is like a couple of these in this video, the first one Colnago is really close, and the Bianchi. makes me appreciate this bike even more after watching this, mine is a deep red and gold, french atom rear hub, sugino crankset, diacompe brakes, so many nice parts. very smooth light weight.

[@coffeejack7458]

Who needs to look at pictures of ladies without clothes when we got these fine bikes!.

[@senorfunball]

Uh...me

[@Myiata1979]

They're all nice bikes.The Raleigh is a Masterpiece! All this steel bikes probably will outlast all the new aluminium and carbon ones.

[@FreemanVashier]

my sister and her husband had 1974 Bianchi's. Great riding bikes

[@Mottleydude1]

I love the Raleigh. I own one of its modern versions that must have been inspired by this bike. Mine is a 2011 Raleigh International though my modern version doesn’t have the decals it is painted black with chromed fork and stays and it’s made from Reynolds 853 and is tricked out with Campy Athena Carbon.

[@a1white]

The frame looks like it could live on a modern steel frame bike. Incredible when you think it’s from 1948

[@Tag-Traeumer]

All beautiful bikes! (Perhaps except for the strange Flying Gate.) At 5:00 an exemplary deep bike mudguard! What a step backwards since then with the dirt throwers that are far too short. Not on my bike, which has an effective (homemade) protective shield, at least as deep as the Raleigh.

[@charliedillon1400]

Love the Bianchi and the Colnago the best!

[@salvadorlupezio8657]

me too Love the Bianchi and the Colnago

[@samtatge8299]

Viscount Aerospace Pro. Weird and I love them. My first production “racing bike” bought new in 1978. $229. I found the exact one I had, $75 Craigslist. I did a preservational resto and it’s bad ass! Replacing the sealed bearings in the BB and hubs was a chore but now I cruise in style!

[@PhilOsGarage]

I’d love an aerospace with the last of the death forks.

[@MrEdBuzz]

Great video with some lovely machines and details. When I moved to France two decades ago I brought my two Dave Mellor (Shrewsbury) bikes - one a fixed gear frame - fitted with good classic parts including Cinelli, Campag and Mavic. I mostly use the fixie on the gently undulating Sud-Tourains roads, and of course get many curious looks and comments in this land of Le Tour. The mention of Reg Harris was a memory jog too, because I was born in Manchester, and his shop was in my local Chorlton-cum-Hardy with the Harris Stadium just up the road... I remember as a teenager around 1960 gazing into the minimalist window display where he had just a single bare frame sitting there, waiting to be purchased and fitted with the necessary... but my pocket money was not enough. Robson's shop at the other end of Chorlton, on the other hand, had literally everything possible for a bike in the window... and my breath often used to create a foggy patch on the glass divide!

[@chrisfisher5960]

We would come back on our Sunday club ride from the Yorkshire Dale's via Shipley just to look in Ellis- Briggs shop window. Full of Campagnolo and nice expensive bikes. What I liked were the frames hung up above the window. One day I thought One day!! 40 years later, took my Carlton in for respray and it was hanging up with the rest of the frams, just like I remember as a kid!! Enjoy your cycling!!

[@a1white]

I’d go along to this event just to look at the bikes even though I don’t have a vintage bike myself

[@phelippepx10]

good job.

[@michaelreed9775]

It’s a shame that you didn’t Notice the Raleigh records ace started it all: The record aces, and the Raleigh-Stanley Archer Team 1936-1940 including world records from Tommy Godwin and others

[@JustClaude13]

2:50 That's fabulous looking bike. The relaxed geometry looks more relaxed for upright riding. But I would call it a semi-mixte, since the top tubes don't continue to the rear drop-outs. My bike is a new one. A 1974 Benotto mixte from the Mexico factory. With fenders, it should be ready for a proper eroica run. Sand and gravel calls for full randonneur equipment.

[@1961kickboxer]

The raleigh record ace is the ace of the pack.

[@RANDY4410]

I love the old classic bikes I always wanted a ten speed bull handle bike when I was a kid in the early 60's I thought those bikes was awesome , i brought my first bull handle ten speed bike in 1973 all white I don't remember the brand name but I use to love that bike , living in NYC going to Central Park with my brother with I think he had a 1972 Raleigh 10 speed bull handle bike, those was the days.

[@paullacey2999]

I had a 5 speed Flying Scot once,my Dad rescued it from a skip at work and tarted it up for me as a youth.I always wish I had kept it....

[@-Stop-it]

I love that your dad “tarted it up”! What a beautiful term, I need to write that down.

[@-Stop-it]

And I have no idea what a skip is either.

[@djeber3]

I love my 198X Miyata 312! Honestly it’s faster and stiffer than my 2021 road bike.

[@jonkirby980]

No-one else is going to believe you, but I do! After matching multiple rides for course, power, wind speed and direction, temperature and humidity, my 198X Bianchi Campione D'Italia came out even with my 2018 Carbon Aero Bike for speed. I think it has to do with the better bike fit and comfort of my vintage Bianchi. Even the Win-Tunnel testing at Specialized gave the Venge a measly 50 second advantage on a 40 km course at 40 km/hour compared to a classic steel bike. That's about $300/second! kzbin.info/www/bejne/jnbCeH6bhcZmebM

[@mannyinzunza2305]

Bianchi is dope

[@Traxial.]

some dude gave two mbk vintage road bikes to my grandpa and when he died they sent the two road bike in our home the orange mbk road bike we revived still uses the 45yr grease and it still runs better than other road bike I used here in the ph

[@choppercam01]

I've just restored a Raleigh Wayfarer and got 2 1981 Raleigh Traveller's to do. Also have in a 1983 Saffron by Raleigh. Seems I only get Raleigh bikes to restore 🙂

[@charliecroker7005]

Very informative. Ta. The Bianchi weighs 24lbs. Why so heavy? An ordinary 531DB frame, with average race components, usually ends up around 22lb.

[@Leviajohnson]

Wait, that hub is called Sterling Archer? LANAAAAA

[@RammYou2]

my best friend had a Raleigh. i had a schwinn. was hoping the Schwinn Conti would be here.

[@jmad627]

Me too. I have a powder blue '74.

[@TheProtocol48]

I love my 1984 Matsushita Electric Co. (Panasonic with Schwinn badge) Super Sport with Tange tubeset.

[@kevinangus4848]

I would love the Ralegh RRA. But in my size, with better hoods, and cork tape. I know someone who collects special cranksets and chainwheels: this would kill them, but they'd die happy.

[@christopherlucy1772]

I love the Raleigh rre (I have a reynolds 531 frame bike except for the fork)and the tapon.. I would think owning a wooden bike would be cool if it would last... I had a bke w sewups once what a pain they are lighter though. Columbus two bike was just too stiff for me I was not strong enough to ride one with high gearing where I lived..... Riding a single speed or a fixie in hilly country has to be heroic.⚠️

[@michaelrollo6518]

it must be great to rip your pants or shorts I have a schwinn le tour 15 speed I bought in 1971 I think it's a great bike hope you guys across the pond have as much fun as I have in the u.s

[@michaeldesilvio221]

The 1974 Schwinn varsity.

[@ministryoftruth8588]

All classic beuts that need to be walked up the long mountain climbs of the actual L'Eroica ride. I didn't see one bike here with lower than 37 gear inches.

[@pell6825]

The classics are adorable! They are way better than the unrecyclable carbon fiber ones.

[@Stuntman175]

The Ernie Clement bike is a step through, not a mixte. Mixte frames have the top tube connected with thinner tubes to the chainstays, which that one does not.

[@German-Illegal-Racer-Kamikaze]

This looks nice i want to make a motorized from IT and Hit a Number of Speed thats insane

[@gengen5607]

I love vintage road bikes. the problem is,, its hard to find a size 27 tyres on the market nowdays

[@samtatge8299]

Try Bike Tires Direct. They may have the beautiful Kenda K36. I use these for a lot of my classics.

[@gengen5607]

@@samtatge8299 its not available on our country. And if i tried to order it overseas, it so expensive

[@philosophiker3025]

Selling my complete collection - like autographed posters from Francesco Moser, autographed Magazins from Louison Bobet original Cycling Shirts - World Champion and Olympic champion - and a lot more a lot of real rare cycles .... selling all of my love - for race history - no fakes - no shit

[@Felix74566]

I’d rather buy a retro bike than modern ones whose production was moved to China and only names remained from the brands. I have nothing against China, but I'm sick of the hypocrisy

[@geraldarcuri9307]

If you knew much about China, you'd have a lot against it.

[@41laureen]

This bike was really easy to assemble kzbin.infoUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA and required very few adjustments out of the box. The wheels did not require any truing/adjustments. The frame had some small scratches, but nothing major.I did replace the seat though - the seat it came with was very uncomfortable. The tires need to be re-inflated every 4-5 days, but this appears to be quite common for the narrow 700x25 tires.Overall, in my opinion, this bike looks and rides like a much more expensive bike.

[@AmiJurgl]

What. . no Schwinn Varsity?

[@MilesCobbett]

First bike weighs 24 lbs? Why so heavy? My 531 Kessels TDF frame #32 only weighed 20.5 lbs

[@randylada958]

HELP!!!!! I’m a 80s baby and I can’t remember my favorite bike. It was a 2 or 3 gear, It was grey in color spokes and I vividly remember the shifter is red.

[@deborahbarrett2134]

will it feet man 6'1''?

[@CafeenMan]

Bianci Rally.

[@anderspedersen7488]

Why would a short wheelbase make a bicycle a good climber?

[@andrewprettyquick2070]

Woodworm spray.... Racquet clip....

[@randalbladel2817]

I don’t think as many of today’s modern carbon fiber bikes will survive as long as these have. I still ride 59 year old steel without any problems.

[@buzzman4860]

Noice!

[@getoutsidenow420]

Guy shouldn't have ridden with that saddle, you can just see it will put all the pressure on your butt hole, i question the guys cycling experience making that mistake, i had to replacs one shaped like that with a wtb devo and a Thomson seat post, thomson makes a nice titanium gravel bike and hardtail sold as a kit, wiah i had money to throw around because they look striking

[@RidinOnABigCog]

nothing like some bike snobbery to project a feeling of inadequacy onto lesser ££££ bike riders...

[@12dougreed]

I have a vintage bike, but I hate cycling.

[@jonathanzappala]

“Record ace” sounds like the name of a Chinese knock off group set

[@jamesfiegel9675]

Kool event but in the over consuming throw away idiot society of the USA will never have this event. However I have restored the older bikes and have sold them to a few bright ones in the Chicago area :)

[@jasperedwards2713]

flying gate no thanks

[@jasperedwards2713]

raleigh is a no no never and i dislike french bikes too dawes is good