Aldo asks some common questions and this will all end up Archived so here goes.
* Bike for L'EROICA.....You will see everything from single speed city bikes to early 20th Century bikes to bikes now limited to mid 1980s.I have seen hundreds of basic bike boom bikes, many with minimalist half step gearing. On the other hand look at the distance you plan to ride and decide what you can handle. I have always taken a bike of interest with a gear low enough to get me up the hills on an unpaved surface but remember that you will also have downhills on the same type of roads. High speed downhills on a short wheel based bike with 23mm tires might be more than your heart can handle. * Gearing, again I have seen lots of fixed and single speed bikes on the course but I am not sure how many of them rode past the 38k or 75k point. Most bikes I saw ran the standard 52/42 with half step close behind. I have always used a bike with a low enough gear so I could just cruise up the dirt and gravel roads, trying to stand up while riding on the loose stretches is real challenging. I have always recommended as wide a tire as your bike is comfortable with. I have used 32mm tires but saw lots of 25-28mm tires also. Remember there will be issues with very narrow tires and the road surfaces (or lack there of) * Shipping is now problematic as the airlines now look at people shipping bikes as a profit center. I would check very carefully to find a carrier who will carry your bike for a reasonable rate. Lufthansa which just counted it as 1 of your 2 free bags now could charge as much as $500-600 round trip. Airfrance did not look like it charged extra for your bike when I checked this past year.I only used a hard case my first year and it really got in the way as we drove around Italy. I have now been using a soft case with the bike well padded with foam insulation. This is now what I recommend. Another alternative might be to ship your bike over and have it waiting for you . If anyone else can tell about transporting bikes to Italy I am all ears. * What to do in Italy?You could spend your 3 weeks in TUSCANY/CHIANTI or divide it in any number of ways depending on your interests outside of Bicycles and Architecture
That will start it off and the collective masses can add to it. Flying is not what it used to be and using a multistop scheme to reduce airfare is now complicated by Security and landing fees which make multistop flights just as or even more expensive as direct flights
BOB FREITAS
just back from a nice ride
in MILL VALLEY, CA USA