top of page
The Classico
The Saint Francis Tulsa Tough is proud to announce The Classico, an Eroica-inspired Gran Fondo ride and celebration of classic bicycles.
SFTT is a uniquely American spectacle of not just bicycle racing, but bicycle culture. The Classico is our way of celebrating that culture's history by spotlighting the classic, predominately steel, bicycles that carried racers through the formative years of our sport. The Classico is about the art of the machine: the lug, the fillet braze, the pantograph. It is a meditation of the minutia; it is road cycling as ceremony: the delicate touch of the perfect gear change, the hypnotic hum of tires on tarmac, sweating on your own reflection in a polished quill stem. Above all, The Classico is about bringing together the people who love these bikes and keeping them on the road.
The Ride
The Classico will be held as part of the Saint Francis Tulsa Tough Gran Fondo series on Sunday, June 9th, 2024. Choose between the Medio and the Piccolo routes, and enjoy the ride from the front of the pack as you lead out Sunday's peloton. Those registered for The Classico will receive various perks, including a custom Saint Francis Tulsa Tough Classico jersey inspired by the Tulsa flag. Registration for The Classico will open on February 1, 2024 at 12:00 PM CDT.
Riders of The Classico will receive extra "Classico-only" perks, including:
— The Concourse: A finish-line bike valet and gallery. Hang up your bike after the ride and see other riders' vintage rigs
— The Photomaton: A classic-inspired photo booth with a backdrop for personalized images of you and your bike
— The Classico Jersey: A limited-edition, vintage-inspired jersey made for the 2024 Classico ride
— The Classico Museum: A separate photo-based webpage on the tulsatough.com website to showcase your vintage bike and its components; the full photo gallery will consist of rider-submitted images of vintage bike builds as well as a list of relevant components
Frequently Asked Questions
How classic is The Classico?
Most vintage-themed cycling events draw their ethos from the 1940s heroic era of Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi, but The Saint Francis Tulsa Tough Classico is a little different. We take inspiration from bikes and racing from the 1970s Merckx-era to 1994 when Miguel Induráin was the last person to win the Tour de France on a steel bike.
What do I ride?
The Classico is exclusively for bikes and components produced before 1995.
Which Post-1995 Components are Allowed?
Post-1995 components are acceptable when...
— They are wear items, such as chains, chainrings, freewheels, cables, housing, brake pads, and tires
— They are reissues of vintage components
— They were introduced before 1995 and remained in production with minimal revision after 1995
If you must ride a more modern saddle for anatomical reasons, feel free. Everything should, however, look the part.
What Pedal Systems are Allowed?
We think it would be really cool if you rode The Classico with toe-clips, but it's not a requirement.
What About Frame Materials, Shifting, etc.?
This category was designed for steel frames, downtube shifters, and rim brakes, but the component is welcome if it existed before 1995. Campagnolo and Shimano both had 8-speed integrated "brifters" at this time, so ride them if you'd like. We'd also love to see a carbon TVT, an aluminum Klein, an electronic Mavic Zap group, and all other rarities that call your bike home.
What do I Wear?
We ask that you wear your official Saint Francis Tulsa Tough Classico jersey, included with your Classico registration. At the start line on Sunday, June 11, we will gather Classico riders at the front of the peloton for a group photo and to lead out all of the Fondo riders. If you have a vintage kit or vintage-inspired kit, we won't hate it. But we really really really want you to wear your Classico jersey. (NO leather helmets!)
bottom of page