Fifty Plus (50+) - Cycling books recommendations

I have recently finished reading "Major Taylor: The Extraordinary Career of a Champion Bicycle Racer"
by Andrew Ritchie--and highly recommend it. Absolutely a facinating story about the fastest man in the world on a bicycle at the turn of the last century. Plus being black, he had to deal with racism in this country. Incredible story.

Currently I'm reading "Around the World on a Bicycle, Volume I. From San Francisco to Teheran" by Thomas Stevens. In 1887 Stevens rode a highwheeler around the world and chronicled the adventure in two volumes. They are available for free at the Gutenberg Project website if anyone is interested.

So, my question is, what bicycling books would this group recommend next? Vintage, touring, travel, bios, good stories? Any recommendations? Thanks.

John in Oregon

For a novel......"The Rider" by Tim Krabbe. A bit dated (late 70's), but details the mental grit & trials of a European amateur racer in a bread & butter local race.

Check out www.breakawaybooks.com for a variety of titles. Comes to mind is "Metal Cowboy" by JOe Kurmaskie...the rambling excursions of a laid back road dawg type-- kinda fun. For short, sometimes evocative essays on riding "Need for the Bike" by Paul Fournel.

If you don't mind hokey but feet up in the back yard TdF quick-read fictional fun, Dave Shields two novels "The Race" and "The Tour".

Back in 1971 or so, when I first started racing bicycles, I had the pleasure of meeting Andrew Ritchie. I had just joined the Berkeley Wheelmen, and I somehow wound up on a training ride with Andrew, a very experienced English club cyclist. He had these strange metal devices attached to his front dropouts (held on by the quick release), and each device held a wheel. He explained that this was an invention of some (half-mad, obviously, but clever) English fellow for transporting your racing wheels to the start of the race. He mentioned that he was writing a book on Major Taylor. I had already read Taylor's autobiography (The Fastest Bicycle Rider in the World, highly recommended), but was still impressed when I subsequently read Andrew's biography of the black legend.

Anyway, I actually raced with Andrew in one of my first races, a 4-man team time trial. I was ignominiously dropped early in the race, such was the start of my racing career. But Andrew didn't seem to hold it against me. A really nice guy, wonder what he's doing now?

Recommended books: Hearts of Lions, by Peter Nye. about the golden age of US bike racing, prior to WWII.
The Yellow Jersey, by Ralph Hurne. The definitive novel of the Tour de France the way it used to be raced before the days of Indurain and Armstrong.
Anything by Samuel Abt.
Also, just about all the British pros have written autobiographies, and most are quite entertaining. The older the better, but they are hard to find. I like the ones written by Reg Harris, Hugh Porter, Barry Hoban, and Beryl Burton. The one I've never been able to locate is the classic, Cycling is My Life, by Tom Simpson.

Actually, there's a good chance that most of these are long out of print, so good luck finding them. And thanks for the tip about the Thomas Stevens book.

- L.

Read Taylor's Autobiography. It provide slightly different insight into his life. Sorry I forget the name of it.

Those sound like great recommendations.

For the gearheads, I suggest Berto's "The Dancing Chain," preferably the 2nd edition.

To enhance your personal safety, please also consider reading one or more of the Gospels of John:
John Franklin's "Cyclecraft," John Allen's "Street Smarts," and/or John Forester's "Effective Cycling."

I second GG's vote for "The Rider" as fiction.

"Bike for Life" if you haven't read it has a lot of good stuff (and some pedestrian stuff as well), particularly interviews.

Joe Friel's books are good if you want to understand Training (Cyclist's Bible and Biking After 50).

Bob Roll's "Bobbke II" has some good stories in it (a lot of diary type stuff, but once in a while he reveals himself as quite a good writer)

I recently read and really enjoyed "Lance Armstrong's War", by Daniel Coyle. It's a behind-the-scenes account of Armstrong's campaign to with his sixth consecutive TDF. Armstrong is a complex, multi-dimensional character, who tends to polarize people. Unlike many other things that have been written about him, which tend to paint him as either a hero or a demon, this book paints a balanced picture of a very complicated and interesting person. It's also a wonderful glimpse inside the pro peleton, with great insights about Floyd Landis, Tyler Hamilton, and a number of other pros. Highly recommended.

I have most of the books published about cycling and cyclists and I think that "The Rider" is one of the best.

"Yellow Jersey" was the top of the list before that though it is not very believable.

I really enjoyed reading a book written by a retired CIA analyst, a woman, who rode across the US on her own. I can't remember the name fo the book but perhaps someone else has it somewhere?

Also a couple rode across the USA with a group of kids I believe and then the wife was killed doing a short ride in her hometown.

Maybe after I retire I'll pack up and take off for months at a time.

Need for the Bike by Paul Fournal.

An avant garde literary gem of the Oulipo school of thought all about the pleasures of cycling as seen through his eyes.

Entertaining.

~jg

[QUOTE=cyclintom]
Also a couple rode across the USA with a group of kids I believe and then the wife was killed doing a short ride in her hometown.
QUOTE]

You may be mixing two different stories. There was a couple who rode and the wife was killed and another couple rode with jr. high school kids. The latter is "Hey Mom, Can I Ride My Bike Across America". It's a really good adventure story.

Check out the books list at Adventure Cycling Association.

I've always enjoyed "The Clear Creek Bike Book." Fun read!

Yeah, you're right.

The book I liked was "Miles From Nowhere: A Round-the-World Bicycle Adventure" by the late Barbara Savage. I understand that her husband Larry remarried to another cyclist. Hope his life turned out well.

The other book I was trying to remember was "Changing Gears: Bicycling America's Perimeter" by Jane Schnell

I've read the various other Round the World bicycle trips books and they become so boring that it takes forever to get through them.

If all you know of Bob Roll is his sorta goofy persona on OLN, you might be surprised (as I was) by the quality of the writing in his book about the Tour de France.

Love him or hate him, Lance Armstrong's "It's not About the Bike" is a daggone good read. His insights into dealing with cancer are a textbook case in what to do right when facing a serious problem or a life-threatening illness.

"The Art of Urban Cycling : Lessons from the Street" by Robert Hurst. Especially poignant and well written. Something everyone should read, even us kinda old guys that don't flatulate...(grin)

I recently read and really enjoyed "Lance Armstrong's War", by Daniel Coyle. It's a behind-the-scenes account of Armstrong's campaign to with his sixth consecutive TDF. Armstrong is a complex, multi-dimensional character, who tends to polarize people. Unlike many other things that have been written about him, which tend to paint him as either a hero or a demon, this book paints a balanced picture of a very complicated and interesting person. It's also a wonderful glimpse inside the pro peleton, with great insights about Floyd Landis, Tyler Hamilton, and a number of other pros. Highly recommended.

+1. This was an excellent read. I liked Lance's two books as well (but less than "Lance Armstrong's War"): "It's Not About The Bike" and "Every Second Counts" - surprisingly well written. I just don't get why this guy can't stick it out with a woman...

+1. This was an excellent read. I liked Lance's two books as well (but less than "Lance Armstrong's War"): "It's Not About The Bike" and "Every Second Counts" - surprisingly well written. I just don't get why this guy can't stick it out with a woman...

Sometimes I'm amazed that any of us CAN stick it out with a woman. I'm still on wife #1, by the way.

Bicycles In War by Martin Caidin is always interesting if a different perspective. After Saddam made his escape in part on a bicycle, it no doubt needs some updating.

I'm also enjoying Atomic Zombie's Bicycle Builder's Bonanza.

Sometimes I'm amazed that any of us CAN stick it out with a woman. .


I will now share my insight on women:







.

I will now share my insight on women:







.


There was a book published maybe twenty five years ago, with the title "What Men Know About Women" and it was a hardbound book, maybe half an inch thick, about 180 pages.

All blank.

True story!

And -- it was briefly a best seller, if my memory serves. "Written" by a woman who made a small fortune on her idea!

For a novel......"The Rider" by Tim Krabbe. A bit dated (late 70's), but details the mental grit & trials of a European amateur racer in a bread & butter local race.

+3 Great read!