Classic & Vintage - Cool Bicycling book find

My library had their yearly used book sale and I picked up "The Complete Book of Bicycling" by Eugene A. Sloane. Printed in 1970(Vintage?). It is really interesting to see the difference in what was the cats meow in 1970 and 36 years later! To boot the book was signed by the author.

My oldest bike is a 1984 Centurion Elite 12. Maybe this book will peak my interest in working with some real vintage bikes.

I've got a copy of Sloane's "The New Complete Book of Bicycling" - copyright 1974. Very interesting.
No autograph though.

That book was the only book on bicycling that could be found on a library shelf that covered light weight bikes when the bike boom hit. Every kid in America who knew how to use the Dewey Decimal system read that book and made their way to the city to buy the highly recommended Paris Sport bicycle. Of course, there was no Paris Sport bike but he may have come home with a Raleigh, Peugeot, Gitane, or, in my case, a Falcon.

As far as I'm concerned what was in that book is still the cat's meow. I have the 1974 edition with an orange Paramount P15 on the cover that I keep on a bookshelf in my own private man's bathroom in depths of the basement.

Every kid in America who knew how to use the Dewey Decimal system read that book and made their way to the city to buy the highly recommended Paris Sport bicycle. Of course, there was no Paris Sport bike but he may have come home with a Raleigh, Peugeot, Gitane, or, in my case, a Falcon.
Can you elaborate on the reference to Paris Sport? I’ve never seen this book but I did buy a Paris Sport bicycle in 1972 and still have it. Other than a very brief history of the company on the Classic Rendezvous site, information about these bicycles is pretty hard to find. I try to keep an eye out for new sources.

Regards,
Alan

Sheldon Brown has a good write up.
http://sheldonbrown.com/vrbn-o-z.html#parissport

Also, go to archives for bikelist.org and search for "Paris Sport" under the Classic Rendezvous list and you'll have more than half an hour of reading.

The first editin, was a 1970 Christmas gift, it go me started on all this. The book is flawed but was the best reference at the time.

That book and 2.5 years of saving bought me my first road bike, a Bertin C-37. Had all the right stuff, Campagnolo hubs, and gearing, 531 DB tubing, nervex lugs, TA cranks, Mafac brakes, 3ttt bars and stem, sew-ups!

I should add-

The only better book to come out was the "Cinelli" Book, actually the CONI book translated to english from the original Italian Cycling Federation. Availible in the USA in 1973. Directed towards aspiring racers it was THE book.

You guys piqued my interest, so I checked Amazon and one of their associated used book dealers had a copy of the 1974 hardback in VG condition for $20. It's in the mail to me. :D

I'm sure I saw that when I was at the local used book store. I'll have to run over there on my way home from work.

Sheldon Brown has a good write up.
http://sheldonbrown.com/vrbn-o-z.html#parissport

Also, go to archives for bikelist.org and search for "Paris Sport" under the Classic Rendezvous list and you'll have more than half an hour of reading.
Thanks for the tip. So far, I've just browsed the bikelist archive but there certainly seems to be a lot of information there.

Regards,
Alan

My favorite book on bicycle technology is Frank Berto et al., "The Dancing Chain," particularly the updated, edited, and expanded second edition, but then I'm admittedly a gear head.

I have three of Sloane's "The All New Complete Book of Bicycling", 2 soft cover one hard all with an 1980 copyright date. I have read through it and enjoyed it. I loved the pics of the old bike lights. The taillights were exactly like the orange construction barrel flashing lights.

I'm sure I saw that when I was at the local used book store. I'll have to run over there on my way home from work.

Dang. It was Sloan alright. And it was The Complete Book of Bicycling, too. Unfortunately it was the 1985 version of The Complete Book of All Terrain Bicycling!:(

Today the postman delivered the copy of The New Complete Book of Bicycling I ordered from Amazon on Wednesday! It was sent "media mail", which usually means it's routed through Timbuktu.

What a great book! It's over 500 pages crammed with photos, tables and drawings of virtually every subject related to bicycling and bicycles.

Thanks for mentioning it, Oilman!

I do believe I've got one of the New Complete ones around myself that I picked up from Half Price Books a while back... brb... going to check when mine was published.

Oh - and to the one who brought home a Falcon - jsharr recently posted pics of his recent Falcon find. We hope to take it out on its first real ride tomorrow.


edit... I was mistaken. I've got "Glenn's New Complete book of Bicycle Maintance" or something like that... I've had a weee bit of rum tonight unwinding after the week. Latest copywrite in it is '87.

I have on my shelf
"The Complete Book of Bicycling" by Eugene A. Sloane
"The New Complete Book of Bicycling" by Eugene A. Sloane
"The All New Complete Book of Bicycling" by Eugene A. Sloane
I believe there is also a fourth edition of this book but i am not sure what it is called.
I have for sale a "The New Complete Book of Bicycling" by Eugene A. Sloane without dustjacket in good condition although the hardcovers are warped a little.Price $15.00 shipped in the lower 48,or trade for anything I can use.

I should add-

The only better book to come out was the "Cinelli" Book, actually the CONI book translated to english from the original Italian Cycling Federation. Availible in the USA in 1973. Directed towards aspiring racers it was THE book.

Hi Repechage,
What is the title of the Cinelli book? Also author? Thanks.

my mom gave me her copy when I first got into bikes 6 years ago. It is now well worn I love the diagrams of 3 speed internal hubs very cool and useful.

I remember the early Sloan books had a chapter on pedaling and it had a discussion and diagram on "ankling", how you are supposed to rotate your ankles around the pedal stroke. His book is good but his "ankling" technique was just plain wrong, even for the 70's.

But yes, I poured over that book in the library.