Recommend me some good cycling books

[montage]

I've read The Hour and Tour de Force....what are some other great books?

(Not really interested in anything which is based around doping witch hunting)

 

[longers]

The Rider by Tim Krabbe.

 

[dellzeqq]

'Put Me Back On My Bike', by one of the Fotheringhams. It's the sad tale of Tommy Simpson, which somehow manages to uncover a bit of the mania that lies within all cyclists (or all the cyclists I know...). If you've ever gone up a hill and really not cared whether you pass out or not, or just craved that little extra, then this really is the book for you.

 

[Noodley]

(Not really interested in anything which is based around doping witch hunting)

How you gonna read with a blindfold over your eyes?

 

[PaulB]

Best one I've read is "A Significant Other" by Matt Rendell. It's subtitled "Riding the Centenary Tour de France with Lance Armstrong" but don't let that put you off. It's primarily about Columbian rider Victor Hugo Pena who was in the US Postal team and all those riders who go seasons, even whole careers winless in a dangerous and harsh environment for little money but still carry on for the love of the sport.

 

[punkypossum]

French Revolutions by Tim Moore. Very funny.

+ 1!!!!

 

[WindyRob]

+ 1!!!!

+ another 1!!!!

Also the Escape Artist by Matt Seaton

Windy

 

[Joe24]

Bonj Book of Cycling

Great book, has my autograph in aswell!
It gets passed around on here(who has it at the moment?)

 

[Bromptonaut]

Richard's Bicycle Book - original seventies version.

 

[dan_bo]

escape artist by......erm......Seaton. That's it.

another vote for the rider.

 

[Noodley]

Bonj Book of Cycling

Great book, has my autograph in aswell!
It gets passed around on here(who has it at the moment?)

Exactly! Where is it? Not seen it in circulation for ages.

 

[jack the lad]

Flying Scotsman by Graeme Obree. Also a great film. It is an unghosted autobiography. As a result not the best written book ever, but better for it as it is sometimes quite raw. An amazing true story.

Also try The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien.

 

[Globalti]

escape artist by......erm......Seaton. That's it.

another vote for the rider.

The Escape Artist by Matt Seaton. The story of his growing obsession with road riding, it contains the best explanation I've read for leg shaving as well as some of the "lore" of road riding. The book has a tragic twist at the end; it might be best read in conjunction with the book his wife wrote.

 

[John the Monkey]

"In Search of Robert Millar"

Great book about an interesting character.

 

[NickM]

Cycling to Xian, by Michael Buckley. Quite possibly the best book about cycle touring ever written. Out of print, I believe, but readily obtainable via Amazon or abebooks.

Journey to the Centre of the Earth, by Nick and Richard Crane, would make a good follow-up. Eccentric, but fun and exciting in a "Boy's Own" sort of way.