"Comedian Mastermind" is the way the unintentionally brilliant Dr. Michael Lammler once sarcastically described Elden "Fatty" Nelson. Now it's the name of the first "Best of FatCyclist.com" volume.

So take "that," Dr. Lammler.

Taken from the first two-ish years of the FatCyclist.com blog, but peppered with new insights, introductions, and an absurd number of footnotes describing what Fatty was thinking as he wrote, this book contains valuable information every cyclist absolutely "must" know. Marvel at Fatty's penetrating analysis of cycling company ads, his completely scientific method for rating the value of each cyclist you pass during recreational rides, his keen insight regarding how to pee while riding your bike, a whole bunch of epic ride stories, and quite a few pretty decent swipes at Lance Armstrong and the Tour de France. And more. Much more. No, "even more than that."

"Comedian Mastermind" is like the FatCyclist blog, but with Fatty standing behind you, reading over your shoulder, and telling you what he was thinking while he wrote and why he wrote it, all while eating a sizable sandwich. And it's only the good parts - none of the stuff where Fatty just phoned it in.

It makes "excellent" bathroom reading material.

The eyes and voice of a Chiweenie (part-dachshund and part-chihuahua) tells of a mountain bike adventure around Mt. Hood. Over 130 miles with 17,000 feet of uphill, 2 people and one dog tackle the grueling 4 day challenge during the day while recovering in huts at night. A rhyming poem that is fun for all ages with pictures that will make even the non-cyclist want to take on the adventure.

This manual provides step-by-step instructions for the construction of a classic style lugged bicycle fork.

The landmark work in its field, this book chronicles the use of bicycles in warfare from the Boer War to Afganistan today. Heavily illustrated, it looks at the machine's adaptation and use by the Vietnamese, the Japanese, in the invasion of Malaya and Singapore, and by both the Allied and German forces in World Wars I and II.

The Giro d'Italia is one of the world's most important and popular bicycle races, yet there is almost no information in English about this magical Italian race's rich past. With "The Story of the Giro d'Italia," the fabulous history of Italy's national tour is at last available. Volume One takes the story of the Giro from its origin as a desperate promotional gamble by a nearly broke newspaper to Eddy Merckx's convincing 1970 victory.

From short, easy one-night escapes suitable for the whole family, to hard-core mountain adventures that will test even the most experienced, competitive racers, the 34 trails of southern Africa's best multi-day trails and wilderness journeys featured in this book cover the full spectrum of mountain bike tours on offer in South Africa and neighbouring countries. A guide and support vehicle accompanies most of the tours, meaning that someone else takes care of the logistics and you are left free to enjoy the best that mountain biking offers. Whether you want to ride with big game, along empty beaches, through verdant forest or across barren deserts you'll find a trail to suit, and there are also some specialist trails that are aimed at birders, gourmands and culture-vultures. As the waiting lists for the stage races grow (and with them the entry fees) touring offers an alternative way to get your dirt fix – an active holiday with a group of friends or family. After riding the inaugural Tour de Wilderness mountain bike tour, photojournalist Fiona McIntosh tried her hand at stage racing, completing the ABSA Cape Epic in 2007. She's now a social rider who looks forward to a soft bed, good meal and some fine wine after a hard day in the saddle.

Why ride an electric bike? Once you know the advantages you'll ask why not: effortless pedalling up hills; no-sweat commuting - literally; greater acceleration and so greater safety; and, ever-increasing battery range, with some models achieving 70km plus. "Electric Bicycles" covers all aspects of this rapidly growing form of transport and leisure riding, with chapters on history and development, classic models, choosing and using and much, much more. Little known until recently, electric bikes are advancing rapidly, both in terms of popularity and technology.

This book presents a systematic approach to improving road cycling skills and efficiency. The author presents the "Four-P's" to orient, organize, reinforce, and remind the rider of the principles presented: - Position - Pedal - Precision - Practice An overview of proper positioning and bike fit is presented in the Position chapter, followed by recommendations and drills for developing and maintaining a smooth pedal stroke in the Pedal chapter. Discussion and techniques to reduce rider negative inputs to the bicycle are discussed in the Precision chapter. Finally, the author presents numerous drills in the Practice chapter to develop and refine the road bike handling skills discussed. The book is targeted at the intermediate cyclist interested in developing and improving road bike handling skills. The material will also be beneficial to the beginner cyclist, and includes advanced techniques and tips for the fast recreational rider or racer. The updated second edition has been expanded with over 40 figures, 7 tables, skill drills, and additional references.

The remarkable true story of one man's quest to break the record for cycling around the world
On the 15th of February 2008, Mark Beaumont had pedaled through the Arc de Triomphe in Paris--194 days and 17 hours after setting off in an attempt to circumnavigate the world. His journey had taken him, alone and unsupported, through 18,297 miles, 4 continents, and numerous countries. From broken wheels and unforeseen obstacles in Europe, to stifling Middle Eastern deserts and deadly Australian spiders, to the highways and backroads of America, he'd seen the best and worst that the world had to offer.
He had also smashed the Guinness World Record by an astonishing 81 days. This is the story of how he did it.
Told with honesty, humor, and wisdom, "The Man Who Cycled the World" is at once an unforgettable adventure, an insightful travel narrative, and an impassioned paean to the joys of the open road.

Les Woodland climbed aboard his old Carlton bike to take a nostalgia trip across Belgium and Holland to visit some of cycling's greatest riders. "Cycling Heroes: The Golden Years" tells the story of that journey he took in the early 1990s and the time he spent with some of the finest riders from the 1950s, '60s and '70s. Rik van Steenbergen, Rik van Looy, Jan Janssen, Wim van Est, Hennie Kuiper and Peter Post were some of the most colorful and dominating riders of an era that produced many of the sport's greatest-ever champions. In this book Woodland has collected their and other riders' precious and fascinating recollections, some going back to a time of leather saddles, cloth caps and spare tires wrapped over riders' shoulders; when screaming fans packed smoke-filled velodromes to see their heroes up close; when a stage of the Tour de France could take more than eleven hours. Woodland has filled in his portrait of racing's golden years with the stories of those riders who were either too far away or time got there first, including Fausto Coppi, Louison Bobet, Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor.Join Les Woodland on a captivating journey back to the golden age of racing.

For all those who want to move up a gear, this practical guide to cycling techniques and training exercises will help you get better and get fitter. Written by an experienced cyclist and cycling coach, as well as a personal trainer and sports nutrition expert, the book gives full information on how to improve such vital techniques as pedalling, cornering, hill climbing and riding in wet weather as well as providing expert race advice on paceline training, chasing a pack and post-race recovery. Both mental and physical fitness are covered and an important section on nutrition will guide you to the correct foods to fuel your body. The chapter on cross-training and general fitness gives a list of exercises for each muscle group accompanied by clear anatomical drawings. Finally training programmes aimed at a range of fitness levels and abilities allow the reader to put the advice gained to good use, improving stamina and strength whilst also fine-tuning technique. This title is suitable for: amateur cyclists wanting to learn more about the sport and build up a training programme; long-term cycling enthusiasts seeking to improve their technique and perhaps move into competitive cycling; and, anyone interested in taking up a new sport or starting a fitness regime, with a focus on having fun and developing a skill as well as improving stamina.

Professional cycling has been around for more than 100 years, more than enough time for nearly anything imaginable to have happened. Whether it's the Tour de France racer who thought the worst thing that could happen to him was being forced to wear the Yellow Jersey, or the communist team director who insisted, on a whim, that a rider have a toe amputated or the fit of jealousy that started the Giro d'Italia, the sport has an endless supply of examples of human folly. Les Woodland has the perfect knack for telling these improbable, silly, crazy and absurd stories.

Lance Armstrong's War is the extraordinary story of greatness pushed to its limits; a vivid behind-the-scenes portrait of perhaps the most accomplished athlete of our time as he competes in the toughest sporting event on the planet. The incomparable will to win that famously lifted Armstrong beyond his humble Texas roots, beyond cancer, and to unparalleled heights of success is revealed by acclaimed journalist Daniel Coyle in new and startling dimensions. It is the true story of a superlative sports figure fighting on all fronts -- made newly vulnerable by age, fate, fame, doping allegations, a painful divorce, and an unprecedented army of challengers -- while mastering the exceedingly difficult trick of being Lance Armstrong, a combination of world-class athlete, celebrity, regular guy, and, for many Americans, secular saint.

A fascinating journey through the little-known landscape of professional cycling, Lance Armstrong's War provides a hugely insightful look into the often inspiring, always surprising core of a remarkable athlete and the world that shapes him.

This early guide is both expensive and hard to find in its first edition. A detailed look at the early days of cycling, it will prove of great interest to the present day cyclist and historian of the sport. Illustrated with black and white drawings. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

This Real World User Guide tells of my (painful) experiences and ebiking realisations whilst riding some 2500kms (1500 miles) on Swiss urban and mountain trails. Hopefully my mistakes, learned the hard way, will help you (or a loved one ) make the right decisions when buying, building or riding an expensive (and fast) ebike. *New Chapter update:23/09/2010 Essential reading for all ebike users and potential ebike users The guide also pulls together a variety of BIONX information and help that the author has learnt from 3 years of surfing the online E-bike forum world And: The Big Brother Section - Tips on Staying Alive, including the telling of my 5 very close calls to meet the Great Kahuna in the sky

After a charity run in the Peak District, Matt, Vin and Mal decide to raise the stakes by running from St Bees Head on the Cumbrian coast to Robin Hood's Bay in North Yorkshire. On a sunny May morning in 2006, they set off on a seven-day, 180-mile west-to-east coast challenge to take in the Lakeland fells, the limestone dales, the wild North York Moors and all points in between. With Mal in competition on his mountain-bike and the other two on foot, supported by Andy and Justin in a chase-car, they find themselves, despite 18 months of rigorous planning, facing a variety of unforeseen situations involving the weather, the terrain and the local wildlife. However, as Matt realises in this lively and detailed mile-by-mile account, their biggest challenge comes from themselves. Pushing their levels of endurance to the limit, they undertake the equivalent of seven consecutive mountainous marathons with all the attendant pain and despair and the ultimate goal of reaching the North Sea - on time, on course and still on their feet.

Chris Hoy and Britain's Track Cycling Revolution As the first Briton for 100 years to win three gold medals in one Olympic Games, Scottish track cyclist Chris Hoy has rewritten the record books. Critically acclaimed writer Richard Moore shadows Hoy throughout the current season - fully updated with events in Beijing - to provide an unprecedented insight into the secret world of track cycling. Heroes, Villains and Velodromes reveals how an elite athlete, Chris Hoy, lives, breathes and pushes the boundaries of his sport. How does he do it? And why? What drives him to put his body through the physical and mental hurdles to become the best in the world? And what is it like to be Olympic champion, astonishingly in three different cycling disciplines? This is also the story of an extraordinary year in the life of an extraordinary sportsman and his team, one which started with his best-ever world championships in Mallorca - where, for the first time in his career, Hoy became a double world champion - continued with his attempt on the world kilometre record in La Paz, Bolivia and two gold medals at the 2008 world championships in Manchester, before a glorious climax with seven golds for Hoy and the British track cycling team at the Beijing Olympics. By shadowing Hoy through a season, author Richard Moore has gained an unembellished insight into the mind of a World and Olympic champion. He has also attained unprecedented levels of access to the key members of the all-conquering British team and support staff, including top coaches, world-renowned psychiatrists, doctors (where the subject of drug abuse is an ever-present shadow) and the pivotal characters behind the scenes. Combining his forensic knowledge of the cycling world with his acclaimed skills as a tenacious investigative journalist, Moore captures the mood of the British team and explores an area of professional sport that has rarely been seen before.

High quality, full-colour photo sequences combined with race stories makes this a must-have book for mountain bikers. "Mastering Mountain Bike Skills" is your guide for riding better, faster and more confidently on all terrain. World champion racer Brian Lopes and renowned coach Lee McCormack provide you with key techniques and skills you'll need to take your ride to the next level. This new and improved edition provides detailed, technical instruction for every mountain biking discipline including, trail, gravity, aggro, racing and more. The high-quality photo sequences and demonstrations combined with race stories from Brian Lopes will give you the tools you need, whether you're a recreational rider looking to rock the trails with friends or a rider looking to beat the competition. Let "Mastering Mountain Bike Skills" help you ride with more confidence and have more fun.

This book is for anyone who wonders about pedaling a bicycle across the United States. A cyclist does not need to be fast to enjoy the scenery and distance that can be covered on two quiet wheels. Journey with this book for: Anecdotes of courage and inspiration from three cross-country cycling journeys. Narratives of the cyclist's delight with and harmonious integration into nature, while their lives undergo physical, mental, and spiritual renewal. Encouragement and tips for a bicycle vacation adventure. Stories of joys and adversities while cycling coast to coast on the southern, northern, and central crossing routes. Observations of the treasures of the United States and the American dream broaden minds and ignite spirits. Insights on the advantages of traveling with a tour organization. Motivations from those adventurers who have done it and the demands they surmounted. Color images of the black and white pictures within this book can be viewed online at is www.BikeSeaToSea.

First published in 1979, Bike Touring introduced tens of thousands of riders to the joys of bicycle travel, and quickly became the goto reference for an entire generation of bike-touring enthusiasts. But much has changed in the last three decades--and this fully revamped edition provides authoritative information on both the latest equipment and the ever-expanding universe of touring options for a whole new generation of riders. Readers learn how to train, equip, plan, and pack for tours of any length and difficulty, from overnight trips near home to multiweek journeys abroad. Author Raymond Bridge surveys the wide range of touring options, which now include extensive commercial offerings and roof-to-roof (or "credit card") tours, as well as independent, self-contained travel. Chapters covering bike styles--road, mountain, and world-touring models--along with bike frames and fit, drive trains, wheels, brakes, saddles and handlebars, and accessories, offer up-to-date guidance on the myriad equipment choices from the booming bike industry. And chapters on camping, transporting bikes, and roadside repairs are full of expert advice to help both novice and experienced bike travelers get maximum pleasure from any journey while saving money and staying safe.

The eyes and voice of a Chiweenie (part-dachshund and part-chihuahua) tells of a road bike adventure from San Francisco to our hometown of Cambria. Over 200 miles with stunning ocean views along the way including the famous stretch of road through Big Sur. A rhyming poem that is fun for all ages with pictures that will make even the non-cyclist want to take on the adventure.

BICYCLING THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE A Slice of Heaven, Taste of Hell "This story runs deeper than an amazing ride down the Continental Divide of the United States. The riders take their courage and faith to new heights as they compare their struggles up 12,000 foot passes to their bedridden friend struggling with cancer for his life. Along the way, you meet John Brown while learning about his bravery. You laugh at their exploits on other world tours with stories told around a campfire. This bicycle adventure offers the best for cyclists and armchair travelers." Charles Blackmer "Ever ride a bicycle along a cliff face? Have you sweated your way up a Rocky Mountain pass? Have you rubbed shoulders with Lewis and Clark on their Corps of Discovery 1803 expedition? Did you ever meet the famous mountain man Jim Bridger? Have you set eyes on the Grand Tetons? Watched Old Faithful explode into the sky? How about water falling up? Can you imagine a natural rock bridge 103 yards long? On this ride, you'll see all these historical figures, natural wonders and much more. This is a funny, compelling ride along the Spine of the Rockies." Paul Warneke "This bicycle dream ride carries a bit of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. The author mixes hope with adventure, pain with courage and bicycling with mountains. John Brown, a friend left behind to battle cancer, provides guts and heart for his two friends who ride into the teeth of nature's fury. Along the way, you'll laugh, cry and gain new appreciations while pondering about the meaning of life. It's a great read!" Jeff Rockford