When windmill-dodgers David Bristow and Steve Thomas followed their dream to blaze (and map) a mountain bike trail across South Africa, they hoped to be spared howling headwinds, freezing rain and slushy terrain. They weren't, yet were not deterred from having a mud-splattering good time. The result, the Spine of the Dragon trail, is the country's ultimate mountain bike tour, covering a distance of 4000km from Beit Bridge to Cape Town. Aimed at the average off-road rider, the 58-day trail through South Africa and Lesotho is broken into nine sections, each with several stages. The entire course can be done in one go, or as a series of shorter rides – ideal for those with boundless enthusiasm but limited time. The authors offer valuable advice on preparing for the trail that includes suggested clothing, gear, bike maintenance, food and safety. Each day’s route is described in detail and includes: Customised, annotated map with GPS points; total daily distance; difficulty grading: from short and easy to long and hard; entertaining insight into the people and places along the way; engaging photographs; accommodation suggestions and contact details.

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.

The revised edition of the classic cycling guide by Harold Briercliffe of 1949. Used as the inspiration for the Britain by Bike television series and a vital part of the award-winning Britain by Bike book by Jane Eastoe, the original book is reproduced along with suggested cycling routes in the Central England region for today's cyclists.Harold Briercliffe was the Alfred Wainwright of cycling and his books provide great insight into cycling in various parts of the UK in the 1940s. Harold's fascinating description of the towns, villages and roads of Britain at the time is a joy for all those who love these isles and especially for cyclists looking for inspiration. Many roads have changed over the decades and are now too busy for enjoyable cycling, so Mark Jarman, along with Sustrans, have made suggestions for alternative routes in the region for today's cyclists. The book includes the original photographs taken by Harold Briercliffe and the original illustrations.The Cycling Touring Guide: Central England covers cycle routes in the Peak District, Cheshire and north Shropshire, East of the Pennines, the Midlands, the Malverns, the Wye Valley, the Forest of Dean and various routes north of London. The cycle routes vary in length from half day and day-long trips to weekend and week-long tours.

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 took 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. Volume Two describes the growth of the Giro into a modern, vital international race that is followed by cycling fans all over the world. Along the way, the stories and races that have excited the public over the last forty years are told, including the Francesco Moser/Giuseppe Saronni rivalry, the tragic tale of Marco Pantani and the Alberto Contador affair that left the Spaniard stripped of his 2011 Giro championship.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

More and more people are getting on their bikes and discovering what city cycling's all about. It may be cycling to work, it may be cycling to get your groceries and other stuff, or it may be cycling for fun - going out to meet friends and socialize. You don't need to be a hardened, experienced cyclist to use your bike in the city. But you might feel like you could use a little help and guidance, and that's what this book is all about. First up is a point-by-point look at the pros and cons of cycling in the city (with the emphasis very much on the positive, as you'd expect, but not ignoring the less appealing stuff). Next comes a comprehensive guide to what you'll need and where to get it - types of bike, their components and the extras they may have, accessories, clothing and more - along with sound advice on what you really need and what you can get along just fine without. The next section provides you with all the help you'll need to get the most out of your bike and the whole city cycling experience. After that, there's a few thoughts on where your pedals might take you once you've got past the first few turns; things you might like to do to get even more out of cycling. Last but not least, there's a glossary of the terms used, which you can use as a reference when you're reading the book - and which will help you know what they're talking about at the cycle store The author is a true veteran of city cycling, with over twenty years experience of riding bikes in various large, busy cities. The Urban Cycling Handbook gives you the benefit of all this experience, printed in full color and written in an easy-to-read style.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

WINNER OF THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD On a fateful night in 2009, Tyler Hamilton and Daniel Coyle met for dinner in Boulder, Colorado. Over the next eighteen months, Hamilton would tell Coyle his story, and his sport's story, in explosive detail, never sparing himself in the process. In a way, he became as obsessed with telling the truth as he had been with winning the Tour de France just a few years before. The truth would set Tyler free, but would also be the most damning indictment yet of teammates like Lance Armstrong. The result of this determination is The Secret Race, a book that pulls back the curtain and takes us into the secret world of professional cycling like never before. A world populated by unbelievably driven - and some flawed - characters. A world where the competition used every means to get an edge, and the options were stark. A world where it often felt like there was no choice.

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.