Explore the best of Britain by bike with this unique cycling guide. In this boxed collection of 60 pocket-size cards you'll find a happy mix of specially-devised cycling routes around Britain's beautiful towns and glorious countryside. The routes range from half a day to three days and are aimed at recreational as well as seasoned cyclists. * Inspirational bike rides - handy, pocket size cards that brim with photos and artwork that bring the tour to life * Box includes transparent sleeve - if it rains you can pop the card into the sleeve to protect it from the elements * Memorable expeditions - these ingeniously through-out routes make clever use of green lanes, cycle paths and bridleways * Routes for everyone - There are plenty of half day routes all the way up to 3 day routes and all the routes are linked with charming places to stay * All the planning is done for you - each card has a map, route instructions, points of interest and essential information including train connections Pocket a card, leave the box on your bookshelf and enjoy a glorious day out on your bike.

'I can't think of a finer chef to have written a book on nutrition and diet for athletes' Tom Kerridge

A must-have recipe book designed for cyclists of all levels, written by Alan Murchison - a Michelin-starred chef and champion athlete who now cooks for British Cycling's elite athletes. His easy-to-make and nutritionally balanced meals will help cyclists reach their cycling performance goals - this is flavoursome food to make you go faster.

The Cycling Chef features more than 65 mouth-watering recipes - including breakfasts, salads, main meals, desserts and snacks, as well as vegetarian and vegan dishes - each designed with busy cyclists in mind. They are all quick and easy to prepare, and are made from ingredients that are readily available in any local supermarket.

A good diet won't make a sub-standard cyclist into a world beater, but a poor diet can certainly make a world class or any ambitious cyclist sub-standard. However, an optimised diet, whatever your potential, will help you reach your own personal performance goals.

This guidebook describes a 240km cycle ride along the length of the Canal du Midi in southern France. Starting at Toulouse in the Haute Garonne and finishing at Sete on the Mediterranean Coast, the route is divided into five stages of about 50km. It is a flat, car-free and picturesque route mainly on the towpath, and is suitable for all abilities. The guide is written for those who want to explore the canal and visit attractions along the way. There are lots of optional detours to sites of interest near the canal, as well as six longer excursions including fortified Carcassone, Roman Narbonne, Vendres lagoon and the Portiragnes marshes. Detailed route descriptions are crammed with additional information about points of interest passed, and 1:200,000 scale maps clearly show the route for each stage of the way. Begun in 1666 the Canal du Midi is one of the world's most picturesque waterways and a World Heritage Site. This is 'La France Profonde', a region rich in history and culture, as seen in the grand homes and chateaux that grace the water's edge, and the fascinating Cathar strongholds of Carcassone, Lastours and Minerve.

Best Rail Trails Illinois is the complete guide to walking, jogging, biking, and cross-country skiing more than forty of the most popular rail trails in Illinois. Written by an author with expert knowledge of the Prairie State, this easy-to-use book provides mile-by-mile descriptions of the top rural and urban rail trails-from the Chicago area's Prairie Path, one of America's first rail trails, to trails in the St. Louis area and those set in the breathtaking beauty of the Shawnee National Forest, as well as numerous other urban, suburban, and rural rail trails statewide. Look inside to find: * Full trail profiles, including length, access points, difficulty rating, and surface type * Detailed trail maps * At-a-glance icons for easy identification of rail trails that best suit one's interests * Information on wheelchair accessibility, parking, restrooms, where to rent bikes, and places to eat along the trail * Location of ranger stations, visitor centers, and depot museums

A guide to everything any bicyclist needs to know to get started riding a bicycle for transportation. This is an introduction to the basics, including street smarts, bike shopping, how to dress both professionally and practically and how to carry everything from shopping to children to furniture and in every possible weather.

Fully updated and revised, BestRail Trails Pacific Northwest is the complete guide to walking, jogging, biking, and cross-country skiing more than sixty of the best rail trails in one of the most beautiful and geographically varied reaches of America. Written by a local author with expert knowledge of the region, this easy-to-use book provides mile-by-mile descriptions of the most popular rural and urban rail trails in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, plus complete listings of the region's other rail trails-from Washington's Burke Gilman Trail that passes above the old sand point naval base, to Idaho's Route of the Hiawatha Trail, renowned for its tunnels. Look inside to find: Full trail profiles, including length, access points, difficulty rating, and surface type Detailed trail maps Full-color photos GPS coordinates At-a-glance icons for easy identification of rail trails that best suit one's interests Information on wheelchair accessibility; availability of parking, restrooms, and places to eat along the trail; locations of ranger stations, visitor's centers, and depot museums; and where to rent bikes

Explore 60 of the best rail-trails and multiuse pathways across three states with this official guide. All across the country, unused railroad corridors have been converted to public multiuse trails. In this official guide, the experts from Rails-to-Trails Conservancy present the best of these rail-trails, as well as other multiuse pathways, in Northern New England. Tour Maine's Eastern Promenade Trail, showcasing Portland's Casco Bay and Portland Harbor. Enjoy picturesque countryside on the Northern Rail Trail-New Hampshire's longest rail-trail. Take a ride along Vermont's Island Rail Trail, which boasts a spectacular marble causeway crossing Lake Champlain. Whether you're on feet, wheels, or skis, you'll love the variety in this collection of multiuse trails-from beautiful waterways and scenic areas to the hustle and bustle of the states' urban centers! In this book, you'll find: Detailed maps for every rail-trail, plus driving directions to trailheads Icons indicating the activities each trail can accommodate Succinct descriptions written by rail-trail experts "You can now throw away all your self-help books on fighting depression, losing weight, toning muscles, finding something to do with your kids, and learning American history. Just use this guide, find a great trail-and enjoy!" -Peter Harnik, Director, Center for City Park Excellence, Trust for Public Land

Up until about a century ago, wood had always been the only available material for the construction of the first bicycles, and it was as recently as the 1950s that wood was the only material used for bike wheels in all competitive cycling realms. These days, in opposition to the great industrialisation of steel manufacturing, wood and bamboo are increasingly being used to create a niche space in design within the industries of transportation, sport, art, culture and indeed modern lives in general. With the significant advances in technological research and application, wood and bamboo are increasingly being promoted as materials suitable for the construction of bicycle frames and individual bicycle components. Showcasing more than 250 designers from around the world, including craftspeople (many of them renowned bicycle makers), manufacturers and associated organisations, this book dedicates hundreds of pages to beautiful bike designs, illuminating the latest modern trends in specialist bicycle craftmanship. Set out with detailed, distinctive design dialogues from each craftsperson or manufacturer, we learn how wood and bamboo are being enhanced and developed as extremely durable, aesthetically appealing materials, and which are considered sustainable, ecologically viable, user friendly and dynamic across each application. Beautifully illustrated, with historical references and texts by experts in the trade, and backed up with technical engineering knowledge,

American cycling has a long tradition of riding and racing on a shoestring and a prayer. Jamie Smith explores the domestic side of the world's biggest amateur sport in American Pro: The True Story of Bike Racing in America. American Pro rips away the thin veneer of professionalism among domestic racing teams to lay bare the heart and soul of a struggling sport. Smith traces the arc of one team's racing career to discover colorful personalities, scrappy racing action, humor and heartbreak. American Pro shows what the sport demands: the scramble for contracts, the dynamics of team chemistry, the unending travel, the Herculean struggle to realize the dream-all for the love of bike racing. With sharp humor and insight, Smith uncovers what's wrong-and what's right-with America's broken bike racing system. American Pro will transform how you think of domestic pro racing through a five-season expose of the sport we love.

Mountain biking pushes athletes to their limits, racing over rough terrain across the country. But as popular as mountain biking races are, there are few resources to help mountain bikers who want to compete. Training for Mountain Biking: A Practical Guide for the Busy Athlete provides elite-level instruction for the non-professional athlete, from beginning to experienced racers. Topics covered in this book include: Selecting and maintaining equipment Developing a training plan Strength and conditioning Developing a sound and safe nutrition plan Common injuries and injury prevention Preparing for competitions Most mountain bikers must be able to effectively balance strength and conditioning workouts, biking workouts, family, work, and recovery. This book is designed for just that purpose, helping athletes develop programs for their specific needs, whether training for health and wellness or winning the race.

Minneapolis and Saint Paul has an abundance of bike paths, roads, parks, and trails that provide a wonderful cycling experience for the entire family. Best Easy Bike Rides Minneapolis and Saint Paul includes concise descriptions and detailed maps for twenty-one easy-to-follow rides. Look inside for: One-hour rides to half-day adventures Rides for everyone, including families Mile-by-mile directions and clear trail maps Trail Finder for best rides for foliage, waterfalls, and great views GPS coordinates

Every cyclist dreams of making the Big Trip, the Grand Cycle Tour abroad. Whether that's a two-week trip or a year-long journey, the Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook is the comprehensive manual that will make that dream a reality.

Riding across Asia, cycling in Africa or pedaling from Patagonia to Alaska, whether you're planning your own Big Trip or just enjoy reading about other people's adventures, the Handbook is guaranteed to illuminate, entertain and above all, inspire.

This fully revised 3rd edition includes:

PART 1 – Practical information
- How to prepare for a long-distance trip
- What to look for in a new bike with reviews of some of the world's best touring- and trekking-bikes
- Adapting a standard bike for the Big Ride
- Choosing components, equipment for the road and reviews of camping gear
- Health precautions, inoculations, visas, money and safety

PART 2 – Worldwide route outlines
Across Europe, Asia, Australasia, North and South America and Africa; recommended routes within countries and overland. Everything from popular routes eg India's Leh-Manali Highway to lesser-known cycle-touring areas such as Mongolia.

PART 3 – Tales from the Saddle
Ten first-hand accounts of spoke-bending biking adventures worldwide

The 800-mile California Missions Trail leads walkers and cyclists through some of the most scenic and historic sites of one of America's most beautiful states. The 21 missions, founded 200-250 years ago, are key to understanding California's history and form the spiritual and cultural landmarks of this epic journey that stretches from the North San Francisco Bay Area to San Diego, near the US/Mexico border. The route never strays more than 30 miles from the sunny Pacific Coast, touching famous California beaches at Santa Cruz, Carmel, Santa Barbara, San Clemente and Carlsbad, not to mention metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. California's diverse wine regions play a starring role, as does the vast Salinas Valley, the 'Salad Bowl of America'. This guide offers everything you'll need to make your trip of 50-60 walking days or 12-20 cycling days on this epic West Coast adventure. There is a wealth of information to help you prepare for the journey, including packing lists and transport notes. In addition to clear route description, each stage of the route includes scale maps for easy orientation and comprehensive details of facilities available on or near the route. The trail is presented in sections, so it can either be undertaken in its entirety or split as desired, and an accompanying appendix displays distance intervals between towns and cities offering accommodation, in case you should wish to choose your own itinerary. The route can be walked or cycled; for cyclists, around 95% of the trail can be completed on a road bike. From Mission Sonoma to Mission San Diego, you'll follow the journey of 18th-century Spanish missionaries as they created 21 missions to convert the native inhabitants to Christianity. Included is a sensitive recount of the history of the missions, highlighting the story and monuments of the Native Americans who formed the foundation of the landscape, rather than the Spanish and Franciscan priests. From the sunlit sea to swathes of vineyards, to the bustling metropolis of San Francisco, and with historic, spiritual and scenic interest aplenty, the California Missions Trail offers an unforgettable journey through America's Golden State.

This guidebook provides 14 stages of route description to cycling along the Moselle river, a route that offers stunning scenery, plentiful accommodation and places to eat and drink, and straightforward cycling throughout. A well-waymarked, generally downhill 512km route, it is mostly off-road and on well-surfaced cycle tracks (mainly asphalt) with virtually no gradients, and the majority is along the riverbank or on canal towpaths. From its source in the Vosges Mountains of eastern France, the Moselle flows through the French region of Lorraine and crosses into Luxembourg then into the German Rheinland region before it reaches its confluence with the Rhine at the west German city of Koblenz. Suitable for both veteran long-distance cyclists and for newcomers to cycle touring who wish to start with an easy-to-follow journey, the route can be completed in a week by fit cyclists, cycling two stages per day. Two weeks allow for alternative stages and optional excursions through the Saar and Rhine gorges and to visit the Boucles de Moselle and the city of Luxembourg, and give enough time for sightseeing and a leisurely riding pace.

Tour This Dream Road on Bicycle, Between North Carolina and Virginia. Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway are arguably the most quintessential scenic roads east of the Mississippi. Bicycling the Blue Ridge is the definitive guide to this ribbon of highway. It's just what you need to plan the perfect trip, whether you are out for the day, a weekend, or a month. You'll find detailed, mile-by-mile descriptions that provide information on lodging, restaurants, stores, and bike shops. Professionally designed maps and elevation profiles are also included, so you always know where you are, where you're going, and what to expect along the way. The 575-mile strip of continuous road flows between Front Royal, Virginia, and Cherokee, North Carolina. It traverses Shenandoah National Park and connects to Great Smoky Mountains National Park along the eastern rampart of the Appalachian Mountains. In Bicycling the Blue Ridge, authors Elizabeth Skinner and Charlie Skinner cover the entire route. Whether your interest is recreational touring or racing, this is an indispensable tool for bicycling this incredible highway.

Thanks to the detailed digital cartography and the precise scales, freytag & berndt hiking maps are ideal companions for hiking and cycling. They are revised regularly and contain updated information on hiking trails, cycling and mountain biking trails, huts, vantage points, sights and leisure facilities. - 90 x 60 cm - double-sided

The story of the Giro d'Italia - Italy's equivalent of the Tour de France, and its superior in the eyes of many - is as dramatic and full of extraordinary characters as the story of Italy itself. Heroism, suffering, feuds and betrayals, tradition under threat from modernity all play out against a timeless landscape. The iconic riders, mythical stories and career defining exploits are conveyed in rich, vibrant prose.

Fully updated to include Sir Chris Hoy's incredible, record-breaking golds at London 2012 (making him his country's greatest ever Olympian), this is the story of a sporting legend in his own words. This 33-year-old cycling fanatic from Murrayfield in the suburbs of Edinburgh defied the doubters who thought he would struggle when his specialist discipline, the 1km time trial, was dropped from the Olympics, and went on to reinvent himself as a track cycling sprinter and triple Olympic gold medallist in Beijing. His return to these shores sparked unprecedented celebrations and real admiration that here was a role model who was the epitome of all things that are good in sport. What makes a champion in sport? In his autobiography, Hoy returns to his roots as a child fully engaged with the BMX craze of the Eighties; when, even as a seven year old his will to succeed allied to an unyielding mental strength set him apart from other youngsters of his age. A promising rower and rugby player in school, it was when he joined his first local cycling club and spent most weekends of the year competing in national events from Blackpool to Bristol that the seeds of his future career were sown. With the devoted support of his family, Hoy drove himself to the pinnacle of his sport at the same time as British track cycling established itself as a pioneering force on the world stage. In the wake of his unparalleled achievements at London 2012, which filled the whole country with pride, there is no sporting icon better placed to demonstrate what it takes to reach the top than Sir Chris Hoy.