All sports have their quirks and rituals, but cycling has more than most. As the inexorable rise of the bicycle continues, many casual cyclists are moving into a more serious brand of cycling - riding in road races, groups or cycle clubs. And stumbling straight into a minefield of form and etiquette that those who have grown up in the clubs are well acquainted with. From how to choose the right bike frame to the rules of cycling in a paceline, there are things that any serious cyclist should know. Covering kit, bike, group riding, technique and training, The Road Cyclist's Companion is a beautifully presented book that is an essential for anyone looking to step up their cycling ambitions.

A 3,162 km race. A 48-year-old man. A 100-year-old bike. Made mostly of wood. That he built himself. Tim Moore sets off to recreate the most appalling bike race of all time. The notorious 1914 Giro d'Italia was an ordeal of 400-kilometre stages, cataclysmic night storms and relentless sabotage - all on a diet of raw eggs and red wine. Of the 81 who rolled out of Milan, only eight made it back. Committed to total authenticity, Tim acquires the ruined husk of a gearless, wooden-wheeled 1914 road bike with wine corks for brakes, some maps and an alarming period outfit topped off with a pair of blue-lensed welding goggles. From the Alps to the Adriatic the pair relive the bike race in all its misery and glory, on an adventure that is by turns bold, beautiful and recklessly incompetent.

*SHORTLISTED FOR THE STANFORD DOLMAN TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD* The Rhine is one of the world's greatest rivers. Once forming the outer frontier of the Roman Empire, it flows 800 miles from the social democratic playground of the Netherlands, through the industrial and political powerhouses of Germany and France, to the wealthy mountain fortresses of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. For five years, Ben Coates lived alongside a major channel of the river in Rotterdam, crossing it daily, swimming and sailing in its tributaries. In The Rhine, he sets out by bicycle from the Netherlands where it enters the North Sea, following it through Germany, France and Liechtenstein, to its source in the icy Alps. He explores the impact that the Rhine has had on European culture and history and finds out how influences have flowed along and across the river, shaping the people who live alongside it. Blending travelogue and offbeat history, The Rhine tells the fascinating story of how a great river helped shape a continent.

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

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.

This classic, once hard-to-find travelogue recalls one of the very first around-the-world bicycle treks. Filled with rarely matched feats of endurance and determination, Around the World on a Bicycle tells of a young cyclist's ever-changing and maturing worldview as he ventures through forty countries on the eve of World War II. It is an exuberant, youthful account, harking back to a time when the exploits of Richard Byrd, Amelia Earhart, and other adventurers stirred the popular imagination. In 1935 Fred A. Birchmore left the small American town of Athens, Georgia, to continue his college studies in Europe. In his spare time, Birchmore toured the continent on a one-speed bike he called Bucephalus (after the name of Alexander the Great's horse). A born wanderer, Birchmore broadened his travels to include the British Isles and even the Mediterranean. After a lengthy, unplanned detour in Egypt, Birchmore put his studies on hold, pointed Bucephalus eastward, and just kept going. From desert valleys to frozen peaks, from palace promenades to muddy jungle trails, Birchmore saw it all on his eighteen-month, twenty-five-thousand-mile odyssey. Some of the people he encountered had never seen a bike - or, for that matter, an Anglo-European. As a good travel experience should, Birchmore's trip changed his outlook on strangers. Always daring, outgoing, and energetic, he now saw an innate goodness in people. In between bone-breaking spills, wild animal attacks, and privation of all kinds, Birchmore learned that he had little to fear from human encounters. That he traveled through a world on the brink of global war makes this lesson even more remarkable - and timeless.

This cycling guidebook follows the course of a new cycling route around the North Coast of Scotland, described as Scotland's own Route 66. Since its launch in 2015 this route - branded as 'North Coast 500' (NC500) - has proved to be a resounding success, with motorists, motorcyclists and cyclists flocking to Inverness to put rubber to the road, driving and riding through some of the most spectacular scenery in the United Kingdom. This guidebook is aimed specifically at cyclists, describing the entire coastal route over seven stages. A sketch plan, elevation graphs and turn-by-turn directions are given to each stage; points of interest are highlighted, and in many cases illustrated; helpful sections on travel to Inverness, nutrition, navigation and emergency cycle repairs; alternative route is offered to the busy and challenging A9 section south of Wick and finally, a full list of accommodation providers to suit all budgets.

The fixed gear bicycle is the simplest of human powered machines, and legions of riders have discovered the joy of the "fixie." To those in the know, 42 x 12 is a gear ratio, and a demanding one at that, but this isn't a book about equipment, rather an attempt to get under the skin of riders risking life and limb in pursuit of their passion. 42 x12 - The Cult of the Fixed examines the global repercussions of fixed-gear and single-speed bicycle culture. Through contemporary observation and the collaboration of those on the inside from Taiwan to New York, London to Tokyo, 42 x12 gives a unique insight into what's going on at ground level. Features within 42 x 12 include: The Tweed Run, as distinguished gents bring style and sophistication to the streets of London; messenger and alley cat racing, requiring the need for more than just speed in an urban environment; indoor and keirin racing, eyeballs out at 150 Revolutions per minute.

In 2012, Joe Barr almost died from altitude sickness on the infamous 11,000-ft Wolf Creek Pass in a Race Across America attempt. The infamous 3,200-mile race is non-stop, ultra-cycling at its most extreme. In 2014, Joe returned and received the coveted Finisher's medal, and in 2019, at the age of 60, he went back again and won his category. This story of extreme perseverance begins on a yellow Raleigh Chopper on the streets of Co. Derry, where Joe, trying to escape the harsh everyday reality of the Troubles as a young Catholic boy in an all-Protestant school, went on long bicycle rides into the countryside, dreaming of one day taking part in cycling's grand tours. When his baby son was diagnosed with cancer, Joe got on the bike with a different purpose and won his first endurance race, the 1,300-mile, non-stop Race Around Ireland. Since then, Joe has won major World Cup races all over the world. This is a story of unimaginable grit, and of what it takes to keep going despite countless obstacles and to persevere when failure seems inevitable.

Curves is the ultimate high-quality journeyman's magazine. Produced with love and aimed at all who drive, bike or cycle with passion, it encapsulates the joy of the open road. It is a magazine for those who see planning a journey as an act of celebration: people who are prepared to shake off their shackles and live their dreams. It is designed for the devotees and dreamers who experience the drive in their mind's eye before even embarking on the real-life adventure. This volume focuses on Scotland: its meandering roads, its hilly heights, the breathtaking bleakness of its countryside. Text in English and German.

Find Solitude and Dramatic Views Around San Francisco Bay Everyone needs a break from their daily life. Escape to the oak-studded grasslands and tranquil forests of the Bay Area Ridge Trail. Hike, bike, or ride through nine counties with the official guide endorsed by the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council. Discover dramatic coastlines, a range of ecosystems, former Mexican ranchos, vistas that inspired Spanish explorers, and more. Join author Elizabeth Byers-a founding board member of the council-and Jean Rusmore, and choose from 75 trail segments on a network of paths that ring San Francisco Bay. Make your way through parks and public lands like Mount Tamalpais State Park and Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve. Trips range from a 2.5-mile excursion over the Benicia-Martinez Bridge to a 12.5-mile traverse of Bolinas Ridge. You can also link several trips together to create a continuous trek that is 20, 40, or even 80 miles long. Each trip includes summary information, like distance, accessibility, regulations, and facilities, as well as an easy-to-read map. Comprehensive trail directions help to ensure that you always know where to go, while details on the region's history and culture entertain you along the way. Grab the updated, full-color edition of Bay Area Ridge Trail and start planning your next adventure. The perfect outing is closer than you think.

Riding up hills is the ultimate challenge for a cyclist. This guide is a compilation of some of the best hills in Bristol, Bath, and the surrounding area. It's not just a definitive list of the top 50 toughest climbs; instead, author J J Wheeler has selected some of the most iconic, the most thrilling, the most interesting, varied and, of course, hardest hill climbs that this region has to offer. There's something here for everyone, from the Weekend Warrior to the serious road racer. Just get out there and enjoy the ride!

The 137-mile Coast to Coast Route (C2C) was the first national cycle route in Britain and has grown to become the most popular long-distance cycle ride in the country. Tackling the route over five days is a marvellous mini-adventure that should appeal to all sorts of cyclists. Every stage of the route, from Whitehaven on the west coast of Cumbria to Tynemouth in the east, is described by author Nicolas Mitchell, including fascinating accounts of its rich industrial heritage and details of the many opportunities to explore its glorious natural history. The guide includes route maps and elevation charts indicating the ascent and descent; full-colour and archive photographs of all the sights along the way; details listings of accommodation, places to eat and drink and local bike shops and finally, advice on how to prepare yourself and your bike for the trip.

Push until it hurts, then push some more Even by the standards of a sport that requires enormous stamina and capacity for suffering, Jens Voigt is in a class on his own. Beloved by cycling fans for his madcap one-man breakaways as much as his sense of humour and quotable catchphrases, Jens is one of the most popular personalities in cycling. Jens was born near Hamburg, and came up through the East German system before the Wall came down. He got into the national team through the German army, before signing for his first big team. In many ways he is cycling's anti-star; despite arguably spending more time at the front of the Tour de France than any other rider he has only worn the yellow jersey twice as his efforts have always been in the service of others. Jens embodies the best of cycling's qualities - loyalty to his team, sacrifice, and devotion to the sport. He says, 'I'm not a head person, I'm more of a heart and guts guy. That's how I race.' Shut Up Legs is a funny, insightful and entertaining look at the tough realities of professional cycling, told in Jens's trademark irreverent and inimitable style.

The last quarter of a century has seen major developments in the world of cycling. Heart-rate monitors, GPS and smartphone apps are all used by riders of all abilities up and down the country as part of their training programme, but it is the power meter that really stands out as the ultimate tool for any cyclist who wishes to train to their full potential. Power has become the common currency of training discussions amongst the growing number of cyclists who have splashed out on a power meter. But does the average cyclist fully understand the figures displayed on their bike computer screens and, even if they do, can they use that information in the most effective way? Professor Louis Passfield was the first scientist in the UK to work and study with power meters. In this book Professor Passfield shares some of his vast experience and shows that you don't have to be a pro cyclist, triathlete, or coach to reap the benefits of training with a power meter.

This series of two-color guides includes comprehensive state-by-state guides to walking, jogging, bicycling, and cross-country skiing along rail-trail systems. Written by locals with expert knowledge of their states, these easy-to-use books provide mile-by-mile descriptions of the most popular rural and urban rail trails. They include: Full trail profiles, including length, access points, difficulty rating, and surface typeDetailed trail mapsAt-a-glance icons for easy identification of rail trails that best suit one's interestsInformation on wheelchair accessibility; availability of parking, rest rooms, and places to eat along the trail; location of ranger stations, visitor's centers and depot museums; and where to rent bikes