The inspiring story of one young man's record-breaking solo cycle journey around the world On 15 February 2008, Mark Beaumont pedalled through the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. 194 days and 17 hours previously, he had begun his attempt to circumnavigate the world in record time. Mark smashed the Guinness World Record by an astonishing 81 days. He had travelled more than 18,000 miles on his own through some of the harshest conditions one man and his bicycle can endure, camping wild at night and suffering from constant ailments. The Man Who Cycled the World is the story not just of that amazing achievement, but of the events that turned Mark Beaumont into the man he is today. From the early years of his free-spirited childhood in the Scottish countryside to present day, he has been equally determined not to settle for an average existence, but to break free and follow his dreams. Mark Beaumont grew up in the foothills of the Scottish Highlands. When he was twelve, he cycled across Scotland, then a few years later, completed the 1,000 mile solo ride across Britain from John O'Groats to Land's End. His next long-distance ride took him the length of Italy, a journey of 1,336 miles, helping to raise GBP50,000 for charity. After graduating from Glasgow University, and having also qualified as a professional ski instructor, he decided against a conventional career and devoted himself full-time to raising money for his endurance adventures. Visit his website at www.markbeaumontonline.com

Bikepacking takes you on an off-road adventure, cycling and wild camping some of Britain's most beautiful hidden trails and ancient trackways. Laurence McJannet sets off to find the 30 finest multi-day rides our island has to offer. From easy city-escapes with the family to epic trails in the Scottish Highlands, this ultimate adventure guide is filled with inspiring stories and packed with tips on kit, planning, camping and route-finding. All routes can be reached by train and are accompanied by downloadable maps and GPX files.In this ultimate guide to bikepacking the most beautiful trails of britain you will find the very bestEpic wilderness rides - With careful planning, and basic gear, you'll be surprised how far into the wild a mountain bike can take you and the distance you can coverFamily rides - Careful selection of trail and ride length means children can have an absolute blast, and they'll be planning their next adventure before you have even finishedTechnical trails - Testing your nerves and handling skills: these trails beg to be tackled at full speed and provide an exciting challenge on the longer ridesCoastal trails - There's nothing like the ocean and a beach to transform your journey and to provide a wonderful place to camp and build your fire Hills and mountains - Although it's tempting to steer a laden bike away from the steeper slopes, it's here you will find the most memorable experiences, the greatest descents and the headiest viewsWinter rides - Don't pack up your bikes for the winter; with some sensible additions to your kit bag there's every reason to carry on bikepacking right through the year

AUTHOR OF INTERSTATE, STANFORD DOLMAN TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR 2016 "Julian's tales of weaving through the streets of London on two wheels bring to life the gig economy, showing how things have changed in the modern workforce but have also stayed the same. Messengers gives the reader insights on what goes on behind the grand lobbies of the UK's banks and large companies, to see the people who really make business work" Financial Times Messengers sees Julian Sayarer return to work as a London bicycle courier, after six months cycling around the world. From saddle and kerbside, his stories of delivering flowers to politicians, and administration notices to banks toppled by the financial crisis, make for a social history of a less seen city, written from the perspective of someone stuck in one of London's most insecure and poorly paid jobs. Underneath the deliveries, we meet London's bicycle messengers, a family drawn from jaded graduates, jailbirds and recovering drug addicts. The riders all share their brushes with the law, struggles on the breadline and compete together in alleycat races, forming an unlikely but tender community upon the streets. With a bicycle the one constant that seems to make sense of everything else, Messengers is a two-wheeled portrait of everyday life in a modern city at the start of the twenty-first century. "Sayarer is a precise and passionate writer . . . The vast energy of his commitment to discover, observe and communicate makes for engrossing, often incandescent prose. We need writers who will go all the way for a story, and tell it with fire. Sayarer is a marvellous example" HORATIO CLARE

'Bill Bryson on two wheels' Independent Scaling a new peak of rash over-ambition, Tim Moore tackles the 9,000km route of the old Iron Curtain on a tiny-wheeled, two-geared East German shopping bike. Asking for trouble and getting it, he sets off at the Arctic winter's brutal height, bullying his plucky MIFA 900 through the endless and massively sub-zero desolation of snowbound Finland. Haunted throughout the journey by the border detritus of watchtowers and rusted razor wire, Moore reflects on the curdling of the Communist dream, and the memories of a Cold War generation reared on the fear of apocalypse - at a time of ratcheting East-West tension. After three months, 20 countries and a 58-degree jaunt up the centigrade scale, man and bike finally wobble up to a Black Sea beach in Bulgaria, older and wiser, but mainly older.

The 1890s was the peak of the American bicycle craze, and consumers, including women, were buying bicycles in large numbers. Despite critics who tried to discourage women from trying this new sport, women took to the bike in huge numbers, and mastery of the bicycle became a metaphor for women's mastery over their lives. Spurred by the emergence of the "safety" bicycle and the ensuing cultural craze, women's professional bicycle racing thrived in the United States from 1895 to 1902. For seven years, female racers drew large and enthusiastic crowds across the country, including Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, and New Orleans-and many smaller cities in between. Unlike the trudging, round-the-clock marathons the men (and their spectators) endured, women's six-day races were tightly scheduled, fast-paced, and highly competitive. The best female racers of the era-Tillie Anderson, Lizzie Glaw, and Dottie Farnsworth-became household names and were America's first great women athletes. Despite concerted efforts by the League of American Wheelmen to marginalize the sport and by reporters and other critics to belittle and objectify the women, these athletes forced turn-of-the-century America to rethink strongly held convictions about female frailty and competitive spirit. By 1900 many cities began to ban the men's six-day races, and it became more difficult to ensure competitive women's races and attract large enough crowds. In 1902 two racers died, and the sport's seven-year run was finished-and it has been almost entirely ignored in sports history, women's history, and even bicycling history. Women on the Move tells the full story of America's most popular arena sport during the 1890s, giving these pioneering athletes the place they deserve in history. Purchase the audio edition.

The eight guides in the 'City Cycling Europe' series are each devoted to a different city: London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Antwerp/Ghent, Berlin, Paris, Barcelona and Milan. Each compact volume features cycle-friendly neighbourhoods, itineraries, cycle maps and places to visit where cyclists are always welcome. Aimed primarily at those looking to take casual weekend breaks, there is also information for hardcore racing enthusiasts and special routes for those wishing to escape the traffic.

Around the world it is estimated that 130 million bicycles are sold every year, making the trusty bike our favourite mode of transport whether we are commuting to work or cycling for pleasure. Bikes come in all shapes and sizes, from the most basic, least expensive models to the most sophisticated sports cycles that can cost as much as a family car. But whether it was bought cheaply or cost a packet, people form a bond with their bikes that becomes a true affair of the heart. Donato Cinicolo has sought out and photographed scores of bicycle lovers including the naturist stuntman who rides a ladies' racer dressed in nothing but fluorescent yellow shorts; the retired postman who rides a retired GPO delivery bike; the old lady who carries her enormous cat in the basket on her handlebars; and the penny farthing fan. From racing geeks to affectionate collectors, every one of Donato's pictures tells a story and, of course, every devoted bike rider has a story to tell.

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.