This guide describes 23 day routes, graded by a combination of distance, climb and overall gradient, all suitable for road bikes and illustrated by detailed maps and profiles. In addition a six-stage tour takes in all the highlights, including Grassington, Leyburn, Hawes, Kirkby Stephen, Ingleton and Settle. And for those who really want to test themselves, the route of the Stage 1 of the 2014 Tour de France, a 206km loop from Leeds to Harrogate, is also included, with an option to close the loop without adding many extra miles. Appendices include a route summary table to help you choose your route, lots of information about facilities for cyclists along the routes, taking bikes on public transport and basic bike maintenance. The Vuelta a Dales takes in the best dales, passes and viewpoints as it passes through Grassington, Leyburn, Hawes, Kirkby Stephen, Sedbergh, Ingleton and Settle. The Yorkshire Dales have always welcomed visitors who enjoy the views. For cyclists, the national park and the areas overlapping its boundaries provide a splendid mix of varied scenic landscapes, an extensive network of roads and peaceful lanes and many cycle-friendly cafes and tea shops. With almost every turn revealing yet another stunning view, the Dales are an ideal area to explore by bike.

The bicycle has long been a part of American culture but few would describe it as an essential element of American identity in the same way that it is fundamental to European and Asian cultures. Instead, American culture has had a more turbulent relationship with the bicycle. First introduced in the United States in the 1830s, the bicycle reached its height of popularity in the 1890s as it evolved to become a popular form of locomotion for adults. Two decades later, ridership in the United States collapsed. As automobile consumption grew, bicycles were seen as backward and unbecoming-particularly for the white middle class. Turpin chronicles the story of how the bicycle's image changed dramatically, shedding light on how American consumer patterns are shaped over time. Turpin identifies the creation and development of childhood consumerism as a key factor in the bicycle's evolution. In an attempt to resurrect dwindling sales, sports marketers reimagined the bicycle as a child's toy. By the 1950s, it had been firmly established as a symbol of boyhood adolescence, further accelerating the declining number of adult consumers. Tracing the ways in which cycling suffered such a loss in popularity among adults is fundamental to understanding why the United States would be considered a ""car"" culture from the 1950s to today. As a lens for viewing American history, the story of the bicycle deepens our understanding of our national culture and the forces that influence it.