Best cycling books?
jswba
Posts: 491
Anybody have thoughts on which are the best written, most entertaining books about cycling?
I recently went through Tim Moore's French Revolutions, which was OK (but I had the nagging suspicion that he was fibbing about a few things).
I recently went through Tim Moore's French Revolutions, which was OK (but I had the nagging suspicion that he was fibbing about a few things).
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My recommendations, which are mainly racing related, would be;
The Rider by Tim Krabbe (simply the best book ever written about racing a bike)
The Escape Artist by Matt Seaton
Put Me Back On My Bike by William Fotheringham
The Death of Marco Pantani by Matt Rendell
King of the Mountains also by Matt Rendell
I've just finished Richard Moore's book about Robert Millar which was a pretty good read. I'm halfway through Graeme Obrees book but thats on hold due to Harry Potter stealing my attention!
On the flipside I'd say 23 Days in July is best avoided. Very dull. Infact I had to give up it was so rubbish.
Sirrus
Commuter
The Rider by Tim Krabbe (simply the best book ever written about racing a bike)
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I'd second andyp's view here.
BTW, Moores other book "Frost in my Moustache" about his endeavour to recreate one of his ancestors Artic andventures made my p!ss myself on several occassions.
Also Kings of the Mountain, Matt Rendell. I think a lot of us have the same appreciation of these books. Anyone read the Charlie Holland book yet? Would be interested in your opinions.
I don't think it matters if he fibbed - it's all done in the name of comedy. I laughed out loud both of the times I read this. I still can't look at a tube of Savlon in Boots without grinning.
I like Matt Rendell's Pantani biography and Krabbe's novel is brilliant. I also think Paul Kimmage's account is very intriguing. I wonder what sort of book David Millar would write after retirement?
FCN - 6 (single speed)
http://adventuresontwowheels.blogspot.com/
The Hour is a great book, I've lent it so several people, some of whom aren't even cyclists and they've all enjoyed it.
I'd also recommend Lance's It's Not About The Bike, and Matt Seaton's The Escape Artist. Paul Kimmage's Rough Ride is worth a read as well. The Hour is definitely the best of the bunch in my mind though.
The Rider is my all time favourite. Also enjoyed "1 more km and we're in the showers" (though he isn't a very happy bunny the author. Quite enjoyed the flying scotsman. 21 days in july is drivel (at least the first few pages are. I abandoned after that). Only Jeffrey Archer could match it for glorifying a cheat.
Try "Feet in the clouds." It's about fell running but is the only book that approaches "The Rider" for me.
Highly recommended
As Peacenik suggests David Millar has probably got one hell of a book to write.
To be avoided Push yourself just a little bit more by Jonny Green most definitely not a patch on a Riot of our own.
I see where you're coming from, but I'd say there's probably more stuff that's just about cycling in The Escape Artist than there is in It's Not About The Bike.
Sirrus
Commuter
"Fall from grace"Freddy Maertens
"APeipers tale"Allan Peiper
"wide eyed and legless" Jeff Connor
"Tales from the toolbox" Scott Parr
these are all good reads
As an alternative to the serious stuff,I can very much recommend Push Yourself Just A Little Bit More,by Johnny Green. A Very Entertaining read,written by the former manager of the Clash,if my memory serves me correctly?
Written in about 1999. But still seems topical.
He is less convincing as a writer where he describes blood doping etc. By this point in the narrative he's dropping out of top level competition and he comes off as whinging and desparate, undercutting the strength of his arguments by over-extending his logic. After three or four telling points, he quotes an example of an athelete doing pull-ups in the middle of the night as evidence of EPO or homologous transfusion- this must be due to a raised haematocrit and the risk of a heart attack, says Kimmage. Kimmage may be correct, but it's a poor illustration as an equally beleivable explanation would be pre-race nerves, for example. He just seems desparate to prove his point, when in fact he's already stated his case clearly. The last part of the book has several of these rather grating lapses of writerly judgement.
On the whole though a thoroughly enjoyable read, very good at evoking the rigours of elite riding and the cameraderie within the community. The story about Greg Lemond descending while squitting diarrhoea is priceless!
COI: I ride a Lemond.
I may dig it out and re-read it now though, as I'd forgotten I had it.
Le Tour by Geoffrey Wheatcroft – full of fascintaing stories from the earliest days of the Tour. Les Woodland's Unknown Tour de France is excellent too.
William Fotheringham's Put Me Back On My Bike is a really well-balanced and unsentimental view of Tom Simpson's career.
I'd also recommend Sweat of the Gods by Benjo Maso, The Rider by Tim Krabbe and Willy Voet's first-hand account of the Festina affair.
I'm currently reading The Death of Marco Pantani by Matt Rendell. At first I found his style a bit grating, but as the story progresses you get a real sense of Pantani's world spiralling out of control. Tragic.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=3 ... =3244&v=5K
Other cycling books, not on a racing theme which I have enjoyed include:-
Richard & Nicholas Cranes's - Journey to the Centre of the Earth - a real minimalst adventure and a great read. I read it from local library, but have since seen it available to read on the net http://web.archive.org/web/20041211045554/http://www.koopmann.lightup.net/crane/
Goran Kropp's Ultimate High: My Everest Odyssey an account of his journey cycling from his home in Sweden to the base of Everest an then climbing it and cycling back home. Interesting read, though the account does seem to miss chunks of his trip. Sadly he since died in a climbing accident.
Tim Mullner's Long Ride for a Pie - an entertaining account of his ride from UK back home to New Zealand
Blazing Saddles - Matt Rendell - very good
French Revolutions - Tim Moore - A laugh a minute
Flying Scotsman - Graham Obree - very good and not a laugh at all
The Hour - Michael Hutchinson - Brilliant, very funny.
Definately not that pile of poo by geoff Thomas; great bloke and what he did was amazing, but the book is censored . He thinks Euskadi Euskatel are dutch because they wear orange.................
It's not only people that are irrational; 1.4142135623730950488016887242096980785696718753769480731766797379907324784621