Best cycling books?
Comments
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Flying Scotsman is superb, if a little harrowing at times.
Blazing Saddles by Matt Rendell is a humourous, potted history of the Tour but don't bother if you are familiar with most of the legends.
I thought Escape Artist by Matt Seaton was poor. A sad story yes, but as he is still cycling at a very high level, it undermines the whole premise of his book i.e. that he has to give up the sport he loves to look after his children.0 -
Agreed about Krabbe's The Rider, which tells it how it must be (I don't race) and about the Crane book Journey to the Centre of the Earth which puts all other cycle touring into the shade.
One that hasn't been mentioned is Flann O'Brien's The Third Policeman, which is about a man's relationship with his bicycle. Great book; completely surreal and about as far away from wheelsucking, blood-doping, race books or yak-chasing, yurt-sleeping expedition stories as you can get. More of an inner quest. And very funny.0 -
Morning! I have just read The Flying Scotsman about Graeme Obree while on holiday and it was a suprisingly great read. Very well written, self depracating and gives no impressions of being embellished or glamorised at all.
Would highly recommend.
Another good read is the Marco Pantani biography (Man on the Run) i forget the author but she was his assistant/manager and friend. The book gave a great insight into what he was like and what his demons were from someone on the inside as opposed to someone interpreting from afar. Its a little heavy going but worth a read as an antidote to the 'life is great' Lance books (which are great as well!)0 -
Mine is none race related. Downhill all the way,cycling from the Channel to the Med by Edward Enfield. Very amusing and I've now got the urge to go to France.0
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mbosano wrote:Morning! I have just read The Flying Scotsman about Graeme Obree while on holiday and it was a suprisingly great read. Very well written, self depracating and gives no impressions of being embellished or glamorised at all.
Would highly recommend.
Another good read is the Marco Pantani biography (Man on the Run) i forget the author but she was his assistant/manager and friend. The book gave a great insight into what he was like and what his demons were from someone on the inside as opposed to someone interpreting from afar. Its a little heavy going but worth a read as an antidote to the 'life is great' Lance books (which are great as well!)
Read Matt Rendell's bio of pantani, you might not have the same opinion of Ronchi after that......0 -
Try "One More Kilometre and We're in the Showers" by Tim Hilton - Its a really good read with its potted history of club cycling in GB plus the classic races in Europe (although only comes up to late-isg 20th Century), And author is a bit rose-tinted/nostalgic about the past and anti-commercialisation of bigger races. Interesting bits on traditions etc but not so sure about the odd non-translated Fr poetry verse - but a really good read overall.0
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I've just finished "The death of Marco Pantani" by Matt Rendell also. What an amazing cycling scene in Italy. If nothing else you'll come out of the book understanding how doping works..and why we are still in a mess with it today, since a lot of the same old names are still involved.
The only annoying thing was that Matt Rendell lifted bits of it verbatim and put them into his Blazing Saddles book.0 -
He did have to give it up. But now his kids are older and he can ride again.Jack Hunt wrote:I thought Escape Artist by Matt Seaton was poor. A sad story yes, but as he is still cycling at a very high level, it undermines the whole premise of his book i.e. that he has to give up the sport he loves to look after his children.
Jeez - give the guy a break.0 -
Just finished the Escape Artist. I enjoyed it, but wanted more of the cycling. The stuff about his fellow cyclists was fascinating. It was obviously very difficult for him to write though -- much credit to him.0
