Best Cycling Books of ALL TIME

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  • nweststeyn
    nweststeyn Posts: 1,574
    Another vote for The Rider by Tim Krabbe. Just fantastic.
  • john_wr
    john_wr Posts: 50
    My World on Wheels: The Posthumous Autobiography of Russell Mockridge

    I started cycling seriously in 1962 and remember picking this book in the local library at that time. A truly inspirational book to a 16 year old, but sadly only available now as a very expensive used copy.

    Plus a vote for The Rider

    John.
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    Another vote here for "Wide Eyed and Legless" by Jeff Connor.

    I don't think it's been mentioned yet, but once "Riis" warmed up, it was quite interesting. I think he night be a narcissist...
    Ben

    Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_h_ppcc/
    Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143173475@N05/
  • dabber
    dabber Posts: 1,927
    I really enjoyed Hunger by Sean Kelly... he doesn't talk much about the drugs situation which, perhaps, is a bit of a cop out but other than that he came across as he does on TV... very down to earth, no pretentions and tough as nails.
    “You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”

    Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut
  • mrb123
    mrb123 Posts: 4,622
    We were young and carefree - Laurent Fignon
    The Secret Race - Tyler Hamilton
    Hunger - Sean Kelly

    Haven't read The Rider so it sounds like that should definitely be one for the Christmas list.
  • lakesluddite
    lakesluddite Posts: 1,337
    The Secret Race - Tyler Hamilton. Very revealing and a damning indictment of the times.
    Racing in the Dark - D Millar. Very honest warts n all biog.
    Fallen Angel: The Passion of Fausto Coppi - William Fotheringham. Comprehensive biog of a national hero
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,099
    Aforementioned tomes by Wegelius and Millar excellent. "Half Man, Half Bike" and "The Death of Marco Pantani" good also. "We were young and carefree" actually made me cry.

    The sun will stop shining before I'll read anything by that t055er Armstrong.

    But no-one's mentioned "Richard's Bicycle Book" by Richard Ballantine, which opened up cycling to me as a youngster. Really good book and written with some genuine humour.
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • roypsb
    roypsb Posts: 309
    Racing through the the dark
    French Revolutions
    The Secret Race
  • Maurice Thepity
    Maurice Thepity Posts: 75
    Another vote for The Hour by Michael Hutchinson from me.
    The Race Against Time by Edward Pickering
    Wide-eyed and Legless by Jeff Connor
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Secret race was good but not up there

    It depends what your into.

    Does anyone know any uk bookshops where I can get a copy of Krabbe's book?

    I also want to read Fotheringham's stuff, mostly on Coppi
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19752237#p19752237]coriordan[/url] wrote:
    ...
    Does anyone know any uk bookshops where I can get a copy of Krabbe's book?

    I see Amazon has it but not in Kindle format which is disappointing as I quite fancied it.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I don't shop at Amazon. Hence uk bookshops
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,756
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19752237#p19752237]coriordan[/url] wrote:
    Secret race was good but not up there

    It depends what your into.

    Does anyone know any uk bookshops where I can get a copy of Krabbe's book?

    I also want to read Fotheringham's stuff, mostly on Coppi

    My copy was in Waterstones (but then it was in Cambridge; better choice than most).
    _
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Online says awaiting publication!!
  • mrb123
    mrb123 Posts: 4,622
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19752284#p19752284]coriordan[/url] wrote:
    Online says awaiting publication!!

    Try The Book Depository online bookshop.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Good shout. Bought. Thanks
  • burnthesheep
    burnthesheep Posts: 675
    Not worth a new thread, so I'll just ask here........anybody read "Life's Too Short to go so Fu&**& Slow" ?

    Popped up in an advertisement on a forum I use. I travel for work a little and read in airports/hotel/plane. Looking for another bike book.
  • mr_goo
    mr_goo Posts: 3,770
    The Death of Marco Pantani
    Always be yourself, unless you can be Aaron Rodgers....Then always be Aaron Rodgers.
  • crispybug2
    crispybug2 Posts: 2,915
    burnthesheep wrote:
    Not worth a new thread, so I'll just ask here........anybody read "Life's Too Short to go so Fu&**& Slow" ?

    Popped up in an advertisement on a forum I use. I travel for work a little and read in airports/hotel/plane. Looking for another bike book.


    Just finished '3 Weeks, 8 Seconds' about the 1989 Tour de France battle between Greg Lemond and Laurent Fignon, not too bad at all.

    Noticed that it's available at The Works for £5, which is pretty good value for money!
  • dabber
    dabber Posts: 1,927
    Just finished Reckless by Alasdair Fotheringham... all about Luis Ocaña. Particularly interesting if you're wanting to understand more of the rivalry between him and Eddy Merckx. Although it gets a bit repetitive at the end I found it a good read.

    I'm currently about a third of the way through Born to ride... about Stephen Roche, I'm enjoying it so far.
    “You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”

    Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    I'll add it to this thread, again. The Rider - Tim Krabbé.

    Read it.
    Ben

    Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_h_ppcc/
    Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143173475@N05/
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Fat Tire Flyer: Repack and the Birth of Mountain Biking - Charlie Kelly.

    But I might be in the wrong section.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • crumbschief
    crumbschief Posts: 3,399
    Mr Goo wrote:
    The Death of Marco Pantani

    Oh that is another on the list that i have yet to start,Put me back on the bike is there too as well but i just have not got there yet.
  • burnthesheep
    burnthesheep Posts: 675
    Just got about half way through "Gironimo". Pretty good. Takes a little getting used to his wording as I'm an American.

    I keep thinking, gosh darn, glutton for doing something unique. I couldn't put up with all that. If I were retired, a pensioner, with infinite time I guess.
  • narbs
    narbs Posts: 593
    Just finished Higher Calling by Max Leonard. Beautifully constructed, researched to a detailed but not obsessional level. As a piece of writing it really is very good. Just bought his #bunkerresearch book too which adds Camille Mcmillan's images to Leonard's words.

    Read Jeremy Whittle's Ventoux earlier this year. First half is a lovely journey around an area I know well but learnt more about. Second half is a long, irrelevant dig at Sky.
  • narbs
    narbs Posts: 593
    Oh, Krabbé's The Rider obvs. Also Matt Seaton's The Escape Artist which made me cry.
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    NapoleonD wrote:
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19744444#p19744444]Rick Chasey[/url] wrote:
    The rider, Tim Krabbé

    This one.

    Got to be this. Nothing else comes close for me.
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • robert88
    robert88 Posts: 2,696
    Ditto for French Revolutions and the Coyle/Hamilton The Secret Race.
    Also Wm Fotheringham's Put Me Back on My Bike: In Search of Tom Simpson and Touring Bikes: A Practical Guide by Tony Oliver

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