Good cycling reads

[stevefunkster]

having looked at the dysfunctional thread i have become aware of more good cycling reads, if anyone has any worth reading please add below, i would reccomend(of course)its not about the bike and every second counts by lance, i have also read "le tour" by geoffrey wheatcroft a very good history of the race with some excellent old photos and some smiling moments.

[Andrew G]

An excellent read is The Rider by Tim Krabbe. A fictional account from a rider in the mythical Tour de Mont Aigouai. Told from the writer's/rider's perspective. No big names or repeating stories everyone knows, just a good story about an amateur struggling to get to the line first. (Amazon).

A good non-fiction read is A Moustache, Poison and Blue Glasses. This is Tales Of The Tour De France and although it includes the stories everyone knows, it also covers a lot more. A few nice vintage photos as well. Can get this at [url]http://www.bromleyvideo.com/[/url]

[richv]

Apart from Seaton's "Escape Artist" - a must for any south london cyclist, and Kimmage's "Rough Ride" - an eye-opener if you suffer from any naivety (?sp) about drugs in pro-cycling, one of the best cycling books is Tim Krabbe's "the Rider". A superb novel which is surprisingly compelling given that the entire story is simply one bike race (and considering that it has been translated into English which has been done fantastically).

Another book worth a look is "Team on the Run" which chronicles the tale of the McCartney team and their journey from nowhere to Giro contenders (slight exaggeration but they were there and winning) to oblivion.

I should have copies of all these lying around if anyone wants to borrow them.

[Paul on the Pearson]

Tim Krabbe was a pretty decent amatuer cyclist, its worth reading his other novels too. The Cave and The Vanishing, made into a good film (the dutch version) not the Hollywood re make.
Roule brittania's a good read about the history of British cyclists in the tour and One more kilometer and we're in the shower by Tim Hilton, mostly about cyclists in the 50's and other general tittle tattle from a life in the saddle such as epic rides from lands end to john o groats in a couple of days.

[the other Steve Dennis]

'Cat' by Freya North - putting words like 'trashy' and 'girlie' to one side I figured I this was worth a go. Well it pretty much is those words - think 'Sex and the City' (the book - which sucks compared to the tv show) and have the main character swooning over lycra packages and shiny bike parts and you have summed up the book. Still it's bringing riding to the general masses and more importantly women, so "Chapeau!"

'The Immortal Class' - Travis Hugh Culley.
Most couriers dismiss this as romanticised drivel about the life of a courier in Chicago. But I ain't no courier and if you can see past his self-importance it's a great read and a glimpse into a way of life and a fantastic city.

'Bikie' - Charlie Woods
Want to read about classic cycling during Britain's cycling historic heyday - Then this is it. And It's all about our area and features teams and rides through Crystal Palace and Brighton etc.

Beryl Burton - Biography
Want to read about classic GB's cycling heyday for women. The all conquering woman is here - a remarkable life. Get's a bit dulled by repetition of TT times etc but is enlivened by the appearance of an ACC rider.
You'll have to find this book to discover which ACC Champion I mean!!!



Remind me and I'll do the rest later - by the way Chris Colford is probably your resident cycling literature expert

[Elliot M]

i would also recommend:

" Kings of the Mountains: How Colombia's Cycling Heroes Changed Their Nation's History" - Matt Rendell
[url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1854109111/ref=pd_ir_imp/202-5206786-1323069]amazon[/url]

"Flying Scotsman: The Graeme Obree Story" -- Grame Obree
[url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1841582832/ref=pd_ir_imp/202-5206786-1323069]amazon[/url]

"Put Me Back on My Bike: In Search of Tom Simpson" -- William Fotheringham
[url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0224061860/ref=pd_ir_imp/202-5206786-1323069]amazon[/url]

"French Revolutions: Cycling the Tour De France" -- Tim Moore
[url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0224060953/ref=pd_ir_imp/202-5206786-1323069]amazon[/url]

I obviously like books with built in summaries in their titles!

[Jon H]

"Breaking the Chain" by Willy Voet is another eye-opener about drugs in the pro peleton, but if I remember rightly it's a bit hard going because of dodgy translating from the original Dutch/Belgian/whatever.

[stevefunkster]

wow, what a lot of quality reading to come, thinking of it i saw a cycling film many many years ago and the only scene i remember is buy gets into big race catches break-away who are his fave team and they stick a pump in his back wheel so he crashes, sounds strange i know but does it ring any bells?

[quote="Jon Hemming"]"Breaking the Chain" by Willy Voet is another eye-opener about drugs in the pro peleton, but if I remember rightly it's a bit hard going because of dodgy translating from the original Dutch/Belgian/whatever.

[Paul on the Pearson]

Another decent read about the festina malarkey is Yellow Fever.. The dark Heart of the Tour de France by James Whittle a journalist following the race at the time. Its probably a bit obscure as I'd never seen it before and picked it up in an Oxfam in Devon.

[stevefunkster]

cheers elliott, i been wondering what that was called for what seems like millenia now, maybe we should change this site from forum to "oracle" as it seems to answer all those unanswered things.

[Elliot M]

on a different forum i heard someone was trying to get replicas made of the "cutters" jerseys the town kids team wore in the film (if you remember they were sons of local redundant stonecutters, racing against the snobby college kids)

[the muur]

I have 'backups' of quite a few cycling DVD's, some original discs and others Eurosport recorded races )staright to DVD) and recorded Eurosport VHS tapes transfered to DVD (before I got a DVD recorder). There's also a few self filmed events by me of some races in Belgium (on DVD). If you want a 'backup' in a box, with a cover, then as long as you cover cost of disc, box, cover printing and postage to you, then you're welcome to a 'backup'. Email me for a listing. At the last count (this morning), 40 discs in library.

glennaltec2@tiscali.co.uk

[the other Steve Dennis]

SO from the USA - how can I forget:

'Heft on Wheels' by Mike Magnusson.
Mike wrote an article for Bicycling Mag a few years ago about being a hefty cyclist, it included a photo of him naked on his beloved Trek (similar to another photo from Addiscombes trip to Spain a few years ago). Upon seeing his heft in all it's glory Mike decides to lose some weight. From 250lbs to 140lbs in a few months, from tagging onto the back of the training rides to leading them over mountain passes and then.......
By the way Mike is a very friendly chap who I occasionally mail, I will recommend his other non cycling fiction and his website:
[url]http://www.lummox.org[/url]

'The Long Season' by Bruno Schull
A year in the life as an amateur cat 2 racer in California (not great).

'Miles from Nowhere' by Barbara Savage
Ever wanted to cycle around the world.

[stevefunkster]

and don't forget the classic(oscar nominated) Belleville Rendezvous..