UKC

Just starting to get out on the road a bit and looking for any recomendations for good books on the subject. Just read and enjoyed 'it's not about the bike' and going to order Alastair Humphreys 'Moods of future joys' but that's as far as I've got so far so any suggestions welcome.

Thanks
Ben

P.S. wasn't sure if this was in the right forum being about books but it seemed like the most appropriate place.

In reply to Sharp:

If you fancy some cycling fiction, try 'The Rider' by Tim Krabbe.

In reply to Sharp:
(edit - sorry didn't see you had read 'All about the bike)


French Revolutions By Tim Moore.
A race for madmen is good too

And I like Cav's book, but some don't

In reply to Tall Clare: Cheers Clare. Sorry, should have said but I usually go for non-fiction. My last fiction book was Catch-22...shame I'll never get that section of my life back.

Having said that, judging from the blurb and reviews Krabbe's book looks like one I might enjoy so thanks.

Ben

In reply to Sharp:

I'm a cycling ignoramus (much to the disgust of my boyfriend/brothers etc) but I couldn't put The Rider down.

In reply to Sharp: try 'The Flying Scotsman' Graeme Obree's autobiography - fascinating

In reply to Sharp:

The Tim Moore book is great and an excellent introduction to the joys of road biking and watching races on telly.

More serious stuff is Matt Rendells biography of Marco Pantani, and William Fotheringtons biog of Tom Simpson.

Before reading those I'd recommend David Millars book "Racing Through The Dark". Involving, very very well written (for an athletes autobiography) and actually quite uplifting given the subject.

In reply to Sharp:

The Rider is indeed great, and very original.

I have recently finished 'Racing through the dark' by David Millar, which as tragic as it is inspirational. One of the best autobiographies I have read full stop, in fact.

I'd wouldn't bother with Armstrong's second book to be honest, it's not a patch on his first and is way too self-indulgent.

In reply to Sharp:

Man who cycled the world - Mark Beaumont

In reply to Tall Clare:

I always assumed it was non-fiction. It describes one full bike race. I've raced in the same area as this race he describes. I couldn't put it down either.

E

In reply to Sharp: +1 for French Revolutions

Cheers everyone, looks like Tim Moore and David Millar are on the list, think I'll give the Rider a shot as well.

Ben

In reply to Sharp:
Flying Scotsman - Graeme Obree
Racing through the dark - David Milar
Cycling home from Siberia - Rob Lilwall
How I Won The Yellow Jumper - Ned Boulting

In reply to Sharp:

oh dear.....

In reply to PaleMan:

Really? I found it a rather uninspiring list of his daily mileage.

Another vote for race for madmen.

In reply to Sharp: Nobody mentioned "put me back on my bike" - the Tom Simpson book by William Fotheringham?

In reply to Sharp:

Hi Ben,

I'm a big fan of Alastair Humphreys - have you read Thunder and Sunshine the sequel to Moods of future joys? I regularly follow his website/blog too.

http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/books/

La Sham

In reply to Sharp:

And get yourself a subscription to Rouleur or find someone who gets it and beg and borrow to look at old copies. Great magazine, and the copies never seem to go out of date. Recent issue had Graeme Obree and David Millar interviews. Great stuff.

In reply to Sharp: Not really road cycling as such, but if you are looking for inspiration for a long trip, take a look at:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com
Not the most sophisticated web site, but the content is pure gold...

Andy

In reply to TimB:

Second Racing THrough the Dark.

Great book, very honest, lots of intrigue and quite poignant.

In reply to Sharp:
Put me back on my bike is excellent, as is The Crooked Path to Victory by Les Woodland (a complete history of doping in cycling).

As a how to... Simon Doughty's The Long Distance Cyclists Handbook is great

.....Barring Mechanicals, an audaxer tells his story of (the four yearly) London Edinburgh London, has an excellent introduction. but imagine reading a book about riding 1400km in 100-ish hours. if the distance and place names were ommited then it would be significantly shorter. My friend but it for me as inspiration for LeJOG. what it has done, is served to illustrate just how boring you can become when telling friends about your last adventure.

two non-cycling books i'd recommend are No Way Down (K2 disaster) and A Voyage for Madmen (the first round the world yacht race)

In reply to Sharp: wide-eyed and legless?

In reply to Sharp:

I found A Race for Madmen surprisingly pedestrian.

The one I've really liked recently is In Search of Robert Millar.

Cheers for everyones replies, here's the list people have recomended:

Racing through the dark' by David Millar IV
'The Rider' by Tim Krabbe III
French Revolutions By Tim Moore III
The Flying Scotsman' Graeme Obree's autobiography II
put me back on my bike by William Fotheringham II
A race for madmen II -I
Matt Rendells biography of Marco Pantani I
William Fotheringtons biog of Tom Simpson I
Cycling home from Siberia - Rob Lilwall I
How I Won The Yellow Jumper - Ned Boulting I
Moods of Future Joys Alastair Humpreys I
Thunder and Sunshine Alastair Humpreys I
The Crooked Path to Victory by Les Woodland I
Simon Doughty's The Long Distance Cyclists Handbook I
wide-eyed and legless I
In Search of Robert Millar I
Man who cycled the world - Mark Beaumont +I -I

Plenty to be going on with there so thanks very much for all your suggestions.

Ben

In reply to Tall Clare:

I just looked at my copy and it is indeed a mythical account. Amazing how accurate and true to life everything is.

E

In reply to Enty:

I remember feeling a bit knackered by the end