Cycling Books review thread

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Someone gave me '23 days in July'.

I'm not bothered that it's about Lance, but the writing style is so newspaper / magazine like "these skin suits are designed to hug ever contour of the riders rippling muscles" YUK.

I've given up after a chapter and a half (and I skipped most of the first chapter).
 
I've just finished Rough Ride by Paul Kimmage: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rough-Ride-...0172/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346579973&sr=8-1

I bought it because Paul Kimmage was mentioned in the book Racing through the dark by David Millar, that I read previously. In turn, David Millar is mentioned in this book and I found Paul's attitude towards David rather perplexing, but I won't give too much away in case you read it.

I didn't enjoy it as much as Racing through the dark, which I found to be quite a page turner, but it's worth a read.
 
xerxes":18t0xtaw said:
Just finished this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/From-Lance-...1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1346689789&sr=1-1-catcorr

I found this really interesting, unlike the previous two books I read which were written by cyclists this is a more dispassionate view of the whole drugs in the peleton issue written by a journalist.

It's pretty grim in places and having read it, I think the chance that Lance Armstrong didn't dope is slim to none.

You are motoring through them!

I ordered a few more today.
 
Not a reading book, if you know what I mean, but on the recommendation of another forum member I got hold of a copy of Smart Cycling by Arnie Baker, which I am working my way through.

It's a really easy to use and comprehensive training book; very road biased (not surprisingly), but has got to be one of the most straightforward and easy to read training books that I've seen.

Today I did the slow cadence, strength building ride (on my turbo); an hour later I am still sweating, and I'm reasonably fit.

I'm still waiting for 'How I won the yellow jumper' to turn up. I think the Post Office have absorbed it. If so, that will be the second book I've lost in the Post this year!
 
Free chapter available (you need to provide an email address) of the Graeme Obree training book and a early-bird price too if you wish.

Given the nature of the three previous books I've read, this one might make an interesting contrast to the Obree's training book: The Lance Armstrong Performance Program: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Lance-Armstrong-Performance-Program/dp/1405099917/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_4

Monday: Training Run - 100 miles, 1 shot EPO, 1 shot steroids, 1 shot HGH.
Tuesday: Training Run - 100 miles, 1 shot EPO, 1 shot steroids, 1 shot HGH.
Wednesday: Training Run - 100 miles, 1 shot EPO, 1 shot steroids, 1 shot HGH.
Thursday: Training Run - 100 miles, 1 shot EPO, 1 shot steroids, 1 shot HGH.
Friday: Training Run - 100 miles, 1 shot EPO, 1 shot steroids, 1 shot HGH.
Saturday: Training Run - 100 miles, 1 shot EPO, 1 shot steroids, 1 shot HGH.
Sunday: Rest day: Meet dodgy Italian doctor at a service station to pick up supplies of EPO, steroids and HGH.

Repeat.

:p
 
So, my second book review, if I may :)

This book is by Jean Bobet and is another translation from French completed by Adam Berry. The book is called, 'Tomorrow, we ride'.

This book is about the brothers, Louison and Jean Bobet and their shared cycling career. Louison won the Tour de France 3 years in a row in the post-war era. His Brother, a scholar and keen anglophile was also his team-mate for most of Louison's career.

Jean Bobet puts a lot of very well written and insightful words around their experiences and triumphs, he also does this in quite an understated and humourous way. One of the nice things about the book is his play on words, plus his own thoughts and feelings regarding his time riding with his famous brother.

The book is, in my own opinion, very good. Really good.

Jean was invited to the Tenth world University Games in Budapest, in which he won the road race. He plays it down quite a bit but one of his memories is the train journey.

"Our train stopped at the first Hungarian railway station in order to receive the local serenade of a military fanfare and a welcome from the local populace"... "such a warm welcome could not be ingored, and that we ought to show the crowds our appreciation with a popular song, if not with an official anthem. And so it was, at the fourth station, that our hosts, standing to attention, were treated with a rendition of 'O Balls of our fathers'. A good half-dozen of Hugarian stations were made to echo with the glory of our ancestors' testicles, and thus came to experience a particular sub-section of the French intelligentsia".

A bit like the Paul Fournel book, he has very emotive feelings about the bike and his joy and pain with it. His 'La volupté' explanation is, again, important to those who find the bike a bit more than just chugging along trying to lose weight or a means to an end.

Genuinely, a good book. It is romantic, saddening and great all rolled into one. Worth a read.

Incidentally, its one of the few books I handed to my SO to read, and yeah, she really got on with it.


ISBN: 978-1-874739-51-7
 
Richards Mountain Bike Book by Nick Crane & Charles Kelly. All about mountain bikes, maintainance and the birth of mtb. Great book.
Wouldn't mind reading The Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne.
 
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