Cycling Books

Every now and then someone will ask ‘ can you recommend any good books on cycling ‘ . Well , here are a few of my favourites but please feel free to add a few of your own to the list too ;

Le Metier: The Seasons of a Professional Cyclist

Le Metier – The seasons of a professional cyclist
Michael Barrys fantastic behind the scenes look at a year in the life of a professional cyclist
available from amazon here

We Were Young and Carefree

We were young and carefree – The auto biography of Laurent Fignon

A great insight into the makeup of a champion and all the more poingnent due to his recent passing .

Available from The book depository here

Serious Cycling

Serious cycling by Ed Burke – A fantastic resource for training and nutritional information for all levels of cyclists .
Available form The Book Depository here

Kelly: A Biography of Sean Kelly

Kelly – by David Walsh

A biography of the man who embodied all that is great about cycling . Strength , toughness, determination and sheer class , it’s all there . A book that could do with a follow up but well worth the read .

Available from Amazon here

Bad Blood: The Secret Life of the Tour de France

Bad Blood – The secret life of the Tour de France

An insight or perhaps overview into doping . It is not an expose like ‘A rough Ride’ or ‘From Lance to Landis’ , but does manage to be a compelling read nonetheless .

Available from Amazon here

Barry

www.worldwidecycles.com

12 COMMENTS

  • Damian Bannon

    One of the best cycling books I’ve read is The Rider by Tim Krabbe.

  • Pat Murray

    just reading “The Hour” by Michael Hutchinson, not many books about cycling can claim to be funny but this one does it whilst also managing to be a very good insight into this mans attempt at breaking the hour record. Well worth reading.

  • Pat Quirke

    Agree with Damian, The Rider is great book. Also liked cycling-related books such as Matt Seaton’s The Escape Artist, Ten Points by Bill Strickland and of course, LA, with It’s not about the bike (which of course we all know it surely is!).

  • foxy

    I agree with Pat, The Hour is a great read.

    I also enjoyed:

    Dog in a Hat by Joe Parkin,
    In Search of Robert Millar by Richard Moore
    French Revolutions by Tim Moore
    Team on the Run by John Deering
    Breaking the Chain by Willy Voet

    and of course Rough Ride by Paul Kimmage

    All are available from Musette Books ( http://musettebooks.eclector.com)

  • David Quigley

    French Revolutions – Tim Moore. For the recreational/sportif rider. Funny book too.

    In Pursuit of Glory – Bradley Wiggins – Not a Wiggo fan but still enjoyed this book.

    My Road to Victory – Stephen Roche – A picture book really, but detailed the 1987 season fantastically and this combined with the 88/89 Nissan Classic as well as my classmate in school Ciaran Power, winning races was what got me interested in cycling in the first place. Didn’t act on it till nearly 2 decades later but better late than never. Man I lusted after that Carrera bike 20 years ago.

    I did like the Lance ones, plus the various third party accounts like Chasing Lance and a Significant Other, I still quite like a significant other as it gives a great insight into the mind of the domestique, however it all seems a little tainted now.

  • David Quigley

    By the way, a vote from me also for the hour. I tried to read the Simpson and Pantani books but they are pretty forensic, great in detail but lack something, possibly because the detail is so excruciating. Aboard the postal bus was an easy read also. Sadly it belongs in the science fiction section of the bookshop however, still if you can suspend your disbelief and ignore the propoganda its a pretty good overview on the inner workings of a big team on the tour.

  • John Mc

    Echo some of the above.
    The Rider is a stunning piece of writing.
    In Search of Robert Millar is a great read into the life of a very talented but equally strange man.
    The Death of Macro Pantani is simply haunting.

  • Karl Sherratt

    “Wide eyed and Legless”

    Written about the first british team (ANC Halfords I Think) to compete in the tour de france.

    a good read 20 odd years ago

  • Pat Murphy

    Would also recommend Alan Peipers authobiography (co-written with Chris Sidwells) – A Peiper’s Tale

  • Tim

    Agree with the above (those I’ve read, anyway). Mark Cavendish’s “Boy Racer” is also worth a look – early days in his career yet, but the kid is as forthright in print as he is in person.

  • eoghan o sullivan

    I really enjoyed ‘Lance Armstrong,Tour de Force’,by Daniel Coyle.The writer has no vested interest in cycling so it’s pretty objective.
    Thought ‘The Death of Marco Pantani’ was stunning though yes,very detailed and possibly the saddest book I’ve ever read.Couldn’t put it down.The day to day account of the Giro reads like a thriller!
    Has anybody read ‘King of the Mountains’by the same author?(matt rendell) It’s about the cycling culture of Colombia,but I can’t find it anywhere.(I like to buy from bookshops!)
    ‘The Long Distance Cyclist’s Handbook’ by Simon Doughty is my cycling bible.

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