The ubiquitous “they” are always saying that summer is a great time to read books. I guess that's advice for people who vacation at the beach or need relaxation between weed-pulling efforts in the garden.
For a bicycling enthusiast who splits his time between watching the Tour de France, preparing for the next bike ride, riding, and keeping the family happy, summer seems like a more difficult season to find reading time.
Here are four bicycling books that I should make some time to read. They're suggestions from the Seattle Public Library in the Shelf Talk blog, and honestly I've never heard of any of them.
1. “Need for the Bike.” Recently translated into English from French, it provides the French terms to describe things that happen on a bike. For instance, getting passed by a faster bicyclist is “catching cold.” Hitting the wall is “meeting the man with the hammer.” I hope I don't meet him at STP this weekend.
2. Technically speaking, there is “The Dancing Chain: History and Development of the Derailleur Bicycle.” This describes — in pictures, drawings and words — the development of the bicycle from the velocipede to the gear-shifting device known as the derailleur. Sounds a lot like Bicycle: The History, by Dan Herlihy.
3. Those interested in fiction, and bike racing, might enjoy “The Racer”. It chronicles a 150-kilometer one-day classic in corresponding 150 pages. The book by Tim Krabb describes tactics and everything that passes through the cyclist's mind as he endures long stretches of routine pedaling punctuated with quick sprints.
4. Les Woodland's “The Unknown Tour de France” is another book on the Tour. This one from a veteran cycling reporter delves into the epic bike race's many legends and personalities. With all that's been written about the Tour, I'm surprised that there's anything “unknown” about it, but I'd like to give it a shot.
Thanks to Andy for forwarding this to me
Recent Comments