Need For The Bike

A book like no other, Paul Fournel's Need for the Bike conducts readers into a very personal world of communication and connection whose center is the bicycle, and where all people and things pass by way of the bike. In compact and suggestive prose, Fournel conveys the experience of cycling--from the initial charm of early outings to the dramas of the devoted cyclist. An extended meditation on cycling as a practice of life, the book recalls a country doctor who will not anesthetize the young Fournel after he impales himself on a downtube shifter, speculates about the difference between animals that would like to ride bikes (dogs, for instance) and those that would prefer to watch (cows, marmots), and reflects on the fundamental absurdity of turning over the pedals mile after excruciating mile. At the same time, Fournel captures the sound, smell, feel, and language of the reality and history of cycling, in the mountains, in the city, escaping the city, in groups, alone, suffering, exhausted, exhilarated. In his attention to the pleasures of cycling, to the specific "grain" of different cycling experiences, and to the inscription of these experiences in the body's cycling memory, Fournel portrays cycling as a descriptive universe, colorful, lyrical, inclusive, exclusive, complete.

As seen on TV The bicycle is one of mankind's greatest inventions - and the most popular form of transport in history. Robert Penn has ridden one most days of his adult life. In his late 20s, he pedalled 40,000 kilometres around the world. Yet, like cyclists everywhere, the utilitarian bikes he currently owns don't even hint at this devotion. Robert needs a new bike, a bespoke machine that reflects how he feels when he's riding it - like an ordinary man touching the gods. It's All About the Bike is the story of a journey to design and build a dream bike. En route, Robert explores the culture, science and history of the bicycle. From Stoke-on-Trent, where an artisan hand builds his frame, to California, home of the mountain bike, where Robert tracks down the perfect wheels, via Portland, Milan and Coventry, birthplace of the modern bicycle, this is the narrative of our love affair with cycling. It's a tale of perfect components - parts that set the standard in reliability, craftsmanship and beauty. It tells how the bicycle has changed the course of human history, from the invention of the 'people's nag' to its role in the emancipation of women, and from the engineering marvel of the tangent-spoked wheel to the enduring allure of the Tour de France. It's the story of why we ride, and why this simple machine remains central to life today.

The BBB-4 Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair by Calvin Jones is packed with easy-to-follow, step-by-step procedures, color photos and repair tips for keeping almost any road or off-road bike running smoothly and trouble-free. Whether it's repairing a flat tire, adjusting brakes and shifting systems, truing wheels, or maintaining hub, headset and bottom bracket bearing systems, the BBB-4 has you covered. Thoroughly researched and revised, the 4th edition of the Big Blue Book contains updated photos, torque specifications and troubleshooting tables, along with new content on wheel building, electronic shifting, 12-speed and 1X drivetrains, tubeless tires, disc brakes, headset and bottom bracket standards, and more. Truly an indispensable tool and reference source for both the novice and advanced bicycle mechanic.

The world's authority on cycling provides a comprehensive guide to the sport for cyclists of all levels The sport of cycling has experienced an exciting boom in popularity fueled by Lance Armstrong's success and recent comeback, the popularity of triathlons, rising gas prices, and the need to find a sport that lets people have some fun while they get fit. No one knows more about this boom than the pros at Bicycling magazine. For nearly 50 years, Bicycling has brought its readers the most up-to-date advice on everything from training and gear to nutrition and stories of cycling's greatest stars. Now, for the first time, Bicycling gathers its best advice in The Big Book of Bicycling, a must-have book that cyclists of all levels can refer to again and again for answers to all of their cycling questions. Senior editor Emily Furia and her colleagues have gathered the latest, most useful information on getting started, buying gear, maintaining both road and mountain bikes, training for speed, racing techniques, understanding the rules of the road, and much more. This evergreen book is an invaluable resource for any cyclist who wants to ride their best.

With the pace of bicycle development moving ever more quickly, this illustrated fifth edition introduces significant changes, including sections on hub gears and the various types of bottom bracket/chainset combinations now available. Easy-to-follow routine maintenance charts and safety checks are featured.

“The words and images in this snapshot story pulse with resourceful ingenuity, joyful exuberance, and layered meanings.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) When you live in a village at the edge of the no-go desert, you need to make your own fun. That's when you and your brothers get inventive and build a bike from scratch, using everyday items like an old milk pot (maybe Mum is still using it, maybe not) and a used flour sack. You can even make a license plate from bark if you want. The end result is a spectacular bike, perfect for whooping and laughing as you bumpetty bump over sand hills, past your fed-up mum and right through your mud-for-walls home. A Boston Globe–Horn Book Award winner, this joyous story from Maxine Beneba Clarke, beautifully illustrated by street artist Van Thanh Rudd, is now available as an ebook.

Modern all-road bikes combine attributes that were considered mutually exclusive just afew years ago: comfort and performance. Speed on smooth pavement and on roughgravel roads. A lively feel and the ability to carry a camping load. Handling that is bothstable when the rider is tired and responsive on twisty mountain descents. All-road bikes combine the best aspects of racing, touring and even mountain bikes in just one bicycle.In this book, you'll find out how all-road bikes work and what is important when choosing one. A must-read for cyclists interested in the technology of their bikes, and for every cyclist contemplating his or her next bike purchase.

After many years together Katrina and Mike's marriage has unravelled. In a quest to mend their relationship they embark on a year long, 13,000 kilometre cycling tour with the hope of strengthening their commitment to one another. Katrina is an adventure athlete who craves the wild; her husband, Mike, watches sports with his buddies. Like many couples, after 11 years in a relationship they've grown apart and have become mere acquaintances, as opposed to husband and wife. When they hit rock bottom they realize it's time for a change and they make the dramatic decision to travel the world by bike. The couple ride through barren landscapes, scorching fires, and humid jungles. From backcountry roads in New Zealand, sharing a picnic with a man and his multiple wives in Malaysia, or camping at an orphanage in Cambodia; at every turn, they are touched by locals who feed them stories and laughter. Together they repair 54 flat tires, navigate heat exhaustion in Vietnam, altitude sickness in Tibet, and two robberies before they face the last hard climb to the world's tallest mountain. With You By Bike is honest and raw, describing Katrina's search for forgiveness, acceptance, and change. It's about rediscovering choice from the seat of a bicycle, exploring the world, and finding love by veering off the beaten path.