English language books • Indexed by title • Chosen by Palo Alto Bicycles
The American Bicycle
Pridmore, Jay and Hurd, Jim
Osceola, WI: Motorbooks International, 1995. 192 pp.
General Book
A coffee table book of the best sort. Sumptious color photos of perfectly restored machines from the1860's to the present.
Anybody's Bike Book
Cuthbertson, Tom
Ten Speed Press, 1990 (first edition 1971). 215 pp.
Repair, Maintenance and Technical
A straightforward guide to basic bike repair with good advice, clear illustrations, and a sense of humor.
Around the World on a Bicycle
Stevens, Thomas
London: Century Books, 1988 (reprint of the original that was published in two volumes in 1887). 409 pp.
Account of Ride (Narrative)
Lively account of the first round-the-world bike ride. A classic. Illustrated.
Bartleet's Bicycle Book
Bartleet, H.W.
No publication information or date (Birmingham, UK: Pinkerton Press, 1983). 171 pp.
History or Historical Book
Reprint of the 1931 edition published by Ed. J. Burrow, London. Details of the Bartleet collection of bicycles and anecdotes of early cycling history.
The American Bicycler: A Manual for the Observer, the Learner, and the Expert
Pratt, Charles E.
Boston: Rockwell and Churchill, 1879.
History or Historical Book
The Bicycle
Dodge, Pryor
Paris: Flammarion, 1996. 224 pp.
General Book
Beautiful images of old bicycles and objects related to the bicycle and cycling.
The Bicycle Builder's Bible
Wiley, Jack. B
lue Ridge Summit, PA: TAB Books, 1980. 376 pp.
Repair, Maintenance and Technical
Bicycle choice and repair plus extensive information about building unusual machines such as rail cycles, unicycles, artistic bicycles, novelty bikes for parades.
Bicycle Road Racing
Borysewicz, Edward
VeloNews Books, 1985. 276 pp.
Training, Physiology, and Competitive Techniques
A practical guide to training and race tactics by the coach who oversaw the development of successful riders such as LeMond, Hampsten, and Phinney.
Bicycle Touring International
Nasr, Kameel
San Francisco: Bicycle Books, 1992. 287 pp.
Touring Book
Equipment, preparation, introduction to ten regions, and summaries of touring opportunities in 109 countries.
Bicycle Transportation
Forester, John
MIT. Press, 1983. 394 pp.
Transportation, Advocacy, and Law
A manual for traffic engineers and a source book for cycling transportation advocates. Forester strongly argues his theory of 'vehicular cycling.'
The Bicycle: Vehicle for a Small Planet
Lowe, Marcia
Washington DC: Worldwatch Institute, 1989. 61 pp.
Transportation, Advocacy, and Law
A carefully researched booklet advocating increased worldwide use of bicycles for transportation.
The Bicycle Wheel
Brandt, Jobst
Palo Alto, CA: Avocet, 1993 (first edition 1981). 150 pp.
Repair, Maintenance and Technical
A lucid engineering analysis of the wheel and a guide to building wheels.
Bicycle: Around the World
Svendsen, Linda
Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith, 2002. Unpaged.
General Book
A photo essay. Bicycles photographed around the world make a powerful statement about the individual cultures where they are used and about the bicycle itself.
Bicycles and Tricycles
Sharp, Archibald
Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1979 (reprint of original published in 1896). 536 pp.
General Book
More than century after it was written Sharp's book remains the most important text on bicycle mechanical engineering and early history.
Bicycling for Ladies
Ward, Maria E.
New York: Brentano's, 1896. 200 pp.
History or Historical Book
Dress, care of the bicycle, mechanics, training.
Bicycling Magazine's Complete Guide to Riding and Racing Techniques
Matheny, Fred
Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1989. 245 pp.
Training, Physiology, and Competitive Techniques
Conditioning programs, techniques and tactics for the serious and competitive rider.
Bike Cult
Perry, David B.
New York: Four Walls Eight Windows, 1995. 570 pp.
General Book
The variety and excitement of cycling captured in facts, figures, names, lists, and images.
Collecting and Restoring Antique Bicycles
Adams, G. Donald
Orchard Park, NY: Burgwardt Bicycle Museum, 1996.
General Book
The definitive book on collecting bicycles from the earliest hobby horses through turn-of-the century safeties.
The Cyclers' Guide and Road Book of California
Blum, Geo. W.
1896, 80 pp
Route Guide
Seven sectional relief maps showing all available cycling roads from Chico to San Diego plus a map of Golden Gate Park.
Cycling (The C.O.N.I. Manual)
Central Sports School of Rome (ed)
Pensiero Scientifico, 1972. 271 pp
Training, Physiology, and Competitive Techniques
Equipment, training, and competition in 1960's Italy.
Cycling Art, Energy, and Locomotion: A Series of Remarks on the Development of Bicycles, Tricycles and Man-Motor Carriages
Scott, Robert P.
Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1889. 305 pp.
History or Historical Book
Cycling
Mackenzie, Jeanne (ed)
Oxford: Oxford Small Books Press, 1981.110 pp.
Fiction, Belles Lettres, and Humor
Brief literary excerpts on cyclists and cycling.
The Dancing Chain: History and Development of the Derailleur Bicycle
Berto, Frank J. and Shepherd, Ron
Van der Plas Publications, 2000. 320 pp.
History or Historical Book
Traces the evolution of the modern multispeed bicycle transmission.
Effective Cycling
Forester, John
Cambridge, MA: M.I.T Press, 1993 (first edition 1975). 599 pp.
General Book
Its combination of engineering and cycling advocacy makes it unique, and, one of the few original cycling books.
The Epiplectic Bicycle
Gorey, Edward
New York: Harcourt Brace, 1997. Unpaged.
Fiction, Belles Lettres, and Humor
A mysterious bicycle carries Ewbert and Embly through space and time.
Frail Dream of Timbuktu
Selby, Bettina
London: John Murray, 1991. 230 pp.
Account of Ride (Narrative)
A journey to explore the land of ancient African empires along the southern fringes of the Sahara.
Freestylin': The Book
Lewman, Mark and Barrette, Craig (Lew & Gork)
Wizard Publications, 1987.
General Book
Classic book by the two men who helped to define modern acrobatic riding.
The History and Development of Cycles, 2 volumes
Caunter, C.F.
London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Vol. I 1955, Vol. II 1958.
History or Historical Book
King of the Road, An Illustrated History of Cycling
Ritchie, Andrew
London: Wildwood House, 1975 (also Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1975). 192 pp.
History or Historical Book
A history in pictures and text of the origin of the bicycle and its early development. Rare photos.
Major Taylor
Ritchie, Andrew
San Francisco: Bicycle Books, 1988. 304 pp.
Biography
A multidimensional story of a great cyclist in the golden age of U.S. cycling, who triumphed despite his color during a very bleak period of racism and discrimination.
Miles From Nowhere
Savage, Barbara
Seattle: The Mountaineers, 1983. 324 pp.
Account of Ride (Narrative)
The engaging story of a round-the-world tour.
The Mountain Bike Way of Knowledge
Nealy, William
Birmingham, AL: Menasha Ridge Press, 1989. 128 pp.
General Book
Humorous cartoon explanations of mountain biking principles and the joys and challenges of the sport.
On Your Bicycle
McGurn, James
New York: Facts on File Publications, 1987. 208 pages.
History or Historical Book
Authoritative history of the machine and sport; engagingly written and filled with wonderful old photographs.
One Hundred Years of Bicycle Posters
Rennert, Jack
New York: Harper and Row, 1973.
General Book
Bicycle product and event posters from 1868 to 1972.
Over the Alps on a Bicycle
Pennell, Elizabeth Robins
London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1898. 128 pp. A
Account of Ride (Narrative)
A journey over ten passes of the Alps including La Tete Noire, St. Bernard, Simplon, Spugen, San Bernardino, St. Gotthard, the Furka, the Grimsel, the Brunig.
Pedal Power
McCullagh, James
Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1977. 133 pp.
General Book
Adapting the pedal drive of the bicycle to power various vehicles, pumps, fans, generators, and other machines.
The Pedestrian Hobby-Horse
Street, Roger
Christchurch, Dorset, UK: Artesius Publications, 1998. 195 pp.
History or Historical Book
Fascinating account of the first phase of bicycle development. Color illustrations.
The Penguin Bicycle Handbook
Van der Plas, Rob
Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin Books, 1983. 284 pp.
General Book
A great deal of information in a concise format. Many clear illustrations.
Points for Cyclists with Training
Zimmerman, A. A. and Bowden, Frank
Leicester, UK: 1893.
Training, Physiology, and Competitive Techniques
A training manual by one of the world's greatest sprinters. Although written over 100 years ago, much of the advice is still valid.
A Rough Ride
Kimmage, Paul
Stanley Paul, 1990. 199 pp.
Racing Book
An intimate glance into the world of professional cycling. Includes an exposé of drug use in the peloton.
Round Ireland in Low Gear
Newby, Eric
New York: Viking Penguin, 1988 (first edition 1987). 308 pp.
Account of Ride (Narrative)
The old story of an unprepared, bumbling cyclist facing the challenges of a long journey. Newby's style and his authority as a travel writer let him transcend the trite genre.
A Social History of the Bicycle
Smith, Robert A.
American Heritage Press, 1972. 269 pp.
History or Historical Book
Engaging and revealing story of the bicycle in America. A classic of bicycle literature.
Sutherland's Handbook for Bicycle Mechanics
Sutherland, Howard
Berkeley, CA: Sutherland, 1995. 580 pp.
Repair, Maintenance and Technical
The standard manual on part specifications and bicycle shop procedures.
Three Men on the Bummel
Jerome, Jerome K.
Gloucester (UK): Alan Sutton Publishing, 1987 (originally published in 1900). 231 pp.
Fiction, Belles Lettres, and Humor
Three friends on a cycling ramble through Germany at the turn of the century. Understated English humor.
The Ukimwi Road
Murphy, Dervla
Woodstock, NY: The Overlook Press, 1993.
Account of Ride (Narrative)
Murphy witnesses the devistation of the AIDS and Ebola epidemics on a 3000 mile north-south ride through rural Africa.
Velocipedes, Bicycles and Tricycles. How to Make and How to Use Them
Velox (pseudonym)
London: George Routledge and Sons, 1869. Also a facsimile edition, East Ardley, UK: S.R. Publishers, 1971.
History or Historical Book
Visions of Cycling
Watson, Graham
Boulder, CO: VeloNews Books, 1989. 127 pp.
Racing Book
Vivid race photos accompanied by a lucid text about race photography and the annual round of races.
Wide-Eyed and Legless: Inside the Tour de France
Connor, Jeff
New York: Simon and Schuster, 1988.
Racing Book
The Wind in My Wheels
Dew, Josie
Little Brown, 1992.
Account of Ride (Narrative)
World travels of an intrepid and indomitable cyclist.
Yellow Jersey
Hurne, Ralph
New York: Simon and Schuster, 1973. 255 pp.
Fiction, Belles Lettres, and Humor
A novel about retired racer who stages a comeback in the Tour de France.
The Fifty Best Cycling Books Indexed by Author
Adams, G. Donald
Collecting and Restoring Antique Bicycles
Bartleet, H.W.
Bartleet's Bicycle Book
Berto, Frank J. and Shepherd, Ron
The Dancing Chain: History and Development of the Derailleur Bicycle
Blum, Geo. W.
The Cyclers' Guide and Road Book of California
Borysewicz, Edward
Bicycle Road Racing
Brandt, Jobst
The Bicycle Wheel
Caunter, C.F.
The History and Development of Cycles (2 volumes)
Central Sports School of Rome (ed)
Cycling (The C.O.N.I. Manual)
Connor, Jeff
Wide-Eyed and Legless: Inside the Tour de France
Cuthbertson, Tom
Anybody's Bike Book
Dew, Josie
The Wind in My Wheels
Dodge, Pryor
The Bicycle
Forester, John
Bicycle Transportation
Forester, John
Effective Cycling
Gorey, Edward
The Epiplectic Bicycle
Hurne, Ralph
Yellow Jersey
Jerome, Jerome K.
Three Men on the Bummel
Kimmage, Paul
A Rough Ride
Lewman, Mark and Barrette, Craig (Lew & Gork)
Freestylin': The Book
Lowe, Marcia
The Bicycle: Vehicle for a Small Planet
Mackenzie, Jeanne (ed)
Cycling
Matheny, Fred
Bicycling Magazine's Complete Guide to Riding and Racing Techniques
McCullagh, James
Pedal Power
McGurn, James
On Your Bicycle
Murphy, Dervla
The Ukimwi Road
Nasr, Kameel
Bicycle Touring International
Nealy, William
The Mountain Bike Way of Knowledge
Newby, Eric
Round Ireland in Low Gear
Pennell, Elizabeth Robins
Over the Alps on a Bicycle
Perry, David B.
Bike Cult
Pratt, Charles E.
The American Bicycler: A Manual for the Observer, the Learner, and the Expert
Pridmore, Jay and Hurd, Jim
The American Bicycle
Rennert, Jack
One Hundred Years of Bicycle Posters
Ritchie, Andrew
Major Taylor
Ritchie, Andrew
King of the Road, An Illustrated History of Cycling
Savage, Barbara.
Miles From Nowhere
Scott, Robert P.
Cycling Art, Energy, and Locomotion: A Series of Remarks on the Development of Bicycles, Tricycles and Man-Motor Carriages
Selby, Bettina
Frail Dream of Timbuktu
Sharp, Archibald
Bicycles and Tricycles
Smith, Robert A.
A Social History of the Bicycle
Stevens, Thomas
Around the World on a Bicycle
Street, Roger
The Pedestrian Hobby-Horse
Sutherland, Howard
Sutherland's Handbook for Bicycle Mechanics
Svendsen, Linda
Bicycle: Around the World
Van der Plas, Rob
The Penguin Bicycle Handbook
Velox (pseudonym)
Velocipedes, Bicycles and Tricycles. How to Make and How to Use Them
