Alex NewsonFifty Bicycles that Changed the World
Coffee table style book with great pictures and the history of the bike told across 50 major innovations. Couple of omissions but who's quibbling with such a sumptuous feast laid out for us. This is a series of "50 things that changed the world" and the bike and car series must be more serious than 50 bags or shoes that changed the world. Really? Loved this book though. Thanks workmates.
Rob Hayles
Easy Rider: My Life on a Bike
Very readable book by someone who I thought came over a little arrogant on telly but I've changed my opinion of him. He comes over as a very honest and down to earth guy who just loved cycling, or at least racing and winning. Obviously very driven to get as far as he did and with that must come an inner belief in your ability to win each race so maybe I mistook that for arrogance, along with his very laid back attitude.
As an urban commuter cyclist who occasionally ventures out into the countryside on my hybrid I've never known team or event cycling but watch le Tour and a few other races when on TV. Rob gives a real insight into how it was to make a living out of cycling and his career spans the time from when British cyclists were not particularly well thought of and when you had to join a continental team to survive - up until the professionalisation of GB cycling when we ruled the world. It's a good read and whilst it doesn't give too many secrets or scandal away it lets you in on the hard world of cycling. Some amusing and some heart warming anecdotes make it an easy and absorbing read. In many ways I enjoyed this more that Bradley Wiggins' book. I will look out for him on telly now feeling that I know where he's coming from.
