“Marathons are no longer enough. Pain is to be relished, not avoided. Hallucinations are normal.” Adharanand Finn’s takes a journey, in The Rise of the Ultra Runners, to discover why anyone would want to take part in one of the world’s most brutal and challenging sports. An experienced marathon runner, Finn explores the psychological and social drivers that are leading more and more runners to swap tarmac for trail, and 26.3 miles for 30-, 50- or 100-mile races. In the book Adharanand Finn pushes himself, journeying from the deserts of Oman to the snow-capped peaks of the Rockies, and on to his ultimate goal – the 105-mile Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc. Along the way he encounters the sport’s most colourful characters and shares firsthand experience of the sports soaring highs and crushing lows. This is the perfect book for anyone who is thinking of taking up ultra-running, or for anyone who wants to read about the boundaries of human endeavour.
The pinnacle of road cycling has always been the climb – climbing a mountain gracefully, beating your competition up the slope. The mountains are where cycling legends are formed. Max Leonard goes in-depth to explore this obsessional relationship. He asks why road cyclists have turned Europe’s mountains into the Colosseum of the cycling world. He explores the pilgrimages that amateur cyclists have created of these high, remote roads and what they see and feel when they do. Higher Calling explores the central place of mountains in the folklore of road cycling. Leonard beautifully combines adventure and travel writing with the narrative of pro racing – taking readers from the battles that created the Alpine roads in the first place, to the shepherds tending their flocks on the peaks, to a Grand Tour climax on the highest road in Europe. Through this journey, Leonard brings together stories of courage and sacrifice, war and love, and obsession.
I checked my balance and peered apprehensively at the sheer drop below. Once I felt comfortable, I radioed down to Stu.'I'm just gonna unclip quickly,' I said. My walkie-talkie crackled straight away. Stu sounded pretty stressed. 'Dude, keep the rope on!'I edged forward, my hands and feet scoping out the summit for any loose rock. The ridge pinnacle was still only a meter wide, if that, but I felt pretty stable.'This bit's fine,' I said. 'The rope makes it harder for me..." At the Edge follows Danny MacAskill, the viral youtube cycling stunt man, from his lawless childhood on the Isle of Skye, to his early days as a street trial rider, and goes behind the scenes of his famous training videos. MacAskill reveals what it takes to take on such dangerous biking stunts, as he scales everything from mountain peaks, to rooftops, to ghost towns and movie sets.
Lightweight 'bikepacking' is a fast growing international trend. Essentially it's backpacking with a bike - or any ride that includes an overnight stay. So why not try an off-road micro-adventure with a difference, exploring Britain's hidden trails and tracks? This is the first ever UK book on bikepacking and provides: -30 of the finest off-road rides that the British isles have to to offer, from the Isle of Wight to the Scottish Highlands -Tips for picturesque camping, biking, packing and exploring -Ideas for family adventures -Engaging travelogue and inspiring photography -The best routes for mountain trails, night rides, adventures, stargazing, forest single track and more - all just a short train ride away This unique guide will appeal to cyclists, micro-adventurers or those seeking the ultimate wild British cycling adventure.
Onto it’s seventh edition, The Bike Book of Complete Bicycle Maintenance is your indispensable guide to bicycle maintenance. The book has a new writer, James Witts, updated photography, and a new page design, but still, the Complete Bicycle Maintenance book provides the same, trusted, step-by-step approach that the Haynes manuals are famous for.
Featuring 25 iconic long-distance routes, Big Rides Great Britain and Ireland is a must-have for those of you who love a cycling challenge. The guide gives you plenty of information to get you out and enjoying each route. Info includes a general overview of the trails, specific technical information, overview mapping, key information and stunning photography. You'll also find each route comes with approximate timings, letting you plan your adventure at a pace you want. Whether you want to take it easy and enjoy the wonderful views or prefer to get your head down and go fast, Big Rides is the ideal guide. Discover Epic Routes The 25 featured routes showcase the best of Britain on two wheels. For those who prefer to pedal on-road, the routes take you along the historic Way of the Roses trail through Lancaster and York, as well as across Scotland's Atlantic perimeter on the Hebridean Way. The trails head off-road to Northern England's hills on the Coast to Coast (C2C) and past iconic monuments in Southern England on King Alfred's Way. Mountain bike enthusiasts will find plenty to challenge them in the Sarn Helen and through the Scottish Highlands on the renowned Highland Trail 550. The routes then head offshore, to Ireland's coast on the Wild Atlantic Way and from Devon and Dorset's Jurassic Coast to Normandy's alabaster cliffs on the Tour de Manche.
Written by a leading sports scientist and a record-breaking ultra-distance cyclist, Ultra-Distance Cycling is an expert guide to endurance cycling, that delivers both practical and performance-enhancing insights on every aspect of ultra-distance cycling. The book wonderfully combines science and experience, delivering all the information you need, whether you’re just starting out, or you’re an experienced ultra-cyclist who wants to take their performance to the next level. Ultra-Distance Cycling includes plenty of great advice on training, mental preparation, equipment, nutrition, and major ultra-distance cycling events. This is the definitive manual which provides riders with everything they need to ride longer and faster.
Escape by Bike is a beautiful travel book that tracks Joshua Cunningham’s cycling journey through 26 countries, as he cycles from London to Hong Kong. The book encapsulates the 22,000-kilometre journey with breath-taking photographs, and Cunningham’s incredible narrative that tracks his experiences while providing plenty of tips about travel arrangements, how to select the best bike, how to pack for each climate and terrain, and how to choose and navigate the route. Escape by Bike is an incredible guide for anyone interested in adventure cycling – which combines the very best of cycle touring, mountain biking, and camping.
Hannah Reynolds offers a light-hearted and informative guide to all things cycling, with a wide variety of topics covered. Be it choosing a bike, what essential kit you need, navigating your way to fitness, bike maintenance at home and on the road, and travelling with your bike, it's all there. Hannah's no-nonsense advice and vast knowledge base will ensure that you have the right tools to enjoy your cycling and achieve your goals, whether you want to race, climb huge mountains or enjoy days out on two wheels with the family.
Adventure cyclist and author Markus Stitz has gathered together routes from passionate gravel cyclists and curated them into this essential Great British Gravel Rides book. There are 25 routes to pick from, including an East Lothian adventure with round-the-world cycling men's record holder Mark Beaumont or perhaps enjoy a different side of East Anglia with ultra-endurance racers and GBDURO20 winners Josh Ibbett and Gail Brown. Then there's A Scottish coast-to-coast adventure with round-the-world cycling women's record holder Jenny Graham, or see the best of Scottish Borders with diversity in cycling champion Aneela McKenna. Route Guides Every route provides insight as to why each cyclist loves gravel riding, what inspires and motivates them - and why they believe it qualifies as one of Britain's best gravel rides. You'll find a detailed route description, with interesting information about the local area plus exactly what to expect on the route. This includes details on the best places and attractions to explore, recommendations for the best local cafes and pubs and a list of local bike shops, should they be needed. With inspiring photography showcasing some of the best gravel trails in the UK, as well as bespoke maps and downloadable GPX files for each route, this is the essential companion for any gravel rider.
Lennard Zinn is the world's leading expert on bike maintenance and repair. His friendly step-by-step guide explains the tools you'll need and how to know you've done the job right. The book's two-colour interior is easy to read - even in a dimly lit garage or workshop. Hundreds of hand drawn illustrations and exploded parts diagrams show just the right level of detail to lead you through every bicycle repair task. This smartly organised guide shows how to repair new and old bicycles from top to bottom. In 500 pages, Zinn's guide includes simple instructions for hundreds of bike maintenance and repair jobs. * Basics: how to fix a flat tire, lube a bicycle chain, adjust the brakes. * Emergency repairs: how to fix a broken chain, tighten loose spokes, repair a bent derailleur. * Easy shifting: how to adjust shifters, derailleurs, and cables for clean and smooth shifting. * Wheels: how to true a wheel, install a new tyre, change a cassette, replace broken spokes, build your own wheels. * Overhauls: how to service and replace pedals, chains and chainrings, saddles, handlebars, stems, headsets, forks, bottom brackets. * New tech: how to maintain 11-speed systems, electronic and wireless shifters, disc brakes. * Cyclocross: how to set up a 'cross bike for racing, select the right components, and make quick repairs. * Troubleshooting: how to figure out what's wrong with any bike and fix it. In this updated 5th edition there's new information on disc brakes, through-axle forks, SRAM eTap wireless shifting, second generation Shimano and Campagnolo electronic shifting, direct-mount sidepull brakes, SRAM X-Sync 1x11 cyclocross systems, tubular tyre gluing tapes, press-fit bottom brackets, wheelbuilding for all bikes including cyclocross and disc-brake wheels, torque tables plus much more. Lennard Zinn is the world's leading expert on bike maintenance and repair. He was a member of the U.S. national racing team and has been riding and fixing bikes for nearly 50 years. A professional frame builder and bike designer, Lennard is also a technical writer for VeloNews magazine and hosts the popular Tech Q&A on VeloNews.com.
Their groundbreaking Feed Zone Cookbook brought the favourite recipes of the pros to everyday athletes. In their new cookbook Feed Zone Portables, Chef Biju and Dr. Lim offer 75 all-new portable food recipes for cyclists, runners, triathletes, mountain bikers, climbers, hikers, and backpackers. Each real food recipe is simple, delicious, easy to make - and ready to go on your next ride, run, climb, or hike. Feed Zone Portables keeps all the most popular features of The Feed Zone Cookbook including quick and easy recipes for athletes, beautiful full-colour photographs of every dish, complete nutrition data, tips on why these are the best foods for athletes, and time-saving ways on how to cook real food every day. Try out new rice cakes, two-bite pies, griddle cakes, waffles, baked eggs, sticky bites, rice balls, paninis, cakes, and cookies. Wherever you go, these real foods will nourish your best performance.