The Long Distance Cyclists' Handbook, 2nd [Paperback]

Simon Doughty (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2006

From charity rides to touring, here is everything you need to know to  ride your bicycle farther than the end of your driveway.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There is no other book written in the last ten or fifteen years detailing the up-to-date knowledge, technology, style and opportunities in cycling but The Long Distance Cyclists' Handbook brings all of this within the grasp of any cyclist wishing to extend their personal horizons either for pleasure or competition."
-Rocco Richardson, Chairman, Audax UK

"Brings [up-to-date knowledge, technology, style, and opportunities in cycling] withing the grasp of any cyclist. . . "--Rocco Richardson, Chairman, Audax UK

From the Back Cover

Written for the novice and veteran cyclist alike, this second edition of the
bestselling The Long Distance Cyclists’ Handbook contains everything you need to know to ride your bicycle farther than the end of your driveway. From selecting the correct bicycle, accessories, clothing, and gear to maintenance, on-the-road repairs, bicycle safety, and nutrition and training techniques, this book details all the preparation and equipment needed to successfully complete a thirty-mile
charity ride or the 3,000-mile Race Across America.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press; 2 edition (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592289487
• ISBN-13: 978-1592289486
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,369,261 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Good, Very British, January 4, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Long Distance Cyclists' Handbook (Cycling) (Paperback)

This is a fine book--much stronger than the similar one published by Bicycling magazine. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to regularly bike 25 miles or more.

The best part of the book is it is so comprehensive and logical. Everything is covered from equipment to saddle sores. The only downside is that this is so clearly an American English translation from the British original.

Keep in mind the famous quote about Americans and the English being "two peoples separated by a common language" and you will do fine, and learn a great deal from this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for long-distance cycling, November 12, 2010

By 

bottle - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Long Distance Cyclists' Handbook, 2nd (Paperback)

I bought this book in the summer of 2008. Based on the reviews at Amazon.uk, I picked up this book over the other "The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling", and I wasn't disappointed.

The book is organized in three parts (Get Ready, Get Set, Go!). Like other cycling books, it starts in telling the gear -- which bike to choose -- and the bike accessories and clothing. I thought I might be bored in reading this part, considering I have already read this kind of articles many times, but I was not. Mr. Doughty discusses not only the different kinds of bikes in the market, but he also presents us the details about bike parts and how these can affect you in long-distance cycling (he never forgets the book title!). Through out the book, the pros and cons of certain topics are often listed in the tables for easy comparison.

Now you have your gears, you still need to know about yourself and surroundings before you set out a trip. In the 2nd part (Get Set), the author discuss the sources for your energy and the seriousness of dehydration and how to get hydrated. The book also covers the soreness and pains related to cycling and how to ease them at home and on the bike. Other preparations for long distance cycling, e.g. safety, packing and some on-road repairs, are included as well.

The main topic in the third part (Go!) is the training for the long-distance cycling. It starts from the training principles, go on about season basics and then the specifics for events based on the different distance (from short one like 50-100 miles to 1000+ km) and time of trails. The gives lots of tips and training charts targeted for different circumstances so that you can be prepared both physically and psychologically.

This book discusses long-distance cycling thoroughly. I particularly like the way how it is presented: very logical and informative (citing references). I like this book more than the American version "The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling", which is more outdated (I borrowed it from the library so I could make the comparison).

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not what I had hoped for, August 28, 2010

By 

M. Yakiwchuk (Edmonton, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Long Distance Cyclists' Handbook, 2nd (Paperback)

First off, this is a very British style of book. If you are an American or Canadian rider, the language used may be unfamiliar. Also, while I had hoped for a book about how to ride longer distances by bike (hence, "long distance cycling") the majority of this book focus on Audax and time-trialled rides and training. As an amateur enthusiast rider who rides to and from work every day, and for longer distances on weekends, this is not what I was looking for. In terms of content, the book also disappoints. Nutrition receives very brief coverage, and some of the information is contradictory. For instance, while the author recomments riders drink 500 mL per hour as a rule of thumb (depending on temperature and humidity), the graph on the previous page shows 700 mL/hr is the minimum sweat loss while riding at room temperature! A far better pointer would be to suggest riders plan on drinking at least a litre of fluid per hour, that it's better to have more water than you need than less, and that you can adjust this later on, as you figure out your own water requirements. And here lies my biggest gripe with this book: Information is either too vague to be useful (e.g. you should try this out to find out what suits you) or oddly specific, like the author's recommendation of obscure British made bikes I've never heard of, and that are not readily available here in North America. The basic advice on training is good (especially the note about having recovery time), but this informatino is best used (like the rest of the book) to offer you guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules. For more useful information, you're better off either learning on your own through experience, or asking other cyclists for their views. 2/5