Tales from the Bike Shop [Paperback]

Maynard Hershon (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Alan C Hood & Co (February 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0941950247
• ISBN-13: 978-0941950244
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #383,723 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite Cycling Book of All Time, May 19, 2000

By 

Regis Chapman (Belmont, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tales from the Bike Shop (Paperback)

This book for me is a classic. I have given away numerous copies of it, and sadly, have no copy left for myself at this moment.

I have met Maynard Hershon, and he is a pleasant person who still rides many of the Northern California centuries. I have also listened to him deliver the text of one of his stories about the El Tour de Tucson to a room full of cyclists before the start of the El Tour de Tucson, and can tell you that he has a personal comic timing that goes well with his written comedic and dramatic talents.

This book is full of tales centered around a mythical bike shop that is hard to find nowadays- run by an old track racer- for bike riders by bike riders- long before the advent of mountain bikes.

These stories are culled from the last page of 'Winning' and 'VeloNews', where for a long while, these articles appeared.

Accompanying the words are illustrations that fit ideally with the story, and really highlight the funny crux of the story. To this day, I relate to the story "Remember How Slow?", and imagine that illustration fitting the many different jabberwocks I have tolerated past and present.

Cyclotourists and road racers were about all that there was back then, and the experience of the bike shop employees helping them is covered as well, with a sort of humor that can only come from long experience with the topic.

If you are a cyclist, you simply MUST read this book. Beyond that, it is funny in a way only the best nostalgia is- that is to say, howling funny. This is cycling back in the days of "Breaking Away", and is as funny as the movie, and as sad at times. It makes me long for the days when a 13 cog was a big one, before 'planned absolesence'.

This is a book I read every so often (when I had a copy) to my upcoming junior racers to illustrate a point about some moral dilemma or to show how our sport can have it's heroes in local riders as well as the world's best.

Recently, I found a local (now family and mountain) bike shop that was once a classic "Bob's Bike Shop" with photos of the heroes of the early 70's and 80's still pasted on the walls- Eddy Merckx, Francesco Moser, Bernard Hinault, Freddy Maertens- and it made me think of this book and the mythical 'Bob' himself. It made me sad to think that the person who currently ran the shop might not appreciate the history and the Golden Age surrounding him- but Maynard would, for sure.

I thank Maynard Hershon for a book that spoke to me as a budding road racer over ten years ago and would recommend this book to anyone looking for a laugh, a sigh for old times, or to show the younger generation how things have might not have changed all that much.

4.0 out of 5 stars cycling stories that encourage one to think, November 19, 2011

By 

rodney j johnson jr, arvada, colorado - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tales from the Bike Shop (Paperback)

first off, i am a mosey rider. i don't go fast. that said, i enjoyed the 52

short stories, some of which were only a couple of pages. you don't always need a lot of space

to get a point across. some stories were kinda like parables. others were true, with the only

names i know being hinault, greg lemond and eddy merckx. mostly about life lessons learned in

the realm of cycling. perspective comes from the third-person viewpoint of a frequent customer

of 'bob's bike shop'.

the only bikes mentioned were road bikes, with mention of parts makers here and there. the

types of cycling were racing and long rides on road bikes.

i got it through a recommendation on [...].

the cover price is $14.95, but i got a very gently used copy for 1 cent + $3.99 shipping

through amazon.com.(grin!) rumor has it it is out of print.

the author was a columnist for a cycling mag, and had done time in a bike shop. there are

cartoon-type illustrations. it is the kind of book given to celebrate an occasion. good for

a rainy day's light reading. i haven't decided whether to pass it on. it might get a couple

more readings before i decide.

5.0 out of 5 stars If you are a "roadie" this is a must read!, November 12, 2011

By 

Keith Stewart (Fayetteville, AR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tales from the Bike Shop (Paperback)

You need to read this if you are a roadie. Very inspiration and just great stories with great "bike talk". Buy this book and buy one for a long time training buddy.