Life In The Saddle

This year has been the first in decades that I haven't (yet) had my 'Mountain Fix'. The start of family life has been a wonderful adventure, but it has put many of my adventure plans on hold. Books have provided one means for me to live out those adventures vicariously, and to make many great plans for future ones. The Cairngorms and Perthshire are a beautiful and surprisingly accessible part of Scotland, which I have only very briefly visited in the past; a visit that left me with a strong feeling of wanting more. Markus Stitz's latest book provides everything you could need for planning a gravel adventure in the wild and wonderful Scottish landscape. With detailed route plans, genuine 1:50,000 OS Map inserts, GPX files, and stacks of local information on places to visit, equipment to take, and general safety advice; ' Gravel Rides Cairngorms and Perthshire ' is an indispensable resource for anyone wanting to visit Scotland and ride in this beautiful area. ...

I have always enjoyed Hannah Reynold's writing. Much like me, she has dabbled in most disciplines of bike riding: from mountain bike racing to road criteriums; endurance cycling to utility cycling. Her depth of knowledge and years of experience are unpacked in her latest book ' 1001 Cycling Tips '. 1001 Cycling Tips is the essential cyclist's guide—to just about everything bike related. From choosing a bike, to training your fitness, using navigational apps, and exploring new cycling disciplines. Hannah provides her tips and advice through 1001 bullet point chunks, crammed into 150 pages, with some great colour photography. The tips range from basic technique: " #900 ­– On easy, off-road descents the three key things to remember are: head up, weight back and heels down. " Through to deeper sports psychology: "#717: You can outperform your fitness, but if your head falls off in a ride or race it is game over, however good your legs are." Plus, some gr...

Mark Beaumont is quite possibly my favourite 'famous' cyclist. His books ' The Man Who Cycled The World'  and ' Africa Solo ' have pride of place on my bookshelf; I have watched his documentaries and interviews on many occasions; and I have even ridden with and interviewed Mark several times. Mark Beaumont is the first to admit that he is not a World Tour professional, nor an Olympic level champion. He is however the Guinness World Record holder for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle, and with that I believe he holds the accolade of being one, if not the strongest cyclist on the planet, in terms of spirit and mental fortitude. Considering Mark's incredible endurance achievements on a bike, and his everyday approachability, his latest book ' The Complete Guide to Cycling Psychology' , written in partnership with world-renowned sports phycologist Dr Jim Taylor, was always set to be a winner.  The book takes you through every aspect o...

I have not ridden Land's End to John O'Groats, despite having ridden the length of Britain on several occasions, as well as multiple trans-Europe tours. However, if I was to ride the iconic British bike ride I would, without doubt, follow the route laid out by John Walsh and Hannah Reynolds in the beautifully edited and illustrated Britain's Best Bike Ride . I have never been one to race across countries, at least not in the literal sense. Some of my multi-country tours have demanded that I ride 200 km+ every day for several weeks to make up the time; however, I have always made time to stop; take in the local surroundings and appreciate the culture that a country has to offer.  Britain's Best Bike Ride  is all about that approach: not taking the fastest or most direct route to complete LEJOG, but instead taking the most interesting, scenic, and in my view most rewarding route from the southernmost point of mainland Britain to the most northern. Britain's Best B...

Traffic-Free Cycle Trails South East England by Nick Cotton and Kathy Rogers features over 100 great cycling routes across the South East, London and into Eastern England. The book offers routes of varying lengths and difficulties, all on traffic-free paths and trails. This is a great resource for gravel cyclists and leisure cyclists looking to explore on routes off the asphalt and into the quiet country landscape of South East England.  As well as detailed route guidance for all the route profiles, the book offers advice on refreshment stops, local points of interest, bike shops and public transport links; so, you can approach any itinerary with confidence that you have all the know-how you need for a relaxed ride.  The guide is formatted in an easy to use way: with iconography for facilities, and an information box containing suggestions on further route advice as outlined above.  I was personally pleased to see three routes on my home turf – the Isle of Wight, all of ...

Pennine Bridleway by Hannah Collingridge  is a guidebook to this exceptional off-road National Trail. It takes you on a multi-day off-road cycling adventure from Derbyshire through the Yorkshire Dales to Cumbria, following the Pennine Hills. The pocket-sized book documents the big ride—split into four sections: each section including detailed directions, stunning photography, as well as information on points of interest along the route—bringing the history and landscape of the trail to life. Researched, ridden and written by mountain biking expert and freelance writer Hannah Collingridge, the guidebook is clear and easy to use; with embedded Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 maps, easy-to-follow directions, details of distance, ascent and difficulty gradings, bikepacking hints and tips and local knowledge. There is also a comprehensive introduction and a detailed appendix, as well as a link to downloadable GPX files. This route only first came to my attention through Hannah's book, but it...

I have been dreaming a lot lately. Dreaming of faraway places, wilderness, and wild camps; of campfire dinners, loaded panniers, and long twisting trails that meander across the map. Big Rides by Kathy Rogers and Markus Stitz arrived on my doorstep just in time to add some achievable goals and route ideas to my bikepacking dreams. The book features 25 of the best long distance road cycling, gravel, and mountain biking routes across the United Kingdom. Markus Stitz is a friend I have contacted on several occasions regarding route ideas and trip itineraries. Big Rides is a paperback portfolio of beautiful routes all over the UK, crowd-sourced from knowledgeable bikepackers, but curated and edited in a comprehensive and very coherent manner in this detail publication by Markus and Kathy. From well-known routes such as Land's End to John O'Groats, to lesser-known trails such as the West Country Way or the Great North Trail. This book presents every route in meticulous detail, as we...

I have met a lot of riders that complain of aches, pains, and sores when cycling; I believe a better bike fit could have cured 95-percent of those problems. Phil Burt's book 'Bike Fit - Optimise Your Bike Position for High Performance and Injury Avoidance' is undoubtedly the best written advice that I have come across on the subject. I met Phil a few months back, on a business trip to Italy. His expertise was immediately obvious, and his list of past and present clients is a great accolade for the quality of his work: he is the Lead Physiotherapist at British Cycling, and also the main consultant for Team Sky, with riders such as Sir Chris Hoy, Ben Swift, Geraint Thomas, and Chris Boardman all praising him for his work. The human body is a difficult being. Every one is different, and every problem is unique. Optimising your bike position will not only make you more comfortable while cycling, but it will also likely make you faster and more efficient. Phil's boo...