Life In The Saddle

The Lake District has long been one of my favourite destinations in the UK, with its never-ending green wilderness, craggy peaks and glistening lakes. I have been to Cumbria on many walking holidays, but I have never taken a bike there; but, I think this book is the final motivation to change that... ' Gravel Rides Lake District ' is a pocket-sized guide to 15 of the best gravel bike rides in the beautiful Lake District National Park. Ranging in distance and difficulty, from 17 to 270 kilometres in length, there is something for every gravel cyclist, with a mix of terrain and backdrops.   The guide has been put together by local expert Andrew Barlow, and the routes include colour 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey maps, simple directions, and profiles of each route. There are also details of great local cafe stops, and a link to downloadable GPX files. It is a brilliant easy to follow pocket route guide.  >> Shop the 'Gravel Rides Lake District' by Andrew Barlow Disclaimer:...

I love Wales, and every time I visit, I say I must come back and ride more in this land of green mountains, lush sheep covered valleys, and rugged coastlines. Emma Kingston's new release ' Bikepacking Wales ' provides the practical, logistical and inspirational material to make that dream a reality. With eighteen multi-day mountain bike routes across Wales, outlined in great pictorial and written detail; each adventure includes a route description, points of interest along the route, food recommendations and accommodation options. Downloadable GPX files of each route are also available. This new guidebook is a pleasure to read, and it will have you longing for your next escape into the Welsh countryside. For a small country, Wales has a lot to offer the off-road cyclist – with a huge variety of trails to explore. From the amazing terrain of the Elan Valley to the ridge-lines of the Brecon Beacon; from the coastal paths of the Gower Peninsula to the Trans Cambrian Way; ...

In Simon Warren's latest '100Climbs' guide, he heads to Spain to document one hundred of the finest climbs and challenging gradients that have found fame in races such as the Vuelta a España. Also including the Canaries and the island of Mallorca – which I have visited on more than a dozen occasions, this little pocket guide is the perfect companion to let you know what you're really letting yourself in for on your route planning for that trip abroad… ' 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs of Spain ' took five years to research and ride. It contains epic climbs such as the Angliru, Alto de Velefique, Lagos de Covadonga and the mighty Pico Veleta. Over on Mallorca, you will find familiar names such as Puig Major and Sa Calobra, whilst in the Canaries you will uncover Tiede on Tenerife, and the Roque de los Muchachos on La Palma. Each climb is carefully profiled with gradients and a detailed description of the ascent. I was pleased to see I could tick off every climb i...

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...

In 2018, a team of dedicated cycling enthusiasts took over the colossal task of delivering an annual publication, seven days after the final race of any given season: a book 900+ pages in length, that takes you on a deep dive into the year's cycling calendar and reflects on the highs and lows of the year's bike racing. The Road Book is beautifully put together, with care and attention to detail. It includes in-depth race reports, exclusive essays, team profiles, imagery, trivia and infographics to document the events of the past season. With exclusive first-person accounts from cycling's biggest stars: including Tour de France stage winner Magnus Cort and female star Lorena Wiebes; as well as contributions from the best cycling writers and journalists—the book is a bible of cycling knowledge and passion. The 2022 edition, the fifth in the series, is packed with race reports, quirky statistics and infographics from the entire calendar of the men and women's World Tour ra...

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 ...

This exciting new book is the latest release from single-speed round-the-world cyclist, Markus Stitz. It is a collection of 26 gravel routes across the British Isles, curated by Markus by visiting gravel cyclists from all walks of life, and documenting their favourite off-road rides. As a friend of Markus, and many of the local riders within this book, I was sure that this would be a fantastic read. It has not disappointed. Each route has a detailed route description, a map of the trail, public transport details and attractions to explore, cafe and pub recommendations, and a list of local bike shops and bike hire providers. On top of this there are downloadable GPX files for all the routes – making this an essential companion for every gravel rider in Britain that wants to explore new areas. Markus commented: “ I was curious about the places gravel bikes take us to, but I was even more interested in the people whose infectious enthusiasm makes gravel riding as vibrant as it is. ...

Nick is passionate about bicycles—all kinds of bicycles, but particularly the tough practical workhorse bicycles ridden by millions all over the world. His mission is to find out how bicycles are being used across the world. He travels all over—from South America to Japan and Zanzibar. Nick is eloquent and forthright; his writing is funny, well researched, and very readable. The copy I had was a first edition proof copy, and initially the spelling mistakes, typos, and grammatical errors nearly made me put the book down. But, I persevered because I recognise a good storyteller; and Raistrick is clearly that... I laughed out loud. I gasped at his cheek. I was fascinated by his descriptions of other cultures. I was nearly brought to tears by his heartfelt tales of his family. Excusing the need for some proof-reading and editing, this book would be a very welcome addition to any cyclist’s bookshelf. Indeed, it should be read much more widely; by politicians and policy advisers—with i...

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...