I've let reading go for the past few months and want to read more so thought i'd start with bike related books to get me back into it. Not too bothered by autobiographys but something that makes you want to get out and ride would also be good and anything that is about technique to training etc would probably spur me on even more but not wanting to read The Mountain Bikers TRaining Bible as dont want to formulate a plan.

Anyone got any they would recommend?

The Rider by Tim Krabbe – think you can get it at Amazon. Only a short novel about a roadie in a road race, best book I've read about cycling

I got Lopez's skills book for Xmas a couple of years back. It's good fun. I particularly liked Mark Weir's recommendations for taking lots of laxatives as part of his training programme…
Linky

Three men on a bike, a journey through Africa.

Entertaining read about 3/4 guys travelling through Africa on the goodies old trandem.

Quite a good amusing story.

Oddly, the Adventure Cycle Touring Handbook always makes me want to get out. There's much more to it than just a handbook, some very interesting stories about peoples travels. I think they've just released an updated edition too.

For quite a gentle starter, you could read "the hungry cyclist" by Tom Kevill(sp) Davis. As much, if not more, food content as cycling but is engaging enough and made me want to go travelling again.

French Revolutions by Tim Moore, a geat travel book about an epic road trip tracing the route of the 2000 Tour de France. Funny and inspiring.

Alex

watching COAST last night made me want to travel again

anyway

Long ride for a pie by tim mullinger

avoid "from the cape to the mull" by some english historian its gash

If you want something specifically about techniques and training, Ned Overend's book is suprisingly good, if you can get past the cheesy ghostwritten style.

http://cycling-books.com/

I recently saw in Borders (in Australia mind) a book about the great hors category climbs of the TdF… cool photos , descriptions of the climb etc. Depends on if the roadie thing works for you.

Second Lopes' book and the Tim Moore TdF route ones too.

+1 for The Rider by Tim Krabbe

Does anyone know of any good books about mountain biking though. I do like the roadie ones, and have quite a few on the shelves, but I've yet to see a good mtb one, other than the usual 'where to go' and 'how to fix the bike' ones. I'm thinking more of a book length version of stw?

To answer the first post, I like The Beautiful Machine by Graeme Fife; The Escape Artist by Matt Seaton; Into The Remote Places by Ian Hibell (not sure if this is still available, I've had mine for years, but it's a great read, hard core touring); and I'm half way through The Hungry Cyclist: so far so good.

Every Second Counts – Lance Armstrong. If that doesn't inspire you nothing will.

I'm not much of a reader but was given that book by the mrs. I thought it was fantastic.

Travels with Rosinante: 5 Years' Cycling Round the World
Only used available
I read this years ago – here's a review from Amazon:

Bernard Magnouloux's trip around the world is a perfect example of what can be done by just getting up and leaving. It would appear that he mustn't have undertaken a great deal of financial planning in to his trip, having set off with a (much loved) bicycle of a type that would be available for a few pounds in a second-hand shop. Nevertheless, with plenty of fortitude and determination he succeeded in circumnavigating the planet, taking in some routes that many would consider to be verging on suicidal.

The book starts off in Greece, although by this time Bernard has already cycled through France, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Italy, which is an epic journey in itself, but obviously not epic enough to commit pen to paper! The rest of the trip continues through Africa, South and North America and Asia in a series of anecdotes and challenges that make very interesting reading.

If you like cycling, or have a general wanderlust, you won't be disappointed by this book.

Al Humphreys' books about his ride round the world are a great read

ghost trails – jill homer