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Over 600 colour photographs
Over 20 illustrations

• Everything you need to know about cycling for fitness and leisure, and training for sport and competition



• The perfect introduction to a hugely popular and stimulating activity, packed with training tips and advice on safety, essential equipment, maintenance and motivation



• A fascinating guide to the world of cycling, the history, the greatest cyclists, and the famous races such as the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia



• Step-by-step instruction and expert advice, all illustrated with 600 fantastic colour photographs



• From urban cycling and family cycling trips to track riding, mountain biking and road racing, this is the complete practical guide to optimizing your skills and improving your performance

Pedal power has never been more popular; not only is it easy and enjoyable to cycle, there are added benefits of increased fitness and better health (as well as a reduced carbon footprint). This colourful and comprehensive encyclopedia covers everything a cyclist needs to know at any level of the sport.

After a fascinating overview of the history of the bicycle, the book discusses all the essentials such as choosing a bike, basic skills, maintenance, practical advice on getting around, and safety issues such as coping with traffic. It deals with urban cycling and commuting, basic mountain biking, cycling for the family, and BMX bikes.

The second part of the part moves up a gear, with a section about choosing the right equipment for touring at home or abroad, how to camp successfully and the lowdown on all types of bikes and how to maintain them. Practical advice shows how to carry equipment on your bike and there are tips on maintenance and repair. There is a chapter on fast riding and sportive bikes, and the techniques for descending, cornering and braking safely for road bikes. Information is given about cycling the different stages of great races such as the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia, trail riding techniques, and the best of mountain bike races around the world.

Finally for the more adventurous, the last part of the book presents of extreme touring, competitive performance cycling, the challenge of trail and mountain bike racing, and training schedules for more advanced racing. It describes the great road races of the world, the great mountain bike races, team track races and the Olympics. Throughout are tips, historical facts, and profiles of the famous cycle races and riders of the world.

With expert advice and over 600 stunning photographs and artworks, including step-by-step features, this book is the essential all-purpose guide for beginners and more advanced cyclists.

About the Authors

Edward Pickering - Author

Edward Pickering is an experienced racing, sportive, leisure and commuting cyclist and journalist who works for Cycling Weekly and Cycle Sport magazines. He has also written for various cycling publications, including the Lance Armstrong souvenir magazine, and for the New York Times. He specializes in the coverage of international road racing, and has followed and reported on six Tours de France, as well as most of the other major races. He discovered cycling at the age of five, and then rediscovered it at the age of 16, since when he has cycled and raced on three continents.