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Hawaii has a great appeal for cyclists, offering exotic scenery and an ideal climate. A day's ride in Hawaii can lead a cyclist past deserts, rain forests, volcanoes and a stunning shoreline. This cycling tour guide provides directions for touring routes on all the main Hawaiian islands: Maui, Moloka'i, Lana'i, Hawaii, Kauai and Oahu. The author covers getting to Hawaii and getting around, visas and what to bring, environmental conditions, politics and language. He examines the advantages and disadvantages of taking your own bike or renting one locally, and discusses repairs. There are 50 two-colour route maps and 27 cycle tours involving modest distances and beautiful scenery. The guide also looks at how to make short cycling tours part of a non-cycling holiday. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent resource for serious tourers
This book provides excellent information about every major paved road inHawaii, including elevation profiles. I found it invaluable in planning mytours of the islands. I wish every state had books that covered them thiswell. The only (minor) shortcoming was that the listing of inexpensivemotels/B&Bs was incomplete, a gap which was easily filled by any of thegeneral tourist books on Hawaii, such as the Lonely Planet guide. ... Read more

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Canada's diverse scenery and uncrowded country roads attract cyclists from all over the world. Elliot Katz, the Canadian Cycling Association and dedicated cycle tourists share the secrets of their best routes, and offer their professional experience. You can: -Choose from more than one hundred tours, and cycle for a day, a weekend, a couple of weeks or an entire season; -Ride across Canada on a tour that follows country roads; -Explore bicycle paths in Canada's major cities; -Know what to expect using the detailed tour descriptions that include terrain, road conditions, distance logs and easy-to-read computer-generated maps; -Get all necessary information about Canada whether you are arriving from outside the country or are already here; and -Learn tips to help you choose a bicycle, pack your panniers and plan your tour. All the information you need is contained in this one handy volume. Experience Canada in the unique way that only bicycle touring allows! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Poor binding of Cover
When I opened this book for the first time the cover came apart. It was not glued properly, this a defect from the binding process.

How do you want to preoceed to replqce the book?

Thanks,


Serge Drapequ

Good guide, but needs to be revised.
In 2000 I cycled from Ottawa through the Maritimes. As such, I made heavy use of the "Across Province" routes, with some minor alterations. For the most part, this is a very good guide. Some of the routes are quite beautiful (particularly the section between Hawkesbury and Montreal) and nearly always have very little car traffic on them.

I also cycled part of the Ottawa to Kingston section, and be prepared for the fact that the "new" highway 416 interrupts a couple of the roads in the route -- you should research the ways around the highway for any sections that used to cross what is marked as highway 16.

There were are also some "quirks" not mentioned -- like how the Marie Victorin outside of Montreal inexplicably changes to a 4 lane highway with "No Bicycles" signed at one point. Since there appeared to be no obvious way around, I had to cycle on it. This turned out to be not as bad as one would think, but still an unexpected surprise -- and definitely something that should have been mentioned.

Overall, I would recommend this book. It would also be very useful to motocyclists or even drivers who area interested in taking "the back ways" between points, rather than the well-travelled (and infinitely boring) main highways.

In fact, I was hoping to buy an updated copy. It's a shame that there is no newer version available!

Good, but use with caution and good maps
Since I haven't travelled all of the routes in this book, I can only rateit by the parts near me.I live (and cycle) near Ottawa.Mr. Katz'srecommended route is just fine, but mis-described.He refers to Hope SideRoad as regional road 49, which is Eagleson, March, and Almonte Roads, butnot Hope Side Road.This description occurs twice in two differentroutes.

The other obvious point is that this edition was published in1994; amalgamation of municipalities and downloading of provincial roadswith lots of changes of numbers makes a current local map even morenecessary.And an older map might be handy for understanding some of theroutes. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Really great insight in Brailsford and the whole Brit Cycling push.
It is a great read if you are a track cyclist, but it is ALSO a really good read to get the door kicked open on the British Cycling culture, Brailsford and how they have produced such incredible results and cyclists in such a small amount of time. These people are smart, snarky and it will be no big surprise when SKY kicks butt and takes names this summer.

Interesting, but overly focused on Hoy
Chris Hoy is a great cyclist.But I was hoping this would focus more on the details of how British Cycling became so dominant.No details about the bikes, helments, gear, etc. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Not what I had hoped for
First off, this is a very British style of book.If you are an American or Canadian rider, the language used may be unfamiliar.Also, while I had hoped for a book about how to ride longer distances by bike (hence, "long distance cycling") the majority of this book focus on Audax and time-trialled rides and training.As an amateur enthusiast rider who rides to and from work every day, and for longer distances on weekends, this is not what I was looking for.In terms of content, the book also disappoints.Nutrition receives very brief coverage, and some of the information is contradictory.For instance, while the author recomments riders drink 500 mL per hour as a rule of thumb (depending on temperature and humidity), the graph on the previous page shows 700 mL/hr is the minimum sweat loss while riding at room temperature!A far better pointer would be to suggest riders plan on drinking at least a litre of fluid per hour, that it's better to have more water than you need than less, and that you can adjust this later on, as you figure out your own water requirements.And here lies my biggest gripe with this book:Information is either too vague to be useful (e.g. you should try this out to find out what suits you) or oddly specific, like the author's recommendation of obscure British made bikes I've never heard of, and that are not readily available here in North America.The basic advice on training is good (especially the note about having recovery time), but this informatino is best used (like the rest of the book) to offer you guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules.For more useful information, you're better off either learning on your own through experience, or asking other cyclists for their views.2/5

Very Good, Very British
This is a fine book--much stronger than the similar one published by Bicycling magazine.I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to regularly bike 25 miles or more.

The best part of the book is it is so comprehensive and logical.Everything is covered from equipment to saddle sores.The only downside is that this is so clearly an American English translation from the British original.

Keep in mind the famous quote about Americans and the English being "two peoples separated by a common language" and you will do fine, and learn a great deal from this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Consise and Portable, a great guidebook
As I recreational touring bicyclist (1500 to 2000 miles per year)I have looked at many guidebooks, and have found this series to be the best suited to my needs.
This is a map based guidebook.Each trail gets a one or two page layout, depending on the length of the trail.The maps show communities and highways also, so the trails are placed in context.
The book also includes several bonus maps which show how trails are connected, and some linkages using city streets are also shown.
This book sticks to its purpose, describing the trails only and not straying into restaurant reviews, hotel listings, etc.
Some new trails have been completed in Wisconsin since this book was published, it's age is the only thing which keeps it from rating 5 stars. ... Read more

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This is a practical handbook for regular exercisers and active sports participants who are keen to learn more about the invaluable contribution cycling can make to a well-balanced training programme. It answers key question such as what does cycling have to offer me?; which form of cycling should I choose?; what should I look for when choosing a bike?; how shuld I plan my training prgramme?: how useful are heart rate monitors and cycle computers?; what should I eat and drink to enhance my training? ... Read more

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The editors of VeloNews, all cyclists themselves, are fanatical about the sport — but they’re also sticklers for the details. This compact handbook of stats showcases that combination of passion and knowledge, making it an ideal carry-along for participants and a tasty read for fans. Each race listing includes a brief description and history of that particular race along with significant facts, including record number of wins, record times, and any unusual circumstances. Also featured are lists of the winners (first three places) for each year it was run, plus other jerseys and awards for the grand tours and bigger events. Included are profiles on Hors Category, Category 1.1, The World Championships, The Grand Tours, The Great Stage Races, Category 2.1 Races, and more. ... Read more

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This book contains everything there is to know about cycling--today's fastest-growing sport--from buying a bike to riding, training, racing and maintenance. Complete with illustrations, expert tips and vital information for both beginners and serious cyclists. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Makes what should be an epic adventure sound pedestrian
I picked this book up with high hopes, as a cycling fan and avid cyclist, but half way through I wanted to put it down. It made the trip sound like a chore, and I got no insight into what it was actually like cycling along the same route as the pros. Each day seemed to consist of grumbling about early starts, trying to find food, complaining mostly it seemed. I think the problem was that the book appears to have been written as a diary of each day, but that has been done literally, i.e. 'today I got up at 4 and...'. Documenting each day like this makes every day sound the same, and robs the life out of what should have been an exhilarating read.

Aside from the writing style, which gave away the author's credentials as a journalist for some dull-sounding construction trade magazine, I found myself being irked by his annoyances with the French way of doing things. Hotel owners won't fill your flask with hot water? Well ditch the thing, why do you have to drink tea every day when in France? France serves up decent coffee just about everywhere. He also complains a lot about small baths in French hotels, and keeps comparing France to home. France is renowned for small hotel rooms. If you can't handle that, then please don't write about it incessantly. There was a Mom and Pop feel to this aspect of the book, with the author's father being the support vehicle for each day. This should have been charming, but I just felt sorry for the dad, who was a cipher; we learned nothing about him.

I feel bad writing a negative review about this book as the effort was certainly sincere, and it's no mean feat to cycle the tour route, but I was very disappointed with the book. It bored me instead of inspiring me.

Over The Mountains with Malt Loaves
In this charming book, Paul Howard, a British journalist (writing for a construction industry magazine!) and clearly one fit amateur cyclist, recounts his trip matching the route of the 2003 Tour de France, each stage ridden before the pros start and before the gendarmes close down the roads.Instead of a mass of sponsors, he is able to count on the donation of a bicycle from its Taiwanese manufacture and instead of a bus and support vehicles, his dad is out there driving the team car.He is joined by friends on some of the stretches but generally is out on the road alone, meeting his father at prearranged points to refuel.

Mr. Howard has an excellent knowledge of the lore and traditions of the Tour de France, as befits someone who lived in France for a year as an amateur racer.But as the miles roll by, he becomes more and more focussed on practical matters-the best croissants, getting past the gendarmes, navigating out of town.His Tour de France is a matter of endurance: finding enough food, getting enough sleep, dealing with the endless roads.For anyone who has ridden a bicycle any distance, it is impressive that there was only one stage he did not start due to exhaustion, and that he managed to ride a creditable amount of each ofthe three stages he did not fully complete.That still left him with nearly 3,000 kms and 117 hours of riding under his belt when he finished on the Champs d'Elysee in Paris.In the Appendix, he notes the time that the professional riders put in for each stage, comparing his own modest speeds.

The map says "France," but Paul Howard is travelling in some kind of Tour Parallel Universe.He rides past cheering fans and is accompanied by a motley collection of other cyclists: hardcore racers and eccentric cycletourists loaded with pots and pans.The hotels vary wildly in quality.He worries about his health, looking for danger signs as he suffers from knee pain and the worst heat in a European summer in centuries.He meets real TdF riders.And at the end of each day he is anxious to call his wife and infant daughter and let them know he is doing alright.And there is his joy in consuming malt loaves, some kind of strange British victual unknown to cyclists on the west side of the Atlantic.

If you are a cyclist, buy this book and encourage one of our own.Perhaps he will do the Giro d'Italia for us next!But preferably with a helmet this time. ... Read more

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Iconic sportsman Tom Simpson was the first Briton to pull on the fabled yellow jersey of the Tour de France. His engaging autobiography, Cycling is My Life, first published in 1966, was written the year before he died tragically during the 1967 Tour at age twenty-nine. ... Read more