Bicycle History

As the world's foremost cycling nation, the Netherlands is the only country where the number of bikes exceeds the number of people, primarily because the Dutch have built a cycling culture accessible to everyone, regardless of age, ability, or economic means. Building the Cycling City examines the triumphs and challenges of the Dutch while also presenting stories of North American cities already implementing lessons from across the Atlantic. 

In 1935, Fred A. Birchmore left the small American town of Athens, Georgia, to continue his college studies in Europe. In his spare time, Birchmore toured the continent on a one-speed bike he called Bucephalus (after the name of Alexander the Great's horse). A born wanderer, Birchmore broadened his travels to include the British Isles and even the Mediterranean. After a lengthy, unplanned detour in Egypt, Birchmore put his studies on hold, pointed Bucephalus eastward, and just kept going. 

Experience the inspiring social history of the two-wheeled invention that engineered human freedom and global mobility. Perfect for an educational daily commute, this warm and narrative-driven journey transports you to an era when bold tinkerers first challenged the limits of human muscle...

Sean Conway was stuck in a life dead end of his own making when he heard about a round the world cycling race. He was immediately inspired – but it was a huge undertaking and he’d hardly been on a bike in years. Could he really cycle all the way round the world, solo and unsupported? Six...

The Aldens are making the journey to their Aunt Jane’s house on an overnight bicycle trip. But on their first night, the children are caught in a rainstorm and have to take shelter in an old abandoned house, when a most unusual mystery — a lost dog — finds them!...

Discover how a simple two-wheeled invention sparked a global revolution in social history and human liberation. Perfect for an uplifting morning commute, this narrative explores the quiet engine that shattered class barriers and redefined everyday travel. Whether you are unwinding at home or...

When more than 100 men or women go racing down a road, inches away from each other, in all weather, over all kinds of roads, the opportunity for a brilliant win or a terrible accident is always there. For more than a century, bicycle racers have sought glory, but have often found only misery. There can be only one winner, and even that triumph can be mixed with terrible loss. Fausto Coppi, coached by a blind man, set the World Hour Record in Milan during the war while the city was being shattered by bombs.

Experience the thrilling sports history of road racing and the engineering breakthroughs that unleashed human mobility. Perfect for your daily commute or next training session, this immersive narrative nonfiction journey transports you to the crowded, coal-choked streets of nineteenth-century...

In commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of America’s most beloved sporting event—the Super Bowl—an authoritative collection of the most pivotal plays through the decades, compiled by the legendary Jerry Rice, and illustrated with dozens of color photographs. New York Times bestseller...

Explore the thrilling sports history of human endurance, transforming a strange contraption into a global phenomenon. Perfect for your morning commute or weekend ride, this inspiring journey follows the pioneering daredevils who reshaped society and sparked an athletic revolution. Fuel your...