It’s a fact: for all intensive purposes, books on cycling can be boring.

You’re constantly bombarded with fitness and training advice. The others are all about maintenance.

While these things are important, it’s sometimes good to step away from the technicalities and enjoy a book about cycling as much as we enjoy cycling itself.

(disclaimer: at least one of these books fits the fitness/maintenance category. . )

Here are 5 picks:

Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne

Bicycle Diaries chronicles the fascination of former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne as he cycles across the world. In the book he gives insight and thought about places such as Sydney, Australia; Manila, Philippines; San Francisco; and New York. He shares his thoughts on the good sides and bad sides of bicycle transportation as well as everything from urban planning to art. His love of cycling stems from the freedom you feel and have on two wheels, which has caused him to become very active in bicycle advocacy in recent years.

The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling: Build the Strength, Skills, and Confidence to Ride as Far as You Want by Edmund R. Burke

I warned that not all of these were as care free as I would have you think in the first paragraph. This is the only one, however, so don’t stop here.

As its name suggests, The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling: Build the Strength, Skills, and Confidence to Ride as Far as You Want by Edmund R. Burke is a comprehensive guide put together by two of the country’s top cycling experts. Learn how to achieve the strength, skill, and strategy you need to bike long distance. Discover how to cycle efficiently, choose the right gear, and train for a ride of any length.

The Rider by Tim Krabbe

The Rider delivers a single bicycle race, kilometer by kilometer. The book bares the sport to its essential, causing you to feel like you are actually a part of the race. As far as the book is concerned, it is the race.

Cycling’s Greatest Misadventures by Erich Schweikher

Twenty-seven true stories. In this book both pros and amateurs share freak accidents, animal attacks, sabotage, idiotic decisions, eerie or unexplained incidents, and other strange occurrences. Check out the wild, unpredictable side of cycling in this book. You won’t be disappointed.

The Art of Cycling: A Guide to Bicycling in 21st-Century America by Robert Hurst

Robert Hurst covers everything there is about riding a bike on America’s modern streets. His piece-by-piece account of cycling will make you want to ditch your car. His practical tips and insights share not only safety, but how-to and cultural interpretation. See the big picture of riding in America.

These are just 5 of the many books out there. What are some of your favorites?

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Bicycle Courier

In my recent post about the comeback of Bicycle Couriers, I wrote about Oklahoma City’s Ecotrack Bicycle Couriers. This got me thinking about what other ways bicycle’s are being used in every day business and industry. After doing some research I found a few company’s using bicycles in innovative ways, as well as some food for thought in how they can be used to make our city’s more bicycle friendly.

Here’s what I found:

De La Paz Coffee Delivery

The Coffeecycle

Let’s face it, coffee is part of almost everybody’s morning ritual. And who wouldn’t want it delivered directly to them? De La Paz Coffee performs an impressive feat by delivering ALL of their coffee in San Francisco by bicycle. I’m impressed. They have a pretty sweet setup for their delivery bike too. Looks like they’ve taken a basic front rack and attached two large buckets.  Pure Genius!

Meals on (two) Wheels

Many of you have heard of Meals on Wheels. But have you heard of Meals on Two Wheels?

Meals on Two Wheels takes the basic idea of Meals on Wheels (to provide hot meals to shut ins) and makes it eco-friendly.

Here’s how it works:
You sign up for the program, and they do all the rest. After you are approved for delivery, the organization provides you with a route and a trailer (A modified Burley flatbed trailer). On the trailer you have a two coolers, one for hot and one for cold foods. You then ride your route, delivering the meals.

Here’s a picture of blogger Rick Glos‘s (who writes more about his experience here) Meals on Two Wheels rig.

Meals on Two Wheels Bicycle Rig

These are the best examples I found of bicycles being used in every day industry, but I would definitely like to see more! How does your city use bicycles? How can we make them more common in every day use?  Remember,  more cycles = fewer accidents. Tell us about how your city uses bicycles in the comments!

Related posts:

1. Bicycle Couriers. . In a City Near You
2. Why Your Business Should Use Bicycle Couriers
3. Bicycle Couriers: Are They Making a Comeback?

What to Bring: The Bare Essentials

1. Helmet
   Yes, you have to wear a helmet. Although I believe the proponents of going helmet free have a point (More cyclists on the road means fewer accidents. No helmet means less pressure and more cyclists), the safety risks outweigh the benefits. Find a helmet you like and you won’t feel goofy. I personally like Giro helmets, which can be found to fit any budget. They cool well and offer good protection (not to mention, most of them look nice too). Find one you like, like the
   Fox Flux Bike Helmet.
2. Hydration
   Make sure you stay hydrated, because riding home dehydrated not only sucks, but is dangerous. You can use either a Water Bottle (don’t forget the cage) or go for a CamelBak or other hydration pack which will also give you room to hold extra gear. In any event, make sure you bring enough for the ride.
3. Tool Kit
   True, it’s hard to do any serious bicycle maintenance on the side of the road, but you should definitely be prepared to fix any minor problems on the fly. Here are a few things that you should carry:
   • Multi-Tool - For performing your maintenance
   • Seat Bag – To hold your gear
   • Tire Levers - For changing flats
   • Spare Tubes or a Patch Kit (I prefer tubes, patch the old one at home)
4. Frame Pump
   To air up your tires after you change the tubes.
5. Cash
   Just in case you stop somewhere that doesn’t take cards. Or (God Forbid) to help out with gas money in the event that you need a ride home.

What to Bring: The Extras

1. Eye Protection
   I strongly suggest investing in some sunglasses not only for sun protection, but also to protect your eyes from wind and debris (especially if you wear contacts)
2. Gloves
   Gloves can take a lot of the bite out of road vibration, and help prevent blisters and callouses.
3. Computer
   Cycling computers range from incredibly simple to ultra comprehensive. You can go with a base model like this Cateye CC-RD300W or go all out with something like the Garmin Edge 705 that measures cadence, heart rate, and has a full GPS.

Each rider will ride with something different, depending on their desires, skill level, and ride conditions. What do you ride with? Let us know in the comments!

And don’t forget to check out our post on Road Basics: Riding the Road: Simple Rules and Common Sense.

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Related posts:

1. Riding the Road: Simple Rules and Common Sense
2. 5 Reasons You Should Ditch Your Car and Ride a Bike
3. Pulling a Bike Trailer: Take Your Family Along for the Ride

• Find tips, tricks, hacks and other information about cycling
• Do your own bicycle maintenance
• Start your bicycle commute
• Ride smart
• Ride safe
• Find the cycling gear you need
• And most of all: RIDE

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