Peter Walker—reporter at the Guardian and curator of its popular bike blog—shows how the future of humanity depends on the bicycle. Car culture has ensnared much of the world—and it's no wonder. Convenience and comfort (as well as some clever lobbying) have made the car the transportation method of choice for generations. But as the world evolves, the high cost of the automobile is made clearer—with its dramatic effects on pollution, the way it cuts people off from their communities, and the alarming rate at which people are injured and killed in crashes. Walker argues that the simplest way to tackle many of these problems at once is with one of humankind's most perfect inventions—the bicycle. In How Cycling Can Save the World, Walker takes readers on a tour of cities like Copenhagen and Utrecht, where everyday cycling has taken root, demonstrating cycling’s proven effect on reducing smog and obesity, and improving quality of life and mental health. Interviews with public figures—such as Janette Sadik-Khan, who led the charge to create more pedestrian- and cyclist- friendly infrastructure in New York City—provide case studies on how it can be done, and prove that you can make a big change with just a few cycling lanes and a paradigm shift. Meticulously researched and incredibly inspiring, How Cycling Can Save the World delivers on its lofty promise and leads readers to the realization that cycling could not only save the world, but have a lasting and positive impact on their own lives.
Fast After 50 is for every endurance athlete who wants to stay fast for years to come. For runners, cyclists, triathletes, swimmers, and cross-country skiers, getting older doesn’t have to mean getting slower. Drawing from the most current research on aging and sports performance, Joe Friel--America’s leading endurance sports coach--shows how athletes can race strong and stay healthy well past age 50. In his groundbreaking book Fast After 50, Friel offers a smart approach for athletes to ward off the effects of age. Friel shows athletes how to extend their racing careers for decades--and race to win. Fast After 50 presents guidelines for high-intensity workouts, focused strength training, recovery, crosstraining, and nutrition for high performance: How the body’s response to training changes with age, how to adapt your training plan, and how to avoid overtraining How to shed body fat and regain muscle density How to create a progressive plan for training, rest, recovery, and competition Workout guidelines, field tests, and intensity measurement In Fast After 50, Joe Friel shows athletes that age is just a number--and race results are the only numbers that count. With contributions from: Mark Allen, Gale Bernhardt, Amby Burfoot, Dr. Larry Creswell, John Howard, Dr. Tim Noakes, Ned Overend, Dr. John Post, Dr. Andrew Pruitt, and Lisa Rainsberger.
'I am blown away by the level of detail Phil Cavell brings to his work.' – Elinor Barker MBE, multiple world champion and Olympic gold medallist 'The Midlife Cyclist is a triumph' – Cycling Plus 'An amazing accomplishment... a simple-to-understand précis of your midlife as a cyclist – you won't want to put it down.' – Phil Liggett, TV cycling commentator 'Phil is eminently qualified to write The Midlife Cyclist. Well, he is certainly old enough.' – Fabian Cancellara, Tour de France rider and two-time Olympic champion Renowned cycling biomechanics pioneer, Phil Cavell, explores the growing trend of middle-aged and older cyclists seeking to achieve high-level performance. Using contributions from leading coaches, ex-professionals and pro-team doctors, he produces the ultimate manifesto for mature riders who want to stay healthy, avoid injury – and maximise their achievement levels. Time's arrow traditionally plots an incremental path into declining strength and speed for all of us. But we are different to every other generation of cyclists in human history. An ever-growing number of us are determined to scale the highest peaks of elite physical fitness into middle-age and beyond. Can the emerging medical and scientific research help us achieve the holy triumvirate of speed and health with age? The Midlife Cyclist offers a gold standard road-map for the mature cyclist who aims to train, perform and even race at the highest possible level.
Bicycle Utopias investigates the future of urban mobilities and post-car societies, arguing that the bicycle can become the nexus around which most human movement will revolve. Drawing on literature on post-car futures (Urry 2007; Dennis and Urry 2009), transition theory (Geels et al. 2012) and utopian studies (Levitas 2010, 2013), this book imagines a slow bicycle system as a necessary means to achieving more sustainable mobility futures. The imagination of a slow bicycle system is done in three ways: Scenario building to anticipate how cycling mobilities will look in the year 2050. A critique of the system of automobility and of fast cycling futures. An investigation of the cycling senses and sociabilities to describe the type of societies that such a slow bicycle system will enable. Bicycle Utopias will appeal to students and scholars in fields such as sociology, mobilities studies, human geography and urban and transport studies. This work may also be of interest to advocates, activists and professionals in the domains of cycling and sustainable mobilities.
Modern all-road bikes combine attributes that were considered mutually exclusive just afew years ago: comfort and performance. Speed on smooth pavement and on roughgravel roads. A lively feel and the ability to carry a camping load. Handling that is bothstable when the rider is tired and responsive on twisty mountain descents. All-road bikes combine the best aspects of racing, touring and even mountain bikes in just one bicycle.In this book, you'll find out how all-road bikes work and what is important when choosing one. A must-read for cyclists interested in the technology of their bikes, and for every cyclist contemplating his or her next bike purchase.
The Time-Crunched Cyclist reveals the fastest way to get fit for road racing, century rides, cyclocross, Gran Fondos, mountain bike events, and multi-day cycling tours. With elite cycling coach Chris Carmichael's innovative, time-saving approach, busy cyclists will develop fitness, speed, and power in just 6 hours a week. Through his popular endurance coaching service, Carmichael noticed that many busy cyclists are unable to make performance gains using conventional training methods; they simply don't have enough time to train. Carmichael Training Systems developed a new approach--the Time-Crunched Training Program--to help cyclists achieve competitive fitness and power without the impossible time demands of traditional training methods. The Time-Crunched Cyclist shows cyclists how to build fitness on a realistic schedule by tapping the power of high-intensity interval (HIIT) workouts. Cyclists learn the science behind this alternative approach to training before performing the CTS field tests to get a baseline reading of their fitness. 8 comprehensive training plans include effective time-crunched workouts, nutrition guidelines, and strength training to develop the speed and endurance for a wide variety of cycling races and events. New programs for this second edition bring cyclists up to speed for cyclocross racing, mountain bike endurance rides, and show bicycle commuters how to turn their twice-a-day rides into effective time-crunched workouts. The Time-Crunched Cyclist will help former racers, bicycle commuters, 'cross fans, and mountain bikers capture their best performance--all in the time they have right now.
Lance Armstrong's personal coach presents a revolutionary new approach to cycling training. "The Time-Crunched Cyclist" reveals the fastest way to get faster so that busy cyclists can build competitive cycling fitness on a realistic schedule.
“After training with CINCH for the past three years, I’ve learned the cycling-specific techniques that make me a better rider and racer; healthier and injury-free; and more effective and positive off the bike.” -- Lilburn Shaw, 2018 Masters Road National Champion Cycling on Form reveals the pro approach to cycling training. Riding a bike faster takes more than just fitness. It takes skills that you can master to become a faster, stronger rider. In his new guide, former professional bike racer Tom Danielson shows how to transform your cycling from amateur to professional level with the fitness and time you have now. Danielson reveals how the pros go beyond the modern standards of interval workouts, base-building, and recovery to train the whole athlete, mind and body. Danielson shows how to truly ride and train to the fullest through: Fitness: Self-tests to identify your riding strengths and weaknesses then focus on custom training to address them. Mental focus: The pros know that winning means using your head and your legs. You’ll get pro tips on big-picture goal setting and mid-ride concentration strategies to help you stay focused. Execution: Cycling is hard and executing a great ride when it matters takes practice. Danielson shares on-the-bike skills, efficient and powerful techniques, strategies to stay in the race, ways to finish with the lead group, and how to excel on a ride you’ve never done before. Nutrition: Pro riders put sports nutrition into daily practice. Danielson distills the facts of diet, food as fuel, and fueling to recover. Too many cyclists train by trying to set new Strava PRs, only to get frustrated by the limited gains. There’s a better way. Cycling On Form unlocks a pro method for riding faster and stronger.