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Home > Hell on Two Wheels: An Astonishing Story of Suffering, Triumph, and the Most Extreme Endurance Race in the World
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Hell on Two Wheels: An Astonishing Story of Suffering, Triumph, and the Most Extreme Endurance Race in the World
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By Amy Snyder
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 (35 Reviews)
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Triumph Books (IL)
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Date:
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December 31, 1969 |
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Hardcover
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Pages:
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272
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This is a stunning inside account of what it's like to take part in one of the most epic endurance sport events in the world. RAAM - The Race Across America - is a bicycle race like no other. This epic contest is the most brutal organized sporting event you've never heard of and one of the best-kept secrets in the sports world. Contestants have died, been injured, even descended into the realms of madness. Half of them don't finish - in fact, only 200 racers have ever made it to the end of the 3,000 mile, 12-day course. "Hell on Two Wheels" is a thrilling and remarkably detailed account that follows a group of athletes before, during, and after the 2009 race. By experiencing the race from the perspective of the racers themselves, "Hell on Two Wheels" breaks new ground in helping us appreciate how such a grueling effort can be so cleansing and self-revelatory. This is more than just a race - it's an unforgettable allegory about the human experience of pain and joy and self-discovery.
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Customers' Reviews:
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 Like being there, but without the sweat. Or tears. Or sleep deprivation. Or ..., May 12, 2011
By Larry Varney (Cold Spring, KY United States)
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Many of us are fans of the Race Across America (RAAM). Some of us actually compete, while most do it vicariously, through reading daily reports, on-the-scene updates, and wrap-up stories after the race is over. Many of these stories have been excellent when it comes to learning who won and lost, the margin of victory, as well as some good information about one particular racer or team. But what has been missing is a report that covers more than one rider or team, that gives intimate details regarding not only the events during the race, but before and after as well. That void has been filled by Amy Snyder's Hell On Two Wheels (Triumph Books, 2011).
When I read through the book, I kept thinking: this is what's been missing! Often I've wondered about other riders, other teams, how did they handle the deserts, did they have problems with the mountains in West Virginia, what was the mood of the riders and crews when they could "smell the barn" as they entered Maryland. This book answers many of those questions in the 2009 running of RAAM. Many of the names will be familiar, and this book will flesh out our knowledge with information that is both fascinating and disturbing. The name of the book describes the race, the ordeal that RAAM is, in a way that would make most of us put any Walter Mitty aspirations out of our heads.
Amy Snyder is an accomplished racer in her own right. She knows what it's like to give everything you've got, and more. After reading her book, you'll have gained some insight into just what these men and women go through in their 3000+ miles race across the US. Buy this book - you will enjoy it.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
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An Amazing Story of Endurance and Inner Strength, May 11, 2011
By Paula Margulies (San Diego, CA)
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I was dazzled by this book! Amy Snyder ushers us into the remarkable world of ultra-distance cycling with her documentary narrative about the 2009 Race Across America. The RAAM destroys its competitors, plunging them into a surreal world of sleeplessness and intense pain, and endless hours of brutal, soul-searing physical and mental exertion as they cross the deserts, mountains, and plains of America. Some of the competitors end up with blown-out calf muscles, pulmonary infections, searing saddle sores, and hallucinations induced by 9-10 days of sleep deprivation. Others develop a debilitating condition known as Shermer's neck, where the neck muscles fail and the riders are forced to cycle without the ability to raise their heads (there are photos of some of them with their heads propped up by self-devised scaffolds and neck braces -- unbelievable!).
This race itself is unbelievable, but Snyder makes it seem both fascinating and inspiring as she delves into the personal triumphs and struggles of some of the men's individual race leaders: Jure Robic, Dani Wyss, Marko Baloh, Jim Rees, Franz Priehs, and Christop Strausser, and the four women competitors: Janet Christiansen, Daniela Genovesi, Michelle Santihano, and Ann Wooldridge. Many of these riders don't finish the race, but all of their stories are remarkable. Snyder was with the riders the whole way, driving back and forth along the course for first-hand information from the cyclists and their crews. She provides exciting race details, where competitors battle it out through baking desert heat, soaring mountainous climbs, and bone-chilling Midwestern rain, and intersperses the race story with relevant background history about the racers and their crews.
The RAAM is a long, lonely, grueling event and, sadly, it's one that receives little attention in the sports world. But the winners and losers each have amazing stories to tell about how they got there and why they choose to participate in this soul-crushing sport. Snyder does a wonderful job of presenting both the brutal reality of ultra-distance racing and the life-changing sense of accomplishment experienced by the participants who survive it. And the mind-blowing ending is followed up by an epilogue that was so shocking and stunningly sad, I actually yelled out loud (which scared the heck out of my kids!).
The book includes photographs, acknowledgments and notes, and an appendix that lists the entire 2009 solo riders field, along with their bios and race results.
Hell on Two Wheels reminded me of Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air. Whether you're a cycling buff or a reader who enjoys true adventure stories that grab you by the neck, you'll love this book.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
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 Great topic but flawed writing, July 6, 2011
By David Noer (Greebsboro, North Carolina)
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Amy Snyder documented the incredible strain and trauma experienced by competitors in the 2009 Race Across America, but the book has some serious flaws.
First, the pace is fragmented and does not flow well. There are times when the reader works just as hard as the race competitors to stay focused, keep reading, and make sense out of the wondering narrative.
Secondly, her focus is only on a few of the solo competitors. She ignores the team competitors and most of the solo racers. In order to do justice to the overall sweep and drama of this event, it would have been helpful to have a perspective of all the racers. She also spends no time profiling the winner of the women's solo event, Daniela Genovesi. Perhaps Genovesi would not grant interviews or Snyder could not find a Portuguese interpreter, but ignoring Genovesi's effort is a serous flaw.
The third issue has to do with Snyder's overdone, trite and "cutesy" way of continuing to refer to her profiled competitors by descriptions such as "uber-athlete" or "golden boy." Once is enough, but she continues to use these labels throughout the book. It's irritating and smacks of bad editing and unimaginative writing.
Perhaps the worst flaw is her sophomoric efforts to analyze the psychological motivation of the few competitors she follows. Her attempts to explain their motivational patterns are shallow, unprofessional, and almost humorous.
Finally, she does not deal with the basic issue plaguing ultra biking - doping. She totally ignores it. Any responsible treatment of the Race Across America would provide some background and context to this issue.
5 of 11 people found this review helpful
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cycling has its lunatics. amy snyder is the perfect narrator of their excesses, May 26, 2011
By thewashingmachinepost (isle of islay, scotland)
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though an entirely true story, hell on two wheels reads like an adventure novel, leading to accusations of it being unputdownable. each participant's story is woven as a thread through what is often an exciting narrative. amy snyder has an innate gift for telling a great story, surreptitiously hooking the reader into the goings on across the vast expanses of north america. each step forward, each step backward and those who failed to complete the distance, approaches the complexity of three dimensional chess, yet snyder keeps a clear head and presents the twists and turns with impeccable clarity.
trepidation would be a good word describing my initial approach to the book, for on the outside looking in, how interesting or intriguing could it possibly be? a bunch of folks set off from the west coast to ride as fast as possible to the finish line on the east coast, often separated by several hours and hundreds of miles of tarmac. it's hardly the components from which excitement is hewn.
yet i read obsessively from start to finish, desperate to find out if the butler did it. it would spoil the story if i named the butler at this juncture, and in order not to inadvertantly do so, i have deliberately kept myself from reading the last few pages. once this review is done and dusted, i'm off to the leather armchair to finish the story. though i will undoubtedly get there before you, i'd heartily recommend you follow in my tyre tracks.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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Fascinating, May 12, 2011
By casweki
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Fascinating to learn about these cyclists, and this race! I'm not a biker and knew nothing about RAAM but it is an incredible story about what drives people to go on under extremely harrowing circumstances. Must read.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
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An extraordinary account of an epic cycling event, November 28, 2011
By M. Erb (Syracuse, NY)
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Amy Snyder's book "Hell on Two Wheels" is an inside look at a cross-country cycling event that will mesmerize you.
Although I've been an active cyclist for most of my life, I had never heard of the Race Across America. I'm not an "ultra-cyclist" but have done a few century ride. Now, thanks to this insightful and gripping account as written by Amy, I've now gained a new appreciation for the participants in this particular race and for ultra-cyclists in general.
This book is written in such a way that even though you know that the author knows the outcome already, the book teases you with questions that won't be answered until the very end. It propels you to finish the book to find out what the final outcome will be. The author profiles many of the top riders as well as a few of the rookies, and gives a great amount of backstory for each of them. You will understand exactly where the competitors come from, what their motivations are and what type of people they are when they are not on their bikes. Amy does a great job humanizing these people.
As I was reading the account of this race and contemlating the toll it takes on the racers bodies and soul, I honestly started to question whether a race like this is really necessary. I mean just because it is "there" doesn't necessarily mean that it should be pursued. It places such a deman on the body of the participants, being in good shape doesn't even mean that you finish a race such as this. At least in the Tour de France you get a good night rest, food, medical care, etc. In the Race across America, there are no stages... the race is more or less continuous. Riding on average 350+ miles a day for 8 days straight is insane. 3000 miles? Seriously? In an average biking season, I'm lucky to ride 1500-1800 miles. That's over the course of 7 or 8 months. The top-finishers in this race are riding 3000 miles in 8 days! Amy Snyder is able to put this in perspective and give you some answers as to what motivates these riders to attempt such a mind-boggling feat.
What's really crazy is that after reading this book, as a semi-serious cyclist, I find myself rationalizing this and wondering if it's something I could even dream of doing. Once you start going down that road, you begin to understand how it is that so many attempt to ride this race. Many fail. Some return year after year and excel.
It was hard to put this book down. I kept wanting to find out how it would all play out and would the favorites finish well or would some newcomer steal the show. The inclusion of a good number of photos of some of the more notable racers gives you an additional connection to the racers.
I won't give away the ending but simply recommend you pick up a copy of this thrilling account of a cycling race that you probably never heard of. Any serious cyclist would enjoy this book and it would appeal to anyone who is interested in extreme sports of any sort I would think.
Disclosure: I was given a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes by the author.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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Spellbinding, June 8, 2011
By avid reader (Memphis, TN)
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An exciting book about a bike ride...yeah, right. Those were my thoughts too. I might enjoy a long run or bike ride but what could be so interesting about a small group of riders racing each other across America. The answer surprisingly is everything. Ms. Snyder turns this into a true human interest story of self-discovery, perseverance, motivation and teamwork. There's a little something for everyone in this story.
I was fascinated by how close some of the top riders came to success then had to withdraw and the same for the no namers. Folks from small towns who overcame the odds, and when just about to drop out somehow held on till suddenly they felt great and were back racing.
It's a very compelling book with surprises in every chapter.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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A fun read, June 6, 2011
By Kelly (NJ)
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I'm not a cyclist - not even close - and I loved this book. It was a wonderful read. It was amazing to read about the extremes that these cyclists had to endure...and it's amazing to hear about how virtually unknown this race is. Definitely recommended to just about everybody.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Best Book on Extreme Endurance Sport, May 24, 2011
By Deb_C_San_Diego
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No other book captures the essence of extreme endurance sport the way this one does. Snyder brings this amazing and otherwise inaccessible experience of RAAM to anyone who's ever struggled through a 2 mile jog, a daylong ironman, or even childbirth. "Hell on Two Wheels" vividly describes race logistics, politics, geography and weather, emotional drama, physical pain, means of coping, intriguing personalities, and range of motivations for different RAAM participants and their crews. You might not feel compelled to race your bike across America in 10 days when you're done reading, but I bet you will be inspired to dig deeper within yourself and come closer to discovering your own potential.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Hell On Two Wheels, May 23, 2011
By Jim Rees
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This book is an up close and personal account of some of the solo racers from the 2009 Race Across America. Amy has done a stunning job of allowing people outside of the Ultra Cycling world a window into how this race transforms the riders as they progress on their journeys through the extremes that this race has to offer.
Amy also gives some much needed background into some of the research behind the various mindset strategies that the riders use to manage their state and manage their pain and suffering as the race progresses. There is controversy in there too with allegations of cheating which is hard to read as a competitor and I believe that the riders who surrounded me as we competed together were all authentic and pedalled every mile of the race. The book captures it all and hopefully will help people understand not just the race but also the BIG question of WHY these riders step up to the starting line in Oceanside.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Emotional, May 13, 2011
By BenP
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Brought me back to a time and place I'll never forget. Well done Amy, a great re-telling an amazing journey.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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The Ultimate Ultra-Distance Sporting Event: Life, July 8, 2011
By Richard Polt (Baltimore, MD)
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I just finished reading Hell on Two Wheels: An Astonishing Story of Suffering, Triumph, and the Most Extreme Endurance Race in the World. The book chronicles the 2009 Race Across America (RAAM), a 3,000+ mile pain-fest in which competitors pedal their road bikes from the Pacific Ocean (Ocean Side, CA) to the Atlantic Ocean (Annapolis, MD) in less time than the typical cross-country automobile trip. The top finishers average 300 miles per day with about one hour of sleep for every 24-hour period. The suffering that competitors endure is beyond words - heat stroke, hypothermia, saddle sores, hallucinations, and crashes.
As an experienced road cyclist, I know what it feels like to spend hours in the saddle. I do 100+ mile rides frequently and on two occasions I participated in a 200-mile, single-day ride, which is a bit further than the distance from downtown Baltimore, MD to Central Park, NY. After two hundred miles, 11,000 feet of climbing, and 12 hours on the road, I was physically and emotionally spent. I had nothing left. So the thought of riding from coast to coast in 10 days is mind-boggling to me.
But the competitors in RAAM are not super-human. In fact, most are average Joe professionals with families, jobs, and myriad responsibilities. To read their stories, one realizes that success in ultra-distance racing has as much if not more to do with one's attitude and developing coping mechanisms for adversity as it does with athletic prowess. In fact, many racers who succumb to fatigue or injury are forced to abandon the race, yet they return the following year with an even stronger sense of purpose and drive to finish.
What's more impressive than the athletes' cardio-vascular capacities is the manner in which they accept the realities of their situations, adapt to them, and ultimately persevere. One pedal stroke at a time, mile after mile, state after state, day after day, ocean to ocean. Finishing RAAM is about passion, commitment, optimism and hope. It's possessing the knowledge that while roadblocks and wrong turns are inevitable, how we deal with them is what's critical. This is the lesson to be drawn from the book and the one we should apply to our own lives.
If life was the Race Across America, I would be somewhere in Kansas right now (give or take). I've ridden far enough to gain valuable insight about the race, but still have many more miles to go before I sleep.
Hell on Two Wheels is a wonderful and quick read! Enjoy it.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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A Masterpiece, June 20, 2011
By Chasnleo (Rogers AR USA)
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This book has me in fits trying to finish it! The writing is supurb, it is real to life. I highly reccomend this book. I am excited about introducing this book to my friends.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Maybe my favorite cycling book yet, June 15, 2011
By KovasP
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Amy Snyder deftly weaves together the preparation, suffering, and mental gymnastics that make up an endurance event such as this one. A great introduction to the sport of ultracycling for those new to it and an amazing description of an unbelievable event.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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And now i Know..., June 14, 2011
By Jim Mihalick
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I recently took up the sport of cycling and discovered the Race Across America. Being very interested in this unbelievable event, I researched and read everything I could to find out more about the trials and tribulations of the racers. Then, I found this book. Amy took me out of my sofa and put me right in to the chase vehicles of the racers on the course. I truly felt as if I were there. She carried me through the 3,000 mile journey continually keeping me updated on the racers from start to finish.
I live in Oceanside, CA and was fortunate enough to attend the orientation meeting on 6/13/11. Because of all the wonderful pictures in this book, and the details of the racers experiences, I was able to recognize several of the racers and I felt as if I knew them personally. When I chatted with a few of them, they were impressed I knew so much about them and it is all due to "Hell on Two Wheels."
My only complaint is that Amy Snyder does not write a "Hell on Two Wheels" for every year of RAAM. If she did, I would read every one. Thank you so much for bringing the world's toughest bicycle race into my living room. AAAAA+++++
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Whoa. Crazy race. A page-turning read!, June 13, 2011
By cconrad92103
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An easy-to-read, compelling story about teamwork, extreme sports, and those special individuals whose drive to win outweighs all reason. I cannot believe the suffering these folks put themselves through. Ms. Snyder has done something amazing to track these athletes over a nearly round-the-clock, 9-12 day race across our country.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Too short (in a good way), June 3, 2011
By Terry Hutt (Running Springs, CA)
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I love books like this. I've been an endurance athlete for 15 years since my first double century. I'm not in the same league as the heroes and heroines of this book, but I understand a lot of what they experience. Amy does a great job of explaining what they go through, how they handle it, and why they submit themselves to this level of pain. But it's not just the pain, it's the absolute bone-numbing exhaustion and the miraculous recoveries, the depression and exhilaration.
Driving up and down the RAAM route to stay in contact with just a handful of riders must have been very difficult. I just finished supporting a 600k brevet and I was exhausted. I really wish she had been able to include more of the riders including the teams. They have their own set of problems to deal with which would have made interesting, though perhaps less dramatic, reading. I could have read twice as much, easy - but I doubt Amy had the time or resources to do anything more that she did.
If I ever meet Amy, and she doesn't live far from me, maybe she'll sign the back of my kindle. I already have Mike Shermer's and Steve Born's signatures on their books :-)
Remember to follow the 2011 RAAM - it starts soon.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Brilliant and Insightful, June 3, 2011
By capperman
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Amy really does offer the reader a much needed and amazing untold story about the race across America. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and it was fascinating to read about every rider's different story, problems, background and reasons for doing this great race.Thank you Amy.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Speechless, May 24, 2011
By Santilhano
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Not for faint hearted. Superbly well written. Amy articulates the joys and challenges of many hidden details that create the background, preparation, journey and recovery of the event, for solos and teams including riders, crew, families and race staff. An experiential read, letting the reader hear, see, smell,taste and feel the minutes, days, and miles of the event. Rivetting read for all.
Well done Amy!!!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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So much more than a bike race!, May 22, 2011
By George Metzler
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Amy Snyder does a terrific job of capturing the full drama of RAAM as the race plays out across 3,000 miles of pavement across the US. Her book captures the drama between the competitors but reveals the even more interesting interplay between rider and crew.
She does an excellent job of feeding race details to a RAAM junkie like myself, but she triumphs in telling the much more compelling human side of RAAM. I give the book 5 stars because it captured my interest, but more importantly it also explains this race and its devotees to a much wider audience.
Great Job!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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A hell of a book in the "Must-Read" category!, May 21, 2011
By Patrick Autissier (Belmont, MA)
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By telling the incredible story of this obscure endurance bike race called RAAM, Amy Snyder successfully put in writing what Stephen Auerbach did previously in his now acclaimed documentary "Bicycle Dreams": a very powerful and emotional book about several riders and their crew members during the RAAM 2009.
RAAM is like a rare diamond: very few people have had the privilege to "see" it for real. Only the solo riders, finishers or not, know what it's like to race this "Hell on Two Wheels" from coast to coast. Although all of them are very proud when they finish the race, very few actually talk about their RAAM experience later in books or documentaries, simply because it's almost impossible to describe the magnitude and impact this race has on them. That's why Amy has done a "Tour De Force" with her book, because her detailed account of the RAAM 2009 will bring readers as close to RAAM as one can get, without having to actually ride a bike for 3,000 miles ;-)
Once you'll start reading "Hell On Two Wheels", you will not be able to put it down until you'll cross the finish line in Annapolis, MD.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Like Riding Tandem with the Racers, December 2, 2011
By C. Stephans
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It is not an embellishment to describe reading Amy Snyder's account of the Race Across America as like riding along with the racers or being in the team vehicles. Snyder delivers an excellently written, intimate and journalistic narrative of the race. Readers will learn in-depthly the hellish suffering of the riders and the heavenly ecstasies that keeps them coming back. The author adroitly shifts from facts of the race, to personal stories of the riders, to play-by-play narratives of the race. She truly has gone the extra mile (or more literally extra 3,000 miles) to bring this race and its participants to life for the readers. At various times she takes readers to the training grounds of riders in their native spaces. We meet some of their families and friends. I think most importantly Snyders takes readers, as well as a writer can, into the minds of the ultra-distance athletes.
I can't imagine this book written any better than it has been. It has some photos of the racers, too. This is something any sports fans will enjoy and cycling fans will eat it up.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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A great story about a great race!, September 11, 2011
By P. Halderman (Lincoln, Ne)
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I enjoyed this book very much. It is well written, in fact I read it in one sitting, I couldn't put it down! Amy Snyder was able to bring me the race up close and personal.
Good job of covering an impossible "to cover" race. I love the book and will read it many times over.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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 Good read, August 16, 2011
By CVOChristi
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I liked the idea of an insiders view of what the athletes go through on this race. The author did a good job considering she was following a race that was spread out across hundreds of miles. She also did a great job of documenting where she got her information to authenticate it. I would love to see a book written by someone on a racer crew.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Hell on Two Wheels, July 7, 2011
By Judy
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Well written, true story that any cyclist or adventurer would enjoy reading. Delve into the real life struggles and triumphs of those involved directly and indirectly in this amazing race across America. Great read - Great Gift!!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Good ride, June 26, 2011
By Pollyg (San Diego, CA)
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I was a little unsure about this book because I am not a bike rider, but I was soon caught up in the stories of the people who take on the special challenge of this race. I found it hard to put the book down as the end of the race was in sight and the author did a great job of building the suspense of which of these hard training athlete would not just make it to the end of this 3,000 mile ride but do it in record time.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Extreme endurance, extreme reporting, June 22, 2011
By Kenneth Heard (Jonesboro, Ark)
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My concept of a grueling marathon is the trek I take from the living room to the refrigerator for another Pepsi. Needless to say, I'm not in that great of shape. However, after reading Amy Snyder's Hell on Two Wheels, I find I'm raring to grab a bicycle and start peddlin'.
Snyder has done something good reporters strive to do. She makes her readers think. Obviously, the first poser that comes to mind is the health issue of riding a bicycle 3,000 miles. She deals with it, at times graphically -- in the case of the saddle sores the riders experience -- and she delves into the madness that creeps in after 6 or more days on the road. She also adds bits about the riders' personalities and their thoughts as they travel.
She even includes small "nuggets" of information that help drive the story and place the reader at the scene. While traveling between California and Arizona, she wrote, riders can see the flashing lights of bicyclists' follow cars although they are an hour way. It offers a good, simple, description of the vastness of the route they take.
I found myself constantly flipping to the back of the book where she lists the 2009 Race Across America riders to see how they finished after reading about them throughout the book. It may have spoiled the "does he make it?" surprise of reading, but I found myself caring about the riders.
This is a good, quick read with a lot of information about the race, and a primer for reporters who want to write well and include descriptive facts subtly rather than banging readers over the head with them.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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A great sports book, April 30, 2012
By G. Burnett (Cincinnati, OH United States)
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Snyder follows the format Daniel Coyle used in "Lance Armstrong's War"--she centers the text on one race but referrers to other races to give the background as she goes, and she selects a cast of interesting participants through whom she tells the story of the Race Across America. The writing is fast-paced and engaging. It's probably more enjoyable if you are a fan of cycling or endurance sports; however, like "Born to Run," this book has some general appeal. Snyder does a good job of making RAAM seem like a really bad idea, which provides good drama and good reading.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Incredible look inside the minds of ultra endurance athletes, March 25, 2012
By Bradley Billingsley (Denver, CO United States)
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Amy's book provides one of the best studies of mental toughness for endurance athletes beyond the edge that I've read. Her writing style kept me up late reading each night and wishing there was more at the end. She also did an excellent job of allowing the reader to get to know the cyclists and cheer for them as they pedalled on around the clock. This is a great addition to the endurance athletes library.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Good ride, June 26, 2011
By Pollyg (SAN DIEGO, CA, United States)
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I was a little unsure about this book because I am not a bike rider, but I was soon caught up in the stories of the people who take on the special challenge of this race. I found it hard to put the book down as the end of the race was in sight and the author did a great job of building the suspense of which of these hard training athlete would not just make it to the end of this 3,000 mile ride but do it in record time.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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compelling, inspiring, but also a little bit narrow, June 21, 2011
By A. Gerber
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I will echo all of the other reviewers' praise for this book--I was completely sucked in by it, and read the whole thing in about 5 hours. RAAM itself is a hidden gem that deserves additional attention from the sporting world in general, and the cycling world in particular. It's hard to believe that people actually cycle across the entire USA in 9 days (or less!), as I know people who've taken almost that long to do it in a car.
One of the strengths of the book is that the author really attempts to unpack the psychology of these riders: their motivation, their coping strategies, their relationship to the race once it's over. That's why I found it an odd choice that neither of the winning riders (men's or women's) were treated as primary subjects. The author represented the perspective of many of the racers, but not of the winners (except for the winning American/Rookie). Did she not have access to those people? Did they refuse to talk to her? Perhaps for the woman racer there was a language barrier (or she didn't want the scrutiny, given the allegations of cheating). It's an irksome omission, although I really can't fault the author or the book too strongly for it, as I'm sure this whole project was a logistical headache that in the end got done the way it could get done, even if imperfectly.
I also appreciated the author's efforts to remain neutral and unbiased in her representation of the conflicts that arose. At no point did I feel she had taken sides with one rider over another, or with RAAM over the riders (or vice versa). While I'm sure the author has her opinions on the subject, she did a commendable job of trying to limit how obvious they were. There was in fact one time where I wished she had weighed in a bit more strongly: specifically, when she refers to some of the women racers' dissatisfaction with the second-class treatment they felt they were receiving with RAAM. Throughout the book I also felt that the women's race wasn't being treated with as much gravitas as the men's--either by the author, the competitors, and perhaps even RAAM. A more elaborated discussion of this would have been welcome, as I think it's a problem, particularly as it seems to result in declining women's performance in the Race overall.
At the end of the day, and these minor points aside, I enjoyed this book tremendously and feel like I have a real insight into what it takes to accomplish a task as daunting as this one. Anyone who undertakes this challenge has my utmost respect and admiration, even if I also think she or he is a little bit crazy!
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Great for adventure seekers, cycling enthusiasts, and extreme sports lovers., November 17, 2011
By Krzysztof Cyganik (New York)
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My first encounter with "Hell on Two Wheels: An Astonishing Story of Suffering, Triumph, and the Most Extreme Endurance Race in the World" by Amy Snyder was during one of my first visits to REI Adventure Stores, which advertised her upcoming keynote. It was late summer of 2011, and it was the time when I started cycling myself. Consequently, I decided that one day I will get my hands on this book, and I finally did.
Snyder did astounding job reporting on the most difficult and exhausting bicycle race on U.S. soil, that doesn't get much publicity elsewhere. Hence, none of my friends or people I asked know what RAAM was.
The book is appropriate in length. I am sure that Snyder could have made it 700 page long report with over-detailed account of this 10 days or so race, which broke many contestants emotionally, psychologically, and physically. Many of them had to quit because they either couldn't take anymore or continue with excruciating pain. Some continued and one... decided to quit just 50 miles away from the finish line in protest that he was unfairly punished by organizers.
On top of being a fascinating sports book, this work offers a good amount of deliberation about source, forms, importance, and handling of pain. It also motivates the reader to think not only about the importance of persistence, drive, and realizing goals, but it also exposes difficult choices, disappointment, and uncertainty.
Finally, the book makes one reflect about his/her own need (or lack of it) to push the body and mind to the limit, and also what this limit might be. On the personal note, I have concluded that what these athletes do is more related to perversion than sport, but I am far from condemning it, as long as this is what they strive to do.
I would highly recommend this book to people looking for adventure seekers, cycling enthusiasts, and extreme sports lovers. To lesser extent it might be interesting for people who need extra push to define / think about their own limits, and goals.
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Great book about the Race Across America!, November 15, 2011
By Kat (Sandston, Virginia United States)
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I absolutely loved this book! I am not a cyclist but know someone who is and he's gotten me interested in reading about cycling. This book is gripping. I got so attached to the cyclists I wanted to know how each and every one of them fared in the race. I think Amy Snyder did a great job painting a picture of the race and the cyclists. As one reviewer said, she does describe some of the cyclists in "cutsey" ways. But, I could forgive the very few writing flaws for the super descriptions of the race itself. It really amazes me that people would put themselves through this. I have been reading quite a few cycling books lately and this is one of my favorites. It is a book both riders and non-riders would enjoy. If you're wondering what cycling books to read, put this one high on your list. You can't go wrong.
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 Interesting Story of Physical and Mental Endurance, August 18, 2011
By pistol pete (ohio)
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This is an interesting behind the scenes look at RAAM. While can't say that I was absolutely captivated by the drama of the event as most of the riders are hours and days apart the two fastest riders make it interesting in the end. More than a story of a race among cyclists it's more of a story of mental and physical endurance. If you enjoy cycling and have suffered through some long rides you'll appreciate what these riders do from coast to coast.
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A slow starter then really gets going, March 18, 2012
By macmaniac
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Slow to get going and thought I would struggle to complete the book but once into the race itself then never looked back. Amy has done a great job of writing this book that kept me reading, recognizing the fact that the riders were hundreds of miles apart at times, and had enough detail to visualize the events happening. It is amazing the trauma the riders go through, as well as the crews, during the RAAM, but I would like to give it a go someday - in a team though...no way as a solo!
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