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Home > It's All About the Bike: The Pursuit of Happiness on Two Wheels
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It's All About the Bike: The Pursuit of Happiness on Two Wheels
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By Robert Penn
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 (40 Reviews)
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Publisher:
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Bloomsbury USA
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Date:
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December 31, 1969 |
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Binding:
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Hardcover
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Pages:
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208
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Robert Penn has saddled up nearly every day of his adult life. In his late twenties, he pedaled 25,000 miles around the world. Today he rides to get to work, sometimes for work, to bathe in air and sunshine, to travel, to go shopping, to stay sane, and to skip bath time with his kids. He's no Sunday pedal pusher. So when the time came for a new bike, he decided to pull out all the stops. He would build his dream bike, the bike he would ride for the rest of his life; a customized machine that reflects the joy of cycling. It's All About the Bike follows Penn's journey, but this book is more than the story of his hunt for two-wheel perfection. En route, Penn brilliantly explores the culture, science, and history of the bicycle. From artisanal frame shops in the United Kingdom to California, where he finds the perfect wheels, via Portland, Milan, and points in between, his trek follows the serpentine path of our love affair with cycling. It explains why we ride. It's All About the Bike is, like Penn's dream bike, a tale greater than the sum of its parts. An enthusiastic and charming tour guide, Penn uses each component of the bike as a starting point for illuminating excursions into the rich history of cycling. Just like a long ride on a lovely day, It's All About the Bike is pure joy- enriching, exhilarating, and unforgettable. Robert Penn has worked as a lawyer, waiter, contractor, DJ, photographer, and journalist-and biked to every single job. He writes for the Financial Times, the Observer, and Condé Nast Traveler, as well as a host of cycling publications. Penn lives in Wales with his wife and three children. Praise from the UK for It's All About the Bike: "[A] gem of a book." -Economist
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Customers' Reviews:
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 Excellent quick read, November 15, 2010
By J. Chaney (Cincinnati)
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I bought this book based on a review in The Economist that made it look interesting. I'm not a bike nut, though I have one and ride it a couple times a week. This book, though, is not written for the bicycle fanatic, but for a layperson for whom bikes are, and have always been, part of the background of life. There's detail on the origins and development of the bike, along with enough -- just enough -- insights from the author's experience to make it not a sterile read. It's also interesting to meet the people involved in various aspects of the bicycle business, from mountain-bikers in Marin County to handlebar manufacturers (who knew there was so much technology in a handlebar?) in Italy. There's also enough here, in terms of content and accuracy, to make it of interest to people who ARE already knowledgeable about road bikes: two of my friends who are competitive road biciclists have read it with enthusiasm. So, all in all, a pleasure to read, and over way too soon.
17 of 18 people found this review helpful
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good primer on bikes and bike history, September 25, 2010
By jbs
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well written, well told, well explained, complete with diagrams and pictures of bike mechanisms, history and design. funny and interesting, a travel journal cum bike celebration.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
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A wonderful perspective; excellent research and history., September 19, 2010
By R. Wilkes (Bellevue, WA)
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Penn's gift is that he takes the bicycle, the thing we all had as kids and take for granted, and gives it its proper place in our culture, history, and record of technological innovation. And it's no small thing. He's a deft writer, clever and witty, and you will never look at your bicycle the same after reading this. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
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It really is about the bike, September 19, 2010
By schurick
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I knew this particular book was going to be about a man and his pursuit to have the perfect custom bicycle built for him. What I didn't realize, however, was how much I'd learn along the way about the history of the cycling itself. The explanation of the role of the bicycle in late 19th century society is just fascinating.
This is a very well-written and entertaining book, particularly if you like to ride and if you are familiar with some of the top component manufacturers out there. The author (Rob Penn) must have loved this project, and after reading this book, you might just find yourself wanting your own personalized bicycle.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
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 How to waste many thousands of dollars on a bicycle, June 27, 2011
By Ian B. Cooper (Silver Spring, MD, USA)
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Billed as a celebration of the bicycle, this is a very short book concerning how a keen cyclist spent as much as he possibly could and travelled as far as possible to buy the best possible bike and components. As a record of a spendthrift throwing money at the bicycle industry, it's more effective as a read-between-the-lines expose on our modern consumer culture than it is a celebration of cycling. It was fascinating for all the wrong reasons.
Heck, I'm a cyclist too, and I like bikes that work well and look good, but is there really any reason to travel the globe and spend vast amounts of money to get the 'best' bike? I don't think so. The difference between a great bike and the best bike is not that big in terms of components, but huge in terms of money. I didn't enjoy reading this ode to disgusting and embarrassing excess one bit. If people like the author have $10,000+ burning a hole in their pocket, I think it would be better spent in helping to bring kids out of poverty, rather than on a vehicle. This book ends up being the cycling equivalent of a book that might be titled 'How I Spent $1,700,000 on a Tricked-Out Bugatti Veyron'.
5 of 10 people found this review helpful
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Bike History through the building of one custom dream bike, October 26, 2010
By RI Rider
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It's All About the Bike is a great read for anyone who loves cycling. If you love the technology of bikes you'll enjoy it even more. Through the story of one man's assembling of his custom dream bike he takes you through the history of bikes as well as across the world to some of the best component manufactures in the business. Opinionated at times as all bikers are when it comes to their gear preference, he is also humorous. The book entertains with some wonderful stories about unique moments in cycling history and the characters that have taken cycling to where it is today.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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 The Perfect Bike (3.75*s), June 22, 2011
By Ideas can move the world (Lawrenceville, GA USA)
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The author's love for all aspects of bicycling is quite evident in this book: the history, its culture, the joy of riding, the challenge of long trips, and the bike itself. But most of all, he is intrigued by "old-school" bicycle craftsmen, who know virtually everything about bicycles, tend to use traditional tools and techniques, and are committed to quality above all else. The basis of this book is the author's quest to have the perfect - for him - bike built, utilizing the knowledge of bicycle artisans/experts scattered across Europe and the US, most of whom he spends time with in the book - a process that he calls "bespoke," or one-of-a-kind.
He sees these modern-day craftsmen as following in the footsteps of long forgotten bicycle innovators, who spent nearly a century from the 19th into the 20th centuries reinventing and perfecting the bicycle. He notes the development of the basic diamond bike frame in 1885, followed by the slow perfecting of steel ball bearings, headsets, handlebars, drive trains (chain, bottom bracket, free wheel, and derailleur), saddles, wheels and tires, and light weight, steel-alloy tubing. In his search for quality, he is allowed inside some of the most revered bicycle component manufacturers, such as, Chris King, Cinelli, Campagnola, Brooks, Columbus, and Continental, many being key players in component development over several decades.
Beyond the perfect bike, it is the social implications of bicycling that most interest the author. The production of literally millions of the so-called "safety" bicycle in England in the late 19th century had a significant effect on, not only, expanding distances that could be traveled in a day's time but also on the emancipation of women, now more able than ever to make trips on their own. The explosion of bicycle ownership, the associated technical skills to build them, and the infrastructure required such as roads and repair centers directly facilitated the rise of the automobile in the next century. The author notes the ebb and flow of bicycle popularity over the 20th century, peaking in the decade following WWII. More recently, it is in some urban areas, such as Portland, OR, where specific planning efforts to accommodate bicyclists have resulted in thriving bicycle communities.
The author's nostalgic ode to bicycle craftsmanship and quality is perhaps a bit overstated. The idea that a bicycle builder can almost instantly size-up a customer seems rather wishful, although modern, mechanistic "fit-kit" techniques too have their limitations. The author, being European may be unaware that it was the low quality of big-name, Italian bicycles in the 1960's and 70's that helped to fuel the growth of American bicycle companies. Evidently, modern, sophisticated, and repeatable manufacturing techniques are considerably more reliable than the ad hoc methods of the masters. Of course, many of them have too changed.
It is not just bicycle aficionados who can appreciate the author's enthusiasm for bicycling and his many experiences both in the past and in his perfect-bike endeavor. He is surely correct to emphasize that a quality, good-fitting bike is an indispensable part of enjoyable biking. The fact that few have the same access as the author to master bicycle craftsmen is not terribly important. There is no availability shortage of technically advanced, high quality bicycles in the US, which bring every bit as much enjoyment as the author's "perfect bike." The book is a succinct look at the technical development of bicycles and as well touches on many areas of bicycle lore. Finally, the "perfect bike" turned out perfectly.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Bicycle love affair, December 31, 2010
By Roy Sinclair (New Zealand, Christchurch)
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Robert Penn apologizes for his disagreement with Lance Armstrong's famous line `It's not about the bike.' In his version of it being `all about the bike' he gives us a wonderful account of a love affair with his human-powered machine. He travels the bicycle-manufacturing countries in search of the best components; frame, wheel rims, tires, headset etc for his dream bike. He includes interviews with great names in the industry and provides worthy snippets of bicycle history. Included is meeting the famous founders of the Repack downhill mountain bike race in California. Penn rides a bicycle every day, sometimes to escape the world. His ultimate dream bike cost him 3,500 pounds. A lot of money for a bicycle.. But then it is the loveliest thing he has owned.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Really enjoyed it., November 6, 2010
By Book buyer (Nowhere)
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I really enjoyed reading this book. As a road bike geek from way back there were so many interesting things that made sense to me. Plus the feel and story of the road bike that only a roadie can know. It doesn't appear to be published in the U.S. which is a shame but its not hard to find places to buy it from. Would also like it on Kindle.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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 It's All About the Bike... Parts, August 2, 2011
By tamar p
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Without a doubt, Robert Penn is a great writer. However, this book failed to catch my attention due to its highly technical nature. This is not a criticism - if you're into learning about what every piece of the bicycle is called, what it does and its history, then this is the right book for you. Personally, I would have been more interested in reading a book with more of an emphasis on the author's travels on his bicycle and less emphasis on the angle of the handlebars, but hey, that's not what this book is about. I really did enjoy the beginning of the book, when the author delves into the history of the bicycle and its impact on human civilization - definitely fascinating and worth a read just to understand that although bicycles are routinely dismissed today by the average person, they were once a huge step forward in transportation and a BIG DEAL.
One thing that is a criticism, though, is the lack of images in the book. The bulk of this book is devoted to talking about parts of the bike, but it's hard to understand what the author is describing without images to accompany the words. There a few images scattered here and there, but it's simply not enough, especially when the author gets nitpicky about the parts he's discussing. I think I would have found the book more interesting had more things been illustrated for me, because after a while I found it tiring to have to imagine all the parts of the bike in my head, and I wasn't even sure if I was getting it right.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Good book - needs better pictures, June 29, 2011
By run3511 (fort wayne)
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I enjoyed this book, which describes the author's quest for the perfect bike. He intersperses the history of the bicycle through the ages with the various parts of the bike he is assembling. I was disappointed with the few plain black and white pictures, which didn't do justice to the "eye-candy" components of the finished product. There is not even a picture of the finished bike.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Pursuit of the perfect bike., September 17, 2010
By Marcia Bystrom (Muscle Shoals, AL United States)
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Anyone who likes bicycles and enjoys bicycling will enjoy reading about Robert Penn's pursuit of the perfect (for him) bicycle.
1 of 6 people found this review helpful
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an obsessive account of the design of a bicycle, October 24, 2011
By neurasthenic (New York City, New York)
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This is an odd book. Robert Penn owns a lot of bikes, but decided he wanted one more and that this one would be perfect -- it would have a custom frame, and exactly the components he wanted, and it would be assembled by the best mechanics in the world. The task took about a year, and while Penn never tells us what the bike cost, one can estimate that with the cost of his flights around the world to view the components being built, it was almost certainly over $10,000.
This is the first oddness of the book. It is simultaneously anti-consumer ("I am not going to buy a Toyota Corolla and replace it every five years; I'm going to buy a bicycle that will last me for the rest of my life.") and intensively consumerist ("This is the list of expensive things I am going to buy for a bicycle that I clearly don't need because I already have a shed full of bicycles at home. This bicycle is going to define me as a person.")
Penn describes some of his previous bicycle adventures, and he discusses the history of bicycles generally and bicycles components in particular. This material will have nothing new to those who have read Herlihy's Bicycle: The History, which is clearly Penn's major source, but it's fun to read.
The second major oddness of the book is that, though it tells the tale of the design and assembly of a bicycle, and contains many photographs and diagrams explaining the origins of different bike parts, it does not end with a photo of the completed bike. Penn takes delivery of his completed bike and rides off into the rain. The end. No photo. Odd.
I ride a custom Peter Mooney, so can I understand some of what drives Penn in his quest, but even I found myself wincing at his conviction that this bicycle would make him finally happy. Happiness can't come from a purchase, and for a collector, as Penn seems to be, the collection will never be complete. Personally, I can't help but imagine that Penn continues to stew over the little things that aren't quite perfect about his new machine, and to plot how he will fix it. But even if he does, I don't think he'll be happy.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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It's all about the bike only if it cost a ton of money?, February 7, 2012
By freaksloan (Oak Harbor, OH USA)
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I am a avid cyclist. I will ride 150 to 200 miles a week. I have never paid more than $700 a bike.
Overall, I thought the book was entertaining. But the major issue I have with Mr. Penn is that he comes off with the attitude if you don't spend $1,000's and $1,000's on a bike you are not a real cyclist. My bike is also not a bike because it is a massed produced bike. I think Mr. Penn is a bike snob.
My main bike is a Trek FX 7.3 I paid $650 and everything is stock and I have no problem keeping up or blowing away people riding bikes that cost up to 10 times more. My bike does not define who I am, and don't think that is the case for Mr. Penn.
Also how is there not a picture of the finished bike in the book?
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Very prompt!, June 12, 2011
By Doreen Ann Sandmel
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I bought this book for my son, he read it on his flight to Japan. When he first opened it, it sounded familiar to him. Comparing the title to Lance Armstrongs book, It's Not About the Bike..., that he also read. He enjoyed the book!
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A Man and His Bicycle, June 12, 2011
By Ruminator (Rochester, MN USA)
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Mr. Penn brings to this book great breadth of experience in the saddle, having cycled to some of the most amazing places on the planet. He retains the sense of wonder anyone who has ridden a bicycle has when they first achieve the wonder of moving forward without support on this most amazing two-wheeled vehicle. The bicycle is truly the most wonderful and efficient human powered machine ever developed and we are still learning about the physics of its self-stabilizing qualities. The author takes us on an adventure, grounded in his pragmatic sense of what works and what doesn't for the quotidian rider, as he pursues his dream bike, one that isn't off the shelf and that is based upon insight into the history, tradition and artisanal qualities of bicycle component production. He brings the reader along on an adventure any cyclist with a sense of wonder would enjoy, meeting the current generation of artisanal component producers. Before we meet these amazing people, we are treated to the history of the relevant component, from origins to evolution through both utilitarian and bicycle racing uses. He obtains the component of interest during a visit, frame from Brian Rourke at Stoke on Trent, headset from Chris King in Portland, OR, wheels from Gravy in Fairfax, CA, tires, steaming hot just after vulcanization from Hardy Bolts of Continental in Korbac, Germany, saddle from Brooks in Manchester..., you get the idea. Your sense of appreciation for each component of the bicycle will deepen after you read each of these engaging sections. You begin to see why the bicycle was initially greeted with the same fanfare and production facilities as the automobile later was. You also more deeply appreciate how remarkable and utilitarian this machine is. The health of the artisanal side of the industry is great news for the future of the bicycle.
As interesting as each of these sections are, though, the best part of the book is the infectious sense of pleasure Mr. Penn can't seem to help but convey with each meeting and with his bicycling. This is remarkable given some of the hair-raising adventures he's been on with a bicycle. He makes you want to get out and get it going on your own bike and to hope that maybe, if you play your cards right, you will one day put together your own dream machine.
Highly recommended. Easily the best bicycle book I've ever read. Ride on, Mr. Penn. Ride on.
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Great book, June 10, 2011
By Oldhiker (California)
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I just ride around to use calories, but it always feels like more than that. This book explains why. The bicycle is a perfect machine. The author explains how everything works and its fascinating history. I will never ride around the world or across the continent, but this book made me want to.
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Great read., June 6, 2011
By PY
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I purchased this, and a few other books for my husband who is an avid recreational cycler. I myself did not read the book, but he was so excited about the information, that he shared it all with me. I feel like I read every page myself. He found this to be very informative, and he absolutely enjoyed the fashion that it was written along with the history. I would recommend this as a good choice for a gift, without a doubt.
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Delightful read, May 26, 2011
By R. Pollard
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If you know what a "headset" is, you will enjoy this book. If you care about "headsets," you will love this book. If you are not a biker, but enjoy the writing of John McPhee and Bill Bryson, you will find much to entertain and amuse you.
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Loved This Book, September 26, 2011
By JKS
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If you like history, bicycles, the pursuit of the perfect..., you will enjoy this well written book. Robert Penn's tale of his pusuit of the perfect bike is informative and very entertaining.
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I loved this book., August 30, 2011
By B. Stark (SoCal)
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This is a great book for people who love to ride bikes. Mass produced bikes from China/Taiwan serve their role, but there's something to be said for the craftsmanship and history of American and European bikes. Hopefully this well written book will help drive sales of hand-built two-wheeled masterpieces.
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What a Surprise!, August 26, 2011
By Dave (Maine)
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What a great little book! Not the best I've ever read or anything, but a pleasant discovery. I'm a cyclist but not a real gear head .... and I enjoyed this one a lot.
This book is largely about the history of cycling, bicycle evolution, and the characters who rode and raced bikes over the generations, with a little present-day, techno stuff thrown in (e.g. frame geometry explained in a brief way to help the reader understand why different design improvements led to more stable bikes.) For example, when the author travels to Portland, Oregon to meet up with an obscure but elite wheel builder, you get an concise history lesson about the development of the mountain bike and the first off-road race. Good stuff.
Plus, I spent more than a few studyhalls in high school looking through the Performance Bike catalog dreaming up my ultimate ride. I never thought that someone would actually do it. And while my approach was to flip pages in a catalog, this guy traveled the world to build his bike and bring us the vivid stories he found along the route.
I do understand the criticisms of some reviewers who objected to what is effectively a monumental waste of energy and money assembling this unnecessary bike (the author never gives us a price tag on the final product, or a tally of the money spent on travel to obtain these components from around the globe ... but it must be HUGE). The book and author bio make you wonder what trust fund the author is living off to have indulged a lifetime of riding without the apparent obligations of gainful employment. If you can get past that hurdle, however, he does write an interesting and well-researched book.
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Any bicycle enthusiast will find this a fine story of the bicycle's attractions, history, and possibilities, August 19, 2011
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
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It's All About the Bike: The Pursuit of Happiness on Two Wheels tells of a search for the ultimate bicycle: a bike that reflect his cycling passion and aspirations, that reflects his personality and craftsmanship. His choice to build a unique bike tells of his world travels to build the ultimate ride - actually a world shopping trip that also delves into the history of cycling around the world. Any bicycle enthusiast will find this a fine story of the bicycle's attractions, history, and possibilities.
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Read this book and then get out and ride!, August 10, 2011
By Bryan Petersen (SEATTLE)
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This book was a very, very fun read. In a former life, some 20 years and 50 pounds ago, I rode, raced and worked in a bike shop. Robb's story reminded me of the pure fun, enjoyment and joy that I find in riding my bicycle. I pulled out my old Bianchi, tuned it up and have looged some 500 miles since mid June. I encourage everybody to get back on there bikes to just ride and live!
Oh, and watch the one hour BBC special based on this book. You can find it on YouTube.
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It's All About Great Writing, August 5, 2011
By cutsyke67
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Penn can write. He can write very well. You can hear his voice in the words he writes. He's managed to document the history of the bicycle while crisscrossing the Western World building his dream bike and put together a gem of a book. You don't have to be a hardcore spandex clad cycling nut who holidays in the Pyrenees and has 50 Cowbell Classics on his i-pod to enjoy this book.
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Delightful, July 12, 2011
By Mike RW (Scarsdale, NY United States)
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This is a nice quick read that is equally enjoyable to the casual cyclist and avid racer. Mix one part the history of the bike, one part travelogue and one part the process of buying a custom bike in an easy to read will written book and you have all you need to know.
The best part are all the little anecdotes I am able to share with my biking buddies on our weekend rides.
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Great book!, July 8, 2011
By HJS
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Very easy to read and with a great deal of history, which informs the discussion of what currently makes a great bike.
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a wonderful read for anyone who loves bikes, July 8, 2011
By spin156
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Having worked in bike shops and then for a wheel manufacturer for a few years I have a little more insight into these machines then the average rider. I like to build my own bikes. None of them are stock and a couple of them were built from scratch, except for the frames. Anyone who rides bikes for a while is going to start doing some customization of some sort to make the bike perform better or make riding it more comfortable or prettier or whatever. The end game for this endeavour/hobby/obsession is to get a bike built from scratch, and this is the basis for Robert Penn's book. He sets out to build his ultimate road bike and describes his visits to the makers of major components. He picks the brains of these craftsmen and find out why their particular products are the objects of desire for so many enthusiasts and professionals. Cleverly interspersed with these visits is, literally, the history of the bicycle and also some tales of Penn's own round the world ride. Penn does a great job of telling this cycling history. He keeps it fun and relevant to his own pursuit of building his perfect ride. I own many books about bicycles and this is easily my favorite read of them all. I loved it. I cannot recommend a book on cycling any higher than "It's All About the Bike". Thanks for a wonderful read, Robert. Cheers.
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In Pursuit of a Great Bike, July 2, 2011
By doug cornelius (Boston)
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It's July, so that means there will be lots of cycling at the Cornelius estate. These days there is much less time spent on the saddle and much more time spent on the couch watching the Tour de France. To get ready for the race, I just finished reading It's All About the Bike by Robert Penn.
The title is a clear stab at Lance Armstrong's It's Not About the Bike. But the book is not making a counter-argument, it's merely a story about Penn's bike. He was looking to build a custom-made bicycle and, through that process, provide some insight about bicycles, their history, and how they're made.
Penn is not looking to have the lightest or the fastest bike. He calls those obsessed riders "weight weenies." The lightest bike is important if your job is getting up a big mountain very fast. Penn is looking for an heirloom bike, custom for him, that will last for decades.
The starting point is a custom frame, meticulously measured and fit to him by Brian Rourke Cycles. Add on a classic drivetrain, a Record groupset from Camagnolo. That powers the wheels hand-built by Gravy using a Royce hub and Continental Grand Prix 4000S tires. Penn will change directions using Cinelli Ram handlebar attached to the bike with a headseat by Chris King that feeds into a Columbus Carve fork. His backside will rest on the Team Pro Saddle from Brooks.
Penn clearly ends up with a beautiful bike and tells a good story along the way. His affection for cycling overflows from the rather short story. I wish he wrote more in the book. It seems that there are lots of untold stories about how he chose the components he did and more ways he could integrate the history of cycling.
If you like bikes, you'll like this book.
(The publisher provided me with a copy of this book.)
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Who knows it was a gift, September 22, 2010
By Stephen Hoffman
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I got this as a gift for a friend, she hasn't had a chance to read it yet. Review in the economist made it look interesting.
0 of 16 people found this review helpful
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Such a lovely book, October 23, 2011
By J. Meyer
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Such a lovely book. Charming without being strident. He doesn't wring his readers through any tedious comparisons of Part A vs. Part B in the search of which is better. That's for cycling magazines. Penn has already made his choices and this book is about the pursuit of the unique perfection he's already deduced for himself.
Not just for cyclists, but for anyone fascinated by mechanics or the human pursuit of invention. Deftly shifts between personal accounts and bicycle history and technology. As a daily cyclist, I learned some things about my bicycle's components. And I already know my non-cyclist, tinkerer friends who will be getting this book.
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its about the bike review, November 29, 2011
By Walter D. Scott (Cleveland, OH)
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There was Too much old bike history. Would like to have seen more about the authors trip around the world trip by bicycle.
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Fascinating, Interesting, and Captivating, November 22, 2011
By Krzysztof Cyganik (New York)
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Before I rented this book to my Kindle from New York Public Library I was a little perplexed. On one side, many positive reviewers praised the book, and on another I was wondering how can a book about the history and construction of the bicycle be fascinating to read. Since it cost me nothing I gave it a try, and what a surprise!
The book is a masterpiece about purity of love between man and the bicycle. This feeling has allowed Robert Penn to write a book that's fascinating, interesting, and captivating. During 200+ pages Penn takes a reader on a journey through which his dreamed bicycle is built. In the process we go back in time to learn about the history of the bike, how it changed the human kind, how it's importance changed over the time, but also, we visit many cool modern-day bicycle shops where useful art is being made almost in front of our eyes.
The culmination of the book is the final assembly of is Penn's real and only personal bicycle, made out of components from different parts of the world that match, and complement each other. They are being attached to custom-made and measured frame welded with the highest precision by metallurgical artists.
Unlike the previous book about biking that I read ("Hell on Two Wheels"), this book is about passion, not perversion and excitation coming from pain. I read this book in two days, and I am recommending it to everyone with love and passion for bicycles.
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Enjoyable!, November 20, 2011
By Eric W. (Canada)
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This book was a great, quick read. I loved the research, humour, and passion shown by the author. Well done.
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Just like a real road trip, November 19, 2011
By Reviews by Cole (Wisconsin)
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(exciting at the beginning but I'm quickly over it as reality sinks in)
It's All About the Bike started out strong, inspiring even. Author Robert Penn did his best to remind us about what fantastic machines bikes really are and how they revolutionized travel. He discussed, a bit, how bikes are not in fashion in many places including the USA. As an American, I understood what he meant but felt myself moved to go for a bike ride, right now, even though I hadn't been on one in years.
As we follow Penn on his journey to create his perfect bike, we learn a little bit about each part of the bike. Bicycles are far more complicated than I realized and I had no idea how their advent affected so many things in the future, especially automobiles. Indeed, the fact that it took so long for this mode of transportation to come of age is a conundrum, and one that Robert Penn discusses in his book but, my God, is there anything related to bikes that he doesn't discuss? Rather than focusing on his search, each chapter includes a few paragraphs about that and consists almost entirely of history and descriptions of the parts of bikes. The history, while interesting, becomes overwhelming and the chapters themselves are none too short.
I think that the average reader may find this even less interesting than I did and quickly put down the book for another, perhaps a work of fiction. The almost constant name and date dropping results in pages full of lists of data that is hard to chew because Penn doesn't necessarily include information that makes this information relevant or emotionally pulling for most people. I found myself skipping more and more of the
Add to that the such in-depth descriptions of the bicycle are difficult to visualize if you're not familiar with bikes. Sure, the book includes a few illustrations but they're poorly formatted, do not include labels and sometimes completely fail to conceptualize what I know they're trying to. In short, the images in this book fail at offering any benefit across the board.
It's All About the Bike isn't a long book at all. It doesn't even have 200 pages; yet, getting through those pages can feel like you're trying to ride a bike uphill. In fact, perhaps the most interesting part of this book is an anecdote about the author's worldwide bike ride, during which he traveled through Pakistan. I, and other readers, would have liked to see more stories like this and it certainly would have made this book a smoother ride.
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a great read for anyone interested in bikes, January 21, 2012
By Fixed Gear Tom (Bucks County PA)
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I read the Economist's favorable review when the book was only available in the UK and forgot about it until one of my daughters e mailed me another review of the US edition. I love biking and bikes and this book was a rare treat. It traces the evolution of the bike and its components, of course, however what was really interesting to me was the stories behind the makers of the "bike parts" be they as complex as the shifting mechanism or as apparently simple as the saddle. The look into the lives of the people whose vocation and avocation are the same - making the best possible component - was fascinating.
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Fun little book, January 19, 2012
By BikerWife
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Bought this for my husband and he read it immediately. He really enjoys his bike(s) and was delighted with this author's project to build the perfect bike. I just hope he doesn't try to build his OWN perfect bike now! My turn to read it now....
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Not just for cyclists, April 17, 2012
By Matthew Hosier (Poole, UK)
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If you are a cyclist you'll love this book but if you are interested in social history, or high quality engineering then this quick read will probably be up your street as well.
Penn builds the book around a quest to build his dream bike. With £3,500 to spend he opts for a bespoke machine and travels around England, Italy and America sourcing the finest components he can find. Each chapter of the book is a description of each of these components, but also commentary on the social history of the bicycle.
We are so used to bikes that their revolutionary nature usually passes us by, but Penn plots how the development of the bike assisted the rise of the women's suffrage movement, increased social mobility and led to the development of the motor industry - Henry Ford was a bike mechanic, as were the Wright brothers, inventors of the first powered aircraft. He claims the bike to be as significant an invention as the printing press or world wide web. What is surprising, is that the bike was only invented within the last 150 years, when the technology to create one has been available for more than 3,000. It seems that this was a mental rather than technological problem - conceptually it was just unimaginable that a machine comprising two wheels in a line would not fall over.
For most of us, learning to ride a bike is our first step into geographical freedom. Suddenly our horizons are opened - the distance we can explore and the speed at which we can travel is dramatically increased. This potential inherent in the bicycle has always led to some pretty extreme behaviour. Penn has himself cycled around the world, and he records the exploits of some of the early bike pioneers, such as Thomas Stevens who rode around the world on a `penny-farthing' bike in the 1880's, and the six day races during which competitors rode continuously round a track covering thousands of miles. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries track cycling was the most popular spectator sport in the USA, with 125,000 watching a six day race at Madison Square Gardens, and cyclists were the highest paid athletes in sport. It was this rage for cycling that was the propelling force for the construction of smooth roads - something that literally paved the way for the motorcar, which seems ironic now as America's love of the car and its massive highways are inimical to travelling by bike.
After a couple of decades of being something that only kids and hippies did, cycling is again becoming fashionable. A combination of Government encouragement of cycling, concerns about the environment and physical health, frustration at commute times in cars or trains, the creation of mountain biking, and the high profile of an athlete like Lance Armstrong, have all contributed to this. The number of cyclists on the road is increasing all the time, as is the number of bike shops and high-end products.
To a non-cyclist, Penn spending £3,500 on his machine might seem staggering, but my local bike shop has plenty of off-the-peg models costing well in excess of this. Penn's creation should be viewed more as a Savile Row suit (which, incidentally, would cost more anyway) - a combination of exquisite engineering and art - and then the price doesn't seem so high. And it's certainly cheaper than a car!
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Good book!!, April 10, 2012
By S. Moran (Houston)
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I thouroughly enjoyed the prologue, and I read about the first 50 pages and left the book God knows where.....can't wait to find it again and read some more.
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Bike Lover's special!, April 10, 2012
By Diego Llaneza
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A word of advise: this reading might be limited to bicycle riders interested in what they ride on, in detail. I am one, and enjoyed it thoroughly. It is a wonderful source full of brands and names that serious bike enthusiasts will probably appreciate. Being on the process of building my own bike at the moment, i found it completely inspiring!
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