The Essential Touring Cyclist: A Complete Guide for the Bicycle Traveler, Second Edition

by Richard A. Lovett

Overview

The classic guide for beginning and intermediate cyclists is back—and it’s better than ever. With the latest on bikes, gear, and training techniques and new sections on short tours, and touring abroad, this new edition of The Essential Touring Cyclist promises to appeal to a whole new population of aspiring cyclists. Whether you’re heading out for five hours or five months, this vividly designed, heavily illustrated, and resource-rich guide delivers everything you need.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780071705134
Publisher:	McGraw Hill LLC
Publication date:	01/08/2001
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	6 MB

About the Author

Richard A. Lovett has published more than 2,000 articles on travel, science, and cycling for such publications as the Economist, Backpacker, and Travel & Leisure. The coauthor of Freewheelin': A Solo Journey Across America, he has bicycled more than 50,000 miles, including a 5,400-mile trek from California to Maine. He is also coauthor of The Essential Cross-Country Skier: A Step-by-Step Guide and Alberto Salazar's Guide to Running.

Table of Contents

Introduction Cycle Touring 101. Getting Started 1 Choosing and Equipping a Bicycle Types of Bicyles; Gearing; Wheels, Tires, and Tubes; Saddles; Toe Clips; Other Components; Accessories; Useful Additions; How Much Must I Spend? 2 Equipping Yourself Helmets; Gloves; Eye Shields; Shoes; Cycling Shorts; Shirts and Jerseys; Jackets and Wind Shells; Rain Gear; Cold-Weather Clothing 3 Making Friends with Your Bike and Staying Friendly Before You Buy; Stems and Cranks; Adjustments 4 Basic Riding Skills Pedaling Cadence; Riding in Traffic; Traffic Laws; Wind; Dogs; Railroad Tracks, Cattle Guards, and Rumble Strips 5 Day Tours and Training Rides Training Basics; Spring Training; Base Training; Training for a Tour; Training through Winter; Stretching and Weight Lifting; Doing Your First Century Cycle touring 102. Beyond Day Riding 6 Organized Tours Summer Camp on Wheels 7 Vans and Credit Cards: You Don't Have to Camp or Carry a Lot of Weight Types of Tours 8 Loaded Touring: You Can Take It All With You Basic Camp Equipment; Bags; Loading Up; Getting Rid of the Shimmies; Other Packing Tips; Light-Touring Rig; What to Carry 9 Life on the Road Choosing a Destination; Where to Spend the Night; Route Planning: You Say There's a Big Hill Ahead?; Finding Your Way through Cities and Towns; Showers, Sanitation, and Locks; Food; Water; Group Size 10 Challenges and Adversities: With Proper Preparation, Both Can Be Fun (Almost) Hills and Mountains; Poor Visibility: Forest and Fog; Deserts; Living--Or at Least Drinking--Off the Land; Bridges, Tunnels, and Freeways; Gravel; Construction Zones; Hitching a Ride; Avoiding Confrontations; Rain; Night Riding 11 Getting There: Planes, Trains, Automobiles, Buses, and Ferries Making a Choice Appendix: 65 Great Tours--and More Index Acknowledgments