Kings of the Road: A Journey into the Heart of British Cycling

by Robert Dineen

Overview

British cycling has had a tumultuous history, from the bizarre ban on road racing in the first half of the 20th Century to the sport's golden era after the Second World War and on to its dramatic decline in the 1960s and beyond. 

Over the past decade, however, it has undergone a dramatic resurgence in which elite British cyclists have become among the best in the world and millions of Britons have taken up the sport. 

In Kings of the Road, Robert Dineen charts these developments by meeting neglected heroes from each generation of British cycling. As he becomes immersed in the sport, he also charts his own experiences on the club scene while preparing for the Etape du Tour, the sportive regarded as the ultimate challenge for the amateur cyclist. The result is a unique look at British cycling’s past, its present and where it might be headed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781781314760
Publisher:	Aurum Press
Publication date:	07/02/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	6 MB

About the Author

ROBERT DINEEN is a sports journalist with the Telegraph Media Group and the author of Reg Harris: The Rise and Fall of Britain's Greatest Cyclist. He lives in East London and this is his second book.

ROBERT DINEEN is a sports journalist with the Telegraph Media Group and the author of Reg Harris: The Rise and Fall of Britain's Greatest Cyclist. He lives in East London and this is his second book.

Editorial Reviews

'Funny, insightful and uplifting, this is a book in two parts: a journey into the heart of cycling but also into the mind of a London-Irishman, whose efforts to gain a greater appreciation of the challenges faced by elite cyclsts involved him joining a local club to prepare to ride l'Etape du Tour... Dineen's skilful storytelling and self-deprecating nature come to the fore as he battles with the Pyrenees, hypothermia and self-doubt.' 

'very readable and full of hidden nuggets... If stories from British cycling's rich past float your boat then this is definitely a book for you.'

‘a warts and all look at the past of British Cycling. Cycling fans should enjoy.’

'I thoroughly enjoyed Robert Dineen’s Kings of the Road; A Journey into the Heart of British Cycling and reading about how he has recently become a ‘Mamil’ (Middle Aged Man in Lycra), is addicted to carbon-fibre and Strava and is thinking now more about the monthly mileage that he has clocked up rather than the state of his bank balance!' 

 

‘kings of the road is a very good teacher; one that educates without ever appearing to do so… the boy done good.’

‘a warts and all look at the past of British Cycling. Cycling fans should enjoy.’

‘Dineen brings colour to the stories of long-forgotten or never-heard-ofs who were the stars of British cycling.’

‘entertaining and informative… shows just how far we have come as a nation in the sport of cycling’

'very readable and full of hidden nuggets... If stories from British cycling's rich past float your boat then this is definitely a book for you.'

'Funny, insightful and uplifting, this is a book in two parts: a journey into the heart of cycling but also into the mind of a London-Irishman, whose efforts to gain a greater appreciation of the challenges faced by elite cyclsts involved him joining a local club to prepare to ride l'Etape du Tour... Dineen's skilful storytelling and self-deprecating nature come to the fore as he battles with the Pyrenees, hypothermia and self-doubt.' 

From the Publisher