Richard's 21st Century Bicycle Book

by Richard Ballantine

A comprehensive guide to choosing, buying and owning a bicycle. In addition it contains sections on riding in traffic, cross-country, competition riding, and the history and politics of cycling.

384 pages, Paperback

First published October 6, 2000

About the author

Richard Ballantine was an American-born cycling writer, journalist, and advocate who spent much of his life in London. The son of publishers Ian and Betty Ballantine, he was educated in New York and at Columbia University. His influential Richard's Bicycle Book (1972) became a classic, introducing readers to bicycle history, design, maintenance, and advocacy with wit and passion. A committed champion of cyclists' rights, Ballantine believed in the equal status of cyclists on public roads. He helped found several cycling magazines and was deeply involved in the human powered vehicle movement, serving as chairman of both the British Human Power Club and the World Human Powered Vehicle Association. Through his writing and activism, Ballantine inspired generations of cyclists and helped shape the modern conversation around sustainable transport and cyclist inclusion in urban planning.

Reviews

[Eye Summers · Rating 4 out of 5]

mostly generalized and topical at times but a decent book for a budding novice bicycle enthusiast/obsessive. best to pick this book up used cheaply or check out at the library.