What do you think?
Rate this book
The Rules: The Way of the Cycling Disciple
The Velominati embrace cycling as a way of life, as obsessed with style, heritage, authenticity, and wisdom as with performance. This is their bible.
The Rules is an essential part of every cyclist’s kit—whether you’re riding to work or training to be the next Bradley Wiggins or Victoria Pendleton. Winning awards and gaining millions of viewers, Velominati.com has become an online cycling mecca. In 92 canonical rules, these masters of the peloton share tips on gear, tell stories from cycling’s legendary hardmen, and enforce the etiquette of the road—with a healthy, often sinister sense of humor. Practical and motivating (Rule #12: the correct number of bikes to own is N + 1, where N is the number of bikes currently owned), unflinching and authoritative (Rule #9: If you’re out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.), The Rules will help readers find their cycling passion, whether it’s in high alpine passes or tight velodrome races, in the garage before the ride or in the bar afterward. Vive la Vie Velominatus.
The Rules is an essential part of every cyclist’s kit—whether you’re riding to work or training to be the next Bradley Wiggins or Victoria Pendleton. Winning awards and gaining millions of viewers, Velominati.com has become an online cycling mecca. In 92 canonical rules, these masters of the peloton share tips on gear, tell stories from cycling’s legendary hardmen, and enforce the etiquette of the road—with a healthy, often sinister sense of humor. Practical and motivating (Rule #12: the correct number of bikes to own is N + 1, where N is the number of bikes currently owned), unflinching and authoritative (Rule #9: If you’re out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.), The Rules will help readers find their cycling passion, whether it’s in high alpine passes or tight velodrome races, in the garage before the ride or in the bar afterward. Vive la Vie Velominatus.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published June 20, 2013
79 people are currently reading
492 people want to read
About the author
The Velominati
6 books9 followersThe Velominati, or Keepers of the Cog, are founder and main author Frank Strack (Seattle), Brett Kennedy (New Zealand), Gianni Andrews (Hawaii), Marko Carlson (Minnesota), and Jim Thomson (Seattle). Their site, Velominati.com, receives over two million views per month.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
December 25, 2018
Silly but fun ... and, pretty much exactly what is advertised ... not much more, and not much less. A quick, light, makes you smile, relatively easy read, which I'm guessing is all the more worthwhile if your friends (and cycling companions) are also reading, ... or have already read, it.
As a (admittedly on-and-off, and not-consistent-as-I'd-like, yet, nonetheless long-term and often) serious cyclist, I'm embarrassed to admit that I hadn't read this earlier ... particularly since I've been hearing about it ... and, participated in discussions of certain aspects of it, for years.... Once I picked it up, I plowed through it pretty quickly ... the pages turned easily, and it generated more than a handful of smiles and a couple of belly-laughs.
Should all cyclists read it? is it canonical? standard literature/mandatory reading? No - because not all cyclists have a sense of humor... And, if you take cycling and yourself too seriously, I'd strongly recommend you skip it. If you can't laugh at yourself and your ilk, this is definitely not your cup of tea...
Honestly, I can't imagine this appealing to a non-rider (unless, of course, you're a spouse or a significant other of a serious rider), and I have no idea whether casual cyclists would enjoy this.... There are folks who like to ride, and folks who like to talk about riding, and folks who self-identify as part of the cycling community - and my guess is, if you're in the latter two groups, you'd enjoy most of the book....
As a (admittedly on-and-off, and not-consistent-as-I'd-like, yet, nonetheless long-term and often) serious cyclist, I'm embarrassed to admit that I hadn't read this earlier ... particularly since I've been hearing about it ... and, participated in discussions of certain aspects of it, for years.... Once I picked it up, I plowed through it pretty quickly ... the pages turned easily, and it generated more than a handful of smiles and a couple of belly-laughs.
Should all cyclists read it? is it canonical? standard literature/mandatory reading? No - because not all cyclists have a sense of humor... And, if you take cycling and yourself too seriously, I'd strongly recommend you skip it. If you can't laugh at yourself and your ilk, this is definitely not your cup of tea...
Honestly, I can't imagine this appealing to a non-rider (unless, of course, you're a spouse or a significant other of a serious rider), and I have no idea whether casual cyclists would enjoy this.... There are folks who like to ride, and folks who like to talk about riding, and folks who self-identify as part of the cycling community - and my guess is, if you're in the latter two groups, you'd enjoy most of the book....
November 16, 2013
Quite simply the most excellent and entertaining cycling culture book I've read to date, full of humor, history, wisdom, and a healthy mental dose of The V. The Rules will be a treat for any grizzled cyclist, and test the newcomer's sense of wit and humor.
Many reviews call out the seemingly sanctimonious roadie-snobbery that forms much of the crust of this book. And this is hardly surprising, as these readers have obviously never met The Man with the Hammer, and are thus unable to penetrate to the deeper meaning within. This veiled satire could very well serve to drive many from the book and perhaps even the sport.
And if so, good riddance. We don't need your sniveling in the peloton anyway.
Smashing read.
Many reviews call out the seemingly sanctimonious roadie-snobbery that forms much of the crust of this book. And this is hardly surprising, as these readers have obviously never met The Man with the Hammer, and are thus unable to penetrate to the deeper meaning within. This veiled satire could very well serve to drive many from the book and perhaps even the sport.
And if so, good riddance. We don't need your sniveling in the peloton anyway.
Smashing read.
May 9, 2014
According the blurb on the back this book is a necessity for the avid biker. It contains a list of rules, written with humor that provide tips on road etiquette, gear tips, and much more. The Velominati is a website for the devoted biker with much of the same information. That info has now been condensed and put into this book.
Since my husband loves his cycling I thought this would be the perfect book for him. I read through most of it and was slightly amused at the stories, but rather bored for most it. That's to be expected - I'm a runner. So as soon as I finished I gifted him the book and told him I wanted his opinion when he finished. He's not much of a talker, but here is his reaction upon finishing the book -
"Not a good book. Give it away." When I probed further he mentioned that it was "for the fanatical rider who had no other passions or interests in life, but definitely not for the regular rider". He also mentioned that while it has some slightly amusing or interesting stories, it was mostly boring. Both of us noticed quite a few errors as well. The pictures are black and white and very grainy. I asked him for a rating and he gave it 2 stars.
I received this book free of charge from Goodreads in exchange for my honest review.
Since my husband loves his cycling I thought this would be the perfect book for him. I read through most of it and was slightly amused at the stories, but rather bored for most it. That's to be expected - I'm a runner. So as soon as I finished I gifted him the book and told him I wanted his opinion when he finished. He's not much of a talker, but here is his reaction upon finishing the book -
"Not a good book. Give it away." When I probed further he mentioned that it was "for the fanatical rider who had no other passions or interests in life, but definitely not for the regular rider". He also mentioned that while it has some slightly amusing or interesting stories, it was mostly boring. Both of us noticed quite a few errors as well. The pictures are black and white and very grainy. I asked him for a rating and he gave it 2 stars.
I received this book free of charge from Goodreads in exchange for my honest review.
July 26, 2016
A series of rules for cyclists, this book appeals to gear junkies and cycling enthusiasts. But, it is written with such a condescending and grating tone that I was constantly annoyed. The only great part of this book was the forward by Greg Lemond. I need to read more by/about him; he seems like a good guy and a good writer (and rider).
Note to publishers: We can all agree that Gotham is a great font. But, can we also agree that Gotham light doesn't work for large amounts of body text? It blurs together and fades on the page. Yes, traditional serif fonts are outdated and stodgy, but they are readable. Thank you.
Note to publishers: We can all agree that Gotham is a great font. But, can we also agree that Gotham light doesn't work for large amounts of body text? It blurs together and fades on the page. Yes, traditional serif fonts are outdated and stodgy, but they are readable. Thank you.
November 28, 2014
This book is a bit of fun, but I get a dreadful feeling that there are cyclists out there who might take these 'rules', seriously. For some, this is a glossary of cycling snobbery, a 'style guide' for those without any sense of style and a source of ammunition put other, 'non-conformist' cyclists down.
I'd expected to find some useful tips for safe and considerate cycling and to be fair, there is some good stuff about cycling etiquette. Apart from that, it was quite amusing.
I'd expected to find some useful tips for safe and considerate cycling and to be fair, there is some good stuff about cycling etiquette. Apart from that, it was quite amusing.
August 21, 2015
Heb je, net zoals ik, helaas geen tijd om te fietsen en maar beperkte tijd om te lezen, dan is dit boek een aanrader. Korte 'hoofdstukken' per regel, vlot geschreven, die je doen denken aan je eigen eerdere tochten. Hoewel vaak wordt gezegd dat het een humoristisch boek is, had ik toch het gevoel dat de regels zeer serieus worden neergezet, al worden overtreders niet geëxcommuniceerd van de heilige (fiets)wegen.
April 24, 2025
3,3*. Practical handbook on how to turn into the biggest douchebag in the world. Quite funny though.
"Keep in mind that one should only swim in order to prevent drowning and should only run if being chased."
"Keep in mind that one should only swim in order to prevent drowning and should only run if being chased."
July 13, 2013
To fully appreciate this book you have to be a cyclist as most of the references are cycle related and the humour most certainly is.
Having said that, I am a cyclist and I LOVED the book.
The book lays down the rules of the Velominati that the cyclist - not a bike rider - is strongly encouraged to adhere to. Everything from the colour of the socks to the way you should interact with the "non-initiated" was covered and whilst much of it was in a humerous way it was all pretty relevant to me as a cyclist. I'm not saying that just because it states that my "guns" should be shaved and smooth, that I will be shaving my legs or face the wrath of the Velominati.
A GREAT book. Light hearted, informative, thought provoking.
For a cyclist, this book is a keeper
For a bike rider it may well bring a wry smile on your face - but get it from the library
For the non bike rider, probably not your kind of book
Having said that, I am a cyclist and I LOVED the book.
The book lays down the rules of the Velominati that the cyclist - not a bike rider - is strongly encouraged to adhere to. Everything from the colour of the socks to the way you should interact with the "non-initiated" was covered and whilst much of it was in a humerous way it was all pretty relevant to me as a cyclist. I'm not saying that just because it states that my "guns" should be shaved and smooth, that I will be shaving my legs or face the wrath of the Velominati.
A GREAT book. Light hearted, informative, thought provoking.
For a cyclist, this book is a keeper
For a bike rider it may well bring a wry smile on your face - but get it from the library
For the non bike rider, probably not your kind of book
December 29, 2019
This is an obnoxious and annoying piece. The authors, a bunch of Americans who wished they were born in Belgium, and their so-called Rules is supposed to be a fun, tongue-in-cheek read, but ends up sounding mostly pathetic and ignorant in their of European cycling culture and its great riders. I’m a cyclist myself, and I really did not enjoy this read. I hope no young rider reads this and takes it seriously.
November 4, 2013
Am amusing read. In some places it made me laugh, other cringe with it's road bike snobbery, but it is what it is I guess.
July 11, 2014
Fantastic advice for the fledgling cyclist to avoid embarrassment, injury, or judgement from veteran riders.
June 18, 2015
Instead of Gideon's Bible, every hotel room should have a copy of The Rules.
July 21, 2015
Nothing has made me want to get on a bike more than this book. Rule #5 will always be in my lexicon now.
July 31, 2025
J'aime bien lire des livres provenant de milieux sportifs. Je trouve qu'il y a de belles inspirations à y trouver en matière de gestion ou de stratégie organisationnelle.
"The Rules: The Way of the Cycling Disciple" est un ouvrage où les travers des amoureux du cyclisme est délicieusement tourné en dérision. Le livre est un recueil de 92 règles canoniques qui définissent le cyclisme non pas comme un simple passe-temps, mais comme un véritable mode de vie.
Les règles inspirantes :
• Rule #1: Obey the rules (ça peut sembler comme allant de soi, et pourtant ...)
• Rule #2: Lead by example (encore une fois ...)
• Rule #59: Hold your line (peut s'appliquer à de nombreuses situations)
Les règles déjantées (haha) :
• Rule #7 : Tan lines should be cultivated and kept razor sharp
• Rule #12: The correct number of bikes to own is n+1 (pratique pour justifier votre passion)
• Rule #56: Espresso or macchiato only (toute autre forme de café sera commandé aux risques et périls pour la personne qui en fait la commande)
"The Rules: The Way of the Cycling Disciple" est un ouvrage où les travers des amoureux du cyclisme est délicieusement tourné en dérision. Le livre est un recueil de 92 règles canoniques qui définissent le cyclisme non pas comme un simple passe-temps, mais comme un véritable mode de vie.
Les règles inspirantes :
• Rule #1: Obey the rules (ça peut sembler comme allant de soi, et pourtant ...)
• Rule #2: Lead by example (encore une fois ...)
• Rule #59: Hold your line (peut s'appliquer à de nombreuses situations)
Les règles déjantées (haha) :
• Rule #7 : Tan lines should be cultivated and kept razor sharp
• Rule #12: The correct number of bikes to own is n+1 (pratique pour justifier votre passion)
• Rule #56: Espresso or macchiato only (toute autre forme de café sera commandé aux risques et périls pour la personne qui en fait la commande)
March 15, 2018
Read: Hardback edition and Audible edition.
Very tongue in cheek recounting of the (until now) unwritten rules for “serious cyclists.” The audible version was especially entertaining due to the narrator’s overly reverent tone.
The content varies widely from sound advice concerning training and etiquette to fascinating stories of classic cycling history and legendary riders to out and out hilarious parody of cycling snobbery as it pertains to proper sock height, when and how to wear a cycling cap and why Campy is the holiest of grouppos.
Humor and parody aside, the last couple of chapters were a genuinely inspiring reminder to me of why riding a bicycle has been one of my lifelong passions. Warning: The book’s content will likely be unintelligible to non cycling aficionados.
Advice to cyclists: try not to take it (the book AND the sport) too seriously.
Very tongue in cheek recounting of the (until now) unwritten rules for “serious cyclists.” The audible version was especially entertaining due to the narrator’s overly reverent tone.
The content varies widely from sound advice concerning training and etiquette to fascinating stories of classic cycling history and legendary riders to out and out hilarious parody of cycling snobbery as it pertains to proper sock height, when and how to wear a cycling cap and why Campy is the holiest of grouppos.
Humor and parody aside, the last couple of chapters were a genuinely inspiring reminder to me of why riding a bicycle has been one of my lifelong passions. Warning: The book’s content will likely be unintelligible to non cycling aficionados.
Advice to cyclists: try not to take it (the book AND the sport) too seriously.
March 26, 2022
A fun romp through the cultural psyche of the cyclist. Written with a humorous cynicism that lightly obscures many of the vulnerabilities, both mental and physical, that cyclists take with them every time they swing a leg over the saddle to ride. Long before the writing of this book, we learned many of these lessons through riding with advanced riders who taught us the ropes. More than likely though, we learned the essential concepts through trial-and-error. (The Man with the Hammer really does exist.) Reading these lessons in The Rules is by far the more enjoyable method of learning. A really fun read!
June 3, 2018
Excellent!
Funny, yet hardcore book about why we ride and the code that goes with the "Vie Velominatus." Good historical references , and a glossary which is almost a chapter unto itself. If you are a serious cyclist, or just want to impress your friends while downing pints, read this book. You won't regret it!!
Funny, yet hardcore book about why we ride and the code that goes with the "Vie Velominatus." Good historical references , and a glossary which is almost a chapter unto itself. If you are a serious cyclist, or just want to impress your friends while downing pints, read this book. You won't regret it!!
April 16, 2025
I ride with a club and ride 3-4 times per week, every week come rain, wind or snow. I could therefore be considered part of the intended target audience for this book.
While there are riders I know this book would appeal to… I’m not one. Poorly written, truly obnoxious in places with a snobbish air of attempted humour.
Written by dickheads for dickheads.
While there are riders I know this book would appeal to… I’m not one. Poorly written, truly obnoxious in places with a snobbish air of attempted humour.
Written by dickheads for dickheads.
August 12, 2020
While I did not find this a quick read, I enjoyed the book. I know that I will review and re-read The Rules again in order to remind myself of Rule #5 and for the entertaining stories with the other rules.
October 5, 2017
I would have to recommend this to people who are riding a bike. To work and/or training. If not, I would not recommend it.
Road-etiquette and usefull tips. Funny and serious at the same time
Road-etiquette and usefull tips. Funny and serious at the same time
November 30, 2017
Extremely interesting and fun. Anyone interested in cycling, road cycling in particular, should read The Rules... and make sure to obey them as well.
January 31, 2018
Rule #5, Rule #5 and Rule #5!!
June 21, 2018
Loved this book, but you have to take it as it's intended: tongue firmly planted in cheek. For road bikers only... not sure anyone else would enjoy it. But for my cycling friends: a must-read!
February 25, 2019
i love this book
this book is fantastic
this book is fantastic
April 29, 2019
Very funny! A quick read I found to laugh out loud crazy. Every race I’ve won was in the absolute worst conditions (Bitter cold, heavy rain, snow) so Rule # 5 hits close to home.
December 28, 2019
Clever and funny as hell, a very enjoyable read
Read
June 30, 2020What a good book.
Inspiring, its way to admire a sport is noble and push you to want to do your best day by day
Inspiring, its way to admire a sport is noble and push you to want to do your best day by day
August 31, 2020
Nice little entertaining read. Super easy to read in short bursts about cycling
October 12, 2020
Si eres ciclista o vives con uno, este libro toma todo el sentido (y se disfruta un montón). Es un purista pero tiene tanta gracia y ritmo para escribir que acabas evangelizado!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews