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Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie
"A wonderful, witty account of a cycle tour across Europe." (CTC) "I cannot recommend a better book to read for inspiration." (Chris Peck, Cycle magazine) "Best cycling book I've read to date." "One can positively taste, smell, hear and touch his journey." "Ranked along with Murphy, Dew, Beaumont & Enfield on my bookshelf." "This is a great book... one of those that makes you tired because you end up reading late into the night." "A truly inspirational read... a highly recommended journey." "I thought this book was brilliant; it almost made me wish I had learnt to ride." "If this book doesn't inspire the reader to jump on their bike and go... nothing will." "Not only is the book an excellent, entertaining read, it should also provide inspiration to all of us to get up from our desks and head out into the great wide world. Read it then do it!" "If you like European travel and riding a bike then this book is a superb read. Extremely well-written and with some great observations on people and their cultures. Witty with a true sense of being there." "Made me want to go out there and just explore on a bicycle; awesome stuff." "Recommend it to everyone." The academic year must have been a difficult one as when the summer holidays arrived, secondary school teacher Andrew Sykes was happy to do as little as possible. But while sitting on his sofa watching the exploits of the cyclists at the Great Wall of China at the Beijing Olympics, he realised the error of his ways and resolved to put a bit more adventure into his life. Two years later, accompanied by his faithful companion Reggie (his bike) but only a rudimentary plan, Andrew set off for a trans-continental cycling adventure that would take him along the route of the Via Francigena and the Eurovelo 5 all the way from his home in southern England to Brindisi in the south of Italy. There were highs and lows, rain and shine, joy and despair and they are all recounted here in a light-hearted, brisk style.
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2011
46 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
Andrew P. Sykes
4 books35 followersAndrew P. Sykes was born and grew up in the small town of Elland, in the foothills of the Pennines in West Yorkshire and he studied for a degree in mathematics at the University of York.
Following a period of time working in London and then France, he returned to the UK in 1999 to train as a secondary school teacher of French at the University of Reading. He taught in Berkshire and Oxfordshire for 15 years before taking a career break in 2015 to learn some Spanish, cycle from Tarifa in Spain to Nordkapp in Norway and move back to live in Yorkshire. He now teaches at the same school that he attended as a pupil during the 1980s.
Since 2009 he has been travelling long distances on his bicycles: first Reggie, now Wanda (with Ronnie taking up the slack on the shorter commutes to work).
He has written four books about travelling Europe:
- Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie (2011)
- Along The Med on a Bike Called Reggie (2014)
- Spain to Norway on a Bike Called Reggie (2017)
- Le Grand Tour on a Bike Called Wanda (2024)
Andrew also produces a podcast, The Cycling Europe Podcast, that can be heard across all major podcast platforms. He has made a number of films about his cycling journeys and they can all be watched online at YouTube. He is also present on social media @CyclingEurope.
Andrew regularly gives talks about his travels. If you would like him to speak at your event, please get in touch. His contact details can be found on his website.
Following a period of time working in London and then France, he returned to the UK in 1999 to train as a secondary school teacher of French at the University of Reading. He taught in Berkshire and Oxfordshire for 15 years before taking a career break in 2015 to learn some Spanish, cycle from Tarifa in Spain to Nordkapp in Norway and move back to live in Yorkshire. He now teaches at the same school that he attended as a pupil during the 1980s.
Since 2009 he has been travelling long distances on his bicycles: first Reggie, now Wanda (with Ronnie taking up the slack on the shorter commutes to work).
He has written four books about travelling Europe:
- Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie (2011)
- Along The Med on a Bike Called Reggie (2014)
- Spain to Norway on a Bike Called Reggie (2017)
- Le Grand Tour on a Bike Called Wanda (2024)
Andrew also produces a podcast, The Cycling Europe Podcast, that can be heard across all major podcast platforms. He has made a number of films about his cycling journeys and they can all be watched online at YouTube. He is also present on social media @CyclingEurope.
Andrew regularly gives talks about his travels. If you would like him to speak at your event, please get in touch. His contact details can be found on his website.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 7, 2021
Well, what a great book! I didn’t want it to end and was hoping him and Reggie did get the ferry across to Albania and continue towards Eastern Europe! An excellent insight into one of Europe’s several cycle routes with plenty of fun, exploration and adventure on the way. A great read for all cycling enthusiasts. Quite an achievement and looking forward to reading the next adventures!
March 24, 2018
Excellent brilliant
August 28, 2018
Brilliant, funny and definitely worth a read!
I really enjoyed reading this book. By the end of it I actually felt like I’d made the trip with the author! A wonderful read and I’m looking forward to reading his other books.
I really enjoyed reading this book. By the end of it I actually felt like I’d made the trip with the author! A wonderful read and I’m looking forward to reading his other books.
October 4, 2022
I am an avid reader of bicycle touring books. I am quite interested in touring Europe by bike. That is why I choose to read this book. Many authors choose the journaling style to chronicle their tour. Andrew Styles chose to use this style.
The author differentiated himself from many authors using this style. So many of these books that I have read reiterate their day in way too much detail. This is not the case with Sykes. He had just enough detail of his day on the bike to tell the story.
What he did to make this quite a good read is to add his insights of the day with humor. His writing shares interesting tidbits of information about the people he encountered and places he visited. I recommend this book if you are looking for a read that tells an interesting story with some humor and a writing style that keeps you engaged.
The author differentiated himself from many authors using this style. So many of these books that I have read reiterate their day in way too much detail. This is not the case with Sykes. He had just enough detail of his day on the bike to tell the story.
What he did to make this quite a good read is to add his insights of the day with humor. His writing shares interesting tidbits of information about the people he encountered and places he visited. I recommend this book if you are looking for a read that tells an interesting story with some humor and a writing style that keeps you engaged.
July 8, 2012
It sounds like there's a long list of books not to buy if you're looking for a turn-by-turn account of the Eurovelo-5 route, and this book belongs on that list. This is a good description of travelling through Europe by bicycle. It is inspiring (I think that's why my wife hid it!).. Looking forward to Andrew's next trip!
June 15, 2017
Prior to reading this I just completed a Stephen King epic, so it was nice to read a book that was easy to follow and get through reasonably quickly. An enjoyable read with some light hearted witty observations. The journey is something I would like to do one day (but don't think I would!). Recommended to anyone with an interest in cycling and / travel
January 16, 2024
It sounds like there's a long list of books not to buy if you're looking for a turn-by-turn account of the Eurovelo-5 route, and this book belongs on that list. This is a good description of travelling through Europe by bicycle. It is inspiring (I think that's why my wife hid it!).. Looking forward to Andrew's next trip!
August 12, 2024
I'm a sucker for a cycling backpacking book and I very much enjoyed this one. It gave me a super, vicarious pleasure following Andrew's journey. He has lived my dream. Alas, in the Kindle version there are no pictures and I'm sure there were some crackers from this trip. but, wisely so as pictures are poor on the Kindle.
June 14, 2017
This is the first of Andrews books and I really enjoyed it - I've now bought the other 2. Inspired me that you can just stick some panniers on and get out and ride. The only problem is time😞. Roll on retirement- literally!
February 27, 2019
Loved the book.
I read this book after reading ' cross the med on a bike called Reggie's, enjoyed reading both books equally. They created a movie in my mind, it was as if I was traveling the eurovelo route.
Highly recommended.
I read this book after reading ' cross the med on a bike called Reggie's, enjoyed reading both books equally. They created a movie in my mind, it was as if I was traveling the eurovelo route.
Highly recommended.
August 10, 2020
I read this book during the Covid-19 lockdown of 2020 and it transported me from my patch of garden in the UK to other corners of Europe. I don't have a particular interest in cycling but I still enjoyed reading the adventures of a fellow lover of travelling. An all round good read.
July 7, 2021
Enjoyed the read and adventure
It one of those things that I have thought of and now I'm thinking of possibly might start.It is possibly doable even for a new cyclist in his late fifties
It one of those things that I have thought of and now I'm thinking of possibly might start.It is possibly doable even for a new cyclist in his late fifties
February 10, 2024
I've finally finished! I don't know if I peaked too soon with previous books, or this book just wasn't very good, but what a struggle that was. Problem was, I'd read too much just to give up! Onwards and upwards.
December 17, 2017
An entertaining and easy read. It made me laugh out loud a few times.
March 10, 2018
Ready for more
I feel like I joined Andrew and Reggie on an amazing ride across Europe. Eager to buy the rest of their series.
I feel like I joined Andrew and Reggie on an amazing ride across Europe. Eager to buy the rest of their series.
April 30, 2020
Really enjoyed this most entertaining account of Andrew's journey.
June 3, 2021
Very enjoyable read. Moving on to his next trip now.
December 23, 2021
Enjoyable read!
August 27, 2020
Wonderful realistic but humorous book
It is a wonderful book with a lot of bits of information I can use on future travel in Europe myself. He is very humorous and realistic. I enjoyed his descriptions of people and the good and bad of long distance traveling solo.
It is a wonderful book with a lot of bits of information I can use on future travel in Europe myself. He is very humorous and realistic. I enjoyed his descriptions of people and the good and bad of long distance traveling solo.
September 18, 2022
Witty, easy reading. I’d hoped for a bit more detail of the route as I’m considering riding it myself - that said the book was never marketed as a travel guide, and I enjoyed it for what it was.
April 7, 2013
Andrew is a teacher who decided to put his summer holiday to good use by cycling from Reading in Berkshire, through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland and into and through Italy. That is 3,300km following the Eurovelo 5 route, alone, unless of course you include Reggie, his bike. Now as I am the sort of person who names her cars and even her central heating boiler, I love that Andrew named his bike and it really added an extra something to the book for me.
For 30 cycling days in 36 days he clocked up about 100km and about 6 hours in the saddle each day. He climbed mountains, braved city centre traffic, endured cobbles and spoke-snapping incidents and was attacked by killer mosquitoes. So it's difficult not to use the word `inspirational'. Andrew himself says he was `inspired' by the Beijing Olympic cycling of 2008 and spent two years trying to pinpoint an exact route, for although Eurovelo 5 takes you from London to Brindisi in Italy, loosely in recognition of the Via Roma Francigena pilgrim route, it's a very vague directional guide that doesn't exist in detailed map form.
Reading this book in the cold, dismal month of January made me long for warm summer days cycling the French vineyards with my beautiful Blue Belle. Oh yes, `inspired' by Reggie, my lovely blue retro road bike now has a name too. For us a good day in the saddle once a week, covering anywhere between 40 and 80km is about the norm, however our routes are planned in advance and often follow well signed local rides. For Andrew, much of the detail in his journey was put together the night before and he rarely knew exactly where he would be laying his head at night - now that is `inspiring' for a control freak planner like me! This book and the likes of Sir Bradley with his 2012 Tour de France win and not to mention the fantastic Team GB cyclists and their Olympic `bling' are likely to `inspire' a lot more bike adventures in the coming years. We will certainly be upping our game this summer in terms of distance and pace. The cyclists among you cannot fail to be fired up by reading this book, but for those who prefer armchair travelling I'm sure you will enjoy Andrew's interesting description of his journey.
For 30 cycling days in 36 days he clocked up about 100km and about 6 hours in the saddle each day. He climbed mountains, braved city centre traffic, endured cobbles and spoke-snapping incidents and was attacked by killer mosquitoes. So it's difficult not to use the word `inspirational'. Andrew himself says he was `inspired' by the Beijing Olympic cycling of 2008 and spent two years trying to pinpoint an exact route, for although Eurovelo 5 takes you from London to Brindisi in Italy, loosely in recognition of the Via Roma Francigena pilgrim route, it's a very vague directional guide that doesn't exist in detailed map form.
Reading this book in the cold, dismal month of January made me long for warm summer days cycling the French vineyards with my beautiful Blue Belle. Oh yes, `inspired' by Reggie, my lovely blue retro road bike now has a name too. For us a good day in the saddle once a week, covering anywhere between 40 and 80km is about the norm, however our routes are planned in advance and often follow well signed local rides. For Andrew, much of the detail in his journey was put together the night before and he rarely knew exactly where he would be laying his head at night - now that is `inspiring' for a control freak planner like me! This book and the likes of Sir Bradley with his 2012 Tour de France win and not to mention the fantastic Team GB cyclists and their Olympic `bling' are likely to `inspire' a lot more bike adventures in the coming years. We will certainly be upping our game this summer in terms of distance and pace. The cyclists among you cannot fail to be fired up by reading this book, but for those who prefer armchair travelling I'm sure you will enjoy Andrew's interesting description of his journey.
July 9, 2013
A lovely little travelogue, by an initially quite nervous cyclist taking his first real long-distance ride, from Reading to the south of Italy. It's rather pooterish at points, and sometimes heavy on detail, but all the same it was a delight to read: I breezed through it and immediately found myself dreaming of one day setting off on all manner of similar two-wheeled adventures.
January 19, 2014
How interesting can a blog about somebody’s summer holiday be. Can a whole book of get on bike, ride, get off bike, sleep, repeat really hold your attention?
Well…….yes. This book is an inspiring and interesting read which I breezed through in no time.
I see there is a follow up coming and I will definitely be in for round two.
Well…….yes. This book is an inspiring and interesting read which I breezed through in no time.
I see there is a follow up coming and I will definitely be in for round two.
April 4, 2016
Well written and engaging
Well worth the read, Andrew's writing style is part story telling, part log book, with the expected British tinge. A great read for a traveller (or someone who travels through others) of any description.
Well worth the read, Andrew's writing style is part story telling, part log book, with the expected British tinge. A great read for a traveller (or someone who travels through others) of any description.
June 3, 2013
I enjoyed this book. It made me feel that I need to get off my butt and go on my own adventure.
Want to read
October 26, 2013I have the book!
September 27, 2015
Very interesting read, worth the money
September 25, 2016
A fun read, with an interesting mix of people, places, geography, and the logistics of organizing a bike ride along European "veloroutes" with varying degrees of signage and completeness.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews