The History of Cycling in Fifty Bikes

by Tom Ambrose

The invention of the bicycle changed history by democratizing travel for the first time. The common man—and importantly the common woman—could now afford to travel at reasonable speed without the need of a horse. Instead of walking just 10 miles a day on foot, a healthy individual could now ride up to 80 miles on a cycle at a relatively modest cost.

Today, despite the prevalence of the car, the bicycle is as important as ever. More cycles appear on city streets each year, offering healthy, pollution-free transport. Commuters cycle to work through congested traffic, urban hire-bike schemes are increasingly common, and the sports of road and track racing continue to gain in popularity.

For an invention with a history of just 200 years, the simple bicycle has changed the world in many ways. From the Velocipede to the Pinarello, The History of Cycling in Fifty Bikes by Tom Ambrose relates this history by telling the stories of 50 iconic machines that have shaped the world.

Genres: Cycling, Nonfiction, History

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 2, 2013

Reviews

[Ron S · Rating 2 out of 5]

Factual errors, poor editing and lay-out along with a lot of very questionable choices and a wandering focus makes this one of those books that takes a great, simple idea and falls down miserably in its execution. Of possible value as a gift to a beginner cyclist largely unfamiliar with its history and a curiosity expected to remain limited.

[Raewyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, the title of this books is misleading. I would suggest something like, "The British citizens' guide to the history of cycling in fifty things & people"

As others have said this book is repetitive and has some very strange choices as to what counts as one of the "50 bikes" including things like group sets or manufactures.

It's also incredibly UK centric. Wiggins and sky are referred to as often as possible.

The last major issue is with editing and fact checking. Cycling is my sport so granted I'm more informed than many, however there are real issues when the author feels inclined to say the exact same information multiple times within the same section.

If this book was in a breakaway, the peloton would not respond because it's not a threat.

[Doug Cornelius · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the book to be a mixed bag. Some of the early items show the progress of cycling and capture the rich history. Others, like the Specialized Tarmac, come across as ads for the company, rather than contributing to the narrative history of cycling.

[Elliot Lyons · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book revue

The History of Cycling in Fifty Bikes By Tom Ambrose. So this book is about the History of Cycling in Fifty Bikes and what bikes changed us throughout time, like the Elswick sports bike “putting ladies in the saddle” and how people were trying to figure out if women needed bikes made specifically for them or not.

This book is telling you about how we got the bikes we all know and love today the book has no characters just a narrator it take place from 1779-1997 from Vienna Austria to Sheffield England.
We see that

I really Liked the beginning of this book in the first 50 pages it was fun and informational but the last 60-70 were really boring and just explained small changes like handlebar height. But is the beginning it explains that the government of France considered them deadly as they could go 5-10 mph on a downhill slope, as Life expectancy was already very short as is having something that can not be stopped was a big problem.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but repetitive. Perhaps the book was compiled from a series of articles. I see one reviewer said, 'too UK centric', but the book omitted the Brompton. Also, the title is wrong: the 50 sections were mostly each about one bike, but not all. So, 'The History of Cycling in 46 Bikes or So and Some Other Stuff' would be more accurate. The author should have made up the number with the missing bike sections, or changed the title. A bit sloppy.

[Eleanor Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a coffee-table book than a cover-to-cover read. Interesting snippets, just as interesting blind spots. Definitely skipped some detail on the bikes to focus on the history in parts. Also really curious how you can write a book with multiple sections and mentions of folding bikes and not mention Brompton at any point!

[David Wean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this at a library book sale as a bathroom book (we don't seem to have a coffee table) and made my way from the 1840s to 2013. Could have used somewhat better editing (the articles occasionally told you the same thing twice). Nine years have gone by, and things have changed. Kind of fun to read where he thought things were going (e-bikes, bike share, cargo bikes).

[Christine DiGangi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting. Not very well written.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of fun cycling history. It could be edited better, and is now a bit outdated in terms of the modern sections.

[Nick Popa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that every cyclist should read. A bit unbalanced maybe between the 'Ancient' section of the book and the 'Contemporary' period. Too little insistence on the carbon revolution and on contemporary training methods. Loved the parts about bikes during the World Wars, or about the lives of Coppi and Merckx.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty informative. It skips a lot of things, but that's the problem with bicycle books. The bike is so ubiquitous and yet distinct to its various regions of the world. As such there will always be too much information to cover in any single book without disappointing a lot of people with your necessary choice of omissions. Worth a read, but not my favorite on the subject.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ball bearings, the differential, vulcanized, inflated rubber tires, women's lib & good roads. We owe a lot to the bicycle and the inventors who slaved to develop a better way for man to power his own movement. Amazing how a metal contraption drove toward the entire progress of transportation, & social mores.

[Brucie · Rating 3 out of 5]

comprehensive and trivial

[Cheryl Robertson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting!!

[Guy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good way to learn about the machines and the people who got us riding. Some great history on the top riders through the 20th century and on the long tradition of innovation inspired by the great European racing circuit.