What do you think?
Rate this book
The Hungry Cyclist
Over 100,000 miles to cover, one man, one bike and one hungry stomach. Having created his alter-ego, the Hungry Cyclist and with thousands of pedal-powered miles before him, Tom Kevill-Davies pushed off from New York City on one of the most ambitious gastronomic adventures ever undertaken. A ballsy travel memoir The Hungry Cyclist follows Tom's adventure into the hearts and minds of the people he meets. Revealing the diverse cultures of the Americas, Tom's journey from over the Rockies to Baja California, through Central America down all the way to Brazil via Colombia, gives the real flavour of this truly extraordinary landmass. This is a tale of death-battles with squadrons of mosquitoes, malodorous public toilets, of galloping dysentery one day, to drowning your sorrows with cowboys and dining with beauty queens the next. But above all it is an ambitious story of getting to where you want to be - even if you have to endure cactus-induced punctures, unforgiving desert heat, uphill struggles through never-ending cocaine plantations, or artfully dodge hungry bears, neurotic RV-driving Americans, angry rabid dogs and run-ins with local law authorities in the process. An amazing tale of what can happen when you get on your bike and go.
384 pages, Paperback
First published April 30, 2009
16 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Read
January 17, 2023I actually just started to read the Baja section of this book cause I was interested to hear what the author experienced in a part of Mexico I had been through as well (he had been to many of the same places). He roped me in though and I came to read the whole book. He has a lot of amazing experiences but the structure of the book is a bit odd because it's centered around all these recipes that are at the end of each chapter, he isn't even a chef, just a Bon vivant. Just odd... To me he had enough interesting experiences that the book didn't have to be centered in this way, (like was the publisher trying to exploit some chef or cooking show trend back in 2009?) and you can still talk about the food in vivid detail.
March 21, 2025
The perfect combo for me - right?! A bikepacking trip from New York to Rio focussed on local food, written in intensely vivid detail and full of ridiculous harebrained adventures that you can barely believe he survived
And yet I took almost three months to finish it. You can tell he’s in advertising I guess - he writes a powerful one liner but the story doesn’t have an overall hook, it’s just a series of fabulous anecdotes that stand up better as one offs
No character development, learning from an almost two year gruelling experience across an insane range of cultures, no real reflections or personal touch.
And yet I took almost three months to finish it. You can tell he’s in advertising I guess - he writes a powerful one liner but the story doesn’t have an overall hook, it’s just a series of fabulous anecdotes that stand up better as one offs
No character development, learning from an almost two year gruelling experience across an insane range of cultures, no real reflections or personal touch.
July 23, 2013
Within the first five pages, this book made me want to once again disappear into some great wild wilderness with nothing but a few panniers and the trusty steed that is my bicycle. Wonderfully written with impeccable attention to detail (especially food!), Tom takes us on his gruelling but beautiful challenge of a lifetime in search for the perfect meal. If only I wasn't a vegetarian and could try out some of the comically unusual recipes that he ends each chapter with, inspired by the depths of the America's most local and sacred cuisines. He makes friends wherever he goes and by the end of the book, you'll be convinced that he's your best mate as well. Highly recommend for anyone wh like food / travel / bicycles / different cultures.
September 6, 2016
A combination of my three favourite types of books: travel, cycling and food.
Tom has a idea after cycling and eating his way through France on holiday to replicate it across America. Starts in New York and travelling across and the down the West Coast of the States through Central America and into South America on the East Coast in the shape of a huge 5.
He meets and eats with lots of kind and generous hosts through all the countries that he goes through. Is forced to take drugs at gunpoint! And is probably the only cyclist across America to put on weight and not loose it.
Great book, a must read for all fans of travel books.
Tom has a idea after cycling and eating his way through France on holiday to replicate it across America. Starts in New York and travelling across and the down the West Coast of the States through Central America and into South America on the East Coast in the shape of a huge 5.
He meets and eats with lots of kind and generous hosts through all the countries that he goes through. Is forced to take drugs at gunpoint! And is probably the only cyclist across America to put on weight and not loose it.
Great book, a must read for all fans of travel books.
September 20, 2011
Epic cycling trip, well written, from a rider with a great attitude. A few glaring errors, which made me question the editing, but the story is totally engaging.
June 18, 2025
I loved this book very much.
it is about a man from England who goes to America ,
and heh plans to go from new York city to Rio de janeiro by a cycle.
he has thousands of miles to cover and is in search of the prefect meal.
he makes a lot of friends on his way and he gets to know a lot of things.
as he travels.
he then reaches brazil and is very happy to do so.
the details he gave of his travels are incredible!.
he has many mils to travel and that too on a cycle.
it is about his adventures!.
it is about a man from England who goes to America ,
and heh plans to go from new York city to Rio de janeiro by a cycle.
he has thousands of miles to cover and is in search of the prefect meal.
he makes a lot of friends on his way and he gets to know a lot of things.
as he travels.
he then reaches brazil and is very happy to do so.
the details he gave of his travels are incredible!.
he has many mils to travel and that too on a cycle.
it is about his adventures!.
June 23, 2021
The story, crazy! But again, It had some weird stuff on it as well. I've rated it 4 stars bcoz I've just read a part of the story that came with my "ENGLISH LANGUAGE A" book. Really like the story so far, Quite astonishing. I really would recommend you to get a copy of this book for 2$, promise you won't regret it!!
Stay Frosty!! :D
Stay Frosty!! :D
November 28, 2020
Very descriptive and gets boring as book goes on
July 10, 2023
Overall the book was OK and I really enjoyed the first half of the book. Unfortunately I found the second half of the book to be very repetitive.
May 3, 2020
I bought this book in a charity shop for 40p a couple of years ago. I picked it up to read in the garden during lockdown. It was a very tasty read , Tom has a stronger stomach and legs than I certainly do. His prose was very good, loved the energy he managed to put into his writing. The only negative really was he seemed to skip while countries at times. Overall definitely worth a read.
June 15, 2011
This morning I woke up early, eager to finish the last forty pages The Hungry Cyclist before I had to get on with my day.
The book featured the diary/recollections of a young english guy called Tom Kevill-Davies (aka The Hungry Cyclist), who after getting an appetite for cycling and discovering local cuisine in France decided to embark on an epic journey from New York to Rio de Janeiro.
The concept of quitting ones job and regular life to set off on some crazy hair-brained adventure immediately appealed to me, and considering that we were preparing for a similar (though comfier) food related journey across Europe and Asia, it didn't take me long to purchase the book and start reading.
Tom makes a likeable protagonist (is that the right word?) in this adventure, and just as the people he met along the way opened up to him, his sensible and open nature drew me in and helped me imagine that I could have been the one battling the headwinds in the central US, negotiating potholes and RV's in Mexico or slogging through the mud-filled lanes of Brazil.
The only slight drawback of the book was the painfully slow ride through the United States. Taking up almost the first third of the book and the first 9 months of Tom's journey, the monotony of roadside diner after roadside diner and run down town after run-down town had me uninspired - reading the book only a couple of pages at a time over the course of several months. Perhaps it was the familiarity of a country that we see in news and entertainment so often or more likely it was the headspace that I was in during that time - seeking escape from the familiar and dreaming of driving off into the wilderness myself.
Whatever the reason, my initial hesitation was more than overcome once Tom hit Mexico and I found myself unable to tear my nose away from the pages as he spent months negotiating the thrilling roads and mouth-watering market stalls of latin america. With an obvious talent for writing, Tom's book paints a colourful, exciting and exhausting picture of life on two wheels. I guess even though we all seek action and adventure from a journey (and particularly from a book about a journey) the reality is that it is the loneliness, boredom, self-doubt and hard work in between those exciting bits that makes it a journey in the first place.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this book for anyone - cyclist or not - who is dreaming of hitting the road.
The book featured the diary/recollections of a young english guy called Tom Kevill-Davies (aka The Hungry Cyclist), who after getting an appetite for cycling and discovering local cuisine in France decided to embark on an epic journey from New York to Rio de Janeiro.
The concept of quitting ones job and regular life to set off on some crazy hair-brained adventure immediately appealed to me, and considering that we were preparing for a similar (though comfier) food related journey across Europe and Asia, it didn't take me long to purchase the book and start reading.
Tom makes a likeable protagonist (is that the right word?) in this adventure, and just as the people he met along the way opened up to him, his sensible and open nature drew me in and helped me imagine that I could have been the one battling the headwinds in the central US, negotiating potholes and RV's in Mexico or slogging through the mud-filled lanes of Brazil.
The only slight drawback of the book was the painfully slow ride through the United States. Taking up almost the first third of the book and the first 9 months of Tom's journey, the monotony of roadside diner after roadside diner and run down town after run-down town had me uninspired - reading the book only a couple of pages at a time over the course of several months. Perhaps it was the familiarity of a country that we see in news and entertainment so often or more likely it was the headspace that I was in during that time - seeking escape from the familiar and dreaming of driving off into the wilderness myself.
Whatever the reason, my initial hesitation was more than overcome once Tom hit Mexico and I found myself unable to tear my nose away from the pages as he spent months negotiating the thrilling roads and mouth-watering market stalls of latin america. With an obvious talent for writing, Tom's book paints a colourful, exciting and exhausting picture of life on two wheels. I guess even though we all seek action and adventure from a journey (and particularly from a book about a journey) the reality is that it is the loneliness, boredom, self-doubt and hard work in between those exciting bits that makes it a journey in the first place.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this book for anyone - cyclist or not - who is dreaming of hitting the road.
February 20, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure as Davies lives life on the edge and created a life time of precious memories, while surviving life on the road in somewhat difficult conditions. I appreciate his drive in seeking out local cuisine and writing about it in great detail. I was less interested in the recipes and more interested in the places and the people he met, whose varied stories were the high point of the book. Time and time again, I have read many travel accounts of travellers being helped out (in some cases having their lives saved) my locals who are less fortunate than they are. This book continues that trend. One aspect that bothered me was the temporary tenuousness of the friendships. Tom seems to meet lots of people, but never seems to have a satisfying conversation or a reason to continue a friendship with anyone he meets. Like the Littlest Hobo of television fame, he is constantly moving on to the next destination without forming long lasting bonds with the people he meets. A good follow up book would be to attempt reunification with the people he met and follow up on their incredible stories.
April 13, 2014
A completely biased review as I love cycle touring, and love food. So this story of the Hungry Cyclist, who cycles from New York to Rio de Janeiro in search of the perfect meal is right up my street. A very easy read, Tom moves with sufficient pace through his two year experience that you don't feel it is too self-indulgent (though I would have actually enjoyed more details of the challenges he faced keeping his bike moving and so on) but instead find yourself moving from humbling experience of humanity to inspiring insight into other cultures' cuisines with ease. I'm sure others can critique the literary quality of his writing, but for me, it was a wonderful bit of escapism in a pastime I love.
April 26, 2024
Tää oli viihdyttävä, suosittelen jos (pitkän matkan) pyöräily kiinnostaa!
Kirjailija polkee New Yorkista Tulimaahan missionaan etsiä täydellinen ateria. Kerronta vaihtelee suunnitelmien kuvailusta maisemien vaihtumiseen, yllätyksiin, hetken mielijohteesta tehtyihin pistoihin jonkun sattumalta tavatun ihmisen luo esim. grillaamaan. Tykkäsin kovasti siitä, miten ennakkoluulottomasti Kevill-Davies testaa kaikenlaista, mutta onhan tuo toisaalta jo koko kirjan ideakin! Mielenkiintoisia olivat myös eri maista listatut (ja testatut!) reseptit, jotta nojatuoliseikkailijaki pääsee halutessaan kokemaan makuelämyksiä :)
Kirjailija polkee New Yorkista Tulimaahan missionaan etsiä täydellinen ateria. Kerronta vaihtelee suunnitelmien kuvailusta maisemien vaihtumiseen, yllätyksiin, hetken mielijohteesta tehtyihin pistoihin jonkun sattumalta tavatun ihmisen luo esim. grillaamaan. Tykkäsin kovasti siitä, miten ennakkoluulottomasti Kevill-Davies testaa kaikenlaista, mutta onhan tuo toisaalta jo koko kirjan ideakin! Mielenkiintoisia olivat myös eri maista listatut (ja testatut!) reseptit, jotta nojatuoliseikkailijaki pääsee halutessaan kokemaan makuelämyksiä :)
May 26, 2013
Strictly speaking there is a lot more to this than a straight forward cycling narrative, Kevill Davies sets out to engage with the people he meets more specifically by eating their food and partaking of their eating customs. I enjoyed this book as unlike some of the other cycling books I have read its author came across as someone less concerned with the mileage than enjoying the journey itself and while at times it does meander you can forgive the author due to his enthusiasm and honest approach.
August 16, 2012
Not aimed at cyclists but at readers looking for entertaining travel memoirs. The language is engaging from the start as the author draws you into his world, which encompasses all he can carry on his bike and whichever town he is passing through. Food features high on his priorities as he attempts to navigate from New York to Rio by bicycle.
August 22, 2011
New York to Rio via Canada over 2 years on a bicycle, with the premise of searching for the perfect meal. Great for learning something of the countries and their street cuisine, especially through central and south america. Recipes included.
December 14, 2010
If you like cycling and you like food and you like travelling, then this is the one for you! If you only like one of those things then it's the one for you too!
June 3, 2011
Enjoyed this book, though it took ages to complete.
Read
June 17, 2011Slow going through this book. Reading about greasy diners in ontario and pow-wows. Cool concept but dull writing style makes me skip ahead. Probably will get more exciting, I'm only on page 40.
May 25, 2011
i was excited about reading this at first but got quite bored after half was as uit was well not engaging. shame i love the concept and wanted to love the book.
Read
June 19, 2013Not a bad read at all .... do it when you're still young!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews