If you are looking for a book gift for a cyclist in your life, or for inspirational and motivational reading, check out these three books.
You might also like to read:
My pick of top adventure books
Britain’s Best Bike Ride
This book priced £20 and published as part of the Vertebrate Publishing Adventure Books collection focuses on the “ultimate 1000-mile cycling adventure from Land’s End to John o’Groats”.
It is written by keen cyclists John Walsh and Hannah Reynolds and includes 30 bespoke stages, downloadable GPX files, custom maps, essential info and great photography.
It’s great to see the whole route laid out in a very informative and inspiring book. Each of the 30 stages can be adapted to suit your own ambitions and they all start and finish in villages and towns where you can find accommodation and a place to eat.
There is also a “two-week classic” route, as well as a “three-week explorer” route or a “10-day challenge” route.
This would be a great book if you – or anyone you know – has ever thought about taking on the famous LEJOG by bicycle.
Buy Britain’s Best Bike Ride book. (Note, I receive a small commission for sale of VP books.)
The Complete Guide to Cycling Psychology
The Complete Guide to Cycling Psychology: From Sportives to Racing to Endurance Epics, Unlock your Performance Potential.
This is a book written by sport psychologist Dr Jim Taylor, with real-life insights from world-breaking endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont.
The book aims to give cyclists a mental toolkit, advice and inspiration to become a better cyclist, regardless of their goals or riding discipline.
If you know anything about achieving sports goals, you’ll know there is more to success than physical ability and training. From amateurs to professionals, so often the key is the mental focus, confidence and self-belief.
The book is structured to introduce readers to each concept and consider their own cycling psychology, while offering insights, information and the potential tools they might need to ensure their mind is their greatest ally rather than their worst enemy.
Different chapters tackle topics such as cycling attitudes, mental muscles, a mental toolbox to overcome challenges and the building blocks of quality training.
The Complete Guide to Cycling Psychology draws Taylor’s qualified knowledge, as well as his own athletic experiences. (He has written other books, such as Train Your Mind for Athletic Success and The Triathlete’s Guide to Mental Training.)
Ultra-endurance cyclist and multiple world record holder, Beaumont, shares his own experience to illustrate the concepts Taylor presents.
Read about Mark Beaumont’s NC500 cycling record.
While sports psychology might seem like a daunting and weighty topic to understand as an ordinary cyclist, the book makes it very approachable. The layout, side bars, bullet points, quotes and photos help to break down sections into easier reads.
The most dedicated cyclists will probably read the book front to back, while for others, it’s possible to dip in and out of and still glean lots of valuable tips and insights.
Again this would make a good book for a gift for a cyclist. The Complete Guide to Cycling Psychology is available from the Global Cycling Network online store. RRP £16.99. (There is 20% off just now.)
Bikepacking: Exploring the Roads Less Cycled
More inspiration comes from a large hardback book, Bikepacking: Exploring the Roads Less Cycled. It’s a great coffee table book and provides words and photos of almost 40 great rides around the world, including the classic Scottish long-distance route, the Badger Divide.
Read about Donnie Campbell’s Badger Divide record.
The descriptions of the cycling journeys reveal the sights, people and cultures of the different regions. You’ll still need to make your own map plans. (It would be great to have access to GPX route downloads.)
The book is also packed with plenty of practical tips about bikepacking and many pages of “how tos”, such as How to plan a route, trailside fixes, shelter and sustenance.
Even if you don’t head off on one of these bike rides, I’m sure the book will provide lots of absorbing reading and it might inspire you to try your own shorter bikepacking trip.
Buy the book from various outlets, including Amazon. ((Note, I receive a small commission for sales through Amazon.) £26.55