In the world of cycling, there are enthusiasts and then there are "roadies" — the cyclist whose passion for bike racing cannot be tamed. A confirmed roadie will go to any length to better his record — from shaving his legs to dropping a fortune on a bike — and the reactions to a roadie's determination can vary from disbelief to outright scorn. Jamie Smith is a confirmed roadie, and in this unique book, he sets out to explain the often-misunderstood world of roadies, delving into the groups many neuroses and lightheartedly illuminating just what it is that keeps these extreme cyclists coming back for more. Accompanied by amusing illustrations from a nationally syndicated cartoonist, this look into a bike racing subculture is sure to convert even the most hardened skeptics.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 18 reviews)

Fun ride cover to cover

Sure, it's no literary masterpiece, but that's not what it's about. It's a good light hearted read for anyone who knows someone who rides a bike and wants to understand why bike riding consumes them.

An invaluable document for anyone who doesn't ride thinking of dating someone who does. It will either convince you to take up the sport or it will convince you to run a mile.

A great light-hearted read, full of insight and great humour.
September 30, 2008

Not what I was expecting...

I have been an avid cycling enthusiast for some time. Most of the people I know don't understand why I like it so much or why I spend so much money on cycling. I was hoping this book would focus mostly on that; in the beginning, it did explain the rationale (or lack of) behind a cyclist's behavior, but then it became too technical and focused too much on racing for my tastes. I feel that most of the cyclists I know are recreational riders instead of racers; I didn't realize that there were that many racers around. All of that being said, I still enjoyed the book, but I think it was because I was able to understand it. Even if your cyclist is not a racer, this book will help you understand his/her love of cycling.
September 15, 2008

Great book!

This was a very funny read. I am a racer myself and loved the book. This book is even better for friends and family who do not fully understand what is means to be a racer. Very light read, easy to get through, funny, all around awesome book!

Now go buy it!
August 29, 2008

Decent, with flaws

I'm a recreational cyclist (70-80 miles/week), so I picked this up to see if I could gain some insight into the races I enjoyed watching. I found the information to be comprehensive in scope but lacking in depth. The author perhaps could have devoted more time to equipment and tactics, rather then superficial topics such as how many people you can get into a hotel room. Having said that, the book was decent but I continuously found myself put off by two themes the author kept repeating.
- Cycling is "better" than any other sport, bikers worker "harder" than other athletes, etc. Aside from just the silliness of this argument (how can one sport be better than another; do bikers really work harder than marathon runners, mountain climbers, football players in August, etc?), the constant need to do this comes across as insecure. Biking is cool enough on its own, no need to try so hard.
- Roadies are mavericks, flaunting society's norms, rebels, etc. Any hard core athletes will find themselves different from other people, that's just the nature of intense training and the things people need to do and buy to participate in the sport. Apart from that, biking and bikers seem to impose conformity more so than in other sports. All bikers wear the same kind of clothes, accessories are adopted en-mass by bikers, and conforming to the group's norms seem more important here than say, in baseball. For example, he lists the reasons for shaving one's legs; so that others know you are hard core roadie. Looking at a peloton or group of superior riders, you see the individuality lost in a haze of identical helmets, glasses and apparel, even for recreational bikers. Bikers in general seem to come from a very narrow slice of the demographic pie; white, male, relatively well off and educated. Not exactly a group of individualist mavericks.

I liked the drawings.

August 04, 2008

Now I get it!

Obviously, from some of the reviews on here, some people don't understand that this book isn't written as an instruction manual for roadies. This is a book for people like me...friend of a roadie trying to understand the lifestyle. Before reading this book, I knew NOTHING about the cycling world. I found the book extremely informative and entertaining at the same time. There is a lot of good information in here and the wit and humor that the author and illustrator used kept me interested. After reading "Roadie" I HAD to see a race in person...perhaps to answer the question "Does this really happen?". Yep, it really happens. And now the world of bike racing has a new supporter. I'm hooked!
August 01, 2008

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

We Might As Well Win: On the Road to Success with the Mastermind Behind a Record-Setting Eight Tour de France Victories
by Johan Bruyneel, Bill
by Lance Armstrong

Blazing Saddles: The Cruel and Unusual History of the Tour de France
by Matt Rendell

The Complete Guide to Climbing (By Bike)
by John Summerson

A Dog in a Hat: An American Bike Racer's Story of Mud, Drugs, Blood, Betrayal, and Beauty in Belgium
by Joe Parkin

The Rider
by Tim Krabbe