Recommended Reading
Drool-worthy porn, currently available from Amazon.com and other fine booksellers.
The first: A book from Images Publishing called Custom Bicycles: A Passionate Pursuit is now available. The subject is the handmade bicycle and the craftmen involved in producing them. The list of cats who are exposed in this wonderful book numbers near forty. Christine Elliot and David Jablonka interviewed a wide cross section of commercial framebuilders who attended the 2008 North American Handmade Bicycle Show and followed up with questionnaires and requests for studio photography, and produced a lovely, large format (it’s 240 pages, with most framebuilder getting 3-4 per brand. Can you say OUCH!), book that will ooze of information, factoids, excellent graphics, and mouth watering bicycles.
Custom Bicycles: A Passionate Pursuit
by Christine Elliott & David Jablonka
Cycling has never lost its appeal. Alongside mass-produced models, the craftsmanship of handmade bespoke bicycle makers has emerged to satisfy the passion of people who ride bikes as a means of daily transport, as a sport and for recreation. This book by passionate cyclists Christine Elliott and David Jablonka is the product of a worldwide search for the most influential custom bike makers on the planet.
The result is a presentation of a wonderful collection of expertly honed, human-powered machines, built by some of the most creative bicycle makers in the world.
The result is a presentation of a wonderful collection of expertly It highlights the range of techniques, materials, design elements and passion behind producing a custom handmade bike. It’s guaranteed to take you on the ride of your life.
The result is a presentation of a wonderful collection of expertly Features a foreword by Phil Liggett, the voice of the legendary man behind the English-language broadcasts of the Tour de France.
The second: I was recently pointed to a book by a client who insisted he saw a pic of the Richard Sachs PistaSawa from the recent NAHBS in it, but could never recall the title. After several exchanges, it became obvious that it was a publisher in Italy with whom I exchanged emails a year or so earlier. He sent questions. I answered them. He wanted print quality pics. Jeff Weir emailed them the art files. My contact there later sent me an update after the images arrived noting that he was leaving the company but “forgotten name goes here ________ ” would take over the project. That’s the last I heard. Atmo a year has gone by, at least.
The result is a presentation of a wonderful collection of expertly So after my client reminded me of all this through his sighting, he found the title and I ordered the book through Amazon. Two weeks went by as I waited for a seller in the UK to mail me a copy, and that sucker arrived today. It’s nearly 300 pages of the highest quality content, paper stock and photography. I’ve since discovered that this book is available in the US through Amazon, so you don’t need to wait weeks for shipment from the UK as I did.
The Bicycle: The Myth and The Passion
by Francesco Baroni (Author) & Felice Gimondi (Preface)
This handsomely illustrated volume traces the evolution of the bicycle and spotlights landmarks in its illustrious history. From the first sketches in the 1490s by a student of Leonardo da Vinci to the High Wheel Bicycles that had their heyday in the 1880s, hundreds of archival photographs and illustrations depict the features of these and other early ancestors of the modern bicycle, accompanying a text that vividly recreates the excitement of each new innovation.
Documenting the advent of ball bearings and pneumatic tires, the development of high-tech racing bicycles and state-of-the-art all terrain bikes with waffle tread tires and heavier frames, The Bicycle: The Myth and The Passion examines the models and components that have been the fulfillment of the dreams of visionary inventors. Through an engaging text and vibrant graphics, readers will meet the key players in the world of cycling and gain a newfound appreciation for the colorful history of the bicycle.