The Essential Touring Cyclist: A Complete Guide for the Bicycle Traveler, Second Edition

I was new to bicycle touring (but not road biking), and I picked up the first edition of this book in a used book shop. The book is well written in an informal, friendly style. The text is supported by several simple but clear illustrations, and there are many scenic (black and white in 1st edit) photos which inspire wanderlust. Most importantly, this book conveys a wealth of information specific to touring, including equipment, how to set up your bike, camping, and trip planning. You get the sense that the author is really an expert, as he peppers each chapter with useful tips that I was not aware of previously. He also includes some surprisingly good (considering their brevity) practical chapters on riding skills, training, injuries, and repairs. In summary, the book is clear, concise, conveys the fun of touring, and contains a lot of useful info. Of the 3 books on this subject I've read, it was by far the best, the most relevent, and I'd highly recommend it.

Richard Lovett does a good job of describing, in a general way, the three basic modes of bicycle touring: vehicle-supported, "credit-card" (i.e., inn-to-inn), and loaded (camping). It's rare to find *any* books on touring, so on that basis, the book is great. And if you've never toured before, this is a good, informative book. However, if, like myself, you're looking for in-depth hints and kinks on loaded touring, you won't find them here. Ergo, four stars for this one.

I bought the first edition a number of years ago, and it was a well loved and thumbed through book ... I even lent it to all and sundry ... I decided to update it for this one, as there were a number of minor errors in the first one ... the second edition is even better!!!

The style of the book is written by someone well experienced in cycle touring and his style is very easy to read and the advice is sound ... the information contained in the book will benefit both the novice cycle tourist as well as the seasoned veteran.

I like this book and refer to it often for inspiration and ideas ...