On the Road Bike: The Search For a Nation’s Cycling Soul

Ned Boulting

May 2013 · Random House

About this ebook

‘British cyclist. It used to be an oxymoron, a sort of silliness. Like French Cricket’

Ned Boulting has noticed something. It’s to do with bikes. They’re everywhere. And so are their riders. Some of these riders seem to be sporting sideburns and a few of them are winning things. Big things. Now Ned wants to know how on earth it came to this. And what, exactly is 'this'.

In On the Road Bike, Ned Boulting asks how Britain became so obsessed with cycling. His journey takes him from the velodrome at Herne Hill to the Tour of Britain at Stoke-on-Trent via Bradley Wiggins, Chris Boardman, David Millar (and David’s mum), Ken Livingstone, both Tommy Godwins, Gary Kemp (yes, him from Spandau Ballet) and many, many more. The result is an amusing and personal exploration of the austere, nutty soul of British cycling.

'Funny, fascinating and frequently touching ... will be enjoyed by anyone with even a passing interest in cycling. No bib shorts required' Guardian

Ratings and reviews

Not so much a history book as a ramble through chance encounters with surviving veterans, organisers and other assorted participants of British cycling culture. Ned is a sensitive and intelligent documented of encounters varying from obscure celebrity club rides, to tt scene protagonists, to racers, to charity riders to, well, all sorts. This is an easy and compelling ready , with much better insight than the self effacing narrator seems to realise.

I just can't stop re-reading this book!

I enjoyed it but strongly suspect that my background as a British cyclist of a certain age helped! Others might find themselves unenlightened, perhaps we really are an enigma?

About the author

Ned Boulting started his broadcasting career at Sky in 1997, working as a reporter alongside Jeff Stelling on the now legendary show Soccer Saturday. In 2006 he was given the Royal Television Society’s Sports Reporter of the Year Award. In addition to his work as a football reporter for ITV, he has now presented seven Tours of Britain, the Vuelta España, the Tour of California as well as the Tour Series and the inaugural Women’s Tour. He has contributed features and live reports on twelve Tours de France. He is the author of the much-loved books How I Won the Yellow Jumper and On the Road Bike.