This lively and lavishly illustrated book tells the extraordinary history of the bicycle, an invention that precipitated nothing short of a social revolution. Recounting a story replete with disputed patents, brilliant inventions, and missed opportunities, David Herlihy shows us why the bicycle captured the public's imagination and the myriad ways it has reshaped our world.
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Review
'...copious and colourful.' -- Evening Standard, October 16, 2006
About the Author
David V. Herlihy is a historian and freelance writer. His work has been featured on National Public Radio and Voice of America and in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, and Historic Preservation. In 1999 Herlihy received the McNair History Award from the Wheelmen, the preeminent American association of antique bicycle collectors.
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First Sentence
Think back to your first cycling experience, the moment you wobbled beyond the clutches of an anxious parent, without recourse to training wheels. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Think back to your first cycling experience, the moment you wobbled beyond the clutches of an anxious parent, without recourse to training wheels. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By D. Cook
Format:Hardcover
I was bought this book by my Canadian son-in-law, a sports fanatic like myself. My first thoughts on opening the book were, "Oh no, it's all American". I overcame my prejudices and ploughed into the book, and I was well-pleased that I did. Cycling was big, really big, Stateside in the nineteenth century, and its rise and final near demise are a whole story in itself. However this book isn't just an American slant, and its chapters on the development of the bicycle technically are well written indeed. Don't expect anything revealing about the development of the machine or the sport over the last fifty years or so, but the rest of the book is excellent, and very well produced into the bargain. I wouldn't have bought this, but I am very pleased to own it now, and would recommend it without reservation to anyone who has any interest in the subject.
By NR
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a great book. It makes you look at the bicycle as a machine with a great deal more respect. It seems that nobody quite knows how the idea of a conveyance with just two wheels was conceived. The inventor does not seem to have left any hints. The slow and erratic progress towards a human powered machine is explained as an intriguing combination of prejudice and technical difficulty. Reading this makes it much easier to forgive my indexed derailleur if it happens to make a slightly noisy gear change. It's much too easy to take these things for granted.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A beautifully produced and comprehensive account of the early history of the bicycle.
29 Jun 2012
By M. J. Adams
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
First off, the production quality of this volume is superb.
A large format paperback printed on heavy coated paper with
high quality colour and b/w illustrations throughout with well
laid out text, all evenly inked. This is production quality
more normally associated with high end art and design
hardbacks.
Secondly the claim that the book is solely concerned with
American developements is quite simply wrong. As can be
confirmed by examining the chapter headings using the "Look
Inside" facility. The first 74 pages are devoted to the
Draisenne or hobby horse. a German invention. Together
with improvements made on this by such as the Englshman
Johnson.
Pages 74 to 149 cover the developement of the bicycle
by the addition of cranked pedals to the front wheel.
This by the Frenchmen Lallement, Michaux and the Olivier
brothers.
Naturally being American, David Herlihy a respected cycling
historian (rather than simply a populariser) describes the
impact of these developements in the US, the social impact
the growth of the US industry and the early US cycling
booms. But no more
Similarly when it comes to the high wheelers and the
emergence of the safety bicycle, full credit is given to
the Starleys and other UK developers and manufacturers.
Only afterwards are US developements noted.
This is an invaluable source for anyone interested in the
early history of the velocipede. The author gives full
accounts of all the various controversies regarding
priority - the perennial questions who first invented
various features of the modern bicycle - and the vexed
question as to why the invention and developement of the
bicycle took so long.
Highly recommended
A large format paperback printed on heavy coated paper with
high quality colour and b/w illustrations throughout with well
laid out text, all evenly inked. This is production quality
more normally associated with high end art and design
hardbacks.
Secondly the claim that the book is solely concerned with
American developements is quite simply wrong. As can be
confirmed by examining the chapter headings using the "Look
Inside" facility. The first 74 pages are devoted to the
Draisenne or hobby horse. a German invention. Together
with improvements made on this by such as the Englshman
Johnson.
Pages 74 to 149 cover the developement of the bicycle
by the addition of cranked pedals to the front wheel.
This by the Frenchmen Lallement, Michaux and the Olivier
brothers.
Naturally being American, David Herlihy a respected cycling
historian (rather than simply a populariser) describes the
impact of these developements in the US, the social impact
the growth of the US industry and the early US cycling
booms. But no more
Similarly when it comes to the high wheelers and the
emergence of the safety bicycle, full credit is given to
the Starleys and other UK developers and manufacturers.
Only afterwards are US developements noted.
This is an invaluable source for anyone interested in the
early history of the velocipede. The author gives full
accounts of all the various controversies regarding
priority - the perennial questions who first invented
various features of the modern bicycle - and the vexed
question as to why the invention and developement of the
bicycle took so long.
Highly recommended
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4.2 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
US-focused
Very focused on the US side of things, which is fine. It's a pity that there is no English-language book that covers Europe as well. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Paul Gray
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good reference book
As a cycler and a writer, this book has filled the gaps in the history of bicycle, particularly when I try to create a similar written reference, as to transmit the information to... Read more
Published on 3 Jan 2011 by erhan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book
A great book about the history and birth of the bicycle. Has everything in I wanted to know, I would recommend to anyone who's interested in bikes!
Published on 15 Nov 2010 by S. Clarke
4.0 out of 5 stars
Looks good
I ordered this book as a christmas present. It arrived promptly - could have been more protected wrapping wise - a few scuffs on the cover of the book. Read more
Published on 13 Nov 2009 by Mrs. A. M. Cope
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