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Dave Barter
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The Year: Reawakening the legend of cycling's hardest endurance record Kindle Edition

by Dave Barter (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 152 ratings
In 1939 British cyclist Tommy Godwin cycled 75,065 miles in a single year. Think about that for a second: that's an average of over 200 miles each day. And it's a mark that still stands after almost eighty years. In The Year, Dave Barter resurrects the legend of the year record - a challenge nearly as old as bicycles themselves - and the cyclists who pushed themselves to establish and break it. Barter uncovers the stories behind these riders who would routinely cycle over a hundred miles a day in the race to set new records: Americans such as John H. George who recorded over 200 'centuries', nineteen double 'centuries' and three triple 'centuries' in the late 1800s. The British advertising executive Harry Long, whose annual tallies of over 20,000 miles in the early twentieth century led to the founding of the formal cycling year record, and Cycling magazine's Century Competition. The Englishman of French descent, Marcel Planes, whose 1911 record of 34,366 miles stood for over twenty years. Not forgetting the legends of the job-seeking Arthur Humbles, the one-armed vegetarian communist Walter Greaves, the 'keep-fit girl' Billie Dovey and the staggering mark set by Godwin who left a youthful Bernard Bennett trailing in his wake. Meticulous research through the annuals, archives and news stories of the bicycling world is backed up with insights from the families of these legendary cyclists, as well as Dave's own analysis of the riders' years in numbers. There is no more difficult challenge in cycling. The Year is the definitive story of these phenomenal cyclists.
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  1. Print length
    283 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Vertebrate Digital
  4. Publication date
    8 Oct. 2015
  5. File size
    25.0 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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Product description

Review

In my mind, this isn't a book written to just tell a good story. This feels like a tribute, a tribute to those riders that history had very nearly and all but completely forgotten ... I hope I'm right because it's certainly a fitting one.' --Bare Bones Bikepacking

'This book recounts the long history surrounding this extreme record, and gives some illuminating background to the current attempts. It is essential reading for anyone planning to attempt the record (!), and an entertaining and informative read for everyone else.' --Richard Peploe, road.cc

'The Year record has again come alive, making The Year - Reawakening The Legend of Cycling's Hardest Endurance Record a timely addition to all cycling bookshelves.' --Feargal McKay, Podium Cafe

About the Author

Dave Barter is the author of the road cycling guidebook Great British Bike Rides, and Obsessive Compulsive Cycling Disorder, a worldwide bestseller on Amazon. He has contributed many articles to Cycle, Cycling Weekly and Cycling Plus and has appeared on BBC One's The One Show. An expert on the life and cycling records of cycling year record holder Tommy Godwin, Dave has made it his mission to resurrect the legend of the year record in the early twentieth century. A fanatical cyclist, he is a veteran of numerous races and sportives, including L'Etape du Tour, the Fausto Coppi, the Polka Dot Challenge, two successful Land's End to John O'Groats expeditions, the Highland Trail 550 and numerous other events. Residing in deepest Wiltshire with his wife Helen and children Jake and Holly, Dave's passion for cycling drives him out into the countryside in all weathers seeking two-wheeled incident and adventure.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B014WS8J26
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vertebrate Digital (8 Oct. 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 25.0 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 283 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1910240435
  • Customer reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 152 ratings

About the author

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Dave Barter

Dave Barter

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Dave Barter is a British cyclist. He likes to think of himself as an all-rounder having tried many two-wheeled disciplines and fallen off most of them. In 2001 he chucked in his job and went cycling. In 2010 he did exactly the same thing again. In between times, he’s written a few articles about cycling and a few of them have even made it into print.

Dave was born in Ely Hospital in 1966 after his Dad raced floodwater to get his Mum to the ward before the river Ouse burst. This explains why he is always in a rush. Dave lives in deepest Devon with his wife Helen and Jan Åga Fjortoft the cat. Dave’s fiscal profession is Information Technology. He writes articles to fund bike parts and is currently attempting to finish a number of books. Once he has read them, he’ll turn his attention to his half-completed writing projects. Like all good IT practitioners, he rarely finishes anything. His books are a rare exception.

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
152 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this cycling book to be a fantastic read that is superbly researched, with one customer noting it's a great trawl through the archives. The writing style receives positive feedback, with one customer describing it as a well-structured account of extreme cycling. They appreciate the pacing, with one review highlighting how it captures the amazing determination of all the year competitors.

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13 customers mention ‘Readability’13 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, with one mentioning it's ideal for holiday reading.

"...Dave has used his light and informed writing style to produce a highly readable and duly sympathetic coverage of a fascinating world." Read more

"...fascinated by big mileage and what it takes to ride them, this is a book to read...." Read more

"...and humour making the fact filled tome a surprisingly easy and fascinating read...." Read more

"This is one of the best cycling related books I've read in a long time. An amazing amount of research around the early days of 'The Year' attempts...." Read more

13 customers mention ‘Research quality’13 positive0 negative

Customers praise the book's research quality, noting it is a fantastic trawl through the archives, with one customer highlighting its interesting technical details.

"...Well researched and narrated, I hope an update will be published soon to cover recent events." Read more

"...A lesson worth learning - for anyone!..." Read more

"...Meticulously researched and crafted, Dave tells the inspirational tale of those select few ultra-endurance riders who have set out to ride further..." Read more

"...An amazing amount of research around the early days of 'The Year' attempts...." Read more

12 customers mention ‘Writing style’12 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, describing it as a well-structured and amazing account of extreme cycling.

"...Far from being a logbook, Dave has used his light and informed writing style to produce a highly readable and duly sympathetic coverage of a..." Read more

"...Well researched and narrated, I hope an update will be published soon to cover recent events." Read more

"I loved this book. Very well researched and written...." Read more

"...athletes of all time, especially Tommy Godwin. This story is long overdue and will at last give some recognition of the amazing and..." Read more

7 customers mention ‘Pacing’7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, with one noting it captures the amazing determination of all the year competitors, while another mentions it is engaging from beginning to end.

"...fair-weather, only-for-fun cyclist, The Year has provided me with a renewed enthusiasm for cycling; even if it does make my irregular 8 mile jaunt..." Read more

"This is one of the best cycling related books I've read in a long time. An amazing amount of research around the early days of 'The Year' attempts...." Read more

"...Dave really brings the subject alive and captures the amazing determination of all the year competitors. A great read" Read more

"The Year is the story of some of the enduring athletes of all time, especially Tommy Godwin. This story is long overdue and will at last give..." Read more

An amazing piece of literature a "must read"
5 out of 5 stars
An amazing piece of literature a "must read"
This book is a must for anyone whether a cyclist or not. It tells so many life stories of the men (and one women) who set out to test themselves both mentally and physically by attempting to cycle the most miles in a calendar year from Marcel Planes in 1911 through to Tommy Godwin in 1939. It tells the stories of what pushed them to undertake this incredible feat of human endevour. Dave Barter has captured every aspect of the backgrounds of these cyclists their poverty their lack of equipment and their sheer drive to accomplish what seemed the impossible. The record is still held by Tommy Godwin who cycled 75,065 miles from January 1st 1939 to December 31st 1939. Tommy died suddenly in 1975 and very little was known about The Year Record until Dave Barter brought it back into the public domain.in 2005. This book has made me even prouder of Tommy Godwin..............he was my father. Thank you Dave Barter !
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Mr. S. M. Collins
    5.0 out of 5 stars Superbly researched and written story of extreme cycling. Inspirational!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 April 2016
    Verified Purchase
    The research made, and time spent, by Dave Barter to unearth the mostly forgotten phenomena of pursuing the "year" might only be imagined. When confronted by the resulting tome, no imagination is required. Prior to the 2015 male record bids the most recent "year" was 1939. Earlier attempts were conducted across three continents and were not universally appreciated or publicised. Female feats are covered too. Far from being a logbook, Dave has used his light and informed writing style to produce a highly readable and duly sympathetic coverage of a fascinating world.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Martin A Norris
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good Read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 March 2017
    Verified Purchase
    For any cyclist who is fascinated by big mileage and what it takes to ride them, this is a book to read. Well researched and narrated, I hope an update will be published soon to cover recent events.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Tracey Preater
    5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing account of endurance cyclists and their desire to achieve
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 January 2016
    Verified Purchase
    As an amateur, fair-weather, only-for-fun cyclist, The Year has provided me with a renewed enthusiasm for cycling; even if it does make my irregular 8 mile jaunt seem ridiculously inept. Although I have no desire to embark on a long distance quest; learning about the motivation and drive of history's endurance riders has been inspiring. A lesson worth learning - for anyone! It helps greatly that the author, Dave Barter, writes with some sharp wit and humour making the fact filled tome a surprisingly easy and fascinating read. This book really is a 'must-read' for those with a keen interest in cycling.
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  • Richard Evans
    5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing story, amazingly told!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 December 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I read this from cover to cover in a weekend, couldn't put it down, chores had to wait. Meticulously researched and crafted, Dave tells the inspirational tale of those select few ultra-endurance riders who have set out to ride further than anyone else in a single calendar year. There are only a handful of them, and the benchmark was set at 75,065 miles in 1939 by Tommy Godwin who maintained an astonishing average of 205 miles per day every day that year.

    As Dave was writing his concluding paragraphs in June 2015, two new attempts were underway, and as I write this at the end of 2016 another rider is averaging almost 230 miles a day...so I'm eagerly looking forward to the next edition - time to top up that fountain pen again Dave!

    Amazingly, Amazon offers me a chance to plug my own book here, so it seems rude not to do that:
    Laid Back Around the World in 180 Days: Diary of a long bike ride
    All proceeds to charity! (RoadPeace)
    One person found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is one of the best cycling related books I've read in a long time
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 February 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This is one of the best cycling related books I've read in a long time. An amazing amount of research around the early days of 'The Year' attempts. Could of been a dry subject with just facts and figures but lots of background of the main characters and the stories of the competing concurrent attempts make it a compelling read. Lots of interesting technical details for the bicycle nerd to.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • SurfaceSurfer
    4.0 out of 5 stars A dry but worthwhile read.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 May 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This is a very detailed and we'll researched book. On the down side it can be quite a dry read. However I stuck at it and am glad I did because it is quite informative. Not so much about who cycled how far on a certain day (although that detail is there) but more about the picture painted of the social attitudes and behaviours of the times. The insights into the characters of the main players was interesting as well. Worth reading.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Angela G Decker
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 February 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I loved this book. Very well researched and written. Dave really brings the subject alive and captures the amazing determination of all the year competitors. A great read
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  • Vivien Ogden
    5.0 out of 5 stars Really interesting read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 May 2017
    Verified Purchase
    The detailed research that has correlated and saved a fascinating era I had no idea existed, must have taken hours and hours to research. I also had no idea such great distances could be ridden, especially pre war with none of the cycling equipment of today. The diet alone deserves consideration, no dieticians, sports drinks, yet miles accumulated on milk, bread and tomatoes alone!
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • andrew from australia
    5.0 out of 5 stars A really good background on the current year record attempts
    Reviewed in the United States on 13 January 2017
    Verified Purchase
    A really good background on the current year record attempts!
    Entertaining to read and well written - the author portrays the characters warts and all. He allows you to make your own mind up about the motivation that drove these people to ride incredible distances.
    All too often I am turned off by authors who go overboard trying to get the reader to understand just how incredible a feat it is that they are describing but that is not the case here; Dave Barter puts forward a good account without getting overly sentimental or mawkish.
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