Kings of the Road: A Journey into the Heart of British Cycling

Didn't realise the cover sleeve wasn't perfect as it was a gift but the hard cover was fine.

Highly enjoyable read. I feared that the mix of interviews with cyclists who had achieved great things and the authors travails as a mamil training towards the Etape would jar, seeing as thousands of people do challenging sportives every year. This was not the case. The blend worked well. I think the key was that Dineen did not try to elevate his efforts to those of the interviewees. He was happy to document his many humbling moments on the bike, without it all building towards an "I'm-really-good-now" moment. By being consistently self-deprecating he is easy to identify with. The interviews are all fascinating. A particular favourite was Tony Woodcock, in his 70s and leaving men half his age trailing. By talking to the likes of Woodcock and others connected to the Crest club in Essex, Dineen gets to the soul of British cycling. An interesting picture emerges of the old club scene leading a bit of a parallel existence to the booming sportive/Team Sky-supporting/£8k-bike-in-the-garage market. Ultimately, though, it's certainly not a story about divisions. It's about the spirit of adventure that connects everybody who loves cycling, be they Olympian or weekend warrior. Well worth a read and a cut above most of the cycling books out the past couple of years. Recommended.

Wow! What an incredibly well researched and fascinating book, clearly written from the heart with the kind of passion and love that a champion cyclist would devote to his bike. I had never heard of some of the people whose stories the author tells (with their help) in this book but what an amazing bunch of people they are. I feel I need to say thank you to all of them for their contribution to the 'movement' of British cycling and for keeping alive the passion which so many of us have for the sport. Thank you also to the author for bringing their achievements to my attention and for inspiring me to ride harder. The book is magnetising (and often very amusing). I couldn't put it down and read it in just a few days which is somewhat upsetting as I'm sure it will take Robert longer than that to write his next book! If you want to know why so many ordinary(?) people, from cycling greats to your own self, spend time, money and pure addictive passion on cycling above so many other things in life, then buy a copy of this book.

Robert has put together a very enjoyable and unique read, particularly so given the vast swathes of cycling books being produced, most of them simply re-telling the formulaic and populist story - as if we had not already had enough of those in the last 15 years with Lance Armstrong. There are two themes that intertwine throughout. A potted history of British elite cycling, formed by looking at a series of vignettes from riders, whose stories are barely known, even by those well versed in the lore of the sport in this country. The other is Robert’s own journey, engaging in the sport; training and then committing to some races. Finally he does L’Etape at the Tour and finds out it is not always warm and sunny in the high mountains. I will not describe accounts from within the book, it is best that you read them yourself to gain maximum enjoyment from them, however the George Lander story from the 1950’s stood exactly alongside the far better known story relating to Graeme Obree, mirrors indicating that the characters might change names but “the regiment of horrible old men who run most of sport” as Simon Barnes, previously Chief Sportswriter for many years at the Sunday Times, described them, remain an ever present constant. Similarly enthralling were the words of Vin Denson and the rather different account of the day after Tom Simpson died on the Ventoux. It is great to see the careers of Daryl Webster and Colin Sturgess given a little time in the Sun – they both deserve to be told, every bit as much as the accounts of the more recent stars. The fan new to the sport and the reader who has been familiar with the sport for 50 years, will all find much to entertain in this book. It is well written and the self-deprecating style endears us to Robert’s personal story and its dénouement on the Tourmalet, regardless of the varying personal level of experiences that usually make that side of the book less appealing to some. A really enjoyable read and a present every cyclist will appreciate. I intend to keep my copy for a re-read in a few year’s time.