Cycling
Contents
- Introduces cycling as a sport with unique economic and hygienic value, distinguishing it from purely competitive athletics and situating it in everyday life.
- Traces the development of the cycle from the bone-shaker and ordinary bicycle through to the pneumatic-tyred safety, with attention to key inventors and milestones.
- Covers learning to ride, correct posture, pedalling technique, and the use of riding schools, applicable to both bicycle and tricycle riders.
- Examines the role of racing in driving mechanical improvements to the cycle, from heavy early machines to the ultra-light racers of the 1890s.
- Offers practical advice on planning cycle tours, emphasising comfort and suitable machine choice for the growing number of holiday touring cyclists.
- Discusses training methods for amateur cyclists, critiquing outdated professional practices and advocating intelligent, evidence-based physical preparation.
- Argues for all-wool cycling dress as hygienic and comfortable, noting that the C.T.C. grey uniform has made the correctly dressed cyclist a familiar sight.
- Traces women's adoption of cycling from the 1870s, describing early machine deficiencies and the growing suitability of the rear-driving safety for female riders.
- Surveys the design requirements for cycling tracks, noting improvements in banking and surface that have enabled successive record times.
- Describes the founding and development of the N.C.U. as the governing body for amateur cycling, covering its rules, championships, and disputes.
- Recounts the founding of the C.T.C. in 1878 as the Bicycle Touring Club and its growth into the world's largest quasi-athletic institution.
- Explains the parts and workings of the rear-driving safety bicycle, guiding the touring rider in maintenance, adjustment, and roadside repairs.
- Reviews the evolution from the ordinary bicycle to the pneumatic-tyred safety as the standard type, surveying current machine designs and saddle technology.
- A medical assessment of cycling's benefits and risks for riders of all ages and constitutions, with rules on riding, dress, and diet.
- A frequently revised supplement keeping the volume up to date with the latest cycling records and notable performances, including a model race-meeting programme, notes on track and ground rules, and extensive tables of road and path records, championships, and cup competitions.
- The alphabetical index of names, subjects, and topics covered in the book, with page references.