Bicycle Diaries

By David Byrne

Viking / Penguin

Former Talking Heads front man David Byrne takes readers on a ride through some of the world’s major cities as he flies around the globe, packing his folding bike. Travel with him through Buenos Aires, Istanbul, San Francisco, London, Berlin, Manilla, and more—to get his take on the street life there, and listen in on his thoughts about various urban landscapes, bike infrastructure, music, art, politics, economics and sustainability. Stick with it past the opening chapter that describes the crummy ride he took from Amherst to Niagara Falls via what must be Niagara Falls Boulevard.

Bike Snob: Systematically & Mercilessly Realigning the World of Cycling

By Eben Weiss

Chronicle Books LLC

Bicycle blogger Eben Weiss (aka Bike Snob NYC) skewers all that is pretentious about so-called “bike culture” in his first book, published in 2010. Combine this read with his follow-up The Enlightened Cyclist and his most recent Bike Snob Abroad and you have a solid understanding of how to truly enjoy cycling by stripping away myths and fully embracing “the indignity of commuting by bicycle.” At turns satirical and sophomoric, Weiss is one of the most insightful commentators on the state of urban cycling today.

Just Ride: A Radically Practical Guide to Riding Your Bike

By Grant Petersen

Workman Publishing

Founder of Rivendell Bicycle Works Grant Petersen offers no-nonsense advice on riding your bike, built on the premise that bike racing has had a bad influence on bicycles, equipment, and attitudes. When you can attain the state of unracing, as he calls it: “You give up posturing and quit the pecking order. You enjoy bikes again, the way you did as a kid, before you got so serious.” Chapters like “Stretching is Overrated,” “Surprise: Fabric Doesn’t Breathe,” and “You Have Way Too Many Gears” drive his common sense points home.