“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle
Le Tour de France in Books & Media
Le Tour de France defines bike racing to the world. Since its 1903 debut circumnavigation of France, created as a publicity stunt by L'Auto, a struggling newspaper, it has captured imaginations and changed the world. With its iconic status, there is no shortage of media covering, analyzing, celebrating, and criticizing the event. J.P. Partland writes extensively about cycling, and is the author ofTour Fever: The Armchair Cyclist's Guide to the Tour de France. Explore Partland's list ofLe Tour de France in Books and Media.
Cycling history:
Explore thehistory of the bicycle and cycling with these resources.
Bicycles: Transport, socioeconomics, and sustainability:
Biking is more than just a form of recreation. Learn about thebicycle as transportation, the economics and socioeconomics of cycling, and the sustainability of bikes.
Marshall "Major" Taylor:
Marshall William “Major” Taylor, was a Black bike racer “who broke racial barriers by becoming the world’s fastest and most famous bicyclist at the height of the Jim Crow era.” This list contains books and archival materials spotlighting the groundbreaking cyclist. A documentary film,Whirlwind: The Story of Major Taylor 1899 World Bicycle Champion, about the life and career of Taylor is currently in production. This list includes open access archival images of Taylor racing in France in 1909.
Women and cycling:
“Let me tell you what I think of bicycling,” wrote suffragette Susan B. Anthony. “I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel.”
Learn more about the fascinatinghistory of women and cycling.
Gino Bartali:
Italian cyclistGino Bartali achieved celebrity by winning the 1938 Tour de France. During WWII, Bartali worked for the Italian resistance, saving the lives of 800 Jews by smuggling people and travel documents by bicycle. After WWII, Bartali returned to racing, winning the Giro d’Italia in 1946 and the Tour de France in 1948. A major motion picture about Bartali’s life is now in development. Learn more about the heroic cyclist with these works.
The bicycle as art:
Bicycles are works of art on two wheels. Explorebicycle design with these works.
Cycling journeys:
From epic bicycle tours and two-wheel travel guides to journeys of romantic, spiritual, scientific, sociological, and self-discovery, here’s a selection ofworks detailing worldwide bicycle rides, some dating to the late 1800s.
Explore children’s books featuring bicycles:
Learning to ride a bike offers kids a newfound freedom to explore. There have been many children’s books about biking, including:
Explore more lists of children’s books featuring bikes, including:
The New York Public Library’s “Life Is a Ride: Children's Books Featuring Bicycles”
Mighty Girls on Wheels:Books About Bike-Loving Girls
JoyousRoar.com:9 Children’s Books about Bicycles
RascalRides.com:Kids’ Books about Bikes Your Child Will Love
Movies featuring cycling:
Biking has been the focus of many movies, both documentary films and blockbuster features. Check out this list ofcycling movies to help inspire your next watch.
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