Listmania!
My top ten cycling travel books.
The Wind in My Wheels: Travel Tales from the SaddleThe Wind in My Wheels: Travel Tales from the Saddle by Josie Dew
Buy new: £7.69 / Used from: £0.01
Anything by Josie Dew is worth reading. If you don't know her, start here.
Full Tilt: From Dublin to Delhi with a BicycleFull Tilt: From Dublin to Delhi with a Bicycle by Dervla Murphy
Buy used from: £10.02
Dervla Murphy is an amazing storyteller. Her books of travel by bike to various parts of the world are inspirational.
French Revolutions: Cycling the Tour De FranceFrench Revolutions: Cycling the Tour De France by Tim Moore
Buy new: £5.98 / Used from: £0.01
A hugely funny book - a bit like Bill Bryson but (for me anyway) much more amusing. Don't read in public - you won't be able to help laughing like a mad person!
Downhill All the Way: Cycling Through France from La Manche to the MediterraneanDownhill All the Way: Cycling Through France from La Manche to the Mediterranean by Edward Enfield
Buy new: £4.88 / Used from: £0.99
A lovely, gentle, humourous book to inspire you to ride your bike no matter what your age. All Edward Enfield's books are worth reading; this is his first.
Moods of Future Joys: Around the World by Bike - Part 1Moods of Future Joys: Around the World by Bike - Part 1 by Alastair Humphreys
Buy new: £5.37 / Used from: £2.91
If you like cycling and you like Africa, or have ever wanted to go there, buy this book! The first of a two-part series of round-the-world adventure - entertaining and honest.
'Why Don't You Fly?' Back Door to Beijing - by Bicycle'Why Don't You Fly?' Back Door to Beijing - by Bicycle by Christopher J.A. Smith
Buy new: £8.99 / Used from: £5.95
An inspirational book; well written with a good mix of the descriptive with the gently funny.
Cycling Back to Happiness: Adventure on the North Sea Cycle RouteCycling Back to Happiness: Adventure on the North Sea Cycle Route by Bernie Friend
Buy new: £8.11 / Used from: £5.49
Easy to read, funny, and a great inspiration to anyone who has known what it's like to suffer from anxiety and depression.
You Can't Ride a Bike to Alaska. It's an Island!You Can't Ride a Bike to Alaska. It's an Island! by Mickey Thomas
Buy used from: £12.39
Funny and inspirational, the only problem with this book for me was it was too short!
A Bike Ride: 12, 000 Miles Around the WorldA Bike Ride: 12, 000 Miles Around the World by Anne Mustoe
Buy new: £6.98 / Used from: £0.01
Anne Mustoe's books tend to be more intense than most others in this list. Be prepared for a more factually-based book rather than comedy.
It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to LifeIt's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong
Buy new: £5.49 / Used from: £0.01
OK so it's not strictly speaking a travel book, but whatever you think of Lance Armstrong it's one of the most truly inspirational reads you will find.