Year: 2008

by J. Harry Wray

In this newly released book, Wray travels the country seeking every permutation of the 21st century resurgence of bicycle transportation. He writes about politicians, advocates, regular folks with kids, and even includes a section on Portland’s own bike activist group Shift.

by Paul Fournel

An avant-garde meditation, translated from the French. Here’s the publisher’s blurb, which ought to give you the basic idea: “In his attention to the pleasures of cycling, to the specific “grain” of different cycling experiences, and to the inscription of these experiences in the body’s cycling memory, Fournel portrays cycling as a descriptive universe, colorful, lyrical, inclusive, exclusive, complete.”

by Shelley Lynn Jackson and Ethan Clark

Half DIY bicycle repair manual with hand-drawn illustrations; the other half reprints the first four issues of Chainbreaker zine, one of the lesser-known casualties of Hurricane Katrina. Packed with history, stories, and passion for bicycles. Another excellent, affordable title from Microcosm Publishing.

by David Gordon Wilson

Ever been riding along and wondered just what exactly, physically, you were doing? And what your bike is doing? And how? If you’re trying to hone your cadence, improve your speed, better understand your maintenance issues, or if you just have a burning curiosity about how things work, this book is for you. Physics and physiology alike are accessibly delivered.

by John Forester

This is the man who brought us Vehicular Cycling, the idea that cyclists should act, and be treated, exactly as if we were driving a car. Interesting and influential, this book deserves attention from anyone who wants to understand one of the major debates in bicycle planning and advocacy. And it’s an excellent manual for how to ride your bike confidently in traffic, while taking the lane. Worthy of respect, whether or not you agree with every single point.