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It's All About the Bike: The Pursuit of Happiness on Two Wheels Audiobook
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(3.04) - 480 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Robert Penn has saddled up nearly every day of his adult life. In his late twenties, he pedaled 25,000 miles around the world. Today he rides to get to work, sometimes for work, to bathe in air and sunshine, to travel, to go shopping, to stay sane, and to skip bath time with his kids. He's no Sunday pedal pusher. So when the time came for a new bike, he decided to pull out all the stops. He would build his dream bike, the bike he would ride for the rest of his life; a customized machine that reflects the joy of cycling.
It's All About the Bike follows Penn's journey, but this book is more than the story of his hunt for two-wheel perfection. En route, Penn brilliantly explores the culture, science, and history of the bicycle. From artisanal frame shops in the United Kingdom to California, where he finds the perfect wheels, via Portland, Milan, and points in between, his trek follows the serpentine path of our love affair with cycling. It explains why we ride.
It's All About the Bike is, like Penn's dream bike, a tale greater than the sum of its parts. An enthusiastic and charming tour guide, Penn uses each component of the bike as a starting point for illuminating excursions into the rich history of cycling. Just like a long ride on a lovely day, It's All About the Bike is pure joy—enriching, exhilarating, and unforgettable.
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"Great book. Avid cyclist writes about his journey of building the perfect handmade bike. the people and companies that make them and the history of each component. And his own personal stories woven in. Fast and good read"
— Steve (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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If you don't long for your own bike at the end of this book, you will at least never look at one the same way again.
— Kirkus -
“[His] adrenalin charged enthusiasm…delivers a good ride…The social history is snappy and his almost religious quest for ultimate craftsmanship is full of wit.”
— Financial Times -
“With his deep British accent, Jonathan Cowley conveys the enthusiasm of the author as well as the pride of the craftsman.”
— AudioFile -
“If you don’t long for your own bike at the end of this book, you will at least never look at one the same way again.”
— Kirkus Reviews
It's All About the Bike Listener Reviews
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" Bellissimo percorso della scelta delle parti della bici della vita attraverso la storia della bicicletta e alcune considerazioni sul piacere del pedalare in ogni forma. "
— Marco, 2/10/2014 -
" If you're a bike nerd of any kind, you'll love this. Penn visits the makers of every component (and the frame) as he gets his own bespoke bike made for him. Also, lots of bike history and trivia. "
— Charlie, 2/4/2014 -
" What a pleasant surprise this book was! Thought it would be a dull, dry story about a bloke and his cycling stories, but it was funny and full of historical information...and the writers cycling stories were brilliant! "
— David, 1/25/2014 -
" Thoroughly enjoyable! Everything you ever wanted to know about bikes and more. "
— Dan, 1/16/2014 -
" Nice little book about building the ultimate bike that presents a short history of the bike along the way. Good read. "
— Kirk, 1/3/2014 -
" An enjoyable read. Robert Penn's enthusiasm and love for cycling shines through every page of the book. Where was a picture of the bike? Recommended. "
— Peter, 1/3/2014 -
" Great quick read about the history of the bicycle and one man's quest to assemble the perfect custom bicycle. "
— Chris, 12/30/2013 -
" Great book, combining interesting history of the bicycle with industrial history of Britain & Italy. A bit geeky, with lots of data, but enough personal journalism to make it highly readable. "
— Matthew, 11/15/2013 -
" The history and sociology of the bike were interesting but the technical parts about bike components left me in the dust. "
— Adina, 11/13/2013 -
" Marc bought this and loved it - it was a little to geekey bike-tech for me in some places, but still interesting. Great shout-out to the Portland bike scene! "
— Alice, 9/22/2013 -
" Super wee read, enjoyed historical detail and the technical details on bike build and choice....... Being a cyclist I hours probably have known more of this than I did. "
— Nelly, 9/20/2013 -
" Terrific book for those passionate about their bikes or the "velo culture." "
— Reed, 8/22/2013 -
" If you love bicycles and want to understand the history of each component this is a great and quick read. "
— Wendy, 7/30/2013 -
" Cyclist assembles bespoke bike, with lots of history "
— R., 6/18/2013 -
" Very fun book about the history of bike and passion Robert Penn has for bikes. I thought he did a good job of balancing both parts in the book. As a side bonus, I better understand Scott's love for bikes and my comments sound much more intelligent when he's talking about his crank set and rims. "
— Sarah, 4/16/2013 -
" Wow! Filled with interesting facts and inspiring events. A good read for anyone who rides. I love this sort of book that teaches history & philosophy through a discrete lens "
— Abbie, 1/25/2013 -
" Fun for bike nerds; maybe others, too. "
— Jeremy, 12/27/2012 -
" This is a wonderfully enjoyable book for anyone who has bicycles near and dear to their heart. "
— Jack, 11/1/2012 -
" I learned so much about bikes reading about the author's quest for the perfect bicycle for him. It was quick to read and really interesting. "
— Laurie, 4/6/2012 -
" How can I incorporate my bike more into my day? Reading about bikes, biking to work, dreaming about bikes...this book helps. I don't pretend to understand all the references, or even all the parts listed, but one day I will. This book brings me a little closer to that day. "
— Jaime, 3/28/2012 -
" The author brings the reader alongside of his journey (literally) to have his dream bike made. Throughout this journey, the author provides detailed insight into the history of what we know as a bicycle while also sharing anecdotal references to previous riding experiences. "
— Ryan, 3/25/2012
About Robert Penn
Robert Penn is a journalist who writes for the Financial Times, the Observer, the Sunday Times, and Condé Nast Traveller, as well as numerous cycling publications. He also wrote and presented the BBC documentary Ride of My Life: The Story of the Bicycle.
About Jonathan Cowley
Jonathan Cowley, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, is a British actor hailing from Eastbourne, East Sussex, but he currently calls Los Angeles home. He has narrated many audiobooks and can also be heard on both sides of the Atlantic narrating film trailers and documentaries. He is also an active television and film actor who has appeared in Grey’s Anatomy, Veep, and WestWorld.