Customer Reviews
A bit patchy and not really comprehensive enough. Good if you are planning to go to Asia - By: andym, 28 Aug 2008 
This is a very good book if you've done little or no touring: there is a lot of good, sensible advice on equipment etc.
The book's coverage seems to be very good on Asia, but for other parts of the world it seems cursory & under-researched. The UK, Ireland, & Italy are not mentioned at all.
-France gets a couple of paragraphs - mostly about carrying bikes on TGVs.
-The paragraphs on Spain are a bit better but while they mention the Camino Francés (to Santiago de Compostella) & the Vía de la Plata there's no mention of either the Transandalus or Transpiríneica.
-The section on the US has several pages on the Great Divide but other worthwhile long distance routes are ignored.
- Central America gets one short paragraph.
Obviously a book that tries to cover the whole world can't do soin great detail but it's disappointing that it doesn't provide either any suggestions for further reading or other resources - especially the huge amount of resources available on the internet - or indeed any advice on route planning & research.
Cycle Book - By: K. E. Giles, 26 Aug 2008 
Since buying this book my partner hasn't put it down so it must be a good book, i have seen the pictures they are very interesting. This explainsin great detail what to do when you want to go cycle touring.
Pretty good but missing some things - By: Dominic Batstone, 22 Aug 2008 I really enjoyed reading this book. It's very easy to read & has many interesting contributions from various well know cycle tourists.
The other reviews for this book are very fair & comprehesive, so this is short!
The maintenance section at the back of the book covers the basics, but some things are missing like how to fix a split tyre, broken rack or braze ons. Broken racks & broken braze ons do get mentioned (as well as advise to carry small hose clips) but i could not find how to actually fix these things!
There are many toursin all sorts of exotic places, but as the 3* reviewer states, most people start with Western Europe or North America. These routes a not covered particularlyin depth. I want to start with "lands end to john o groats" rather than cycle London to Cairo.
These are fairly minor points, so allin all I recommend this book as an entertaining & informative read. It is UK focussed too (e.g prices & brands) which is a bonus.
A good overview - By: Dubious Tourer, 23 Feb 2008 The topic is somewhat lackingin books, & this is a welcome addition to any cycle tourist's library, butin many ways it tries to be all things to all people, & isn't quite enoughin any of its three parts.
Because the book is geared at "adventure" cycle touring, it doesn't coverin great detail less adventurous places like western Europe & the USA, which is where most cycle tourists will start & will train. This means you would probably have a bike & gear & likely have several trips under your belt already before you head off to these far-off destinations.
If you have already began touring, you won't really need to cover Part Iin great detail because you will have already purchased most of the equipment & have enough experience to know what you need to take. Much of the equipment information is also available from chats with cycle shops & various places on the internet. However there are a few gems recommending particular, rare tools. Sadly even though it attempts to be broad & helpful, it still doesn't feel encompassing enough to allow one to leave for the jungle without a lot of doubts & second thoughts.
Part II gives overviews of touringin particular countries & regions. Because it is built on more than one person's experience it is much more useful than travelogues commonly found on the internet. However some countries aren't well covered & others aren't covered at all. It also doesn't give particular routes, instead it focuses general information about the country. This section, however, makes the book well worth the cost for any globe-trotting cyclist.
Part III is a collection of travelogues, all of which are well-written & many are very unique (including one from a pre-WWI tour!) These are inspiring & exciting, much along the lines of any other travel short story collection. However one has to wonder whether these should stand on their own as they aren't really usefulin something that calls itself a "handbook".
Ultimately the book would be well-served by a second revision which added contentin parts I & II, particularly when it comes to the nuts & bolts of planning a long-distance trip. However Lord clearly realises that one size does not fit allin DIY cycle touring, & takes the right trackin letting the reader ultimately choose their own path.
Fantastic book - By: Neil Partridge, 25 Jan 2007 
I bought this book for a friend & I'm now buying one for me! Great sections on equipment (bikes especially) & planning routes. There is so much packed into this book it's amazing. The annecdotes from other cyclists are very useful. The photos are wonderful & inspire you to get on your bike & travel to far flung places. Buy it, you won't regret it.
