Well, the Tour de France is over, and the whole race was pretty awesome, so we’re celebrating with another cycling book review – probably one of the best cycling books ever written: A Dog in a Hat by Joe Parkin.
Leaving California with nothing but a bag full of clothes, two spare wheels and a phone number, Joe Parkin headed over to Belgium to follow his dream of racing bikes. One of the first american pros to make it in Europe, Joe was a journeyman pro long before Lance Armstrong signed his first pro contract.
In a Dog in a Hat, Joe Parkin lays bare the life of an anonymous pro in all it’s gory details. From the long hours of unforgiving training, the team mates, the bribes, the drugs, the torture of racing for hours without a chance of winning, and the feeling of immortality after a long day on the drops.
Best of all, Joe makes all of this sound like Punk Rock:
A Dog in a Hat: Why Bike Racing is like Punk Rock
When it comes to books on bike racers, this one finishes ahead of all others. Nothing else is in the photo.
So what do you think? Have you read it? Did you like it? Would you recommend it?
Let me know in the comments!
If you’re after another book on cycling, then why not try these:
Review: Put Me Back On My Bike – In Search Of Tom Simpson by William Fotheringham - We're celebrating the latest action from Le Tour, with Fotheringham's biography of the great Tom Simpson...
Review: Le Tour by Geoffrey Wheatcroft - A bonus Saturday review for you since the world’s greatest cycling race kicks off today: Le Tour by Geoffrey Wheatcroft. The toughest race in the world is bound to have a decent story or two in its history, and Wheatcroft has the inside scoop. My favourite bit is the shenanigans from the spectators in the […]
Review: Sex, Lies & Handlebar Tape The Remarkable Life of Jacques Anquetil by Paul Howard - The weirdest guy to ever win the Tour de France - you won't believe what he got up to...
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