 | The Noblest Invention: An Illustrated History of the Bicycle |
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Product Description
From the time we first wobble away from Mom or Dad on two wheels, we're hooked. The mobility, the freedom that the bicycle brings is our first taste of independence. For many, that feeling persists, and bicycling becomes a lifelong love. It represents the promise of the open road, the enthralling sense of speed, the quiet places, the challenging trails-- all in the pleasant company of family, chums, or just yourself. And then there's that moment of terrified, bittersweet pride when your own child rides on once you have let go.
The Noblest Invention celebrates this unique interaction between humans and machine. The editors of Bicycling magazine have created a unique history of the bicycle that illustrates, through personal essays and breathtaking photography, why this simple machine has captured the imagination of people of all ages around the world. Chronicling the evolution of the bicycle from the primitive wooden Laufmaschine to the high-tech mountain bike with its specialized frame and suspension, this book takes a fascinating look at the innovations, the early creators and their wares, and how the bike has had an impact on culture as a tool in the workplace and as an inspiration for artists and writers alike.
From the timeless allure of the greatest annual sporting event, the Tour de France, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, to the mystery of the bicycle's true inventor (did da Vinci really have a hand in it?), take a trip with this remarkable feat of engineering. Remember, relive, and most important, enjoy the ride.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #435796 in Books
- Published on: 2003-11-15
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 1.07" h x 9.24" w x 6.38" l, 1.82 pounds
- Binding: Hardcover
- 320 pages
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
This nicely balanced coffee-table volume (featuring 250 color and 50 black & white photographs) from the editors of one of the sport's premier magazines covers more information in its six chapters than any six recent books on the subject. Straightforward and well-researched essays cover every aspect of what has become a major sports and recreation industry-and a range of clever sidebars illuminate all sorts of bike-related odds and ends, such as how riding a bike helped Albert Einstein develop his theory of relativity. "What Every Kid Wants" is a short reverie on the significance of bicycles in childhood, with such sweet insights as the appropriateness of bikes as a parental gift: "It's a metaphor of what they must do to raise us: Provide us with the tool we need to leave them." "Bicycling Culture" looks at the diverse worldwide impact of cycling; "History" and "The Art of the Cycle" are cogent looks at those subjects, from early Leonardo da Vinci drawings through the disputed "invention" of the bicycle in 19th-century Paris to today's multibillion-dollar bicycle industry. However, it's the wonderful illustrations that will make this an essential holiday or birthday gift book for any bicycling fan.
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From the Inside Flap
Why We Ride
From the time we first wobble away from Mom or Dad on two wheels, we're hooked. The mobility, the freedom that the bicycle brings is our first taste of independence. For many, that feeling persists, and bicycling becomes a lifelong love. It represents the promise of the open road, the enthralling sense of speed, the quiet places, the challenging trails--all in the pleasant company of family, chums, or just yourself. And then there's that moment of terrified, bittersweet pride when your own child rides on once you have let go.
The Noblest Invention celebrates this unique interaction between humans and machine. The editors of Bicycling magazine have created a unique history of the bicycle that illustrates, through personal essays and breathtaking photography, why this simple machine has captured the imagination of people of all ages around the world. Chronicling the evolution of the bicycle from the primitive wooden Laufmaschine to the high-tech mountain bike with its specialized frame and suspension, this book takes a fascinating look at the innovations, the early creators and their wares, and how the bike has had an impact on culture as a tool in the workplace and as an inspiration for artists and writers alike.
From the timeless allure of the greatest annual sporting event, the Tour de France, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, to the mystery of the bicycle's true inventor (did da Vinci really have a hand in it?), take a trip with this remarkable feat of engineering. Remember, relive, and most important, enjoy the ride.