A path through cycling-specific information: slang, cycling stars, equipment, and nicknamesThe essential A-to-Z compendium of everything there is to know about the bicycle, this sports reference is full of amazing facts and enthralling anecdotes. Numerous entries have been updated for this paperback edition. A world of death-defying feats and obscure mechanical oddities, the nature of cycling is both heroic and geeky, and the perils of vicious dogs are given the same attention as the perils of drug and sex scandals. From the history of the Tour de France and Lance Armstrong’s rise and fall to the origins of the quick-release system and Chris Hoy’s dominance of the Beijing Velodrome, no element is omitted from this exploration of the bicycle and its faithful riders.Cyclopedia has all the equipment, the races, and the faces needed to convert any amateur cyclist into a fully fledged bike expert.

William Fotheringham is the cycling correspondent at the Guardian newspaper, covering the Tour de France as well as the Olympic Games. He launched Cycle Sport magazine in 1993 and ProCycling magazine and website in 1998. He is the author ofThe Badger: The Life of Bernard Hinault and the Legacy of French Cycling; A Century of Cycling; Cycle Racing; Fallen Angel; Half Man, Half Bike: The Life of Eddy Merckx; andPut Me Back on My Bike.