Synopses & Reviews
The Elite Bicycle is a portrait of the worlds greatest bicycle artisans, examining the philosophies, the workmanship, and the personalities behind cyclings most prestigious brands.
Every bicycle has a story. From good-time cruisers that hang out on the sidewalk to thoroughbred racing bicycles costing as much as an automobile, these beautiful machines have been crafted with the traditions and techniques perfected in 150 years of bicycle making.
In chapters featuring some of cyclings greatest craftspeople, The Elite Bicycle offers up a conversation with the men and women who make bicycles a joy to ride and a thrill to race. Full-color photographs and personal interviews describe the melding of old-world craftsmanship with space-age materials in fascinating factories that fabricate superb machines.
Presented in a lavish, oversize format, The Elite Bicycle is both an homage to the bicycle maker and a collectors piece in its own right, celebrating the stories behind the greatest bicycles and components in the world.
Review
“While the only way to truly experience the quality and craftsmanship of these components is to ride them, the book gives an effective introduction to many of the brands we often hear about without ever fully appreciating why. After spending a few hours with
The Elite Bicycle, youll no longer be a just a name-dropper.” —
Bicycling magazine“What makes The Elite Bicycle so fantastic is not so much what is said about the people and companies themselves, but the insightful, lesser-known tidbits that provide a greater depth of understanding…Its little gems that are peppered throughout the already rich descriptions of people and place that make the profiles spring to life.” — RoadBikeReview.com
“With such a roll-call of names, the authors were certainly off to a good start…and they have managed a hugely rewarding and useful guide for any bike enthusiast. One which not only covers some of the technical aspects of production in engaging depth, but also gives great insights into both the personalities and, dare we say it, philosophies behind the storied names we see etched, stickered and pressed onto the various pieces of our machines each time we throw a leg over the bar.” — Brooks England Blog
Review
"
The Elite Bicycle is one of the finer coffee table books we've seen in years. The book profiles some of the world's greatest (and disappearing) bike artisans with shart portraits, incisive photojournalism, and keen essays." --
Outside magazine "This beautiful book is all about the bike -- in exquisite, intimate, celebratory detail. This beautiful book is all about the bike -- in exquisite, intimate, celebratory detail." -- Experience Life magazine
"While the only way to truly experience the quality and craftsmanship of these components is to ride them, the book gives an effective introduction to many of the brands we often hear about without ever fully appreciating why. After spending a few hours with The Elite Bicycle, you'll no longer be a just a name-dropper." -- Bicycling magazine
"What makes The Elite Bicycle so fantastic is not so much what is said about the people and companies themselves, but the insightful, lesser-known tidbits that provide a greater depth of understanding...It's little gems that are peppered throughout the already rich descriptions of people and place that make the profiles spring to life." -- RoadBikeReview.com
"An eccentric and entertaining book, beautifully produced with top-quality photos and amusing but informative text and a foreword by cycling-mad British fashion designer Sir Paul Smith, The Elite Bicycle deserves to find a place on many a cyclist's bookshelf this holiday season." -- PezCyclingNews.com
"The Elite Bicycle delivers something quite different...it's the sense that you've spent an afternoon at the builder or company's work space, that you've seen the work being done and then been left to wander on your own. You could unleash a dozen cycling photographers on the same set of subjects and very few would come up with anything so evocative." -- Red Kite Prayer
Synopsis
On a modern bicycle, carbon fiber, titanium, and ceramics—the same materials employed in aerospace vehicles and Formula 1 race cars—are combined with high-strength steel, machined aluminum, and finely tooled leather. Today's bicycle makers marry space-age engineering excellence to artisan eccentricity. In France, for example, top-quality racing tires are still made by hand from cotton, silk, and latex, while in Germany the tires are made from polyamide thread and vulcanized rubber on huge industrial presses. The approaches could not be more different and yet each is prized among cyclists for their unique qualities and capabilities.
The Elite Bicycle examines the worlds finest road and bicycle component companies. Old-world craftsmanship and modern process engineering sit side-by-side on the page, while photographs of the factory processes show the different and fascinating techniques that help fabricate these superb machines.
Synopsis
The Elite Bicycle brings together intimate portraits of the worlds greatest bicycle artisans, examining the philosophies, the meticulous workmanship, and the eccentric personalities behind cyclings most prestigious brands. Their materials and methods could not be more disparate, yet their pursuit is the same: the perfect bicycle.
In chapters featuring some of cyclings greatest craftspeople, The Elite Bicycle offers up a conversation with the men and women who make the most coveted bicycles. Lavish, oversize photographs and personal interviews invite readers into their workshops to show the melding of old-world craftsmanship with space-age materials in fascinating studios and factories that fabricate superb machines.
The Elite Bicycle is both an homage to the bicycle maker and a collectors piece in its own right, celebrating the stories behind the greatest bicycles and components in the world.
About the Author
Gerard Brown is a professional cycling photographer and an amateur racer. He contributes regularly to cycling and automotive magazines, including
Privateer,
Rouleur, and
Octane.
Graeme Fife has written for a wide range of publications including The Guardian, Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Independent, Rouleur, Cycling Weekly, and Cycle Sport. His books on cycling include Tour de France: Tour de Suffrance and Inside the Peloton.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Foreword
1. Sapim: Belgium / Spokes
2. Guru: Canada / Frames
3. Alex Singer: France / Touring bicycles
4. Cyfac: France / Racing bicycles
5. FMB: France / Tires
6. Mavic: France / Wheels, rims, hubs
7. Spécialtiés TA: France / Chainrings and cranksets
8. Time Sport International: France / Carbon fiber frames, pedals
9. Continental: Germany / Tires
10. Lightweight: Germany / Wheels
11. Columbus/Cinelli: Italy / Tubing, handlebars, bicycles
12. De Rosa: Italy / Bicycles
13. Faggin: Italy / Bicycle frames
14. Passoni: Italy / Bicycle frames
15. Selle Italia: Italy / Saddles
16. Mercian: UK / Touring bicycles
17. Roberts: UK / Bicycle frames
18. Hope Technology: UK / Hubs, brakes
19. Brooks: UK / Saddles
20. HED: USA/ Racing wheels
21. Independent Fabrication: USA / Bicycle frames
22. Serotta: USA / Bicycle frames
23. Seven Cycles: USA / Custom bicycle frames
Index