The Young Cyclist's Companion

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

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Description

A brisk guide for the aspirant bike rider all the way from choosing a first bike to techniques for wheelies and bunny hops and the finer points of riding in a group. This multi-layering of information makes this an inspirational read on many levels.

Praise for Young Cyclist's Companion!

"A clear, fun, accessible, accurate, and encouraging guide for kids who love to bike". -- Kirkus Starred Review

"Much like Chris Hoy's guide, The Young Cyclist's Companion is a fun and accessible guide sure to entertain and inform, well-supported by illustrations and photographs". -- We Love Cycling

"Packed with a surprisingly large amount of useful and entertaining information. Best of all it makes you want to get out and ride". -- Bikemonger

"A fantastic foray into the world of cycling and all things 'bike' for children, which could not have come at a better time". --The Literacy Tree

"A great, bright and catchy non-fiction book, well supported by photographs and illustrations. This would be a great gift for children who have shown interest in cycling". -- Reading Zone

"With a clever blend of introductory explanation and more in-depth tips for budding enthusiasts, this comprehensive hardback guide to owning and riding a bicycle will appeal to a wide range of children in KS2". -- School Reading List

Who doesn't remember what it feels like to be a young person on a bike. Cycling offers kids an unrivalled freedom and independence. With global cycling trends on a new, post-pandemic high, ever more young people are experiencing the joys of the beautiful machine.

This book is aimed at young people who are already proficient cyclists and are keen to learn more. It explains all the basics: How to choose a bike (types of bike, getting the right fit), basic maintenance (changing a tire, cleaning your bike), cycling techniques (pedalling, gearing, cornering, bunny hops) and next level cycling (competitions and training).

Alongside these informative texts there is a cornucopia of facts and trivia about the unusual habits of famous cyclists, the weirdest, biggest, furthest and longest bikes and journeys, the most useful cycling life-hacks, etc.

Reviews

'A comprehensive guide geared to the young cyclist.

With its perky design and friendly tone, this manual provides readers with pretty much all the information they need to be confident and competent cyclists. The copious cartoon illustrations are mostly inclusive--cyclists of various ethnicities and skin color are depicted, The four main chapters ("The Right Bike for You"; "Maintaining Your Bike"; "Cycling Technique"; and "Stepping It Up a Gear") are laid out in easily understood pockets of information that include the anatomy of a bike, how to choose a bike for your needs, how to take care of it, how to ride safely and efficiently, and riding with a club. The information, with its practical delivery and fun, confident approach, obviously comes from direct experience. Kids will learn how to fix a flat, keep their bike in good shape, brake properly, and cycling safely on roadways, among many others, and the whole is sprinkled with quirky quotes from professional cyclists. The book is directed toward both boys and girls (and it does mention that competitive road cycling is male-centric, with the men's teams getting more attention and money--a commendable aside). While the measurements in this U.K. import are usually given in metric and some spelling is British, this shouldn't make any appreciable difference to American readers. The British hand signaling, however, differs from U.S. custom.

A clear, fun, accessible, accurate, and encouraging guide for kids who love to bike'. -- Kirkus, Starred Review

'Young riders can knowledgeably join in the popular sport of cycling with this guide, imported from Britain. The text, divided into short chunks for accessibility, is set against photos of kid cyclists in action; vibrant, energetic cartoons; and colorful graphics of bicycle parts and riding techniques. The first section considers types of bikes, the right bike fit, and essential bike parts and gear. The next section focuses on bike maintenance and includes step-by-step instructions for inspecting, cleaning, and lubricating their components as well as mending a tire puncture. Progressing from road safety and braking to wheelies and bunny hops, the third section offers more step-by-step instructions on cycling techniques. After some practice, readers will be ready for the final section on group rides, the Tour de France (which acknowledges the race's sexism), and other types of racing. A few British spellings (e.g., tyre), British hand signals, and metric measurements should not affect comprehension. Quotes from famous cyclists, a time line of bicycle history, and quick cycling facts complement the attractive design. A helpful guide'. -- Booklist

'Even though The Young Cyclist's Companion features easy-to-follow text pepped with a wealth of color photographs and simple illustrations, it's packed cover to cover with practical tips and useful advice that novice cyclists of all ages will find useful. From how to adjust bicycle brakes or mend tire punctures, to cycling techniques for descending, cornering, gearing and more, to recommended cycling gear and safety guidelines for group riding, The Young Cyclist's Companion is brimming with useful and potentially lifesaving information. The Young Cyclist's Companion is a "must-have" for any young adult who owns or is learning to ride a bicycle, and highly recommended especially for school and public library children's collections'. -- Midwest Book Review

'Bicycling enthusiasts will find much to enjoy in this book. Some will enjoy browsing it for the history and cycling sport descriptions. Others will enjoy the descriptions of how to use brakes and gears correctly or tips on how to do tricks such as wheelies and bunny hops. Those looking for a new bike will find the discussion on bike types and fit useful. And some will find the detailed directions on general maintenance helpful. Adults will appreciate the focus on safe gear, road safety and what one should do if there is an accident. The maintenance descriptions are dense and detailed (probably just what a rider who is really interested in that part needs) other writing is more approachable. Striking graphics round out this thorough look at cycling imported from Australia. If you want to make sure you have a thorough guide to cycling for your collection this would be an excellent choice.

Superior in style, liveliness, integrity and format'. -- Puget Sound Council for the Review of Children's and Young Adult Literature

'This is a great reference book about bicycles and cycling for older children. There are four main parts to the book. The first is about bike parts, types of bikes, and bike fit. The second part is about maintaining a bike, including cleaning, adjusting it, and patching holes. The third is about cycling technique, which includes bike safety as well as a few tricks. The last section is about more advanced biking styles and racing. There are many relevant illustrations and diagrams throughout the book that will help educate the reader and really complement the text. A number of pages also include quotes about cycling that are usually light, funny, and relate to the topic on the page. When writing about pro cycling, the author notes that "cycling (like a lot of sports) is pretty sexist. Women don't compete in the Grand Tours, and in other areas of cycling, like track and cyclo-cross, women are paid less and are much less celebrated." This was not a major point of the book, but I appreciated the fact that it was so clearly pointed out. A glossary and index are included at the end.

This book would be best for readers who already enjoy cycling, as they will have some background knowledge for some of the more complex details already. It would make a great gift for fans of cycling, so the readers could reference it again and again. I would give it to readers who enjoyed Pedal It: How Bicycles Are Changing the World (2016) by Michelle Mulder'. --Youth Services Book Review

'Much like Chris Hoy's guide, The Young Cyclist's Companion is a thorough picture book introducing budding young cyclists to the world of bikes. From the basics of purchasing and maintaining a bike to competitions and training, this fun and accessible guide is sure to entertain and inform, well-supported by illustrations and photographs'. -- We Love Cycling

'As a beginner cyclist, this book is a must-have book!! The Young Cyclist's Companion is perfect for a beginner or someone who has been cycling for a while. This book has the history of a bicycle, how to find the proper fit for your body, different techniques for riding, as well as bike maintenance and care!

This book is incredibly fascinating and filled with tons of facts to help you become the best cyclist! I really enjoyed learning the hand signals to show others when and what direction you are turning. As I get more comfortable riding, I would like to try the techniques such as a wheelie or bunny hop!

This book is very cool as it has illustrations and real-life pictures! It is a book that I will use frequently and I highly recommend it to other cyclists!' Reviewed By: Liam - Age 9 -- Kids Book Buzz

'A great non-fiction book for budding cyclists, well supported by photographs and illustrations. It's bright and catchy with a glossary that explains the specific vocabulary too. This would be a great gift for children who have shown interest in cycling'. -- Reading Zone

'With a clever blend of introductory explanation and more in-depth tips for budding enthusiasts, this comprehensive hardback guide to owning and riding a bicycle will appeal to a wide range of children in KS2.

The information is well presented using a range of forms. With a contents page, timelines, cutaway and spider diagrams, labelling and annotations, radial charts, bullet points, numbered lists, fact boxes, captions, headings, subheadings, and a glossary and index, this is a useful text to use for teaching how to set out non-fiction information writing.

The sections on bike maintenance, cleaning, road safety, what to do if you have an accident, hand signals, and how to go downhill safely are practical and particularly relevant to KS2 children taking cycling proficiency courses.

It's not all dry information either - there's a fun element both in the bright page designs, funky cartoon characters and the chapters on wheelies and bunny hops.

With many schools organising cycling proficiency courses in the second half of summer terms, as well as the uptake in cycling since lockdown, The Young Cyclist's Companion is an excellent addition to KS2 libraries and highly recommended for budding cyclists aged 7-11'.
-- School Reading List

'The Young Cyclist's Companion is a brisk guide for the aspirant bike rider all the way from choosing a first bike to techniques for wheelies and bunny hops and the finer points of riding in a group. Peppered with inspirational quotes from pro cyclists as well as the likes of Freddie Mercury and Albert Einstein, it includes lots of practical advice on equipment, maintenance and road safety as well as fun facts from the history of bikes and bike racing. Whether you want know how to adjust your brakes to perfection, corner at speed or which side of your helmet straps the arms of your sunglasses should be on, all the key elements of riding and looking after your bike are covered with infectious enthusiasm. At 38 pages long it's short enough to be easily digestible for young readers and riders but those pages are packed with a surprisingly large

Author Bio

Peter Drinkell is a photographer, filmmaker and sports therapist based in London.