Reflections, The Complete Book of Bicycling

[witcombusa]

So around 1970, Eugene Sloane wrote a book, The Complete Book of Bicycling I remember getting my hands on it from the local library maybe around '72-'73. This was game changing. Suddenly all this wonderful information, pictures and diagrams. What was 'out there', how it worked and generally a 101 for real road cycling. This was a time when only pro level shops in the 'big city' had the real goods and info to back it up. For me, that would be some years off, first @ Kensington Cycles (CT) then at The Spoke in Denver followed by The Bicycle Exchange, Cambridge MA.

But this book started it all for me. Anyone else remember flipping through this in their early cycling years? (there were at least two updates, 1974 and again in 1980). Jacket pictures below;

[fiamme red]

I have the original edition and the 1980 update. This is definitely the book on cycling that most influenced me, and that introduced me to a whole world beyond the Schwinn Sportabout and Varsity that I had ridden.

[merckx]

The 1974 version occupies a slot on my bookshelf. I too poured over it, particularly the gear chart to determine chainring and freewheel selection for junior gear restriction. I learned about tubs, Reynolds 531, shoes with cleats, hairnets, CAMPAGNOLO! that was all contained within the clever book cover.

[fuzzalow]

I bought a copy of the first edition while still in around maybe 4th or 5th grade. Book department in Alexander's department store. I only had a stingray bike and didn't get a real 10-speed bike until many years later in high school.

The success of Mr Sloan's book kicked off a bunch of imitators. I remember this one
https://ia800809.us.archive.org/zipview.php?zip=/14/items/olcovers638/olcovers638-L.zip&file=6384210-L.jpg
The book was advertised in Rolling Stone as I guess it had a certain hip, irreverent everyman about it. Mr. Sloan's book was more formal in tone, almost respectful of the bikes of which he was writing. This was all before another revival American bike boom in the 1970s which for many of us on the East Coast, thrust the white Peugeot bicycle into the collective consciousness.

[fiamme red]

An excellent essay on Sloane's book: https://keithwatkinshistorian.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/bicycling-by-the-book.pdf.

"Despite the influence of other writers and half a lifetime of personal experience, Sloane’s counsel, I realize, still dominates my approach to bicycling. What is more interesting is my realization that his philosophy, if that is not too grand a term, has seeped into other aspects of life that are only incidentally related to bicycling."

[wgp]

Sloane's book was my bible of biking too when I was a teen growing up in the 70s. I still have my copy and took it down to leaf through after this posting. A trip down memory lane!!

[merckx]

I was also a customer of kensington Cycles. Gosh, those were the halcyon days!

[witcombusa]

in the later 70's I spotted some Richard Sachs frames hanging in Kensington Cycle's shop. These were 'batch' frames he did early on to help get his then fledgling shop on it's feet. More than 25 years later I bought one of those very frames ('78) for myself.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/22219626@N08/albums/72157629918415915

[merckx]

in the later 70's I spotted some Richard Sachs frames hanging in Kensington Cycle's shop. These were 'batch' frames he did early on to help get his then fledgling shop on it's feet. More than 25 years later I bought one of those very frames ('78) for myself.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/22219626@N08/albums/72157629918415915

Was Sam the guy behind the counter?

[Peter P.]

Geez; count me as another "Kensington Cycles" (I think you mean Suburban Cycle, no?) guy.

I was just a teenager in the '70's and would ride my bike the 10 miles from home to the shop all the time.

True story: I was 15 or 16 and had purchased a Viscount Aerospace Sport from a bicycle shop in Middletown, CT. Being new to cycling, I didn't own many tools so when the crank arm loosened I rode to the bike shop to get it tightened. I rode to Middletown once or twice but decided to ride to Suburban one day instead, when it needed tightening.

Well, the mechanic tightened the bolt and sheared the bolt head off! That wouldn't be so big a deal but apparently the Viscount didn't use standard thread crank bolts so Suburban didn't have a replacement. Neither did the Middletown shop. It took weeks to get a replacement.

A year or so later I stripped the derailleur hanger threads (I don't think they had helicoil kits then) and replaced the frame with a Fuji S10-S frame I bought from Suburban.

I also ordered my Richard Sachs from Surburban in 1979. I remember those RS batch built frames hanging in the shop; the pewter colored ones. They were pretty popular with the staff and customers so I got to oogle a lot of them back then!

And yes; as a teen I used to read ALL the available bicycle books at the library including Sloane's and Cuthbertson's, unless they were stolen :-(

[2metalhips]

I had that Sloane book, also bought a Schwinn Volare Reynolds 531 (aka Japanese Paramount) from Suburban Cycles in Kensington in the mid 70's.

[merckx]

Geez; count me as another "Kensington Cycles" (I think you mean Suburban Cycle, no?) guy.

I was just a teenager in the '70's and would ride my bike the 10 miles from home to the shop all the time.

True story: I was 15 or 16 and had purchased a Viscount Aerospace Sport from a bicycle shop in Middletown, CT. Being new to cycling, I didn't own many tools so when the crank arm loosened I rode to the bike shop to get it tightened. I rode to Middletown once or twice but decided to ride to Suburban one day instead, when it needed tightening.

Well, the mechanic tightened the bolt and sheared the bolt head off! That wouldn't be so big a deal but apparently the Viscount didn't use standard thread crank bolts so Suburban didn't have a replacement. Neither did the Middletown shop. It took weeks to get a replacement.

A year or so later I stripped the derailleur hanger threads (I don't think they had helicoil kits then) and replaced the frame with a Fuji S10-S frame I bought from Suburban.

I also ordered my Richard Sachs from Surburban in 1979. I remember those RS batch built frames hanging in the shop; the pewter colored ones. They were pretty popular with the staff and customers so I got to oogle a lot of them back then!

And yes; as a teen I used to read ALL the available bicycle books at the library including Sloane's and Cuthbertson's, unless they were stolen :-(

Peter, you are correct, Sam was at Suburban Cycles. What town was it located? I grew up in Middletown. Pedal Power was likely the shop that you purchased your Viscount. I had a friend on my HS rowing team who also purchased one of those Viscounts. Boy, oh boy was that thing light. I cut my teeth doing the New Britain criteriums, and of course, the Andre Raymond crit in Middletown.

[witcombusa]

Geez; count me as another "Kensington Cycles" (I think you mean Suburban Cycle, no?) guy.


Peter you are absolutely right. I grew up a fair distance from the shop and always thought 'Kensington' when talking of it so I would remember how to find it! Great shop back then :beer:

[mcteague]

Here's an old one from 1974.

[e-RICHIE]

Peter, you are correct, Sam was at Suburban Cycles. What town was it located?

22 Chamberlain Highway
Kensington, CT

Who was Sam?
It was Bill and Keith who owned the place (then).

[Repack Rider]

Mr. Sloane did a book on mountain biking in 1985. Problem of course was that he himself was not a mountain biker. So I helped him write it.

[merckx]

Okay, just finished 20 pull-ups, and chewed through a protein shake. The other shop that I was forgetting was Newington. I think the guy named, Sam was the one wearing the apron there.

[monarchguy]

I think I actually still own the Sloane book (3rd photo down). Will have to dig it out -- really, not much has changed since then.....
-- Dan

[e-RICHIE]

The other shop that I was forgetting was Newington. I think the guy named, Sam was the one wearing the apron there.
That would be correct.

[shovelhd]

Peter, you are correct, Sam was at Suburban Cycles. What town was it located? I grew up in Middletown. Pedal Power was likely the shop that you purchased your Viscount. I had a friend on my HS rowing team who also purchased one of those Viscounts. Boy, oh boy was that thing light. I cut my teeth doing the New Britain criteriums, and of course, the Andre Raymond crit in Middletown.

Andy Raymond, around the 4th of July. Loved that race. The front straight was four lanes wide across the road while the back straight was like an alleyway. Technical, fun, great crowds.

[Peter P.]

22 Chamberlain Highway
Kensington, CT

Who was Sam?
It was Bill and Keith who owned the place (then).

Sam Zeldner, if I have his last name correct. Owned Newington Bicycle.

I can still remember how excited Keith was when he took delivery of his Richard Sachs back in the mid-70's. It was black. I knew nothing about frame geometry back then but I remember him telling me the "seat angle was 75 degrees and the head angle 74 degrees" as if it meant something secret and magical (Hey; I was just a kid!). I just assumed the 1 degree separation must have been important!

I didn't buy my Viscount from Pedal Power-they were located next to Palmer Field at the time. I think the name of the shop was Wheel House. They were located on the north end of Main Street.

[merckx]

Sam Zeldner, if I have his last name correct. Owned Newington Bicycle.

I can still remember how excited Keith was when he took delivery of his Richard Sachs back in the mid-70's. It was black. I knew nothing about frame geometry back then but I remember him telling me the "seat angle was 75 degrees and the head angle 74 degrees" as if it meant something secret and magical (Hey; I was just a kid!). I just assumed the 1 degree separation must have been important!

I didn't buy my Viscount from Pedal Power-they were located next to Palmer Field at the time. I think the name of the shop was Wheel House. They were located on the north end of Main Street.

Sam Zeldner, that's the man. IIRC, he was banged up badly in a bike vs car. Really nice fellow.

Back in the day race machines were steep. Anything 73 degrees and shallower was a touring bike.

Wheel House! I purchased my first racing bicycle there. It was a Moto with a 531 sticker on the seat tube.

For training I used to bump along 9A from Middletown to Old Saybrook, jump into the Sound, and then dry off on the way home.

[wgp]

Boy, oh boy was that thing light. I cut my teeth doing the New Britain criteriums, and of course, the Andre Raymond crit in Middletown.

Wow does that bring back memories; I too began my racing career (grew up in Hartford) as an Intermediate doing those races! I remember well the Andy Raymond crit!! And of course the Travelers Criterium in downtown Hartford around Bushnell Park (that was a very big crit in its heyday; remember the Stetina brothers appearances), which is where I first saw a bike race as a 8 y.o. and was totally entranced. I raced for the Cannondale team sponsored by Newington Bike in the early 80s.

[weisan]

When I was a kid growing up, the first thing I do when I step into a library is to check out their collection of books on cycling. There are simply too many books written and published on this subject matter to list all of them but one thing is for sure, they are still churning out "new" books every day, whether they are breaking new grounds or repeating more or less the same stuff...I still think it's very good thing, different pals approach the subject from a different perspective or context, it's good to cover all our bases and captured their hearts and imagination whenever we can. You never know..a 10-year-old somewhere might be drooling over with eyes or mouth wide open, looking at a cycling book in the corner of a library or a bookstore right this minute...

The New and the Old

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[weisan]

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[weisan]

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[weisan]

http://rideforclimate.com/website-update/book-images/bicyclediaries_ontable.jpg

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https://www.cardplayingworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/100-Years-of-Timeless-Card-Games-from-Bicycle-Paperback-Rule-Book-400x400.jpg

[merckx]

Weisan drops the mother-load. Thanks.

[merlinmurph]

I've got a 1972 edition of Richard's.
From the Accessories section:
Helmet - Sure - Also, full leathers, boots....

http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac62/merlinmurph/Bikes%20and%20rides/C360_2017-03-23-12-27-54-157_zpswnaxvbx6.jpg (http://s886.photobucket.com/user/merlinmurph/media/Bikes%20and%20rides/C360_2017-03-23-12-27-54-157_zpswnaxvbx6.jpg.html)

[2metalhips]

A year ago I bought a bike at Pedal Power in Middletown, I hadn't been back there since the Firecracker Criteriums in the mid 80's. That great old course brought back memories.

[fiamme red]

https://bikeportland.org/2020/01/27/eugene-sloane-author-and-bike-commuting-pioneer-309955

As a driver passed a bicycle commuter a passenger shouted out the car’s window, “Get a car, sonny!” That’s not something you’re likely to hear in Portland nowadays, but this was Detroit, the year was 1964, and the cyclist was 48-year-old Eugene Sloane on his daily 12-mile ride from the suburbs to his job as editor of the publication Air Engineering in downtown Detroit.

A few years later Sloane became a best-selling author with The Complete Book of Bicycling, a book published at the beginning of the 1970s 10-speed bike boom that drove the movement to even greater heights. It has now been 50 years since the publication of Sloane’s book, and for a year back in 1970 it was the only new bike book on the market...

[mcteague]

A couple more oldies from the book shelf.

Tim

[wasfast]

Sutherland's Handbook for bicycle mechanics. Seems to not have been posted but was invaluable if you were a mechanic in the 70's and 80's.