It's All About the Bike
The Pursuit of Happiness on Two Wheels
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Narrated by:
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Jonathan Cowley
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By:
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Robert Penn
About this listen
Robert Penn has saddled up nearly every day of his adult life. In his late 20s, he pedaled 25,000 miles around the world. Today he rides to get to work, sometimes for work, to bathe in air and sunshine, to travel, to go shopping, to stay sane, and to skip bath time with his kids. He's no Sunday pedal pusher. So when the time came for a new bike, he decided to pull out all the stops. He would build his dream bike, the bike he would ride for the rest of his life; a customized machine that reflects the joy of cycling.
It's All About the Bike follows Penn's journey, but this book is more than the story of his hunt for two-wheel perfection. En route, Penn brilliantly explores the culture, science, and history of the bicycle. From artisanal frame shops in the United Kingdom to California, where he finds the perfect wheels, via Portland, Milan, and points in between, his trek follows the serpentine path of our love affair with cycling. It explains why we ride.
It's All About the Bike is, like Penn's dream bike, a tale greater than the sum of its parts. An enthusiastic and charming tour guide, Penn uses each component of the bike as a starting point for illuminating excursions into the rich history of cycling. Just like a long ride on a lovely day, It's All About the Bike is pure joy - enriching, exhilarating, and unforgettable.
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Phil Hill, a lowly California mechanic who, defying all expectations, became the first American to win the Grand Prix championship. In the tradition of Seabiscuit and The Right Stuff, Cannell’s high-octane narrative evokes the lives of the daredevils who tempted fate each Sunday by driving well over 150 mph without benefit of seat belts or roll bars.
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Great Intro to F1 History
- By Aser Tolentino on 01-19-13
By: Michael Cannell
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Engines of Change
- A History of the American Dream in Fifteen Cars
- By: Paul Ingrassia
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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America was made manifest by its cars. From the assembly lines of Henry Ford to the open roads of Route 66 and Jack Kerouac, America's history is a vehicular history-an idea brought brilliantly to life in this major work by the acclaimed author of Crash Course: The American Automobile Industry's Road from Glory to Disaster.
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Cars, Computers, and "Engines of Change"
- By Joshua Kim on 06-17-12
By: Paul Ingrassia
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Gironimo!
- Riding the Very Terrible 1914 Tour of Italy
- By: Tim Moore
- Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
- Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Twelve years after Tim Moore toiled around the route of the Tour de France, he senses his achievement being undermined by the truth about "Horrid Lance". His rash response is to take on a fearsome challenge from an age of untarnished heroes: the notorious 1914 Giro d'Italia. History's most appalling bike race was an ordeal of 400-kilometer stages filled with cataclysmic storms, roads strewn with nails, and even the loss of an eye by one competitor - and it was all on a diet of raw eggs and red wine.
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A long slog of punisihing whimsy
- By Andrew on 04-06-16
By: Tim Moore
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Fins
- Harley Earl, the Rise of General Motors, and the Glory Days of Detroit
- By: William Knoedelseder
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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This audiobook chronicles the birth and rise to greatness of the American auto industry through the life of Harley Earl, an eccentric six-foot-five, stuttering visionary who dropped out of college and went on to invent the profession of automobile styling, thereby revolutionized the way cars were made, marketed, and even imagined. Harleys Earl’s story qualifies as a bona fide American family saga. It began in the Michigan pine forest in the years after the Civil War, traveled across the Great Plains on the wheels of a covered wagon, and eventually settled in Hollywood, California.
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Great report of amazing history but could do without the WOKE lean..
- By joshua Shaw on 07-02-22
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The Man Who Made Things out of Trees
- By: Robert Penn
- Narrated by: Robert Penn
- Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Out of all the trees in the world, the ash is the most closely bound up with who we are. From tool handles to arrows, wheels and bowls to furniture and baseball bats, humans have made more and varied use of ash than any other kind of wood. Journeying across the English-speaking world, Robert Penn meets craftsmen with rare skills and a knowledge of the properties of ash developed over millennia.
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Amazing tale and daunting warning
- By Amazon Customer on 06-11-19
By: Robert Penn
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Full Steam Ahead
- How the Railways Made Britain
- By: Peter Ginn, Ruth Goodman
- Narrated by: Peter Ginn, Ruth Goodman
- Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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The Age of Railways was an era of extraordinary change which utterly transformed every aspect of British life - from trade and transportation to health and recreation. Full Steam Ahead reveals how the world we live in today was entirely shaped by the rail network, charting the glorious evolution of rail transportation and how it left its mark on every aspect of life, landscape and culture. Peter Ginn and Ruth Goodman brilliantly bring this revolution to life in their trademark style, which engages and captivates.
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,,,,Hi,,,, Research,,
- By Richard Jones on 10-10-24
By: Peter Ginn, and others
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Auto Biography
- A Classic Car, an Outlaw Motorhead, and 57 Years of the American Dream
- By: Earl Swift
- Narrated by: Greg Itzin
- Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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A brilliant blend of Shop Class as Soulcraft and The Orchid Thief, Earl Swift’s wise, funny, and captivating Auto Biography follows an outlaw-genius auto mechanic as he painstakingly attempts to restores a classic 1957 Chevy to its former glory - all while the FBI and local law enforcement close in.
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epic story of man and machine.
- By D.Streeter on 07-01-22
By: Earl Swift
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The Big Roads
- The Untold Story of the Engineers, Visionaries, and Trailblazers Who Created the American Superhighways
- By: Earl Swift
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
- Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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From author Earl Swift comes the surprising history of the U.S. interstate system, a fascinating route through the dreams, discoveries, and protests that shaped these mighty roads.
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Lessons from The Big Roads
- By Joshua Kim on 05-06-12
By: Earl Swift
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The Race Underground
- Boston, New York, and the Incredible Rivalry That Built America's First Subway
- By: Doug Most
- Narrated by: John H. Mayer
- Length: 15 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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In the late nineteenth century, as cities like Boston and New York grew larger, the streets became increasingly clogged with horse-drawn carts. When the great blizzard of 1888 brought New York City to a halt, a solution had to be found. Two brothers - Henry Melville Whitney of Boston and William Collins Whitney of New York City - pursued the dream of his city being the first American metropolis to have a subway and the great race was on.
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Informative Cobbled Telling of an Important Story
- By Lynn on 05-21-14
By: Doug Most
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Major Taylor
- The Inspiring Story of a Black Cyclist and the Men Who Helped Him Achieve Worldwide Fame
- By: Conrad Kerber, Terry Kerber
- Narrated by: Barrie Buckner
- Length: 15 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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In the wake of the Tour de France’s fallen heroes, the story of one of history’s most legendary cyclists provides a much-needed antidote. In 1907 the world’s most popular athlete was not Cy Young or Ty Cobb. Rather, he was a black bicycle racer named "Major” Taylor. In his day, Taylor became a spiritual and athletic idol. He was the fastest man in America and a champion who prevailed over unspeakable cruelty. The men who aided him were among the most colorful to emerge from the era.
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Great book terrible narrator
- By B. P. H. on 10-31-18
By: Conrad Kerber, and others
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Rust
- The Longest War
- By: Jonathan Waldman
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 13 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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In Rust journalist Jonathan Waldman travels from Key West, Florida, to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to meet the colorful and often reclusive people concerned with corrosion. He sneaks into an abandoned steelworks with a brave artist and nearly gets kicked out of Can School. Across the Arctic he follows a massive high-tech robot, hunting for rust in the Alaska pipeline.
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Almost too geeky for geeks
- By Norman B. Bernstein on 03-26-15
By: Jonathan Waldman
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Higher
- A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City
- By: Neal Bascomb
- Narrated by: Richard M. Davidson
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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This riveting, true account of the 1929 race to build New York City's tallest skyscraper evokes the glory of an exciting time long past.
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Outstanding Audio Book!!!
- By Tim on 11-16-05
By: Neal Bascomb
What listeners say about It's All About the Bike
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Paul
- 09-19-16
Entertaining and educational
The author details the building of his dream bike and with this is a bit about bicycle history and trips to the most respected bicycle component builders in the world. I thought it would be boring yet it entertained me start to finish
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- KB
- 08-16-16
Bike History and Personal Journey
Would you listen to It's All About the Bike again? Why?
I'm a bit fuzzy on some of the components' histories afterwards, so I plan to give this story a listen again so I can more accurately remember. I believe the author has favorites for certain kinds and brands of components, which is why those are featured in the story, but I won't hold that against him. After decades in the saddle, I expected him to develop preferences.
What did you like best about this story?
I really loved the author's inclusion of the history of the bicycle, it's components, the artisans, and the great riders and their cycling accomplishments in his story of building his ultimate bike.
Which scene was your favorite?
I liked when the author shared the story of the guy in the pub who thought he'd committed some sort of automotive crime that relegated him to riding a bike everywhere.
What did you learn from It's All About the Bike that you would use in your daily life?
I've learned you can build a bespoke bike from scratch. I'm looking forward to buying mine someday.
Any additional comments?
I'd definitely recommend this to listeners who enjoy leisurely, social, or competitive bike riding. It's a good "history of bike craft" book wrapped in one person's bespoke bike journey.
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- Myles Blackwood
- 11-06-19
a true look at appreciating bicycles
loved the story. of course he skipped over a bazillion companies, but the author does touch on the finer points of being a true cyclist. worth the listen.
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- BikeMeister
- 10-29-12
Loving the Technology and Craftsmanship
This book is fantastic for those among us who love the technology and craftsmanship that goes into the best bikes of today. Personally, I LOVE to ride, but I also very much appreciate, admire, and love to work with the craftsmanship that goes into the finest components and frames. In so many ways our bikes have souls of their own and this book lavishly examines that part of the overall cycling experience.
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- Tomboysuze
- 09-10-16
Loved everything about this book and performance!
I loved this book and the narration by Jonathan Cowley was excellent. This book gives a sound historical background of the bicycle which is interwoven with the story of the author's entertaining and enlightening quest to build the perfect bespoke bicycle. I listened to this all winter, over and over, whenever I wanted to be out on my bike but the weather kept me in. Educational, entertaining and extremely pleasant. Cannot recommend this audiobook enough!
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- Laurie Hume
- 02-13-14
Good information on bicycling
Would you consider the audio edition of It's All About the Bike to be better than the print version?
Don't know never read the print version of this book. Did enjoy the audible version but do not want to read the print version
What was one of the most memorable moments of It's All About the Bike?
I liked the planning and building section of the book and the feelings that it all brought
What about Jonathan Cowley’s performance did you like?
Yes he put much feeling into the book
What did you learn from It's All About the Bike that you would use in your daily life?
I have biked for many years and have gotten away from it and more into running. My later years the running is taking a toll on my knees and want to do more bicycling and this book has inspired me
Any additional comments?
Highly recommend this book
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- Jason D
- 08-31-17
I like the format of the book.
The writer takes you through his journey of building his dream bike part by part. He give a brief history of each part and who invented it as he buys it. I.e. Frame, wheels, seat,etc. he then talks about the company that he selected to buy the part from because he actually visited each parts factory and conveys what the company and people of like there. What a great idea. My only complaint is that he did not choose a titanium frame. I personally just build my own dream bike and made a lot of the same part choices. My frame was a titanium moots though. Otherwise it's a fun book. If you are about to build a dream bike or want to one day. It's worth listening to this book.
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- Tom and Barb Davis
- 06-16-23
Good Bicycle History
An in depth and fascinating bridge between past and present bicycles by an experienced writer and rider.
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- Jason Karpeles
- 06-18-12
A delightful story and history of cycling
Would you listen to It's All About the Bike again? Why?
Yes, there is so much information in this book
Who was your favorite character and why?
The writer's experience finding the best parts was fantastic
What???s an idea from the book that you will remember?
So much history I never knew
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1 person found this helpful
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- Sam Payton
- 06-07-18
A lovely book
A beautiful history of the bicycle with an inspirational view of it's future, I wish this book didn't have to end.
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