Jane Eastoe - Britain by bike. New book.

[GLB]

It's advertised as a sort of tribute to Harold Briercliffe who wrote a series of cycle touring guides in the late 1940's, early 1950's that would appeal to people on this site.

Avoid this book though. It's dreadful. She hasn't ridden a bike in her life. See my review on Amazon for more info. But as a taster - Kent is "blissfully flat", the River Stour runs along the Norfolk/Suffolk border and Avebury is 2 miles East of Stonehenge (No, that's Amesbury I think and I'm sure it's a lovely place to visit, but as far as I know hasn't got a World Heritage Site stone circle.)

 

[The Ken]

I'm a bit of a fan of Harold Briercliffe; he's no Wainwright, but he'd clearly done the research for his late 1940's series of cycle touring guides from the saddle and I think they're minor gems. So I was looking forward to this book, but it's hugely disappointing. Jane Eastoe has cobbled together some general advice from unknown sources, but not I think from any cycling experience. For example, her guidance on buying the right size bicycle is confused and confusing (does she mean you should be able to straddle the saddle or the top tube with both feet on the floor? Both seem indicated.) I'd love to watch her mend a puncture: maybe she's better at doing it than writing about it, but it just seems like a garbled version of advice in every other book you've read. Her description of contemporary bicycle design is a mess.

When we get out on the road ("Only by wobbling off into the sunset [odd time of day to start a tour] on two wheels, book in saddlebag, will you discover the forgotten joy of touring...") things get worse. My home county of Kent is "blissfully flat" apparently, the River Stour runs along the Norfolk/Suffolk border (No, that's the Waveney. I think she means Essex/Suffolk border) and the strangely described Avebury is "just 2 miles east" of Stonehenge (no that's Amesbury - Avebury is about 12 miles north). You get the picture.

It's superficially attractively designed with a period feel to the illustations etc. But the content is thin and poorly researched. The few actual routes are perfunctorily described and poorly mapped.

But to be fair she does do her best to extinguish any hope of enlightenment in the introduction: "You will not get to know the country by reading this book."

That's right.

Had to put the review here, definately worth reading, and I'm guessing a better read than the book

 

[mikee]

But to be fair she does do her best to extinguish any hope of enlightenment in the introduction: "You will not get to know the country by reading this book."


thats the dis-claimer