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Easy Rider: My Life on a Bike
The brilliantly told story of the cycling world champion and multiple Olympic medallist who is one of the sport's best-loved and most colourful characters.
The son of a wrestler turned cycling coach called Killer Kowalski, Rob Hayles was soon winning races himself and realizing that he didn't really want to work for a living. The world of amateur club cycling in the 1990s was a long way from the millionaire sport of today though. When Rob first rode for Great Britain, it was with his own bike, one spare tire, and a hand-me-down jersey.
Yet Rob became an integral part of the amazing success story of British cycling, and has been at the centre of the sport for the past two decades. With Bradley Wiggins, he was a member of the first GB team to become world champions at the team pursuit, the most demanding and thrilling discipline on the track. With teammate David Millar, he witnessed first-hand the drug-strewn, often demeaning life of the professional road cyclist. And as Mark Cavendish's training partner, Rob has been the experienced influence at the side of the fastest man on two wheels.
Easy Rider is an unforgettable journey through revolutionary times. Sharp, down-to-earth, packed with anecdotes and just plain fun, it takes you from the humblest of beginnings through a golden era in British cycling.
The son of a wrestler turned cycling coach called Killer Kowalski, Rob Hayles was soon winning races himself and realizing that he didn't really want to work for a living. The world of amateur club cycling in the 1990s was a long way from the millionaire sport of today though. When Rob first rode for Great Britain, it was with his own bike, one spare tire, and a hand-me-down jersey.
Yet Rob became an integral part of the amazing success story of British cycling, and has been at the centre of the sport for the past two decades. With Bradley Wiggins, he was a member of the first GB team to become world champions at the team pursuit, the most demanding and thrilling discipline on the track. With teammate David Millar, he witnessed first-hand the drug-strewn, often demeaning life of the professional road cyclist. And as Mark Cavendish's training partner, Rob has been the experienced influence at the side of the fastest man on two wheels.
Easy Rider is an unforgettable journey through revolutionary times. Sharp, down-to-earth, packed with anecdotes and just plain fun, it takes you from the humblest of beginnings through a golden era in British cycling.
276 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 20, 2019
I enjoyed this book, it was interesting, amusing and professionally written. Although Rob Hayles plays down his own abilities, the list of his achievements at the end of the book are considerable. The section on the rise, fall and rise again of Dave Millar and of riding and winning a world championship with a 19-year-old Mark Cavendish are particularly interesting. Hayles has a great sense of humour which no doubt helped him through the tough times. Recommended
September 1, 2016
Interesting view into the world of British track cycling in the years leading up to the revamping of the British cycling program. Also a nice glimpse into his three years as a road racing domestique for the Cofidis team...a lifestyle that, frankly, doesn't sound like all that much fun.
September 11, 2016
A straightforward and decent autobiography from one of the cornerstones of the British cycling renaissance. Worth a read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews