A Bicycle Built for Two Billion: One Man's Adventure Around the World in Search of Love, Compassion, and Connection

by Jamie Bianchini

Jamie Bianchini needed a lift. A big one. After a series of spectacular business flops drove him into bankruptcy and the love of his life kissed him goodbye, Jamie knew he needed a world of help. But instead of seeking assistance from a counselor or support group, Jamie sought comfort where he’d always found it…on his bicycle. As his world hit rock bottom, Jamie hatched a crazy plan that just might make everything right. His life lacked purpose, passion, and connection with his fellow man. So Jamie decided to go for a bicycle ride…around the world…on a tandem…solo…inviting everyone he met to join him for a spin. A Bicycle Built for Two Billion is the moving story of an audacious optimist who tried to change the world – while hoping the world would change him – one rider at a time. A heartfelt, hilarious, adrenaline-fueled journey through 81 countries, A Bicycle Built for Two Billion will allow you to see the planet in a way never experienced before. Come join Jamie and his unforgettable cast of co-pedalers – from inspiring villagers to conniving thieves, romantic paramours to unlikely gurus, excited school kids to seniors who have never set foot on a pedal. Come join them all for the ride of your life. Includes nearly 200 spectacular photos and videos captured around the world, bringing this rich story to life.

Genres: Travel

417 pages, Paperback

First published April 22, 2015

Reviews

[Stace]

I would happily recommend this book to any one with an interest in travel and bikes. As a closet hippy the concept of peddling round the world on a tandem giving strangers a lift, spreading love, peace and tolerance changing the world one ride at a time is just my thing. But, it turns out that Jamie and the west are more in need of love and tolerance than the people he is supposed to be helping.

The book is written as a diary. Initially his story lacks organisation darting from one disaster to another (I feel a good editor could have sorted this out). The short chapters make the book easy to pick up and put down. Each chapter ends with lots of pictures, and a link to his many short movies; That interaction was quite novel for me. It made it more personal and I felt I could recognise Jamie and his friends. It was also overtly commercial, asking you to join the club and support his charity endeavours. American I guess?

Jamie writes with brutal honesty about his failures, how his life had fallen apart due to poor judgement and selfishness. He candidly charts his emotional development across the continents, through more failed relationships interspersed with depression and self criticism.

I have to say many of his choices and thoughts make it difficult to like him as a person, but he is saved by his honesty and real attempts to rectify his failings. I found this part of his journey quite inspiring, as it made me question the assumptions I make about other people. The sort of thoughts that only a collision with another culture make you realise.

I was also a little envious of the fact that Jamie had had real life adventure, of the sort I would love to embark on but could never actually dare.

Reviewed by Candida on www.whisperingstories.com

[David]

I bought this as a gift for someone, and got an extra copy as I was intrigued about the Connection aspect mentioned on the cover. It delivers on that promise. As far as the Search for Love, the author seems to look...drop the person...keep looking for most of the book and gets really depressed every time, so there is a lot of that drama happening over and over again which got a bit tiresome though as it seems to be what is really going on with the author it is real. In the end I saw the authors heart and authentic self coming through and he is not hiding that from the reader. In the end, I was touched and inspired by this endeavor.

[Jackie Shane]

While this book could certainly use an editor, I enjoyed the content. Worth reading, simply because Jaime Bianchini took eight years to circumnavigate the globe by tandem bike. As a cyclist I thought the tandem sounded like a ridiculous idea, but it seemed to fulfill the author's goal of meeting people. Ultimately the author came across as a bit of a leach, sponging lodging off of people who had so little economically. I do give the author credit for dredging up the negative moments as well as the highs. Ultimately it's a good survey of the world by bike.

[Thor Larsen]

I started this book ages ago after having met the author on a book tour at our local bike shop. He was a friendly fellow, and his presentation was good. However, the book drew him in a different light. I could not keep going. However, the current pandemic gave me the opportunity to sit down and finish it once and for all. The book and the stories were good... just a little too much self aggrandizing by Jamie. Worth a look, and certainly inspiring.

[Kate]

It was a great book and so fun to take this journey with Jamie. I gave it a three star rating because it was a struggle to get through the book, I would refer to it as the opposite of a page turner - the book was very easy to put down. Don’t get me wrong, each chapter in itself was great and I loved seeing the journey that Jamie went on but man it was a slog. Oh and this was the second edition, not sure what that entails, but oh man there were so many typos...

[Naomi]

I received a copy of this book for free through Net Galley.

I love what the author, Jamie Binachini, sets out to do, and I love that he is successful in a lot of ways. He takes something I could only dream about and makes it into a reality, and spends years biking around the world and making new acquaintances. However, the disjointed writing style of the memoir itself made it difficult for me to actually enjoy it.

When reviewing memoirs, I try to remember to be as fair and open-minded as possible, but there are moments when that is difficult. Binachini's recollections of his failed romances, failed friendships, and failed business ventures, made him difficult to like at times. He obviously always has a good heart, but I wanted to tell him to wake up and stop being so selfish! Luckily, as the memoir progresses, he really does tackle his personal issues, and comes clean about a lot of his shortcomings, so I have to give him credit for that. Like most people, I feel like admitting such things would be difficult, and made even more so because he does it in such a public forum. It is nice to see the personal growth and changes he undergoes by the end of his journey.

I rated this as I did, because despite liking his mission and being interested in parts of his story, there were more sections I wanted to skip over because they didn't grasp my attention for whatever reason. It also read a bit like blog entries or journal entries, so the writing style itself wasn't seamless, but had some awkward transitions that prevented me from really becoming immersed.

I have to give the author major kudos for being successful in such a daunting undertaking. It is admirable, however, the other issues prevent me from rating this higher. I would recommend this to those who are interested in such trips themselves, as it could be used to provide some guidance.

[Annie]

I received a complimentary copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion and review. The opinion in my review are strictly my own.

My first impression of this book is that it is more likes journal or diary than s book. It was quit stilted. It just didn't flow. For that reason it was hard for me to read. I really had to push myself to finish this book, and wouldn't have finished it except that I had agreed to for NetGalley. I found the author to be rather self-centered and selfish which made me dislike him quite a bit. However, as he continued in his journey and his experiences, he struggled with his shortcomings and grew to overcome a lot of his personal failures. Admitting that you have areas in life that are, shall we say, less than perfect, takes some guts. It can be very hard to admit you have problems, issues, negative personality traits, and so forth. So I give the author a lot of credit for that. I also was quite encouraged to see his character grow into someone better than it was at the beginning of his travels. And personally, I cannot imagine his major undertaking in going on this journey in the first place! I would never have the courage to actually do something like that. It's one thing to dream about what you'd like to do, but quite another to actually follow through with that dream!

While I have quite a bit of respect for this author and what he did, I still reintegrate that I could barely finish the book just because it was so poorly written. But that's just my opinion.

[Chrissy eckert]

This book made me want to quit my whole life and travel the world (perhaps not by bicycle, as my cycling skills leave much to be desired). The travel, culture, adventure, and cycling aspects of the memoir intrigued me, and meeting Jamie and Cristina at a local bike shop prior to reading it urged me into opening the book because they were freaking adorable.

I think the fact that I met Jamie before made me more forgiving of some of his selfish behavior that other readers struggled with Nonetheless, his emotional growth and the way he recognized his shortcomings as the book progressed enhanced the story in a way I didn't expect.

Personal connections throughout the memoir moved me as well. it's not natural for me to be as trusting and open with people, especially people from very different cultures and backgrounds. I was reminded to check my own assumptions about people, as we all need to be from time to time.

I went into the book looking for travel and adventure, and got just that, topped with some pretty valuable life lessons about humanity, personal connection, and introspection. *****

[Malin Friess]

After Jamie Bianchini's world hit bottom he decided he needed to complete a bike ride around the world on a Tandem Bike without a stoker. This began his 8 year, 81 country journey called the Peace Peddlers. Outfitted with a Tandem bike (that was stolen and returned at least twice) with S&S couplers that also could be converted to a traditional solo bike Bianchini began his journey. His rules were simple to promote peace through bicycling and inviting any citizen to be a co-peddler.

It turns out Italy and Amsterdam were much more agreeable for biking than Africa or China. A BOB trailer works much better than heavy top loaded panniers. Bianchini was at times very lonely--and frequently engaged in romantic relationships and after 8 years had a kid.

3 stars. I enjoyed the pictures far more than the writing. I love the idea of getting a stranger on a Tandem and pedaling through a foreign country. Life is always better on a bicycle.

[Adrienne Steurer]

Inspiring, intriguing, important read for all!

I really enjoyed every page of this book. I could not get to the next adventure fast enough!! I have never read a book so fast in my life. Jamie's passion for life, humanity and culture are inspiring. I highly recommend this book to everyone (over 16 as there are adult moments mentioned)! Jamie I am so proud of you!! You did it!! Thank you for sharing your journey with us! I enjoyed the ride!!

[Lisa]

Jamie rode his tandem bike through something like 80 countries in 8 years, sharing rides with fellow travelers and local people, had lots of adventures and found ways to help people.

I enjoyed reading about Jamie's travel and experiences and relationships with people. His book would have benefitted from an editor, but was still fun to read.

[Sarah]

I liked the concept of this book, but the storyline was disjointed, so the book never grabbed my attention. I didn't finish it.

[Bob Mcinnis]

Great narrative and journey piece. I was a bit disjointed between locales but overall a good read and worth the investment of time.

[Carrie Westmoreland Kurtz]

This book made me want to jump on a bicycle and take off on a little trip of my own! However, I am definitely not in shape to do so! I don't think I would make it a mile down the road!

I enjoyed this book immensely. I especially enjoyed the honesty and vulnerability of the author. Many people may find things about Jamie to be fairly unlikeable at times but, like I said, his honesty and openness draws you in.

His story was so much more than I ever expected. I was intrigued from the beginning and it held my attention to the very end. I could close my eyes and picture every location, every adventure, every individual. Such great storytelling that at times you forget that it's about his real life. Pick it up! You won't be disappointed.

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.