Robert Penn’s book is as much as social and economic history, interweaving the social impact of the bicycle as it is a love song to his personal pursuit of the perfect bicycle. Penn, a long-established writer and dedicated cyclist, sets of with a budget to create his dream bike. He has ridden bikes for 36 years and has owned everything from a Raleigh Tomahawk to a bespoke tourer that he cycled for three years and 40,000km round the world in the mid-1990s.

This journey takes him across the UK to meet craftsmen like Brian Rourke, a 70-year old frame builder, and further afield to locations such as Italy, to buy handle bars and Germany to buy tyres.
Along the way, we are drawn into Penn’s world and his infectious enthusiasm keeps you reading.

It’s the historical context that really brings the book to life. Tales such as the fact that the modern day bicycle was brought to life by Baron Karl von Drais de Sauerbron who witnessed the devastating result of the famine in Indonesia in 1815, which lead to the demise of all horses in the area as farmers could not afford to spare the oats, and inspired the Baron to tinker away until he’d conceived the mechanical horse. Throughout his journey, Penn meets people committed to their craft, so much so that their obvious dedication elevates it to the level of art. His chapter on visiting Marin County, USA to have his spokes fitter to his newly acquired rims and ride the infamous Repack Downhill course with the founder fathers of mountain biking, leaves you as breathless and winded as Penn is by the run.

The only downside of the book is that you are fully aware of how it ends, long before Penn reaches any conclusion. In fact, the biggest nail biter of the entire books is what colour he chooses for the bike frame. In total, Penn spends several thousand pounds on the bike and the finished item is truly something which represents more than just a bike to pop down to the shops on, but a journey in itself for the author. Having that sort of budget to spend on something like a bike is out of the reach of most cyclists, even the most dedicated. However, it does make you give serious thought to dipping into your savings and starting your own personal quest for your perfect bike.

The real saving grace of the book is the number of mavericks, geniuses, inventors and collaborators who’ve played such a key role in shaping the modern bicycle. With this book, Penn firmly establishes himself as one of them.

Reviewed by Scott Morris

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