Bespoke: A Guide to Cycle-Speak and Saddle Slang

Bespoke is a book that explores the language and culture of cycling, featuring specially commissioned artworks and historical photography from the British Library and L Equipe. It is for anyone who wants to speak cycling, providing insight and irreverence from the tete de la course to the gruppetto.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 03 May 2021
Publisher: British Library Publishing

Cycling, with its rich history and culture, has developed a terminology that transcends borders, creating a unique lexicon all its own. This book takes the reader on a journey through a world where the road to success is paved with cobbles, where all the world is a stage, unless you are a one-day specialist. The inhabitants of this land come with a host of captivating nicknames, such as Badgers, Cannibals, Eagles, and Pirates, each with their own remarkable story. Lavishly illustrated with specially commissioned artworks by acclaimed cycling illustrator Neil Stevens and historical photography from the British Library collections and L Equipe, this book takes the reader from the tete de la course to the gruppetto, from the caravane following the race to the tifosi cheering on the mountainside. Insightful and irreverent, Bespoke is the ultimate guide for anyone who wants to master the language of cycling.

Weight: 428g
Dimension: 204 x 199 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780712353656