Pro Cycling on $10 a Day: From Fat Kid to Euro Pro
Phil Gaimon
May 2014 · VeloPress
4.8star
31 reviews
Ebook
312
Pages
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About this ebook
In his book Pro Cycling on $10 a Day, Phil Gaimon brings the full powers of his wit to tell his story.
Plump, grumpy, slumped on the couch, and going nowhere fast at age 16, Phil Gaimon began riding a bicycle with the grand ambition of shedding a few pounds before going off to college. He soon fell into racing and discovered he was a natural, riding his way into a pro contract after just one season despite utter ignorance of a century of cycling etiquette.
Presented here as a guide--and a warning--to aspiring racers who dream of joining the professional racing circus, Phil’s adventures in road rash serve as a hilarious and cautionary tale of frustrating team directors and broken promises. Phil’s education in the ways of the peloton, his discouraging negotiations for a better contract, his endless miles crisscrossing America in pursuit of race wins, and his conviction that somewhere just around the corner lies the ticket to the big time fuel this tale of hope and ambition from one of cycling’s best story-tellers.
Pro Cycling on $10 a Day chronicles the racer’s daily lot of blood-soaked bandages, sleazy motels, cheap food, and overflowing toilets. But it also celebrates the true beauty of the sport and the worth of the journey, proving in the end that even among the narrow ranks of world-class professional cycling, there will always be room for a hard-working outsider.
Plump, grumpy, slumped on the couch, and going nowhere fast at age 16, Phil Gaimon began riding a bicycle with the grand ambition of shedding a few pounds before going off to college. He soon fell into racing and discovered he was a natural, riding his way into a pro contract after just one season despite utter ignorance of a century of cycling etiquette.
Presented here as a guide--and a warning--to aspiring racers who dream of joining the professional racing circus, Phil’s adventures in road rash serve as a hilarious and cautionary tale of frustrating team directors and broken promises. Phil’s education in the ways of the peloton, his discouraging negotiations for a better contract, his endless miles crisscrossing America in pursuit of race wins, and his conviction that somewhere just around the corner lies the ticket to the big time fuel this tale of hope and ambition from one of cycling’s best story-tellers.
Pro Cycling on $10 a Day chronicles the racer’s daily lot of blood-soaked bandages, sleazy motels, cheap food, and overflowing toilets. But it also celebrates the true beauty of the sport and the worth of the journey, proving in the end that even among the narrow ranks of world-class professional cycling, there will always be room for a hard-working outsider.
Ratings and reviews
4.8
31 reviews
Matt Harmon
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March 27, 2016
While this is more of a collection of stories about what it's like to be a pro-cyclist in the US and not the clever and fluid sort of narrative one expects with a non-fiction documentary novel, it is an interesting inside view of the sport and the lives of those who are in it. The narrative is authentic but uneven in terms of its humor, action and flow. Parts live up to the wry humor as expressed on the cover (the dedication is particularly hilarious) but the book becomes a workaday behind the scenes narrative told through an extended series of vignettes. The result is a somewhat meandering and less focused version of Andy Hertzfeld's Revolution in the Valley set on two wheels with almost but not quite enough material to sketch characters out in one's mind's eye. (There are several notable exceptions to this, however - we get an absolutely clear picture of Kenda's 2012 team owner/manager, for example). Overall, the book is a worthwhile insight to the professional US cycling culture and sport and was worth reading. I look forward to reading more from Gaimon.
Miles Whitford
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August 15, 2016
I'm a junior cyclist and loved this book. Anyone who rides or races a bike can relate to almost everything. He shares a lot of hysterical events and gives very good advice along the way.
2 people found this review helpful
Adam Greissman
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January 26, 2017
If you love the sport then you will certainly enjoy this book. It's not about a marquee name but rather about what it's really like to be on the edge. Highly recommended.
1 person found this review helpful
About the author
Phil Gaimon is a cyclist, writer, and entrepreneur who retired from laziness and computer games in 2004 in favor of riding a bike to lose weight. On a whim, he started racing and soon discovered that he was a natural. Phil advanced rapidly through the amateur ranks and turned professional in his second full year, still ignorant of a century of cycling etiquette. He slowly learned the rules and clawed his way to the top of the American pro ranks, joining Garmin-Sharp in 2014. He maintains a website where he chronicles his ceaseless pursuit of the best cookies and milk in America.
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