Some BNA forumites may be interested in cycling history pre the 1980's
I have include the details below from Rod. Buying Vol.1 helps get 2 and 3 published.
On Saturday last 'A Whirr of Many Wheels' by Rod Charles was launched to a sell out crowd in the Geelong West Town Hall.
The book of almost 600 pages contains almost 600 illustrations and covers the period 1869 to 1914.
Set in the district of Geelong it covers everything of note that happened in the cycling world in the colonies, which took their lead from England, Europe and America.
This is an ecyclopaedia of the birth years of cycling world wide as it related to any town in Australia.
Research for the book included all the local press in Geelong in the period and the cycling journals of the times, interviews, diaries and books from those decades. This is a book about cycling, not only about bicycles and tricycles and includes racing, touring, manufacturing, the trade, promotion, women's growing involvement, exhibitions, trick riding, the part played by cycling interests in better roads and the first cycle paths in the colony. Nothing has been omitted.
The illustrations are quite exceptional. All copied from source documents.
This is a very inclusive picture of cycling, it is the base reference for Victorian and perhaps Australian urban and country cycling
and has all the hallmarks of being the classic reference.
Nothing so comprehensive has appeared since The Bicycle and Bush, written over 30 years ago.
It is the first of three volumes. Volumes 2 and 3 are written and in the process of editing which will continue the story to the late 1980s.
It has been self published but only in a small volume and will not be reprinted.
Half the copies remain from the launch.
Copies are available from Rod Charles at $75 plus postage.
Contact is rodcharles@westnet.com.au
cycles gitane
