Richard Ballantine

[simonineaston]

Bit of a revelation when I read it. To read about a grown-up, who took cycling seriously and was prepared to offer proper grown-up advice about the subject, back at a time when cycling here in the UK was still for kids or the poor - at least that's what most motorists thought, back then - and many would argue, still do!

[Jdsk]

Great book, and had a big influence on me. What do I remember?

... first description of recumbents.
... the rear leg and kerb technique for small dogs, but IIRC that rapidly disappeared from later editions.
... wind assistance from a sail strapped to to your back: was that a spoof?

Jonathan

[Cyril Haearn]

I remember ultimate advice for dealing with angry dogs

[recumbentpanda]

Met him once or twice. Bloodshot eyes, yer basic wildman. Think Hunter S. Thompson on a bike.

[Cunobelin]

Great book, and had a big influence on me. What do I remember?

... first description of recumbents.
... the rear leg and kerb technique for small dogs, but IIRC that rapidly disappeared from later editions.
... wind assistance from a sail strapped to to your back: was that a spoof?

Jonathan

Book?

I have 5 or 6 versions of Ballantyne's book from a series of publishers

[Jdsk]

Same one as RickH mentioned above.

Jonathan

[Cunobelin]

Met him once or twice. Bloodshot eyes, yer basic wildman. Think Hunter S. Thompson on a bike.

In 2000 the World HPV cChampoionshos were held in Brighton / Goodwood

Sitting on my Hurricane when a well-known TV presenter came across, shook my hand and said "Hello Richard"

Apparently someone had told them that Richard was the large bloke with a bushy beard over by the tents... which fitted my description.

Also met Richard in Bikefix when I bought the Street Machine, and an hour later was tooted and waved to as he and some others drove past in a van on way to an HPV event

[brooksby]

I've got a copy of his 'City Cycling' - it was the first cycling book I read when I started cycle commuting a few years ago. The woman in my LBS recommended it.

[SA_SA_SA]

Not so sure that I'd go to Richard Ballantine for advice.
He had some strange ideas - one being the emergency stop method of turning the wheel at right angles and allowing it to collapse

Wasn't that a way to avoid injuring a vulnerable pedestrian in a collision ?

It annoyed me when the media reported his (as a last resort) advice on dangerous fierce dogs (did they think the cyclistshould just get bitten/mauled?) but not that...

[Carlton green]

With the Lock Down, apart from getting out on my bike,have had the opportunity to re-read some of my library.
R B was advocating forty years ago that we should reject the dominance of motor vehicles in favour of cycling, for all the same well known reasons of health,pollution, fitness, mental wellbeing etc. Recent data indicates that 30% of the population are obese.

When will, if ever, our politicians and the average citizen decide it time to give up driving round the corner to McDonald's?

I suppose it’s all a matter of lifestyles, employment and location; it seems to me that exercise Cycling has become more popular over the last decade and that the likes of McDonalds have changed their offerings towards healthier products. Whilst the numbers involved are changing positively, and have been for a while, they are still very far from the critical mass of the early and mid 20th Century (when Raleigh were mass producing bikes for all in Nottingham).

Are 30% of the population obese and what does that really mean in practice? IMHO the BMI rating system is a flawed system which is used too blindly; a fit as a fiddle Rugby player might well be defined as obese by that system. I would suspect that many people I know would be defined as obese too yet they are quite physically active if carrying more fat than is considered good for them.

I would echo the positive thoughts of others towards RB’s book, in my case his book informed positive changes and was read by a young man thirsty for the seemingly rare information contained within its covers. Cycling has always been a part of my life but his work enabled it to become the bigger part that I sought. RBB has made my life richer in so many ways, perhaps it is a bit dated now but it is still relevant and particularly so to those of us who run ‘period machines’. In the 1970’s and 80’s a simple ten speed bike could and did carry Cycle Tourists over any distance they cared to cover, and to any place they wanted to visit. Those simple bikes are just as capable of meeting riders’ needs today.

I have found nothing to equal RBB and would love to hear of comparable works.