The upcoming book, Bike to Work, is the definitive guide for bike commuting. Authors Carlton Reid and Tim Grahl are experienced cyclists and write regularly on the ins and outs of going by bike.

Below is the chapter listing for the book...

  1. Why Cycle to Work - Petrol prices. Congested cities. Global warming. Peak oil. The body beautiful. Cycling ticks lots of boxes.
  2. Busting the Myths about Cycling to Work - Hot, smelly, wet, slow, too far, special clothing, dangerous, impotence? No, and here’s why.
  3. The Right Kind of Bike versus The Wrong Kind of Bike - From Dutch roadsters to Xtracycle cargo bikes, via tips on how, when and why to modify and upgrade an already owned bike. Plus info on folding bikes.
  4. Keeping Your Bike on the Road - Basic bicycle maintenance tips, but not full how-to guides, this is best left to other books.
  5. Urban Cycle Training - How to survive the concrete jungle with tips and advice from city-based adult cycle trainers. From ‘how to pedal with the ball of your foot, not your heel (a common mistake by newbies) to ‘negotiating the run up to Advanced Stop Lines’. Plus info on adults learning to ride bike for the very first time.
  6. Route Planning - Paper maps through to Google Earth, GPS and online route planners.
  7. Security - Lock it or lose it? Or lock it and stilllose it? Techniques to really keep bikes secure, with how-to advice from bike thieves.
  8. Pack it in, and keep it dry - How to carry stuff on a bike, from suspended laptop sleeves in pannier bags through to getting a suit to work in one piece. Advice on waterproof bags and the need for fenders/mudguards.
  9. Bike Wear - Clobber for cycling. From ordinary clothes through to lashings of Lycra for speed demons, although it will be stressed this isn’t ever mandatory! Plus, helmet advice.
  10. Trains, planes and automobiles - How to integrate cycling into public and private transport.
  11. Lobby Your Locality - So, you’ve discovered how fast and sweet it is to cycle to work. You want even better routes and more folks to join in? Here’s a primer on how to make your city officials sit up and take notice.
  12. Get Paid to Cycle - Almost. Learn more about cycle mileage allowances and US and UK schemes to save you money when buying a bike, such as the UK’s Cycle to Work salary sacrifice scheme, and the US Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008 (H.R. 6049).
  13. Bike Buzz at Work - Get your employer enthused about cycling. Cycle commuters are absent from work less times per year than non-cycle commuters.
  14. The Future is Already Here - Cycle use may only be 1-2 percent in the UK and the US but in some cities it’s far higher. Profiles of York in England and Portland in Oregon. In Denmark and the Netherlands cycling is huge, here’s why. Plus: profiles of Copenhagen and Amsterdam.
  15. Bicycle Lexicon - What are ‘hoods’ and ‘drops’? What do you do with a ‘chainset’? Learn the lingo.
  16. Further reading - A round-up of the best books and websites.