From humble cycling courier to un-expected world class endurance athlete. Emily's love of being on two wheels has taken her further and pushed her harder than she ever dreamed possible. These are made from tough plastic or aluminium. They’re the most robust, offering good protection. The trade-off is that they’re usually heavier and more cumbersome than soft cases. 3. Soft bags

While it doesn't come cheap, Topeak's Pakgo X is a high quality box that is easy to manoeuvre around, offers great protection, and comes with some nice additions that make it an ideal travel companion We’ve heard tales of people who thought they’d take their bike abroad in a soft bag or a cardboard bike box and it all going horribly wrong. You might get away with it, of course. You might get away with it many times. But what about that one time when your bike is at the bottom of a tower of cases being sorted by a bloke who’s already late finishing his shift? It gives the foundation for understanding why the likes of David Millar and Thomas Dekker fell in to the dark side of performance enhancing drugs, better than they could do themselves in their own autobiographies. Just because an airline charges to take a bike, it’s no guarantee your ride will be cared for as you might hope. Some don’t have a separate bike allowance, but will let you take it as part of your luggage allowance, and some charge by the kilo. The behind the scenes look at team ANC Halfords was captured by an journalist Jeff Connor who was with the team for the toughest ride of their life.You could just eat by numbers, consuming the correct quantities of all those nutrients in a bland and unappetising ways. Or read this cookbook and you could combine them in ways to make your taste buds tingle and relish your meals whilst maintaining a balanced diet, although you might struggle to find alternative ingredients for dietary requirements. Unlike Around the world in 80 days by Mark Beaumont, this is a more humble account of a journey that could just be that book to change your life (most likely how to quit the rat race and follow your calling).

A bike box is an invaluable piece of equipment for any travelling cyclist. There’s no perfect answer as to which is the best, because they all have their trade-offs, so it’s important to weigh up your needs before you buy. Things to consider when choosing a bike box 1. HandlesThe rigid internal fork mounting point accepts both Q/R and Thru-axle wheels and keeps the bike anchored to a removable rail which then becomes part of the deployable workstand. Clever. Specific padded wraps protect the handlebar, rear derailleur, chain and bike frame from damage whilst traveling to keep everything secure and safe while removable rigid side panels are reinforced with 5mm corrugated polypropylene and a moulded HDPE bottom tub provides superior protection. A cycling history book with a difference, Bikes and Bloomers traces the evolution of women’s cycling kit and tells the story of how the humble bicycle contributed to women’s liberation. It draws on in-depth archival research and reminds us just how far we’ve come.

This is a story of David Millar starting out as a pro in France, high hopes and lots of pressure along with partying a bit too hard, led to him being pushed towards the dark road of doping. It's a who's who guide to the cycling industry, an understanding on cycling politics and an understanding of where many of today's commentators, team managers and performance coaches made their cycling careers. However, travelling with a bike can be cumbersome and slightly worrying which is where a sturdy bike box comes in. Bike boxes ensure your bike is secure, protected and easily transportable. You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test. As an autobiography, and while it's an honest account of his actions , it's nothing like The Death of Marco Pantani biography, and highlights the differences between addition and performance enhancing drugs.

Protect your bike when you travel

Find a book buddy. Nothing more motivational to read than the threat of them revealing spoilers ahead of where you're up too. It also gives you chance to digest and work through the story line, especially if it's a thrilling, funny, or sad plot. If you open the book having never heard of the race, you'll close it feeling incredibly educated on the first world war, cycling history, and knowing that you've never really had that hard a day on a bike. The little know 1919 Circuit des Champs de Bataille that was held just six months after the Armistice, but before the official end of the first world war with the signing of the treaty of Versailles. This is the best cycling book that tells the story of how Italy's most loved sporting greats excelled in winning races, being one of the only riders to challenge the now disgraced Lance Armstrong, and sadly met his end.

Finding the best cycling books for you will depend on a whole host of requirements, from what subject you are interested in, to period in history, or even authors. We’re cyclists who know and love cycling kit. We hit the road, the trails, we commute by bike and we enjoy chilled leisure rides too. And that’s how we find the best products: out riding. In this case it is out travelling around with our bikes. We all know the benefits of turning off the phone scrolling and taking time out to read, especially when it is one of the best cycling books. From better concentration to just mental relaxation, but finding time to read can feel like a privilege, and often a luxury over a necessary.A well-balanced diet is fundamental to cycling performance. Without the right balance of carbs, protein and vitamins, along with fats and sugars – yes, those two are vitally important to have in the right quantities – your training and progression will be compromised.