Early Bicycles and the Quest for Speed: A History, 1868-1903 by Andrew Ritchie
From the earliest velocipedes through the advent of the pneumatic tire to the rise of modern road and track competition, this comprehensive history of the sport of bicycle racing traces its role in the development of bicycle technology between 1868 and 1903. Providing detailed technical information along with biographies of racers and other important personalities, the author examines the Golden Age of the bicycle as a precursor to the automobile industry.