Live to Ride : Finding Joy and Meaning on a Bicycle

A visual celebration of the beauty and lure of bicycle culture by renowned cycling journalist Peter Flax.

Live to Ride is an ode to cycling from one of the world’s most respected cycling journalists. The bicycle is one of the greatest inventions in human history. It can literally transport you to places you want to go―to your school or office, to the summit of a local hilltop, to some objective in your pursuit of fitness―but it can do more than that. A bicycle can also transport you to an entirely different mindset, a place where you can embrace the unexpected and live in the moment.

People are drawn to riding for many of the same reasons―to test themselves, find themselves, and express themselves. To find some peace and beauty. To inject fun and adventure into their busy lives.

Live to Ride is an illustrated gift book for those who love to bike. It’s for every type of cyclist―from mountain bikers, to commuters, to tourers and triathletes and beach cruisers and bikepackers and messengers. To wheelie kids, to vintage bike collectors. Author, Peter Flax, a celebrated cycling journalist, is here to show us that cycling should be inclusive―that all riders are connected in various, yet similar, ways.

Organized by theme, each one exploring what Flax believes are the shared reasons that people ride: Adventure, Speed, Utility, Nature, Competition, and Self-Expression. Within each chapter are interviews and profiles with a diverse list of famed riders, both legendary and contemporary. Also included is the ultimate destination ride, with a map, based on that chapter’s theme; and insider info like the one perfect bike; and essential gear that a rider needs to be in the know about. Modern and sleek in its design, and filled with a mix of photography and illustration, this is both a book any rider will cherish for years to come.

Peter Flax is a leader and major authority in the cycling field. A longtime cyclist himself, he writes about sports, adventure, and culture. He’s the editor in chief of The Red Bulletin, an international men’s active lifestyle magazine published by Red Bull; and is the former ed in chief of Bicycling Magazine, Runner’s World, and Backpacker.