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by: Joe Parkin
List Price: $21.95Amazon.com's Price: $14.93 You Save: $7.02 (32%)Prices subject to change. Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.6
EAN: 9781934030264
ISBN: 1934030260
Label: VeloPress
Manufacturer: VeloPress
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 240
Publication Date: September 01, 2008
Publisher: VeloPress
Sales Rank: 7930
Studio: VeloPress
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
In this brutally frank book, Joe Parkin puts readers in the whirlwind of the extreme world of professional bicycling, starting with his first visit to his team doctor, where, strapped to a metal table and monitored by humming electrodes, his future as a professional racer is coldly determined. Parkin pulls no punches, celebrating the glory of bike racing at its best, but also exploring the harsh reality of the life behind it. The author covers it all from an insider's perspective: the drugs, the payoffs, the races bought and paid for, the misery of training, the physical agony of racing, the battles with team owners for contracts and money, the endless promises, and the betrayals by enemies, teammates, and friends. Set in Belgium, the epicenter of all that's daunting and dazzling about the sport,A Dog in a Hat is one American's story of his love affair with professional cycling.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - John Mac Cormaic CPA
I thought it was a great read, it gave a realistic view of life as a professional cyclist, shared some interesting anecdotes about fellow professionals, and compared life as a cyclist in US of A and Europe. Full of humour,fact and interest.
Rating: - Real World Professional Cycling
If you want insight into day in day out real world professional cycling. It took real guts for a kid just out of high school to leave home, head off Belgium to become a professional cyclist. Joe Parkin did that and now has written I great book about his experiences. Not everyone can be a Lance Armstrong, Bernard Hinault or Greg LeMond but the thrill of striving to competitive at almost that level, while knowing you never will, is the real courage of professional riders like Joe. Joe started his ... Read More
Rating: - A Dog in a Hat
Great read ! Any cyclist who races or enjoys watching bike racing will love this book. If Bob Roll gives it thumbs up, you know it's cool. Live Better Ride More :)
Rating: - A must-read for any cyclist!
As someone who came into cycling in the era when Parkin was a Euro-pro (mid 1980's), I totally love this book! It captures the passion I felt for a sport at a time when it was just starting to register on the American consciousness via such riders as Greg LeMond and the boys of the 7-11 team. In the 1980's, I think every cyclist wanted to make the jump over the pond; very few actually had the guts to try on their own. It leaves no doubt as to the difficulty of pro cycling in Europe, and in particular, ... Read More
Rating: - Thanks for Sharing Joe
Bicycle racing has enough self imploding drama as it is, and Joe Parkin's book lays it down firsthand as it was for him in the European professional world. He could have gone the Midshipman route, climbed the greased obelisk, and tossed his hat in the air at graduation? Instead, he went to a place where they use different languages, had to get and maintain a sponsorship, and be able to ride a bicycle at the pro level. It is interesting that several readers have commented on foreign language phrases inserted. ... Read More
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