Book Review - The Lost Cyclist

The Lost Cyclist - David V. Herlihy (2010)  - The sub-title here is "The Epic Tale Of An American Adventurer And His Mysterious Disappearance" which offers a nice little summation.

This is the story of Frank Lenz an early star in the world of bicycling.  Bicycles are such a common object that we forget that once there was a time when they were new.  In the late 1800's bicycles were the rage.  Starting with the challenging "ordinary"or "Pennyfarthing" then moving to the "safety", which is the origin of the bicycle most of us know today, bicycling was a craze in America and Europe.  Out of Pittsburgh, PA came several of the best of the early riders including Lenz.  His specialty was long distance riding or touring.  While he had great success on the ordinary Lenz was always running second to his rivals and he wanted more than that.  He found it in the innovative new safety bike with it's pneumatic tires (previously bike tires had been solid rubber.  The inflatable tire was a huge step up in comfort and ease of riding).  What he really needed was a momentous ride.

The ride he chose was to go around the world on his bike.  Beginning in the States he would travel west to Japan, then China and across Asia finally to Europe and home.  Others had done similar trips but never this direction and never with the intent to ride the entire way.  Previous riders had covered long sections of the trip by train which Lenz refused to do.  The Pittsburgh native would make it as far as Turkey and then never be heard from again.  To this day a mystery surrounds the end of the trip.

Herlihy covers the challenges and trials of the trip with a story teller's skill.  From Lenz's early days in racing and touring through the many challenges that would face him before he even made it to Turkey the author draws you into the tale.  The rider is often his own worst enemy while at the same time his courage and incredible physical determination take him past obstacles that would have balked any ordinary person.  The story follows right through the investigation launched into his death and the roadblocks that impede it.

And Lenz himself  is often the greatest challenge on the trip.  Like many of his time he assumes a natural superiority over anyone who isn't like him.  There is an ingrained racism in American culture that is right at the surface in those days.  Add in the strong element of cultural superiority that was at its height at this point in American history and Lenz is bound to create ill will among those with narrower world views and/or longer histories than our own.  It seems quite possible that he crossed the wrong person at the wrong time resulting in his death.

If you love well written history you should enjoy this.  If you're a cyclist (or wheel man as we were referred to back in the day) with a love of history this one should definitely be on your list.

Rating - **** Recommended