I’m nearing the half-way point in writing “Along The Med on a Bike Called Reggie” (you can read two extracts here and here) and to whet everyone’s appetite I have just posted the photographs from my travels through Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia to the new […]
Here is the second in a series of extracts from the soon-to-be-published book ‘Along The Med on a Bike Called Reggie‘. If you haven’t done so already, you may want to read extract 1 (which was all about cycling day 11 in Albania) by following this link. Tuesday […]
Here it is in all its glory; the new cover for Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie as designed by Andy Mitchell of Custard4Gravy. It’s wonderful and better than I ever imagined. I’m now in the process of updating the various editions of the book that are […]
You’ve still got time to make sure you’ve read ‘Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie‘ before ‘Along The Med on a Bike Called Reggie‘ hits the shelves this summer. ‘DartmoorScottyDog‘ did just that and he seemed to enjoy the experience…ย
Free tickets for this event in Leeds (starring me!) available from Eventbrite. “Have you ever felt like getting on your bike and going on an adventure? maybe heading off on a long distance tour and visiting other countries? Andrew Sykes and Tom Bruce have done just that, cataloguing […]
Over the next few months as I write about my 2013 cycle from Greece to Portugal along the (rough) line of the Eurovelo 8, I will publishย an occasional extract from the bookย here on CyclingEurope.org. The book will be published on the 10th June 2014. Here is the first […]
In just 10 minutes – at midday – you’ll be able to read an exclusive extract from my forthcoming book ‘Along The Med on a Bike Called Reggie‘ here on CyclingEurope.org. The book will recount the tale of my cycle in summer 2013 from the Temple of Poseidon […]
I’m not sure how my blogging activities will be affected by my renewed action on the book writing front – I’m now very much into writing the following up to ‘Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie‘ – but here’s the first proper post of 2014. Happy New […]
A very Happy Christmas to all the follows of CyclingEurope.org & readers of “Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie” (if you aren’t a reader yet, why not download a copy to your new tablet via Kindle or iBooksย if you were lucky enough to get one?). Here’s a […]
The year is slowly drawing to a close… and I haven’t got very far with the new book. I’ve so far written about 6,500 words (which equates to about 5% of the final total unless it turns out to be a modern-day War & Peace). I’m not worried […]
From Amazon.co.uk about Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie: “Excellent and amusing commentary on a solo bicycle trip from Reading in England to Brindisi, on the heel of Italy. This isn’t a journey through Outer Mongolia. Sykes always has the option of stopping and getting a train […]
When I first embarked on a long(ish)-distance cycle back in 2009 cycling along the Pennine Cycleway from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Derby I took with me a pre-smart phone. I think it was a Nokia. It did a pretty good job allowing me to take some half-decent pictures and send […]
You’ve cried at the John Lewis Christmas ad (although I have to say it just isn’t quite the same after you’ve seen the front cover of the latest edition of Private Eye), you’ve watchedย Rosie Huntington-Whiteley dive down a manhole (that just doesn’t sound right does it?) only to […]
If you have read “Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie” you may recall that I am a fan of Luxembourg. It was such an interesting place. I suppose I’m mainly referring to the capital itself rather than the country as my stay was a brief one and […]
The ECF have just published an interview with me where I discuss this summer’s cycle from Greece to Portugal along the rough line of the Eurovelo 8. The interview can be found on the ECF’s increasingly useful Eurovelo website in a slighted edited form. The full interview is […]
Just as with the first book, the first thing that I needed to do requires nothing more than a bit of patience and a lot of copying and I have spent several hours today doing just that. I am conscious of not just publishing a blog. If you […]
A few months after I had published “Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie” (available in all good book shops, a few not-so-good books shops and online), a chap contacted me to say how wonderful it was (honest) and I subsequently exchanged a few emails with him about […]
I suppose it should be ‘back’ to Athens but… Before I start just a couple if quick admin points. Firstly, fear not those who did not read the blog posts back in 2010 but subsequently read the book ‘Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie’. The book was […]
I’d like to think that all readers of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie take up this position when reading about my cycling adventures… Great photo courtesy of @iamjakamo on Twitter.ย
Here is a picture of most of the equipment I’ll be taking with me when I set off from the south-eastern corner of Greece in exactly two-weeks’ time. There is a full list of everything below the image. If you think I’ve missed anything, please do let me […]
Three weeks to go… Still so much to do in terms of planning and I am beginning to feel the same way as I did back in 2010 before I set off for the south of Italy; a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Excitement is the easy emotion […]
I was emailed yesterday by a guy in America called Angelo who is planning his own cycle tour of Europe. He had read Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie and suggested that I might be interested in another book that predates my own by getting on for […]
If you are a reader of Cycling Active magazine and have an ability to spot detail amongst all the bike-related info., you may have noticed a mention of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie in the July edition of the magazine that came out last […]
Some critics were disappointed by ‘Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie‘ as it was just as much a travelogue as a book about cycling. Well, I’m sorry, but if you were one of those critics you might want to stay clear of book two based […]
I’m fairly open about reviews; I don’t expect everyone to enjoy reading Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie and where justified criticism is offered, I take it on board as helpful advice. I am in the fortunate position of having many more positive reviews for the book […]
This looks like a fun event in London on Saturday the 18th May. I may pop along (with a few copies of ‘Crossing Europe On A Bike Called Reggie‘ in my back pocket!) to size up the book market competition… Look out for me!
We live in a very connected World. Or at least I do and this website does. I spent last night trying to sort out all the connections to and from the likes of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr etc… and I think I have them mastered. In theory, this […]
“This was a thoroughly enjoyable read from the moment you pick up the book. From the ride planning, apprehension and excitement, plus the doubting friends and colleagues, you can understand exactly how the author felt in starting this epic journey. All of the days cycling are covered in […]
Another 5-star review of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie at Amazon.co.uk (see below) but also a couple of new short reviews at Amazon.com (see bottom of this post). First up is ‘Alex’ who has titled his review ‘A truly epic adventure and book‘; “Feeling […]
A few months ago I wrote about Neola, a cyclist from Halifax who is planning a trip across Europe this summer from Santander to Romania. I may well bump into her and her fellow touring cyclist as I make my way in the other direction across Europe. Neola […]
Bristol is home to many things. Cycle paths carved into the paving stones of the streets, ice cream vans that are made by Mercedes, signs thanking you for not using your car (should you have one), pretty colourful houses in rows, intriguing street names & the first section […]
Graham Thompson writes on Amazon.co.uk: “Andrew Sykes is a language teacher, an admirable profession that to do well, I assume, must have some empathy with the countries and people who live and speak those languages. If this is the case then a tour across Europe should come as […]
I met the owner of Green Jersey French Cycling Tours at the London Bike Show recently and this is the result! More details about the competition here.
“Sometimes when you read the endorsements on a book you wonder if they can possibly be true. Have a good look at the back cover of Good Vibrations if you get chance & I guarantee they’re 100% accurate. The book is a very easy, compelling read. The author […]
Don’t panic! Temporarily out of stock at Amazon, remember that you can pick up a copy of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie at any of the following Waterstone’s stores (Mr Palin picked up his copy in Reading Broad Street by the way…): ABERDEEN UNION […]
To help celebrate passing the milestone of 5,000 copies of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie, I asked people on Twitter & Facebook to nominate people or causes who might benefit fromย receivingย a complimentary copy of the book. I had quite a few nominations and thanks […]
Dear friends Earlier this weekend my book โGood Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggieโย sold its 5,000thย copy and Iโd like to use this milestone to take the opportunity of saying a heart-felt โthanksโ to all of you. Written following a six-week cycle from my home in southern […]
Mentions of my book on far-flung websites are always intriguing to read; the thought that someone far off is absorbed in reading about my little journey across Europe is as delightful as it is curious. Even more so when they are not written in English. This has been […]
“A few summers ago I stumbled upon Andrew’s blog when he was about a week into his journey. Each morning after that my habitual early start at my desk with coffee in hand was one hell of a lot more interesting having the anticipation of wanting to know […]
“I thought this book may maybe a bit boring considering I have recently read several cycling travel books of people travelling around the World. But in fact it was a very good read mainly due to the writer’s skill of making even the most mundane day sound interesting. […]
“Just finished [Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie]! A thoroughly delightful book that simply lifts the spirit and creates the urge to travel. A must read for cyclists and travellers, real or armchair, alike. One of those rare books that you just wish would last […]
I hear that One Direction are doing quite well in the USA. Well, they are not the only ones to be getting rave reviews from our Americain cousins; Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie has just recieved its fourth positive review on Amazon.com (to complement […]
This is a nice post with which to bring 2012 to a close. Alex Pavitt has written a review for Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie for his websiteย (which is well worth a visit!): “Feeling inspired from the amazing feats of the Great Britain team […]
‘Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie‘ seems to have come of age this Christmas. It was a real delight for many who received the book as a present on the 25th to send a picture. Here is a montage of the photos that I received. […]
“The author has managed to convey the real joy of long distance cycling. I found his style of writing just made me want to keep turning the pages. His self-deprecating approach and dry, delightful wit are a joy. Read this; you will enjoy.”ย Dalesbloke “An excellent book, written in […]
Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie has gone legit! Well, it was never not so but it is increasingly available on the shelves of your local book shop. Below is the updated list of availability in Waterstone’s (and there are more to come). There is […]
You did it! Just after midnight last night I sent ยฃ202 to BBC Children In Need thanks to all the people who downloaded the Kindle version of ‘Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie‘ in the first two weeks of November. Thanks if you were one of them. […]
Dear friends, Welcome to November! You’ve all be amazingly supportive over the last fifteen months since ‘Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie‘ was first published back in August 2011. A budding author could not have asked for more help, advice & encouragement. The last week […]
The vibrations, despite being good, have been banned by Amazon… I’ll post the full story on here by the end of the week. In the meantime, here is the tweaked cover of the Kindle version of the book. All other versions (paperback, Apple iStore, Waterstone’s, Kobo, WHSmith, Lulu…) […]
“Some travel writers have the dubious talent of turning a fascinating journey into a dull book. Andrew Sykes is no such writer so his book will appeal to cyclists and non-cyclists alike. As well as the things he sees and does Andrew describes his motivations for undertaking the […]
Will from Devon has reviewed Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie for his website WillCycle; “No, sadly this post isn’t about a forthcoming long-distance cycling holiday. Instead, it is about a book I recently read.ย I’ve never done a book review before, so forgive me if […]
Over the next few months, I will drone on endlessly on this website, on Twitter & on Facebook about this piece of cycling equipment or that. I will debate the merits of widget A over that of widget B to the extent that when I do finally make […]
“As my title suggests I can’t wait for the next tale of travel by bike in Europe, I finished it so quickly as I enjoyed it so much. I am assured the next book is due after summer 2013 on Eurovelo 8 Athens to Cadiz. I thoroughly enjoyed […]
‘That phrase, over-used in the review of books ‘the perfect summer read’. Well, this is the perfect WINTER read, because it’s like sitting down the pub with your mate trading travel and bike stories with a nice glass of vino by the fire. Andrew Sykes’ writing is informal, […]
If you’ve read Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie, you may well remember Iain who I stayed with overnight in Deal, Kent. I look up to Iain as someone who seems to know much more about the technicalities of cycling than me. It wouldn’t be […]
“I bought this book having read some great reviews, I wasn’t sure it would be my thing, how wrong I was.ย It doesn’t get bogged down with technical details about the bike or equipment, and stays fairly easy on complications to the end, although it’s packed with detail about […]
I’ve just caught up with last Monday’s Cycle Show on ITV4 which contained an interesting piece on cycling up to the Stelvio Pass in the Italian Alps. Some stunning images and it’s worth watching on the ITV Playerย just for the views (although if you do, be quick as […]
Perhaps the first line of the latest five-star review for Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie will help me break into the lucrative market currently dominated by Fifty Shades of Grey… “This a passionate read – and if you enjoy travel or you enjoy cycling, […]
Welcome back! (Sorry, just practising for a future job on daytime television…) A couple of posts back, I wrote about my visit last week to York but there was a little gap in my day. Here’s what I did in the gap… The writing of my book has […]
50 reviews on Amazon.co.uk & still going strong with an average star rating of 4.7. Here is number 50; “This book was just great. From the first page to the last I was never bored and was always desperately wondering what Andrew (the author) was going to do […]
It’s now a year since Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie was first published. The literary journey since August 2011 has been almost as eventful as the one by bike to Brindisi back in summer 2010; here’s hoping that Year 2 will be just as […]
“What a cracking little read this was, showing just what anyone can do if they put their mind to it and have the bottle to head out of the comfort zone of their front door and out into the unknown.ย The thing I love about these type of books […]
“Took this book on holiday with me and travelled through every destination with the author as he did on his journey. The planning and execution of the adventure is well documented in diary format. The photos are very helpful to show some of the places and people he […]
“This is a charming and well written account about how to spend the time of your life on -mainly- the more quiet back-roads of Europe, where people are helpful and friendly and life and bike-riding (apart from a few broken spokes) are good. Lots of useful info for […]
Do you write for a magazine, have a blog, present a TV show, run a country? (OK, probably not the last one…) Would you like to read and review an ‘inspirational‘ book about one man’s ‘wonderful, witty cycle tour across Europe’. Well, I have a limited number of […]
In my book, Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie (have I ever mentioned it?) I make the following comments about Brooks saddles; “I did at one point in my two-years of preparation consider changing to a Brookโs leather saddle which apparently moulds itself to your […]
Brian Palmer has written a review of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie for The Washing Machine Post; “Sykes has a glorious, yet understated wit, which is way more satisfying than any rip-roaring induced laughter at each paragraph end. The best writers and indeed, the […]
Waking up to find that your book is top of the charts on Apple iTunes is never a bad way to start the day. ๐ย
I had seen that Michael Palin was going to be in town a few weeks ago; Waterstones in Broad Street had cranked up the publicity machine and it had done the trick as I, along with many others were in the queue by the time the great man […]
A couple of weeks ago, James Mudd emailed me after having read Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie telling me of his plans to do something similar; I amย setting off with two friends on 2nd July 2012 from Home (Leeds) to Rome. Iย was inspired by […]
“I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in cycle touring, but also to anyone without any interest in cycling at all. It’s well written, very witty and never gets bogged down in statistics or technical issues, but the author’s concise descriptions of the route, scenery […]
“I just loved this book and was gripped from start to finish. The author is such an everyman but is so inspiring as he cycles across half of Europe. I really found it difficult to put this book down and it really cheered me up every morning and […]
In the recent CTC review of Good Vibrations, Chris Peck noted ‘Never judge a book by its cover‘ before going on to extol the virtues of the read (‘I can’t recommend a better book for inspiration‘). Others have made similar comments about the cover (‘why choose a litter-strewn, […]
“As the review title says, I truly enjoyed this book. It is well written account of a trip made by a man who sounds pretty much a normal sort of guy. This is… what makes the book so appealing, [it] makes this sort of adventure sound do-able.” T. […]
Let it never be said that I don’t respond to the wishes of my valued readers! Tim has just commented on the home page of CyclingEurope.org; The Kindle version of your book comes with no map. No idea why, the kindle screen produces perfectly good black and white […]
From the other side of the Atlantic, Mary Reynolds has written a review ofย Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie for Examiner.com; “With a dry British wit (and some very wet days), Andrew Sykes tells of his amazing bicycle journey from Reading, England to Brindisi, Italy. […]
The Rhine Cycle Route (or as it has been recently rebranded, the Eurovelo 15) has a sexy new website. Can a website be sexy? Actually, not going there… It’s worth a look (and you won’t feel obliged to delete your Internet browsing history after having been there…). The […]
… I’ve just finished watching another series of The Apprentice; it was, once again, very entertaining. Congratulations. It’s fun watching the ‘best young business brains in Britain‘ (as the narration sometimes reminds us) trying to persuade you to hand your ยฃ250,000 over to them. The only person who […]
“‘Never judge a book by its cover’ to which I would add: ‘nor its title’. I embarked on this book a little wearily but was quickly won over by Andrew Sykes’s engaging, self-deprecating style. His account of his transformation from daily cycle commuter to trans-European long distance cyclist […]
Another five-star review of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie; “Looking for something different I stumbled upon Crossing Europe on a Bike called Reggie and found it surprising and inspiring. The book works on a number of different levels. As a travelogue, the author takes […]
An email has arrived from Jack who fancies cycling around Europe… He writes in blue, I write in red. Well, I am a teacher, albeit one with a sniffly nose today. And on the day that Francois Hollande becomes the French president, it does give this post a […]
What bike is? As I type, friend Sally is pedalling the streets of London on a Boris Bike. She has beaten me to it! I must have inspired her with my tale of cycling to Italy for it is the very same Sally who advised me where the […]
I’ll let you into a secret; please don’t tell anyone. Here goes… When I post reviews of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie on here, I occasionally edit them ever so slightly so as to give them a seamlessly positive tone (and to be honest, […]
My cousin is a teacher of English language in Portugal. He works for the British Council in the beautiful hilltop city of Coimbra some 40 kilometres from the Atlantic coast. I’d certainly recommend it as a place to visit. Anyway, away from my travel advice, you’d think he’d […]
On the BBC’s Countryfile yesterday afternoon, the weatherman shown here explained how April 2012 had been very wet indeed. He used this graph to explain that in southern England since January 2010, there hadย only been three months that had received above average levels of rainfall. Of those, August […]
“Just finishedย [Good Vibrations]…ย and thoroughly enjoyed it. It brought lots of memories of my experience of cycling touring even though mine was no where near as ambitious… Many of the cycle touring books I have read have been about people selling up and hitting the road for years on […]
“Andrew Sykes’s enthusiasm, determination and wry humour come through in this entertaining read. It will suit both armchair dreamers and two-wheel travellers considering their own possible adventures… Andrew’s trip from England to the toe of Italy during his summer break from teaching has the feel of a minor […]
“This guy deserves a pat on the back; well written and thought about and kept me on the edge of my seat on what was going to happen next. I do recommend this book; you won’t regret [reading it].”ย ‘sifi’, Amazon.co.uk review of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on […]
Another 5* rating on Amazon for Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie; “I’m sure I heard Andrew on The Bike Show podcast giving a rough outline of his trip. It was such a good podcast I noted the title down & bought the book on […]
I have received an email from Monica. Hi Andrew Next year starting 29th March I will be cycling from Lisbon to Athens using the Eurovelo Route 8, raising money for Camfed. I am organising the trip myself and spotted your website. All advice, large or small gratefully received.ย […]
After having finished writing, directing & editing yesterday’s award-winning* advert for Good Vibrations, I cranked up the video camera yesterday, called in a few favours with my matesย Seb, Dave, Boris & Kate, fuelled up the helicopter & knocked off the London 2012 Spring Update! (*Best CyclingEurope.org advert for […]
