Listen free for 30 days
-
Faster
- The Obsession, Science and Luck Behind the World's Fastest Cyclists
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins
- Categories: Biographies & Memoirs, Sports
People who bought this also bought...
-
The Cyclist's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide
- By: Joe Friel
- Narrated by: Brian Arens
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Cyclist's Training Bible equips cyclists of all abilities with every detail they must consider when planning a season, lining up a week of workouts, or preparing for race day. This audio edition adds emphasis to personalizing training plans, incorporates new power meter techniques, improves on ways to develop technique, updates the strength training approach, speeds recovery for busy athletes, and cuts through the noisy volume of training data to focus athletes on the numbers that mean the most to better performance.
-
-
Book's title doesn't lie
- By pioseem88 on 11-05-20
-
The Racer
- Life on the Road as a Pro Cyclist
- By: David Millar
- Narrated by: John Sackville
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is it really like to be a racer? What is it like to be swept along at 60kmh in the middle of the pack? How does it feel to be reeled in from a solo breakaway metres from the line? What happens to the body during a high-speed chute? What tactics must teams employ to win the day, the jersey, the grand tour? How does a domestique keep going to the end of a stage once his job is done and his body exhausted?
-
-
Outstanding!
- By H. Bacon on 09-11-15
-
Mountains According to G
- By: Geraint Thomas
- Narrated by: Joe Leat
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cycling fans obsess about climbs and big mountains. They love reading about their tests and tribulations, and they love to ride them - a cricket lover can never bat at Lord's, or a football supporter score at Wembley, but any rider can take on the challenge of an iconic mountain. There have been fine books about the big climbs before but never from the voice of an elite GC winner, taking you inside what these climbs really feel like, where the attacks come, where the pain kicks in.
-
-
Great narrative and mountaicomparison to character
- By Sully on 10-01-21
-
The Secret Cyclist
- Real Life as a Rider in the Professional Peloton
- By: The Secret Cyclist
- Narrated by: Ben Eagle
- Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
He's ridden for World Tour teams for 10 years. He's achieved top 10 finishes in Grand Tours. He likes coffee. These are just a few details about the professional rider who wants you to know what the view looks like from the centre of the peloton. What do the riders really make of Team Sky? How does the pay structure work? Why should you never trust a kit endorsement from a professional? Is doping still an issue? The Secret Cyclist tackles the big questions head-on, revealing a side to cycling that fans have never seen before.
-
-
Doesn't contain any secrets
- By Amazon Customer on 14-07-19
-
The Climb
- The Autobiography
- By: Chris Froome
- Narrated by: Patrick Doherty
- Length: 14 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of the revealing, inspirational memoir from the British winner of the Tour de France. The Climb tells the extraordinary story of Chris Froome's journey from a young boy in Kenya, riding through townships and past wild animals, and with few opportunities for an aspiring cyclist, to his unforgettable yellow jersey victory in the 2013 Tour de France.
-
-
Incredible athlete and human being. Well read
- By Philippa Gregory fan on 02-08-14
-
Magic Spanner
- The World of Cycling According to Carlton Kirby
- By: Carlton Kirby, Robbie Broughton
- Narrated by: Carlton Kirby
- Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With a candid authority that comes from over 25 years commentating on the world's biggest cycling races, legendary Eurosport commentator Carlton Kirby isn't afraid to tell it like it really is. Witty, outrageous and often outspoken, Magic Spanner is an insider's view of life on cycling's Grand Tours, including the Tour de France, Giro D'Italia, Vuelta a España and the classics, all delivered in the inimitable style for which Carlton has become globally famous.
-
-
Love it.
- By Amazon Customer on 30-10-19
-
The Cyclist's Training Bible: The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide
- By: Joe Friel
- Narrated by: Brian Arens
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Cyclist's Training Bible equips cyclists of all abilities with every detail they must consider when planning a season, lining up a week of workouts, or preparing for race day. This audio edition adds emphasis to personalizing training plans, incorporates new power meter techniques, improves on ways to develop technique, updates the strength training approach, speeds recovery for busy athletes, and cuts through the noisy volume of training data to focus athletes on the numbers that mean the most to better performance.
-
-
Book's title doesn't lie
- By pioseem88 on 11-05-20
-
The Racer
- Life on the Road as a Pro Cyclist
- By: David Millar
- Narrated by: John Sackville
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is it really like to be a racer? What is it like to be swept along at 60kmh in the middle of the pack? How does it feel to be reeled in from a solo breakaway metres from the line? What happens to the body during a high-speed chute? What tactics must teams employ to win the day, the jersey, the grand tour? How does a domestique keep going to the end of a stage once his job is done and his body exhausted?
-
-
Outstanding!
- By H. Bacon on 09-11-15
-
Mountains According to G
- By: Geraint Thomas
- Narrated by: Joe Leat
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cycling fans obsess about climbs and big mountains. They love reading about their tests and tribulations, and they love to ride them - a cricket lover can never bat at Lord's, or a football supporter score at Wembley, but any rider can take on the challenge of an iconic mountain. There have been fine books about the big climbs before but never from the voice of an elite GC winner, taking you inside what these climbs really feel like, where the attacks come, where the pain kicks in.
-
-
Great narrative and mountaicomparison to character
- By Sully on 10-01-21
-
The Secret Cyclist
- Real Life as a Rider in the Professional Peloton
- By: The Secret Cyclist
- Narrated by: Ben Eagle
- Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
He's ridden for World Tour teams for 10 years. He's achieved top 10 finishes in Grand Tours. He likes coffee. These are just a few details about the professional rider who wants you to know what the view looks like from the centre of the peloton. What do the riders really make of Team Sky? How does the pay structure work? Why should you never trust a kit endorsement from a professional? Is doping still an issue? The Secret Cyclist tackles the big questions head-on, revealing a side to cycling that fans have never seen before.
-
-
Doesn't contain any secrets
- By Amazon Customer on 14-07-19
-
The Climb
- The Autobiography
- By: Chris Froome
- Narrated by: Patrick Doherty
- Length: 14 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of the revealing, inspirational memoir from the British winner of the Tour de France. The Climb tells the extraordinary story of Chris Froome's journey from a young boy in Kenya, riding through townships and past wild animals, and with few opportunities for an aspiring cyclist, to his unforgettable yellow jersey victory in the 2013 Tour de France.
-
-
Incredible athlete and human being. Well read
- By Philippa Gregory fan on 02-08-14
-
Magic Spanner
- The World of Cycling According to Carlton Kirby
- By: Carlton Kirby, Robbie Broughton
- Narrated by: Carlton Kirby
- Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With a candid authority that comes from over 25 years commentating on the world's biggest cycling races, legendary Eurosport commentator Carlton Kirby isn't afraid to tell it like it really is. Witty, outrageous and often outspoken, Magic Spanner is an insider's view of life on cycling's Grand Tours, including the Tour de France, Giro D'Italia, Vuelta a España and the classics, all delivered in the inimitable style for which Carlton has become globally famous.
-
-
Love it.
- By Amazon Customer on 30-10-19
-
The Secret Race
- Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups, and Winning at All Costs
- By: Tyler Hamilton, Daniel Coyle
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On a fateful night in 2009, Tyler Hamilton and Daniel Coyle met for dinner at a restaurant in Boulder, Colorado. The two had met five years before while Coyle was writing his best-selling book Lance Armstrong: Tour de Force. But this time, Tyler had something else on his mind. He finally wanted to come clean, about everything: the doping, the lying, his years as Lance Armstrong's teammate on U.S. Postal,, and his decade spent running from the truth. "I'm sorry," he told Coyle. "It just feels so good to be able to talk about this. I've been quiet for so many years."
-
-
Great story even if you are not a bike racing fan
- By Bettym on 19-03-13
-
One-Way Ticket
- Nine Lives on Two Wheels
- By: Jonathan Vaughters
- Narrated by: Jonathan Vaughters
- Length: 10 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In One-Way Ticket: Nine Lives and Two Wheels he describes a journey from driven teenage prodigy, travelling to races in the back of his dad's station wagon, to an obsessive determination to make it big in European racing - whatever the cost. He tells the story of his transformation from poacher to gamekeeper, detailing his painful decision to finally come clean about his own descent into doping - and to persuade others to do likewise - by providing more than enough shocking testimony to USADA (US Anti-Doping Agency) to explode the Armstrong myth.
-
-
Engaging and revealing, but still questions
- By Amazon Customer on 12-09-19
-
Fast After 50
- How to Race Strong for the Rest of Your Life
- By: Joe Friel
- Narrated by: Douglas James
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fast After 50 is for every endurance athlete who wants to stay fast for years to come. For runners, cyclists, triathletes, swimmers, and cross-country skiers, getting older doesn't have to mean getting slower. Drawing from the most current research on aging and sports performance, Joe Friel - America's leading endurance sports coach - shows how athletes can race strong and stay healthy well past age 50.
-
-
Fascinating insight
- By Linda E. on 25-02-21
-
At Speed
- By: Mark Cavendish
- Narrated by: Matthew Delamere
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mark Cavendish is the first British cyclist to win the Tour de France's green jersey, the first to wear the iconic rainbow jersey in almost 50 years and our only ever rider to capture the Giro d'Italia points title. He is the most prolific sprinter in the Tour's history, and - according to L'Equipe - the best sprinter of all time. But smashing records and racking up victories means whole new levels of fame: and this has come at a price. Living in the goldfish bowl, he has come under fire for his bombastic riding style and been portrayed as everything from an outlaw to a psychopath.
-
-
Good book with really poor narrating
- By Paul on 27-11-13
-
Triumphs and Turbulence
- My Autobiography
- By: Chris Boardman
- Narrated by: Joe McGann
- Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 2001, when the bible of the sport, Cycling Weekly, ran a poll to decide the greatest British cyclist, Chris Boardman's was the name that topped the list. It was Boardman's lone achievements in the '80s and '90s - Olympic track gold, the world hour record, repeatedly claiming the yellow jersey in the Tour de France - that lit the spark for modern British cycling. His endeavours both on and off the bike have made him the founding father of current golden generation - without him there would simply be no Hoy, Wiggins or Cavendish.
-
-
Boardman Turbulence & Truimph
- By John on 26-02-19
-
Peak
- The New Science of Athletic Performance that Is Revolutionizing Sports
- By: Dr. Marc Bubbs
- Narrated by: Dr. Marc Bubbs
- Length: 13 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There is a new revolution happening in sports as more and more athletes are basing their success on this game-changing combination: health, nutrition, training, recovery, and mindset. Unfortunately, the evidence-based techniques that the expert PhDs, academic institutions, and professional performance staffs follow can be in stark contrast to what many athletes actually practice. When combined with the noise of social media, old-school traditions, and bro-science, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction.
-
-
Not suitable as an Audi book
- By WCL on 27-10-19
-
Cycle of Lies
- The Fall of Lance Armstrong
- By: Juliet Macur
- Narrated by: Carrington Macduffie
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A fly-on-the-wall account of the Lance Armstrong doping scandal – the greatest drama in modern sporting history by the New York Times cycling correspondent. As Lance Armstrong’s precipitous fall from grace continues, New York Times sports reporter Juliet Macur takes the reader behind the scenes to bring you the astonishing twists and turns of an outrage that has rocked the world of cycling.
-
-
As you'd expect
- By M3 on 18-04-14
-
How Bad Do You Want It?
- Mastering the Psychology of Mind over Muscle
- By: Matt Fitzgerald
- Narrated by: Matt Fitzgerald
- Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The greatest athletic performances spring from the mind, not the body. Elite athletes have known this for decades, and now science is learning why it's true. In his fascinating new book, How Bad Do You Want It?, coach Matt Fitzgerald examines more than a dozen pivotal races to discover the surprising ways elite athletes strengthen their mental toughness.
-
-
Well revealed
- By RabbitLemon on 19-07-18
-
My Time
- By: Bradley Wiggins
- Narrated by: Tom Watt
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On 22 July 2012 Bradley Wiggins became the first British man ever to win the Tour de France. In an instant, 'Wiggo' became a national hero. Ten days later, having swapped his yellow jersey for the colours of Team GB, he won Olympic gold in the time trial, adding to his previous six medals to become the nation's most decorated Olympian of all time. Outspoken, honest, intelligent and fearless, Wiggins has been hailed as the people’s champion.
-
-
Better Than I Expected
- By O Day on 14-12-12
-
Around the World in 80 Days
- My World Record Breaking Adventure
- By: Mark Beaumont
- Narrated by: Mark Beaumont
- Length: 16 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On Monday 18th September 2017, Mark Beaumont pedalled through the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. 78 days, 14 hours and 40 minutes earlier he set off from the same point, beginning his attempt to circumnavigate the world in record time. Covering more than 18,000 miles and cycling through some of the harshest conditions one man and his bicycle can endure, Mark made history. He smashed two Guinness World Records and beat the previous record by an astonishing 45 days.
-
-
Captivating journey and a story well told.
- By Troubled on 13-06-19
-
Pro Cycling on $10 a Day
- From Fat Kid to Euro Pro
- By: Phil Gaimon
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Plump, grumpy, slumped on the couch, and going nowhere fast at age 16, Phil Gaimon began riding a bicycle with the grand ambition of shedding a few pounds before going off to college. He soon fell into racing and discovered he was a natural, riding his way into a pro contract after just one season despite utter ignorance of a century of cycling etiquette. Now, in his book Pro Cycling on $10 a Day, Phil brings the full powers of his wit to tell his story.
-
-
Superb Alternative Cyclist's Story
- By Tony on 11-09-17
-
Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance
- By: Alex Hutchinson
- Narrated by: Robert G. Slade
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How high or far or fast can humans go? And what about individual potential: what defines a person's limits? From running a two-hour marathon to summiting Mount Everest, we're fascinated by the extremes of human endurance, constantly testing both our physical and psychological limits.In Endure, Alex Hutchinson, PhD, reveals why our individual limits may be determined as much by our heads and hearts as by our muscles.
-
-
An encapsulating journey of endurance
- By Kingsley P. on 05-10-19
Summary
For professional cyclists, going faster and winning are, of course, closely related. Yet surprisingly, for many, a desire to go faster is much more important than a desire to win. Someone who wants to go faster will work at the details and take small steps rather than focusing on winning. Winning just happens when you do everything right - it's the doing everything right that's hard. And that's what fascinates and obsesses Michael Hutchinson.
With his usual deadpan delivery and an awareness that it's all mildly preposterous, Hutchinson looks at the things that make you faster - training, nutrition, the right psychology - and explains how they work and how what we know about them changes all the time. He looks at the things that make you slower and why they do so and how attempts to avoid them can result in serious athletes gradually painting themselves into the most peculiar lifestyle corners.
Faster is a book about why cyclists do what they do; about what the riders, their coaches, and the boffins get up to behind the scenes; and about why the whole idea of going faster is such an appealing, universal instinct for all of us.
More from the same
Narrator
What listeners say about Faster
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Shane Kearney
- 09-06-16
Entertaining, informative, delivers prospective
I have read over 50 sport science type books over the years my first was a rare translation of the east Germany book Rudern circa 1985 and my latest prior to this Joe Friels Fast after 50. This is the only time that I have finish a chapter and re-read because it's delivered insight in a very entertaining way. I was just a bit disappointed Bernard did not get a mention!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Elizabeth F.
- 27-07-20
Absolutely brilliant.
I adore audio books and especially ones from athletes but this has been one is definitely topping my favourite list as one of the most insightful ones I’ve had the pleasure to listen to. I’ve just finished it and I’m going straight back to the beginning to see if I can get anything more from it, really brill. Excellently told with a great energy to the story and also made me smile several times too. The detail to this book is superb. Loved it.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- J H Roberts
- 12-06-20
Brilliant cycling book
If you want to find out how to improve your cycling in a fun bit serious way this the book. It’s not mega technical but will motivate and guide you in better direction. With history of a man cycling and cycles. I have listened to quite a few cycling books and this one of the top ones, enjoy!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mrs. KL Verry
- 30-05-20
Physiology for cyclists made simple!
Thoroughly engrossing book narrated well. A must for endurance athletes of any discipline who have an interest in improving their understanding of performance physiology!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ricardo Alarcon
- 20-04-20
An interesting and well balanced book
This book will appeal hobby to serious amateur riders, to those interested in sports science. It strikes a good balance of anecdotes, humour, serious science, opinion and great insights in to professional athletes life and commitment. It is a good introduction to several aspects of bike riding and performance which you can then explore further in more specialist books.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Cappy
- 26-05-18
Excellent book. Rubbish narration
A superb book. Witty and informative.
The narration is ruined by an embarrassing and unconvincing “ Irish “ accent. Dr Hutchinson is an experienced broadcaster and he should have narrated his own book.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kevin
- 22-02-18
great book. very witty guy and interesting story.
great book. very witty guy and interesting story. could see a follow up in the pipeline.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 10-03-17
Interesting take on elite training.
an interesting and informative view on the obsession behind elite level cycling, but slightly dated.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 15-11-16
Amusing Factual
really good listen, not too technical for an audio book listen. e.g not lots of technical to remember. recommended for any bikey!!!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- S
- 30-10-16
A must for anyone interested in the sport.
Where does Faster rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
One of the best.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Michael Hutchinson
What about Simon Vance’s performance did you like?
Very entertaining.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes
Any additional comments?
I enjoyed every part of this book, very well written and funny.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Ron
- 12-08-16
Interesting, enjoyable, and witty
I am a bit surprised how much I liked this book. He took what could be a dry topic and made it interesting and informative. And he did so with wit and wisdom. Just about any type of athlete will discover something valuable in this book, but cycling, running, and triathletes will find this read particularly worthwhile. The book is not about specific training plans, but instead provides higher-level insights about muscle types, genetics, aerodynamics, and training. Now that I have finished the book I have to get out of the chair and on the bike so I, too, can be faster.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Turtle
- 07-11-16
Great read!
This is a book about the author's personal cycling career mixed with research in the realm of peak sports performance. It has a nerdy component that appeals to people like me who like books like "The Sports Gene", "The Outliers", etc. A nice bit of humor mixed in to make an amusing read for people with interest in sports. A am a triathlete and enjoyed the insights.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- LaLa
- 20-09-16
Great! A mix of humor, insight, & information
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes, what cyclist doesn't want tips to go faster? Train smarter not harder.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Faster?
Ice baths are evil... yippee!
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
I'll try anything once
Any additional comments?
Simon Vance was perfect! This book definitely fueled my ongoing quest for speed. Taught me a lot of what I shouldn't be doing as well as what I should be doing. It's peppered with humorous real life accounts and insight into what the biggest teams are doing in their quest for speed.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Joe
- 22-05-17
Every cycling book is worth 5's.
Soon as you finish one book related to the sport of cycling, the question is usually what is next.
If just getting in to the sport, this might be a better book for later on. As for a the avid rider or even a little obsessed (me)... this is is a must listen!
Loads of information, great tales and well put together. Thanks
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amazon Customer
- 11-12-19
Very Technical
Easy to listen to narration. If you love the technical nature of endurance sports and how the body works, this is a great listen! Really enjoyed this.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- julian
- 12-03-18
funny and interesting
I've read a few books on this topic area and so it was not so revealing for me, but a nice insight into Mr Hutchinson's life