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Pro Cycling on $10 a Day: From Fat Kid to Euro Pro Paperback – May 5, 2014


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Product Details

  • Paperback: 312 pages
  • Publisher: Velo Press (May 5, 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1937715248
  • ISBN-13: 978-1937715243
  • Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (167 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,942 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Much of Pro Cycling on $10 a Day spins as pure pleasure—an inside account of what it's really like to race for a living and occasionally be among the sport's elite…The best parts read like an unpretentious insider's diary, full of the kind of wisecracks, gossip and advice traded on memorable long rides.” — Wall Street Journal

“At a time when pro cycling has struggled with its image, Phil Gaimon has emerged as a refreshing voice from the peloton — intelligent, humorous, articulate, and above all, transparent. As a college-educated latecomer to the sport, as an outsider who struggled to be given a chance, and as someone with the perspective to laugh at the absurdity of being paid to ride a bicycle for a living, Gaimon's insights into the pro cycling world resonate with a wide audience. His self-effacing humor, commitment to clean sport, and extraordinary talent have made him a bit of an everyman hero within pro cycling — a rider you want to hear from, and know more about, win or lose.” — Velo magazine

“Having watched Phil race over the past few years we know he is a great, versatile rider with a huge amount of talent. Beyond that, he is also funny, smart and unique addition to the team. We think he’ll be a great fit both on the road and off and we look forward to helping him take the next step in his career.” — Jonathan Vaughters, CEO, Team Garmin-Sharp

“An outspoken proponent of clean competition, Gaimon sports a tattoo of a bar of soap with the world ‘clean’ on his right bicep, and he was attracted to Garmin-Sharp for its ethical code.” — CyclingNews.com

Pro Cycling on $10 a Day is the story we all want to hear: a regular guy who rides from overweight amateur to European pro in a short time, finding his way and making the best decisions from the resources he had. Phil’s story inspires hope in up-and-comers about what hard work can produce. If you listen, pay attention and surround yourself with the best people you can, then no dream is out of touch.” — Jeremy Powers, professional cyclist for Jelly Belly Cycling Team and Team Rapha-Focus and two-time U.S. Cyclocross National Champion

“We have discovered a light-hearted, hard-working rider with strong convictions.” — Podium Café

“I believed in Phil and he worked hard to make the best of his opportunity in racing. He lived out of his car, trained hard, drove hours to get to races, and always showed up ready to fight at each race. He didn't have it easy… I never knew what was going to come out of Phil's mouth but I always knew he would race himself into the ground to try and win for himself or the team.” — Frankie Andreu, Team Director, 5-hour ENERGY presented by Kenda, 9-time Tour de France finisher, and 2-time Olympic cyclist

“The first thing you’ll notice about Phil’s house is a sit-up bench in his living room instead of a TV. The next thing is all the framed Calvin and Hobbes cartoons on the walls. In the strip, Calvin’s bike was always trying to kill him and this was true for Phil when he needed race results so bad, he was willing to risk it all. Phil’s book tells the story of the guy who mastered his bike, worked hard, and finally found a contract that pays a little more than $10 a day.” — Gwen Jorgensen, professional triathlete, Olympic athlete, and two-time U.S. National Champion

“Phil Gaimon embodies what every aspiring cyclist wants to be: skinny, fast, and clean. He attacked his dream of going pro so hard he ended up in a nightmare with me. Read his book and you’ll realize that Phil speaks the truth: bike racing is hard, but becoming a pro is even harder.” — Brad Huff, professional cyclist for Optum presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies

From the Back Cover

A TRUE TALE OF CYCLING FROM THE OUTSIDE IN

Pro Cycling on $10 a Day, Phil brings the full powers of his sardonic wit to tell his improbable story.

Pro Cycling on $10 a Day, chronicles the itinerant racer’s daily lot of weeping bandages, inedible food, gunked-up water bottles and overflowing toilets. But it also celebrates the true beauty of the sport, and proves in the end that even in the cloistered ranks of professional cycling, there will always be room for a brilliant outsider.


More About the Author

Phil Gaimon retired from laziness and computer games in 2004, and began riding a bike to lose weight. Now, he is a professional cyclist signed to Team Garmin-Sharp for 2014. Phil maintains a blog on www.velonews.com, and a website, www.philthethrill.net, on which he chronicles his ceaseless pursuit of the best cookies and milk in America.

Customer Reviews

A humorous insight into pro cycling.
Jeff Jackson
This is the book so many of the others promised to be.
jimmyray8
Written in a clear and easy to read manner.
Amazon Customer

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful By Steve Hanchett on May 7, 2014
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
Phil's book was an interesting look into the world of professional cycling. He helps to demystify the sport which doesn't have professional teams tied to big cities, draft days or a clear path to the professional ranks. The title is somewhat misleading in that you don't really read a lot about "fat kid." It is more about Phil's move from the amateur ranks to the elite level of professional cycling. I don't think I'm a prude but I did find the juvenile male humor overdone and unnecessary. I suppose it is a part of that world of 20 something males but older dudes like me have moved past that and don't find it particularly witty or funny. There were a couple of chuckles but the cover blurb about it being hilarious is a huge overstatement. Glad I read it. Happy it has a strong emphasis on clean racing.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful By Paul C Messal on April 30, 2014
Format: Paperback
An unapologetic retelling of his journey through the domestic pro cycling ranks. Phil is refreshingly candid about EVERYTHING from contracts, training and paychecks to relationships, ethics and farting.

Pro athletes looking to connect with their fan base (and maybe sell a few books while they're at it) ought to take some cues from Gaimon...nobody wants to read generic rhetoric that is regurgitated in every cycling news site on the world wide web.

Real cycling fans will absolutely love the inside perspective and outsiders will be astonished at the dedication and determination required to race a bicycle. An easy read that ends much sooner than you'll want it to.
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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful By kes on April 23, 2014
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
Phil,

I don't know if will read this or not but I wanted to thank you for writing your story, I enjoyed it. I laughed a number of times while reading your book and you have made me a fan of yours by the end. Throwing water bottles at stop signs, nutella at the massage, that's some funny sh.. um stuff.

Review:
If your a cycling fan and want to know what life is really like as a pro cyclist(what it was for Phil anyways) then pick this book up. I still can't imagine how any team could pay these riders such low wages for all the work that is involved but I guess they do. Its a pretty easy and casual read with some funny instances dropped in about what has transpired in Phil's cycling career.
Cycling always seems like serious business when you watch it on TV, its good to see a more personal side of cycling.
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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful By JHK on April 25, 2014
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
The life of a Professional Cyclist seems glamorous to the cycling fans since all the general public sees are the world's largest televised races. The ridiculous and hilarious commentary of Phil Gaimon on how hard "from the bottom up" struggles are for most young aspiring athletes in cycling will have you laughing out loud. His book is not just for cycling enthusiasts, there is enough entertainment for every audience, because inside the reoccurring story of "bike race after bike race" are his personal accounts and commentary on the cast of characters he encounters. Buy this book, read it, and then thank me later when you buy another as a gift for your friend.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful By John Brooke on April 30, 2014
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
Phil is a superb writer with a dry wit that keeps you turning the pages. Definitely one of the more enjoyable cycling books I've read to date.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful By Hoz on May 1, 2014
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A well-written and engaging look at the lower echelons of amateur and pro cycling in the United States on the way to the top. Essential for cycling fans but will also interest anyone who likes a well-told tale of dedication and overcoming hardship.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful By Amazon Customer on June 10, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
I've read alot of cycling books, most of them are ghost written publicity pieces and not really worth reading. Pro Cycling on $10 a Day is perhaps the best cycling book I've read. Gaimon writes with brutal honesty about his experiences coming up through the amateur and domestic pro ranks. It is similar to Joe Parkin's Dog in a Hat, a refreshing look at an insider's sport from the bottom up. In many cycling bios we read about a rider at the top of the world racking up wins in the biggest races. Here we read about a rider struggling to make his way through college and then earn a living wage from bicycle racing on the domestic circuit.

I finished this book in less than a week, and had to force myself to stop reading sometimes. There is so much detail in this book and many stories that I am very surprised he was willing and able to print. There are definate villains, Floyd, Lance, and Hamilton cast a looming shadow over everything Gaimon is trying to accomplish and conniving managers attempt to derail Phil's dream of earning a living wage from cycling.

Get this book, you won't be disappointed.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful By Joshua Lawton on April 29, 2014
Format: Paperback
This book is excellent. If you are looking for a traditionally written book about the inside realm of cycling, this might not be your read. But if you want to be taken on a fun, blatantly honest and eye opening ride into the pro peloton, this is a great read. There are so many hidden gems illuminating not just life in the saddle, but life in general.

Phil is a humble and unique human being. It's refreshing to be able to read about his meteoric ride into pro cycling and see that he isn't just some skinny fast guy riding a bike. He has a fantastic take on the ethics of being an athlete while being funny and real without being cynical. He's also a great follow on Twitter: @philgaimon
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