Life in the Slipstream

"If you love American history, sports in general, or the great sport of cycling in this country, this is a unbelievably rich book that captures a world-class American athlete in one of our richest eras. As a fan of all three things, I couldn’t put this book down. This is a history of heroes, triumphs, and the stuff that makes them both bigger than life."—George Mount, U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame inductee

"Few Americans realize that at the turn of the twentieth century, six-day competitions and motorcycle-paced bicycle races drew larger crowds than baseball. Andrew Homan, with his detailed telling of the life and career of Bobby Walthour, puts you squarely in the middle of the action, vicariously reliving the spine-tingling victories and anticipating the all-too-frequent horrific crashes that were part and parcel of the sport. Life in the Slipstream provides a glimpse into this nearly lost historical era when Americans first dominated the sport of cycling."—Joe Herget, executive director, U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame

“Life in the Slipstream is a piece of history that I am thankful did not slip away. Bobby Walthour was a gladiator in the most brutal and dangerous form of bike racing there has ever been. Andrew Homan’s book does him justice, and Walthour’s courage and accomplishments put all the rest of cycling’s heroes in their places. Put yourself on a bike at 55 mph behind a motorcycle and find out for yourself!"—Alexi Grewal, 1984 Olympic Road Race champion

"A fantastic look at one of American cycling's Golden Age greats. A fast paced read full of harrowing detail of a life lived on the edge. Definitely a book that will appeal far beyond cycling circles. I loved it."—Mike McCarthy, former World Professional Cycling Champion and two-time U.S. Olympian