Pedal It!

Michelle Mulder's book traces the bicycle from its earliest boneshaker models to the streamlined racers ridden today. Along the way it explains the parts that make a bike work, from handlebars and spokes to gear sprockets.

The book also looks at what bicycles can do for the wider world. Pedal power can run computers and generators, cut down on pollution, support good health, and speed a parcel through a crowded city.

The tone is lively rather than lecturing, and the aim is to bring young readers into the pleasure of riding.