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Home > The Lost Cyclist: The Epic Tale of an American Adventurer and His Mysterious Disappearance
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The Lost Cyclist: The Epic Tale of an American Adventurer and His Mysterious Disappearance
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By David Herlihy
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 (41 Reviews)
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Publisher:
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Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
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Edition:
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None
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Published:
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December 31, 1969 |
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Binding:
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Hardcover
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Pages:
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336
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In the late 1880s, Frank Lenz of Pittsburgh, a renowned high-wheel racer and long-distance tourist, dreamed of cycling around the world. He finally got his chance by recasting himself as a champion of the downsized ?safety-bicycle? with inflatable tires, the forerunner of the modern road bike that was about to become wildly popular. In the spring of 1892 he quit his accounting job and gamely set out west to cover twenty thousand miles over three continents as a correspondent for Outing magazine. Two years later, after having survived countless near disasters and unimaginable hardships, he approached Europe for the final leg. He never made it. His mysterious disappearance in eastern Turkey sparked an international outcry and compelled Outing to send William Sachtleben, another larger-than-life cyclist, on Lenz?s trail. Bringing to light a wealth of information, Herlihy?s gripping narrative captures the soaring joys and constant dangers accompanying the bicycle adventurer in the days before paved roads and automobiles. This untold story culminates with Sachtleben?s heroic effort to bring Lenz?s accused murderers to justice, even as troubled Turkey teetered on the edge of collapse.
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Amazon Best Books of the Month, June 2010: Frank Lenz was a man driven by his passions. As an accomplished "wheelman" during the late 19th century, Lenz?s dreams were dominated by the emerging sport of cycling and an intense desire to make a name for himself. In May of 1892, he attempted to fuse both by embarking on a quest to circumscribe the globe by bicycle. The journey had already been accomplished in tandem, but Lenz upped the ante--and raised eyebrows--by announcing he would ride his dangerous route alone. The Lost Cyclist is a riveting tale of tragedy, pride, and naivete that is both brilliantly told and meticulously researched. Opinions may differ as to whether Lenz was unaware or unconcerned by the inherent dangers he faced, but the story of his fateful journey belongs on the varied shelves of cycling enthusiasts, mystery fans, and nonfiction devotees alike. -- Dave Callanan Product Description**break** In the late 1880s, Frank Lenz of Pittsburgh, a renowned high-wheel racer and long-distance tourist, dreamed of cycling around the world. He finally got his chance by recasting himself as a champion of the downsized "safety-bicycle" with inflatable tires, the forerunner of the modern road bike that was about to become wildly popular. In the spring of 1892 he quit his accounting job and gamely set out west to cover twenty thousand miles over three continents as a correspondent for Outing magazine. Two years later, after having survived countless near disasters and unimaginable hardships, he approached Europe for the final leg. He never made it. His mysterious disappearance in eastern Turkey sparked an international outcry and compelled Outing to send William Sachtleben, another larger-than-life cyclist, on Lenz's trail. Bringing to light a wealth of information, Herlihy's gripping narrative captures the soaring joys and constant dangers accompanying the bicycle adventurer in the days before paved roads and automobiles. This untold story culminates with Sachtleben's heroic effort to bring Lenz's accused murderers to justice, even as troubled Turkey teetered on the edge of collapse.**break** **break**
**break** A Look Inside The Lost Cyclist
(Click on Images to Enlarge)
 |  |  |  | | Lenz (far right) in Glenshaw, with W. T. McClarren and Charles Petticord | Lenz (far left) and Petticord (center) on Smithfield bridge, leaving for New Orleans. August 1891 | From left to right: Petticord, McClarren, Lenz, and identified friend near Natrona. Note Lenz's homemade umbrella. | Lenz in Washington, PA |  |  |  |  | | Lenz and Petticord meet two "safety" riders on the National Road in Lewisville, IN, August 1890 | Lenz tips his cap in Greenfield, IN. August 1890 | Lenz and Petticord in Effingham, IL, on their way to St. Louis, August 1890 along the National Road | Petticord and Lenz in Collinsville, IL, August 1890. |
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A Man's Reach Should Exceed His Grasp, Even on A Bicycle, May 29, 2010
By Sprocketboy (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
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L.P. Hartley began a novel with the sentence: "The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there." And in his new book, "The Lost Cyclist," noted cycling historian David Herlihy introduces us to a most peculiar world, albeit with elements that we would still recognize. The book is actually two stories The first deals with Frank Lenz, a young bookkeeper from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who became a noted high-wheel bicycle racer in the late 1880s before recognizing his chance for fame and fortune would really come with the advent of a new kind of bicycle, the "safety bicycle," with new-fangled pneumatic tires. Frank Lenz decided to take advantage of the new invention, then in its infancy, and using his skills as a cyclist, and as a passionate amateur photographer, his achievement would be the first around-the-world solo cycling trip on a safety bike. To this end, he sought out sponsorship and arranged with the editor of New York's "Outing" magazine to send back stories and photos of his trip, which was expected to last two years.
He began his formal launch of the around-the-world tour on May 15, 1892 from Pittsburgh, setting out with a 57 pound Overman bicycle, 13 pounds of camera gear and 25 pounds of other equipment. He headed eastwards and in New York met worked with the editor of Outing to garner maximum publicity before beginning the trip proper on June 4, heading west and crossing the United States in five months. He was 25 years old.
Although Frank Lenz may have been slight in stature, weighing 145 pounds, he was clearly, as one witness is quoted in the book as saying, "he was quite a novel person-one possessed of great pluck, energy and determination..." He told a reporter who asked about the dangers of the trip: "I have nothing but the most pleasurable anticipation of my trip abroad. I have never encountered anything yet I have not overcome."
In the telling of Lenz's story, the author is clearly charmed by his cherubic protagonist and clearly wishes us to be as well. Frank Lenz was indeed an innocent abroad, and his letters home, written in his superb bookkeeper's script, are fascinating. It is easy to forget that in 1892, most people simply did not travel to foreign countries, let alone on a bicycle. His photos of Japan, his first stop after taking a steamer from California, are marvellous and he constantly comes across as a go-ahead, can-do and very good-humoured young man.
Along with the wide-eyed wonder, however, there was definitely danger. Travelling alone, speaking no languages except English and German, he was highly vulnerable. Although his writing tended to make light of the scrapes he gets into, some of them, such as an encounter with Chinese peasants, were quite terrifying. He managed to deflect their hostility by clowning around and using his bicycle to entertain them. The Chinese, most of whom had never seen a bicycle at all, threw stones and mud at him, and he often simply avoided encounters by riding at night through cities and towns.
His long, long ride in China came to an end as he headed next towards Burma. It is here that the real dangers become evident, as the roads are impassable and he hires coolies to basically carry his bike onwards. During the crossing of a rain-swollen river, one of the bearers drowns, and the reader begins to wonder how much of a toll Frank Lenz's dream ride will eventually take.
Making his way to India, he caught up with his enormous steamer trunk, full of spare parts and equipment, and basically built up a new bicycle. He had been on the road for a year and a half in his projected two year project, and there are indications of his weariness. But he continued undaunted through India (and today's Pakistan), visiting the Taj Mahal, and, as a good egalitarian American, expressed his dismay over India's caste system.
In mid-December 1893, "he found himself mired in the Makran Desert without food, water or shelter. Fortunately, a camel caravan came to his rescue." Shortly after, he entered Persia and by April was in Tabriz, where he met the Crown Prince of Persia, Mozaffar al-Din Shah. "A technology buff, he grilled Lenz about his gear and took copious notes...the prince himself took a photo of Lenz in the royal courtyard, mounted on his bicycle."
Although local Westerners urged him to go to Europe via Russia rather than Turkey, he was only 900 miles from Constantinople, and was looking forward to cycling in Germany, his ancestral homeland, with a Pittsburgh club mate. He missed pie and ice cream and while enjoying his trip, he wrote to the editor of Outing confessing his homesickness and how he longed for his wanderings to end.
The photo by the Persian Crown Prince, showing a pensive-looking (but surprisingly well-dressed) Lenz on what even then must have been an old-fashioned bicycle, is the last known photo of the adventurer. Because after April 1894, nothing was ever heard from Frank Lenz again.
This takes us to the second part of the book. Frank Lenz's mysterious disappearance caused great concern among his friends and readers and the editor of Outing endeavoured to find someone to look for him. After some false starts, William Sachtleben, another long-distance cyclist and seemingly cut from the same cloth as Lenz, went to pick up the trail. The author intersperses an account of Sachtleben's great cycling trip, with a companion, Thomas Allen, on a pair of solid-tired bicycles, riding in the opposite direction to Lenz. This too is an interesting story and probably adds some bulk to the book, which would probably be a bit thin if only about Frank Lenz himself.
The book now moves away from cycling to the political situation in Turkey. Sachtleben demanded action from the American Embassy and, unsatisfied with the results, launches his own investigation, hoping to shed light on the disappearance of Frank Lenz, recover his body, if possible, and see that any malefactors were punished. In spite of his furious activity, Sachtleben's mission ends in failure. We never learn for certain how Lenz died, a cyclist alone in Turkey, but we do know that his route took him into an area rife with ethnic tension between Turks, Kurds and Armenians. Sachtleben himself was to witness a massacre of Armenians by Kurds, and to learn that due process of law in America was nothing like due process in Turkey. The Turks, probably to placate Sachtleben, arrested some Armenians, who were probably completely innocent of Lenz's death, and two of them died in prison, bringing the number of deaths connected to Lenz's trip to four, including his own.
David Herlihy's book is highly entertaining, with an extraordinary cast of characters, and includes truly enchanting period photos of Lenz and Sachtleben & Allen. It was an era of handlebar mustaches and dirt roads and while sepia-toned, promised bright futures to adventurous young men. The craze for the bicycle in the United States would end, probably much sooner than Sachtleben or Lenz would have imagined, and their stories quickly forgotten. The author has done copious research and "the Lost Cyclist" is not only a worthy addition to any cyclist's bookshelf, but is in itself revealing social history of a world in transition.
106 of 112 people found the above review helpful.
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 Fascinating and Thoroughly Enjoyable, May 3, 2010
By Daffy Du (Del Mar, CA United States)
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Full disclosure: I'm an avid bicyclist, with a small collection of bicycle-abilia, so this book had me from the title. But just because a subject is enticing doesn't always mean the book will be.
I'm pleased to report that The Lost Cyclist is a meticulously researched, fast-paced, supremely readable book that had me staying up later than I'd intended several nights in a row just so I could keep reading.
Focusing on what today is a mere footnote in cycling history, the book is really the story of two--even three--bicyclists whose exploits gripped the nation over a century ago, and only one of whom was actually lost. Frank Lenz, of the title, was an accountant and promising bicycle racer in the era of high-wheelers, but for a variety of reasons, never realized his potential. Inspired by the accounts of Thomas Stevens, who had traveled by bike on three continents and written about and sketched what he saw, Lenz aspired to cycle around the world too, only he would undertake his trip on a "safety bicycle," the new-fangled design that had two wheels of equal size and, in his case, inflatable tires. And he would travel with a camera, taking photographs of the sights.
Ambitious, entrepreneurial, intrepid and naive, Lenz successfully solicited the support of Outing magazine to underwrite his dream. He started in New York, then pedaled across the U.S. to San Francisco, where he hopped a ship to Japan and then to China. Embarking on the Asian portion of his itinerary, he encountered harsh conditions and xenophobia, particularly in China, but made his way to Burma, through India, Persia and finally to Turkey, which was experiencing considerable unrest on the eve of the Armenian massacres. And it was there that he disappeared.
Concurrently, Herlihy tells the story of cyclists Will Sachtleben and Thomas Allen, who successfully toured across Europe and into Asia from the other direction, but opted for safer modes of transportation where necessary. They too published an account of their tour.
When it was clear that Lenz was missing, Outing's publisher dispatched Sachtleben to Turkey to try to piece together what had happened to him. The political situation and Sachtleben's own impetuous temperament impeded his mission, but he returned home with some idea of Lenz's fate.
Herlihy has painted a vivid picture of 1890s America and the craze for bicycles, as well as the realities of bicycle touring before paved roads (the League of American Wheelmen was instrumental in promoting paved roads long before cyclists were forced to share them with cars) and in remote, largely unexplored regions of countries that had seen few foreign visitors. It's a testament to his skill as a writer and researcher that despite the intervening 115 or so years, he brings his main characters to life and makes you feel as if you know them. I kept thinking that there's potential for a movie in this story, though I'm sure Herlihy and his publisher already have that covered.
My only quibbles are minor. The narrative slows a bit in the second half, where Sachtleben is in Turkey, and Herlihy uses uncommon foreign terms that are not always defined (or if they were, I missed the explanations), and I didn't always get the gist from the context. (What is the porte in Turkey? I guessed that it was its governing body but don't remember seeing it explained.) Because I was reading an advance reading copy, I didn't have the benefit of the index to help me find the terms. It may be that the final book will have a glossary as well, which would be a welcome addition. I also had some trouble keeping track of all the minor players who came and went. Again, having the index could have helped me refresh my memory.
The index will be addressed in the final book, so it's moot for most readers, and overall, I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in history, travel and adventure and especially bicycling. It's a damn good tale, well-told.
33 of 35 people found the above review helpful.
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Wheels within wheels., May 13, 2010
By Dick Johnson (Oklahoma USA)
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I was not aware of the events portrayed in this book. Further, I haven't been on a bicycle in several decades. The former was set right by the reading of this book. The latter is something I hope continues.
Herlihy's writing of the dawn of bicycle racing and foreign treks via two-wheels was quite enlightening. The story of Frank Lenz's journey was spotty due to the limited communications from him due to his locations. And, of course, much of the story of his disappearance must be conjecture.
There are different styles of writing here. Much is reportorial and many times doesn't really capture the emotion of the people in the story. Herlihy lost several opportunities to draw us closer to the locations described.
The photographs are great and significantly add to the book. The few maps included, however, do far too little to graphically show not only the locations, but also the great distances and geographical challenges Lenz and the others faced. Since those challenges were a major part of the book, more graphic information would have really added to the story.
The epilogue is mainly too philosophical and of little help in closing the story. Hindsight is, proverbially, twenty-twenty and postmortems are of necessity full of speculation. These what-ifs did not really add to the book.
Another negative was the continued use of certain buzz words. Too often I felt I was reading a story by a sports writer. I love sports, but their overuse of the same descriptive words is legend. After so many instances of 'globe girdler' and similar by Herlihy, I was ready to scream. The four stars are for the story being told. The writing, though, wasn't up to that level.
This should be of interest to readers with an interest in many fields - bicycling, travel, history, etc. The negatives don't outweigh the reading this little known story.
23 of 24 people found the above review helpful.
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a sad tale, almost lost to memory, revived by David Herlihy, May 10, 2010
By neurasthenic (New York City, New York)
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The Lost Cyclist purports to be the tale of Frank Lenz, a young man who attempted in 1892 to ride his bicycle around the world, though it ends up being more about another rider named William Sachtlebend.
Lenz was not the first to attempt circling the globe by bicycle -- that honor belongs to Thomas Stevens, who had famously accomplished the task between 1884 and 1886 on an "ordinary" bicycle (the archaic design with a big front wheel and tiny rear wheel). For this, he is still remembered and copies of his book on the subject can still be found (Around The World On A Bicycle Volume 1 - Thomas Stevens). Also before Lenz, the team of Thomas Allen and William Sachtlebend repeated Stevens's feat, via an even more impressive route that took them across the Gobi desert. Their trip lasted from 1891 to 1893. Lenz's task was the most audacious of them all, over the most grueling and dangerous terrain, and his desire to complete the trip solo was brave, though perhaps also his undoing.
The bulk of this book relates Allen's and Sachtlebend's adventures and what is known of Lenz's trip. The latter is fragmentary, as two years into the trip, Lenz disappeared in Turkey.
In the face of intermittent public outcry for an investigation,Lenz's publisher eventually hired William Sachtlebend to travel to the site and investigate, and his experiences there form the second portion of the book.
We will never know precisely what happened to Frank Lenz, and this lack of closure weakens the book somewhat. A larger problem is that the story never seems to be about anything much bigger than Sachtlebend and Lenz. An excellent biography can use the lesson of a person's life to ruminate on morality, the fate of nations, the march of technology, or any other theme worth considerating. This is really only the story of some brave young men, one of whom lived and one of whom died, but neither of whom was fated to be remembered, because their greatest accomplishment was sure to be outshadowed by that of Thomas Stevens.
Herlihy is a great researcher, not perhaps as strong a writer. This book will be of interest mostly to cyclists and perhaps to some with an interest in the Ottoman Empire, where Lenz met his end amidst the battles between Turks and Armenians and Kurds in 1894.
18 of 21 people found the above review helpful.
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Anyone up for a little bike ride?, June 7, 2010
By L. F. Smith (E. Wenatchee, WA)
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Anyone up for a little bike ride? How about a 20,000 mile, two-year ride around the world? On a 50 pound bike with another 40 pounds of gear? In 1892, when there is no way to call for help if something goes wrong, and you may be the only English-speaking person for a thousand miles in any direction?
This book is the astonishing account of an absolutely incredible event-- or, rather, series of events. Frank Lenz undertook that 20,000 mile trip, alone, on that 50 pound bike, and he came close to making it. He started in New York and pedaled across the US; shipped to Hawaii and Japan and pedaled across each; shipped to China and pedaled diagonally across it; shipped to India and pedaled across it and ultimately to Persia. Unfortunately, due to a combination of bad luck, bad planning, arrogance, and ignorance, he pedaled into the midst of a genocidal conflict in Turkey and was apparently murdered.
Incredibly, two other Americans, William Sachtleben and Thomas Allen, made the very nearly the same trip in the opposite direction-- including a nearly fatal twelve-day crossing of the Gobi Desert in the summer heat-- at about the same time. In fact, they and Lenz missed crossing paths in Shanghai by just a few days. After Lenz went missing, Sachtleben was hired to trek to Turkey and locate him-- or his remains. He failed, though he probably did figure out what happened.
The book is the intertwined tale of these three epic journeys. The risks these men took, the obstacles they surmounted, and the courage-- or perhaps foolhardiness-- they displayed are absolutely mind boggling. I had never heard of any of these people or of these events, but after reading this book, I will never forget them.
Why not five stars? Unfortunately, for me, the writing style doesn't do justice to the subject matter. Herlihy is certainly thorough and careful, and by telling the stories in parallel, he creates considerable dramatic tension. However, I found his syntax to be very nearly deadening. That is, his sentences seem to plod along rather than roll along. These men were undertaking some of the greatest adventures of their age, but at times, the writing makes it seem as if they were taking a train trip. Further, I found the vocabulary irritating. No one simply eats a meal; they enjoy a hearty meal. No one spends a day or two sightseeing; they tarry for a time. There are many such things, and as the book went on, I found them grating. Of courser, this is no more than a personal preference on my part, and others may not have a similar reaction.
Bottom line: I recommend this book highly, because it will more than justify the time and effort required to read it. I guarantee that you will marvel at what those men did. I just wish the writing style had done the subject matter more justice.
7 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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Not about bicycling as it is a time in American history, June 16, 2010
By SMXSteve (Seattle)
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This is a fantastic story about American men pushing the limits using the newly popular bicycle. Set in the late 1880s to early 1890s, this story has it all: adventure, history, murder, mystery, greed, corruption, ego, risk, ignorance and compassion.
However, as a cyclist who has ridden thousands of miles over the past twenty-five years, I was disappointed. While Herlihy can be overly descriptive at times he leaves out plenty of details. From the beginning I wanted to know about the bicycles. How did they mount the high wheeler? What were the seats like? Their clothes? How did they prevent cramping, chaffing, etc? How did they feel after a 70-mile ride? This, mind you, is during a time when there weren't roads made specifically for bicycles or cars (there were no cars). They were muddy and rough and at times impassible. But to my dismay Herlihy left me wondering.
At times he would skim over entire treks almost like a children's story: They climbed over the mountains, followed the river until they reached their destination 300 miles later. I rarely felt like I was there, that I could really comprehend what these travelers went through.
On the other hand, he spent way too much time on some things like finding Lenz's body and the murderers. Cut back I think we still could have got the gist of it.
Herlihy also jumps around. Not having a great knowledge of geography especially at that time, it is easy to get lost and confused. A map of the area at the beginning of each chapter would have helped immensely.
But still, I couldn't put it down. He really applied his research and built a great story. He also includes other interesting points that took place during this time. Well worth the read not just by cyclists but anyone who has an interest in American history.
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Very interesting tale about a true adventurer, June 11, 2010
By whereishawkins (Chicago)
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I'm an avid cyclist and it's hard to imagine that *gasp* in the past, people didn't have vast open roads to ride along and there were true adventurers that wanted to ride across the country.
Frank Lenz is an interesting figure, and I must admit that I'm envious of the journey he took at such a time and the adventure that he had. Not many people traveled around the world, let alone on a bicycle. There's this sense that Lenz headed out with a sense of naive optimism.
The photographs themselves were an added bonus. Quite frankly, if Lenz had made it around the world and published a book on his exploits, it'd be a best seller and the first of the epic travelogs.
After Lenz's disappearance, William Sachtleben was sent on the trail to find Lenz. In a way, the book takes on a different tone - it's a shift from travelog to mystery/thriller. The book does a good job at giving us a background of what was going on in Turkey at the time of Lenz' disappearance. But ultimately, Sachtleben failed to find out how Lenz died, thus leaving Lenz more infamous than famous.
The story itself is very gripping, but the writing itself lacks in some spots. IT's a bit annoying but still, the subject matter will help you ignore any deficiencies in the narrative.
4 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Impact, May 11, 2010
By Anna (New York)
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It is hard to know what one man's effect would have been on the world had he lived, or had he accomplished his task. It is the great unknown for all of us; what if we had done one or two things differently, how different would our lives have been and how would the world have been changed?
This is the story of Frank Lenz, a young man who attempted to bicycle solo around the world in 1892 - 1894. This book gives the reader a window to the past through a story very few of us know. Those interested in current political relationships (Kurds, Turks, Armenia, China, Burma, and Persia/Iran) will gain some insight into why alliances are the way they are 115 years after these series of events took place. Those interested in the history of the sport of bicycling will enjoy the transition from the standard to the safety, while those who like epic adventures will enjoy the entire story as it traces a line around the world and back. The accompanying photographs are superb!
I can't say I'll remember much of what I've read, at least not a year or so from now, but it was worth the read if only to fill in some gaps in history and politics. This story has few, if any, winners...which leaves me a bit depressed and frustrated.
4 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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 A pedestrian approach to cycling story, December 4, 2010
By ppride
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The book reports on the "epic tale" of an American cyclist who attempts to circumnavigate the globe at the end of the nineteenth century. It might have been an interesting tale of adventure. In Herlihy's hands, however, any sense of STORY is ground down to the most mundane recitation of minutia. That alone makes for a painful read. Perhaps more glaring is the fact that the tale is told nearly void of context. While we find out which cycling club may have hosted Frank Lenz and what was on the menu at the dinner, Herlihy makes no effort to present a broader discussion of, oh, just for example, the Armenian genocide. It is amazing to the point of embarrassment just how myopic Herlihy could be. The Lenz story might be an interesting story of adventure. It might have even served as powerful vehicle to provide insight into the "globalization" of the period. In this book, it is neither. Instead, it trudges through the events and concludes with some simplistic reflections that add little. Too bad.
4 of 9 people found the above review helpful.
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 Great Facts, Needs 3 more ounces of Pizzaz, March 22, 2011
By David Holoman (Raleigh, NC USA)
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I enjoyed this book, but as far as storycraft goes, this book is wanting. Reading it reminded me more of reading a research paper than a historical narrative or and adventure.
First, Stevens traversed the world on a bike, sort of-- he took alternate transportation when he felt like it. Next, Sachtleben and Allen did it together, biking more. We get the blow-by-blow account which is interesting on the face of it, but not told with any particular pinache.
Then Frank Lenz attempts to traverse the world on a bike in the opposite direction as Sachtleben and Allen. Lenz is an intriguing character with bold determination. The account of his journey is again interesting in its very nature, but not recounted with much imagination.
Lenz is lost and Sachtleben goes to find him. What follows is an awkward study in international relations, human nature, and law. It takes 200 pages to lose Frank Lenz, and about 3 to account for his whereabouts. The rest (100 pages) is pin the tail on the culprit, and becomes tiresome quickly.
So while the storycraft is lacking, the events are compelling. The look at the nature of some of the world's populations around the turn of the previous century is noteworthy if somewhat discouraging. My favorite part of the book comes early on, regarding the onset of bicycling in the United States, along with the tales of Big Wheel races.
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Mystery and History Lesson, October 11, 2010
By Ddrell (Cleveland, Ohio)
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This book tells the story of a time in the late 1800's when the bicycle was the newest form of transportation on the planet. It intrigued me because it describes an individual's quest to cycle around the world alone and the politics involved. It's amazing that things haven't changed much in certain parts of the world and the countries that were dangerous back then are still dangerous today. It also inspired me to take up cycling as an exercise.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Overall a nice window into early cycling culture and adventure, June 22, 2010
By Joshua Senecal (Livermore, CA USA)
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It's always fascinating to me to read about the various experiences that people have traveling long distances and through foreign lands. It's especially so when they travel by means of something I really love: the bicycle. If you love cycling and have a sense of adventure, you'll probably like the book, too.
In what appears to be a very well-researched work, the author describes the cycling culture of the late 1800s: the high-wheel bicycle, its growing popularity, and its increasing use as a means of sport (i.e. racing) and of travel. When the "safety" bicycle (forerunner of the modern bicycle design) begins to gain in popularity, some adventurous souls use it as a means of traveling around the world.
I quite enjoyed the background material. While I love cycling I admit I know very little of bicycle history, so this book helped fill in that void somewhat. The accounts of the various races, cycling clubs, and journey's on bicycle were fascinating.
The book is ostensibly about Frank Lenz, and intermixed with the general background material is a discussion of Lenz's background, rise to relative fame as a cyclist and bicycle racer, and desire to undertake a round-the-world adventure. The book also relates a considerable amount about a similar journey undertaken by two other cyclists, Allen and Sachtleben. This does mean that while the book contains a lot of experiences from round-the-world cycling, there was considerably less about Lenz than I thought there would be. Why this is I don't know. Perhaps it's because there is less information available about Lenz's journey and the author felt the need to provide something that illustrates the experiences of a round-the-world cyclist.
The book does bog down somewhat in its retelling of events, particularly starting with Lenz's disappearance and Sachtleben's journey to try and find out the circumstances. This takes up a little less than half of the book--a considerable amount. While it's doubtless that Sachtleben was getting frustrated with all the delays and bureaucracy he had to wade through in his investigation, I found myself getting frustrated with having to read all about it. There is very little about cycling in the second half.
Regardless, the stories and experiences of the cyclists in various lands and cultures was an interesting read. It amazes me that people would set out to circle the world on bicycle alone or in pairs, with little advance information about some of the places they'd be traveling through.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Painful Read, June 24, 2011
By Walter R. Johnson (Louisiana, USA)
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This book was a present and I felt obligated to read it. I'm a bicycle enthusiast and a history major, but this was a painful read. This book addresses two separate attempts by American riders to tour the globe by bicycle during the 1890's. William Sachtleben and Thomas Allen were successful. Frank Lenz' solo attempt ended in Turkey under mysterious circumstances. Basically, the author dedicates alternate chapters to each attempt during Part I of the book. Part II deals with the search for Mr. Lenz. Although well researched, I thought the minutia was extensive. The numerous pictures included were excellent, but the book could have benefited from page-sized maps that depicted the routes covered by the cyclists. I like this era and I'm glad I finished the book, but cannot recommend it.
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Interesting story, but way too long and detailed, August 17, 2010
By rboffp (Florham Park, NJ USA)
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I was interested of this story of a round-the-world bicycle trip from 120 years ago that ended in the disappearance of the cyclist. But I found the book way too detailed and long. I think I might have enjoyed a long magazine article more than the 300 pages of this book. I did not need to know every stop along the way of the trip. I did enjoy learning about the history of cycling, both from the equipment side and the cultural side. So if you are interested in the history of cycling this book might be worth it for you.
2 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Such an interesting story, but..., July 31, 2010
By sb-lynn (Santa Barbara, California United States)
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Brief summary, and review.
Frank Lenz was a quiet young man in his mid-twenties and working as a bookkeeper when the original high-wheel bicycle was invented. He took to it immediately and began racing during his time off. But he shortly realized that long-distance traveling with the new "safety bicycle" (the forerunner of the modern road bike) was preferable. He convinced Outing magazine to fund his dream--taking a solo journey around the world--in exchange for articles about his adventures. In the spring of 1892, he took off, pedaling more than 20,000 miles across the United States and through Hawaii to Japan, China, India, Burma, and into Persia and Turkey.
Lenz was not the first to attempt this journey on a bicycle, but he was the first to do it by himself. He suffered a number of near disasters among his memorable adventures before arriving, two years later, in Turkey as he headed into the final leg of his trip. He never came out. He had been advised to avoid it due to the political upheaval and excessive violence. He refused. And soon thereafter disappeared.
When a hue and cry was raised, Outing commissioned one of the two earlier around-the-world cyclists who were also well-known names, William Sachtleben, to undertake a search for him. But the ten-month delay from the disappearance to the beginning of the search and the fact that the country in which the search was being conducted was wild and treacherous, meant a frustrating investigation. He had no hopes of finding Lenz alive, but did he did hope to recover his body and find the murderers. Sachtleben encounters interminable impediments, international political machinations, and diplomatic obstructions as well.
No one had told this story since it had happened so here it was--the perfect adventurous tale. But I often found myself distanced from the story, and it took me a while to finish this book.
The Lost Cyclist is a good story for those readers who want to know about Mr. Lenz (who is little known these days), and read about the passion that would drive him to undertake a dangerous solo journey. It's also interesting to learn about the impact that a single man's adventure would have upon the American public and government. But overall, even though I thought the book had good parts, there were boring parts as well. When I was engrossed in the good parts it was enough to push me over the lumps and bumps into the next good one. And now that I think about it, that's probably a lot like what Frank Lenz experienced on his around-the-world bicycle journey.
2 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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When Wheelmen Were Heros, July 30, 2010
By Rob Hardy (Columbus, Mississippi USA)
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In the interval of time between when everyone used horses for transportation and when everyone used automobiles, there was a time when bicycles were the rage. The bike boom came from a number of technological innovations in design and materials, and people were fascinated by the first cyclists who rode them. David Herlihy has written a history of the bicycle, and now has written about a fascinating part of the bicycle's initial history and the popular enthusiasm for the wheelmen. _The Lost Cyclist: The Epic Tale of an American Adventurer and His Mysterious Disappearance_ (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) tells the story of Frank Lenz, who indeed became lost on a trip around the world, and though his story was a sensation at the time, he has become lost to history as well. It is also the story of another globe-girdling bicyclist, William Sachtleben, who was engaged to try to find out what had happened to Lenz. Lenz's fate was a famous mystery in its time, and it is only fair to say that neither Sachtleben nor Herlihy has solved the mystery. It is a good story, however, because of the amusing and exciting episodes in the travels of the cyclists, and because it brings back a time when a fellow on a bicycle could be a world-renowned hero just by setting out to see the globe on two wheels.
Frank Lenz was a German-American from Pittsburgh, born in 1867. In his twenties, he became a high-wheel racer, but he took up the safety bicycle for his world tour. There was danger, and Herlihy quotes from Lenz's stories sent back to _Outing_ as he bicycled (or often had to carry his 57 pound bicycle on foot) through Japan, China, Burma, India, Persia, and into Turkey. Everywhere he went, people were amazed at his two-wheeled contraption, and shahs and princes wanted him to demonstrate for them. He could do stunts on it. And then after he crossed into Turkey, two years after his tour started, his letters stopped coming. The young man had simply disappeared. All around the world people were distressed over his disappearance, and curious about what had happened; his mother was devastated, and all responded sympathetically to her loss. His editor picked William Sachtleben, another bicycle enthusiast, to do the investigation; Herlihy, in fact, tells almost as much about Sachtleben's circuit around the world as Lenz's. The courageous Sachtleben still had a sense of adventure in him after his travels, adventure that a quest for finding Lenz could have satisfied. It would have been capital, he thought, if he could have a Stanley-finds-Livingston moment, and as the possibility of that faded, he might have earned laurels if he had found Lenz's body and brought to justice any miscreants in the case.
Without giving too much away, suffice it to say that Sachtleben considered his own mission "partially successful." He was up against an inscrutable Turkish government which was troubled by tribal warfare and a general civil war, with the Kurds committing a first Armenian genocide. The US representatives in Turkey were little help, as they were trying to curry favor with Turkey and any emphasis on Lenz's fate could only make their work harder. Sachtleben's primary witnesses were Armenians who might have justly testified against Kurds or Turks, but who risked death in doing so. In all the confusion, Sachtleben stumbled across the site of a massacre of Armenians, and was able to photograph the mass burial. He took up the cause of informing his countrymen about the massacre, but the ambiguous results of his main mission colored his ability to make a go of the lecture circuit or to have a career as a journalist or adventurer. He considered at the end of his investigation, "This trip has added about ten years to my age. When I left New York I felt young. Now I feel like an old man; all my boyishness is gone." He and Lenz slipped more into obscurity as the bicycle fad faded away and people took up motoring; Herlihy even mentions the novelty of a bicycle that had a gasoline-powered engine and was called the "motor cycle." Herlihy has done a great deal of research into the rides of these two men, and into Lenz's fate as far as it could be known, and he obviously has much sympathetic affection for them, as well as for a time when bicyclists were public heroes. It was the window when bicycles were the great new transportation, and it is a shame the window didn't last longer. The first automobile transit of the US was in 1903, and automobile pioneers never had the élan that their bicycle counterparts did. _The Lost Cyclist_ documents a simpler time, but it also reminds us that the American government was trying to throw its weight around in the areas around the Middle East over a hundred years ago, and finding it a confusing and troubling task.
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Adventurous Riders, May 30, 2010
By J. R. Lindermuth, author .. (Coal Township PA)
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In this less adventurous age and less energetic society the idea of riding a bicycle around the world is not calculated to draw much enthusiastic response. Doing it in the 1890s required more than the normal quotient of courage and stamina.
In that period when the bicycle was the focus of an enthusiastic boom riders were going distances that stagger the imagination today. Herlihy has rescued from obscurity the amazing story of not just one heroic adventurer but also that of the brave and resourceful man who went in search of him and their equally interesting friends and colleagues.
The fact Frank Lenz made it as far as he did is astonishing, given the primitive quality of his equipment and the privations and dangers he faced en route.
Had he lived to complete his tour by bicycle around the world Lenz might have secured a footmark in history. But I don't believe fame and fortune were ever his goal as much as the sheer joy of adventurous achievement. And though William Sachtleben clearly had some personal ulterior motives, I believe his efforts to identify and bring to justice Lenz's killers and to recover the young man's remains were driven as much by sympathy for the other's goal.
The Lost Cyclist appeals on several levels of interest--cycling, travel, adventure, history and mystery.
This book had a personal interest for me since my maternal grandfather was one of those cycling pioneers and might have felt at home in company with men like Lenz and Sachtleben.
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Such an interesting story, but..., July 31, 2010
By sb-lynn (Santa Barbara, California United States)
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Brief summary, and review.
Frank Lenz was a quiet young man in his mid-twenties and working as a bookkeeper when the original high-wheel bicycle was invented. He took to it immediately and began racing during his time off. But he shortly realized that long-distance traveling with the new "safety bicycle" (the forerunner of the modern road bike) was preferable. He convinced Outing magazine to fund his dream--taking a solo journey around the world--in exchange for articles about his adventures. In the spring of 1892, he took off, pedaling more than 20,000 miles across the United States and through Hawaii to Japan, China, India, Burma, and into Persia and Turkey.
Lenz was not the first to attempt this journey on a bicycle, but he was the first to do it by himself. He suffered a number of near disasters among his memorable adventures before arriving, two years later, in Turkey as he headed into the final leg of his trip. He never came out. He had been advised to avoid it due to the political upheaval and excessive violence. He refused. And soon thereafter disappeared.
When a hue and cry was raised, Outing commissioned one of the two earlier around-the-world cyclists who were also well-known names, William Sachtleben, to undertake a search for him. But the ten-month delay from the disappearance to the beginning of the search and the fact that the country in which the search was being conducted was wild and treacherous, meant a frustrating investigation. He had no hopes of finding Lenz alive, but did he did hope to recover his body and find the murderers. Sachtleben encounters interminable impediments, international political machinations, and diplomatic obstructions as well.
No one had told this story since it had happened so here it was--the perfect adventurous tale. But I often found myself distanced from the story, and it took me a while to finish this book.
The Lost Cyclist is a good story for those readers who want to know about Mr. Lenz (who is little known these days), and read about the passion that would drive him to undertake a dangerous solo journey. It's also interesting to learn about the impact that a single man's adventure would have upon the American public and government. But overall, even though I thought the book had good parts, there were boring parts as well. When I was engrossed in the good parts it was enough to push me over the lumps and bumps into the next good one. And now that I think about it, that's probably a lot like what Frank Lenz experienced on his around-the-world bicycle journey.
2 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Fascinating Book, Great Research, May 22, 2011
By Busy Mom
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"The Lost Cyclist" is a fascinating book that features some great research about an era in World History in which 'discovery' was human powered.
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed learning about the early years of bicycling, about the early models and the conflicts and competitions that took place between the fans of different designs: Just loved it.
I also enjoyed the descriptions of the characters in this book. Sachtleben & Allen proved so enticing that stopped my read of "The Lost Cyclist" a quarter of the way in, so that I could read S&A's book "Across Asia on a Bicycle." I then returned to Herlihy's book where I was struck by what a different sort of character Lenz was. The author does an excellent job, in my opinion, in differentiating the men, their attitudes, and their approaches to set-backs and successes. And by the time you get to the end of the book, the outcome makes perfect sense.
Another thing I very much enjoyed was the sense of adventure that was conveyed by the author. It was absolutely wonderful to follow the bicyclists as they pedaled around the world. Everywhere from sophisticated places like France and Italy, where they were wined and dined by bike clubs, to places so remote that the bike was considered a frightening, evil creature.
A part of this sense of adventure was the politics of the day. While bicyclists might be riding through some incredibly remote areas, it was clear that their safety was not unaffected by world affairs. And I think Herlihy does a good job of explaining the politics of the day without getting bogged down. Instead he lets the photographs, news, and correspondence tell the story.
Ultimately, there's a mystery at the heart of this book. Herlihy makes it his mission to lay out the evidence and make his case for what happened to Lenz. But history lovers are likely to be drawn in more by the images Herlihy paints of this fascinating point in time.
Pam T~
mom/blogger
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Interesting read, December 2, 2010
By Cherchezlafemme (USA)
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In The Lost Cyclist, David Herlihy paints a portrait of a 19th century Lance Armstrong and largely succeeds in telling a gripping, inspiring, and harrowing tale. The prose, however, is hampered a bit by the author's meandering, philosophical musings and the slow, sometimes tedious, build-up to the crux of the book: Frank Lenz's mysterious disappearance. But the book is an excellent source of social history and history of the bicycle, and when things become a trifle dull, there are many interesting facts which keep your interest.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Interesting saga of bicycling in the olden days, August 26, 2010
By Nagronsky (Skagit Valley, Wa USA)
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I've tried to submit reviews twice before for this book, but Amazon's system has messed up, so this is the last time:
This is about America's greatest long distance cyclist of the 19th century. This covers the beginnings of Frank Lenz' racing career, riding "pennyfarthings" on the the unpaved roads of Ohio & Pennsylvania, to his attempt to ride solo around the world, on which ride Lenz eventually vanished. When nothing was heard from Lenz, another long distance "wheelman", who had recently nearly ridden around the world, was dispatched to try to find Lenz. The riding conditions were horrible, as horrible as some of the occupants of the lands they rode through. This was well-written, well-researched, and though I'm not the constant cyclist I once was, I found it very interesting.
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very interesting book, July 22, 2010
By Jay
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Great history, great research... and from a perspective of "cycling around the globe", it is more interesting than most books written by people who actually cycled around the world. I could use a little less detail regarding the "murder investigation", and the whole ordeal about how Outing Magazine handled the whole thing, but still, the book gets 5 stars.
I would love for this book to be made into a movie or something.
Also, I would read another book about Sachtleben... In fact, I just bought the author's book on bicycle history. I think if you enjoy cycle tourism and history, this book is a can't miss.
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Exciting and satisfying, but may leave you wanting more!, July 15, 2010
By mompie (Texas)
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After a slightly slow start, this book became an exciting and satisfying tale. I was drawn into the burgeoning world of bicycling and adventuring in general, but also into the lives of these brave men. Frank Lenz was both impressive and sympathetic and the man who sought justice for him (Sachtleben) was very dynamic. There was much more to Sachtleben's story in this book than I expected, but it is not unwelcome - it really is his tale. In fact, this book really should be called, "Search for the Lost Cyclist: The Epic Tale of William Sachtleben" as it tells of his own round the world trip and his roller coaster efforts to close the Lenz case.
It was so intriguing to read the impressions these men had of the world and other cultures, to read of their difficulties and triumphs. "Cyclist" is a fascinating window on society and even the politics of the time. I was left wanting to know more about Lenz and Sachtleben, both!
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When men were men, July 6, 2010
By jim hudson
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An excellent and engaging account of the hard men of the late 19th century and the international obsession with the bicycle.
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A slow study of a small period of 20th century history, October 5, 2010
By Book Addict (Midwest)
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This book is neither a fast nor easy read but is intended for the armchair traveler with an interest in world travel at the beginning of the 20th century. The story follows the career of Frank Lenz from Pittsburgh, who was a pioneer in attempting to travel around the world on a bicycle. It is difficult to surmise if he was very brave or extremely foolish to travel through the areas that he did before he finally disappeared somewhere in Turkey. Even more puzzling was why another world cyclist, William Sachtleben, would want to follow him, presumably in search of Lenz. With all of the bravado of Americans and many Europeans of the day, the young men rode into harm's way without regard for personal safety (or of current events, such as local civil strife.)
The story is involved and the book has merit. Very interesting history of the early days of the bicycle in the US and the growth of the cycling industry.
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Suitable for any lending library, September 11, 2010
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
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THE LOST CYCLIST: THE EPIC TALE OF AN AMERICAN ADVENTURER AND HIS MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE tells of one Frank Lenz of Pittsburgh, a high-wheel racer and long-distance tourist who dreamed of cycling around the world. He championed the 'safety bicycle' with inflatable tires and in 1892 he quit his accounting job and set out west to cover twenty thousand miles over three continents. Two years later, on his approach to Europe, he vanished in eastern Turkey - sparking an international outcry. This previously untold story offers a gripping survey of a bicycle adventurer who braved areas that had never seen a bicycle, and is suitable for any lending library.
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Dying for Glory, August 2, 2010
By author (Canada)
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History is rife with fascinating but forgotten cases of lost explorers and unsolved murders. David Herlihy's 'The Lost Cyclist' includes both. It also spotlights the bicycle craze of the 1890s and the Gilded Age passion for conquering unknown territory.
In the spring of 1892 Frank Lenz, a modestly famous competitive cyclist from Pittsburgh, announced that he was undertaking a trans-continental bicycle trip that would encompass over twenty thousand miles and take him through some of the world's most dangerous, uncivilized regions. As he rode across the American heartland, through the Orient, and into the Middle Eastern desert, Lenz took scores of photos and sent regular dispatches to 'Outing' magazine, each one brimming with descriptions of exotic locales, grinding hardships, and near-death experiences.
Two years into his spectacular journey, Lenz disappeared in eastern Turkey, a country shaken by Kurd-Armenian warfare. Rumor swiftly arose that he had been murdered. While Americans demanded a resolution, 'Outing' magazine sent famous `globe girdler' William Sachtleben to the war-torn country to investigate Lenz's alleged murder and bring the perpetrators to justice.
'The Lost Cyclist' has a broader appeal than most books: mystery fans, history buffs, cycling enthusiasts, and true crime aficionados will all find something to appreciate.
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Beyond the history of bicycle evolution, July 28, 2010
By John Grimsrud (Merida, Yucatan, Mexico)
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David V. Herlihy fills the historical gap between horse and buggy and the age of the auto. These real life adventurers achieved super human feats across continents and around the world.
Captivating and excellently documented.
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Amazing Wheelmen of the 1890's, July 25, 2010
By Kurt Burgess (Alexandria, IN, US)
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As a touring cyclist myself, traversing organized and generally decent paved roads, I am humbled by the heroics of the men (and women) roaming the countryside on muddy or dusty roads during the original great cycling boom. A penny farthing "wheel" training ride of 162 miles for an upcoming race. The excitement of townsfolk seeing these gentlemen for the first time riding a wheel through town. The enthusiastic dreams of the title character as he attempts an around the world cycling expedition. This book will captivate with first hand accounts of these stout individuals. Even for non-cyclists, it's a rich historical record of a time before the modern highway and the automobile came into play.
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The Lost Cyclist, July 15, 2010
By Ig (NEWTOWN, Pa USA)
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A fun book to read;as well as educational. I was able to picture the scenes in my mind
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Bicyling 'Round the World, June 26, 2010
By Old Timer (Washington, D.C.)
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This book recounts two epic tales from
round-the-world cycle touring at the end of the
XIX century, just as the "safety bicycle" replaced
the "high wheeler."
The book interleaves the stories of Allen and
Sachtleben, who were in the same graduating class at
Washington Univ. of St. Louis nee Washington College,
with that of a Pittsburgher, Franz Lenz. Sachleben and
Allen started first, east-to-west, 15,044 miles in 344 days.
Lenz started shortly thereafter from west-to-east. Lenz
apparently fell victim to brigands just east of the Celi
Baba pass in May, 1894. The last chapters are devoted
to Sachleben's returning to Turkey to try to free Lenz, or
at least bring back his body. In this he failed, in part due
to the "inefficiency" of the American ambassador to
Turkey.
On the whole the stories are limited by the
availability of diaries, letters, and press clipping, so
that the reader is somewhat disconcerted by the
constant switching from historical facts to inner
thoughts. What comes through, however, are the
prodigious distances bicycled and walked pushing
the bicycles when the roads were otherwise
impassable and how many miles were bicycled on
railroad ties. The only comparable ride these days
is the Pan American Highway where it goes through
Central America.
Allen and Sachtleben recount the
Athens funeral of the German archaeologist
Heinrich Schlieman, who is either raised or
condemned for his ham-handed excavation of the
ancient city of Troy. Lenz several times
traveled via the Lancaster Pike, which is claimed
to be the oldest paved road in the States. Allen
and Sachtleben traveled from St. Louis to Terre
Haute on the ties of William Riley McKeen's
Vandalia railroad, rather than the National Road,
now U.S. 40, which was no better than a shallow,
muddy stream.
Given today's fuss over the Islammic
restrictions on women's dress, it's interesting
that Allen was arrested in Turkistan for exposing his
kneecaps in public. Lenz was successful in getting
eggs for breakfast by gesticulating.
In London they met the American ambassador
to the Court of St. Jones, Robert Todd Lincoln. And
Lenz got his "passport" documents from the
Secretary of State James Blaine in person.
In short it was a "good read."
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For cyclists, travelers, adventurers, June 6, 2010
By Heretic (Mt. Baldy, CA USA)
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I've been an avid cyclist since getting my first Sting-ray for Christmas in 1964, and I follow professional cycling as well, so the subject of this book piqued my curiosity. I had not known of Frank Lenz previously. Kudos to Herlihy for his thorough research in reporting the tale. The book is a bit dense in sections, as Herlihy tries, I think, to authenticate his story by including every little tidbit of info (including meals, room accommodations, and so forth in great detail). I would've liked the narrative to speed along at a faster clip.
All in all, though, this is a fascinating read. Recommended.
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A misleading title, July 27, 2010
By Kathleen Wagner (SWPA)
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I was very disappointed to find that this book was more or less a vehicle to tell the story of Will Sachtleben.
Living in the Pittsburgh area, I was interested to learn about this local adventurer. Instead I learned a lot more about Will Sachtleben, another adventurer of that time.
In the late eighteen hundreds, bicycles began making an appearance in this country. In those days these bicycles
sported a large front wheel. These wheels were approximately 56 inches in diameter. They were ridden mostly by
young men, and the sport of bicycle racing began to take hold. Those indulging in this sport were known as Wheelman. They formed clubs and sponsored races, and found ways to grow the sport that they were so fanatically devoted to. Among those who were enthusiasts of this sport were some Pittsburghers, including Frank George Lenz.
He was in the company of others, including two young men whose family business was to sell these new vehicles,
bicycles made by Victor. These two brothers were known as W.D. and A.C. Banker. The pair were well known for their racing abilities. In 1887 Lenz entered his first competition, with the brothers as opponents. Although he made a decent showing in this and other races, he soon realized that his future lay more in endurance cycling. This was the beginning of passion that sealed his fate, and ended with his disappearance.
Judging by the title, one would be led to believe that this was the story of Frank Lenz, and his mysterious disappearance. It was in fact, the story of the appearance of bicycles, and their enormous rise in popularity in a very short time. Along with the growth of their popularity, came changes in their design and even in who might be likely to be seen riding them.
This is also very much a story about Will Sachtleben, his own bicycling prowess and trip across the globe. It
goes on to document his search for fellow cyclist Lenz, after the Pittsburgh native stops contacting his family and his sponsor while attempting to "girdle the globe" as Sachtleben did. The difference being that Lenz was attempting to do it alone, while Will Sachtleben had a partner in his successful endeavor.
We do finally get a picture of the fate that Lenz fell victim to. IT seemed to me that it was more the secondary story, and the book would have been better titled Will Sachtleben, His Story
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Good story but very detailed, July 15, 2010
By Jean P. (Carmel, Indiana)
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This is a true story about a cyclist who sets out to travel the world by bike. It is also about a cyclist who is hired to search for why he disappears.
I liked this story but unless you read alot and are also a cycling enthusiast, then this is a difficult read. I didn't enjoy the author's style of writing.
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 Enough is enough, September 15, 2010
By J. Collier
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Amazon,
When will your digital prices fall more in line with paperback prices? Convenience is one thing, but we're not stupid!
1 of 27 people found the above review helpful.
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Enough is enough, September 15, 2010
By J. Collier
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Amazon,
When will your digital prices fall more in line with paperback prices? Convenience is one thing, but we're not stupid!
1 of 28 people found the above review helpful.
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Hardly an epic, August 14, 2011
By bilagaana (USA)
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Subtitles beginning with the phrase "The Epic Story of..." or "The Epic Tale of..." are a contemporary fashion among publishers. With few exceptions (e.g.: Hampton Sides' magnificent Blood and Thunder) this usually turns out to be an attempt to artificially inflate reader interest in an otherwise minor work about an obscure historical episode.
At best a mediocre narrative, The Lost Cyclist is nominally centered on the story of Frank Lenz. Caught up in the bicycle craze of the very late 1800's, Lenz, in a misguided quest for recognition, seized upon the notion of circumnavigating the globe by bicycle. Unfortunately, this had been accomplished at least twice before. Evidently a man of more desperate enthusiasm than imagination, the best idea Lenz could come up with was to retrace the journey in the opposite direction from his renowned predecessors.
The book is heavily fleshed out with a recounting of the journey of two of those predecessors, the team of Sachtleben and Allen, and Sachtleben's subsequent inquiries into Lenz's murder.
Though a competent enough retelling, The Lost Cyclist never rises above the level of an extended magazine article. It is interesting only for its subject matter, not the manner in which that subject matter is presented. Readers who bring an already-formed interest in bicycling or forgotten fin de siecle pastimes will find this a modestly interesting history. Others are not likely to find this book a compelling read. If the reader is able, despite the tepid narrative of this book, to empathize with Frank Lenz and appreciate the incredible physical effort involved in his ordeal, then one will be left with sympathy for the sad end to his ambitions.
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Wonderfully entertaining and enlightening, May 13, 2011
By M. Erb (Syracuse, NY)
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As an avid cyclist, I was very interested to read The Lost Cyclist. I had no prior knowledge of Frank Lenz, or his epic journey. In fact, I was completely oblivious to the entire origins of the sport of cycling as presented in this book.
The strength, courage and endurance that these early cyclists had is inspirational. When you consider the equipment they were using in the late 1800's was heavy and that parts were not exactly easy to come by, the journeys that these riders took were amazing. I'm also left with the feeling that the world has become much "smaller" to us today simply because global communication has improved so much. The cyclists in the late 1800's faced a much different world in which so much was unknown.
The accompanying photographs were very appropriate and I wish there were even more included in the book because they added so much to the narrative.
The amount of research that was done to write this book is almost mind-boggling. It all comes together into a riveting story that I found most compelling. The book was a fascinating read. I believe that non-cyclists could also enjoy this book.
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Good Read, January 24, 2011
By James
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This is a great travel book that provides an insight into the conditions in the late 1800's. It is startling that a trip considered almost an undoable feat today was completed in that time period with the equipment of the day. It is worth ones time to read the book.
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A great read, December 9, 2010
By clewlew
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I bought thus book via my Kindle mainly because of the Pittsburgh connection. It was a great read, and I couldn't put it down. The formatting was perfect. The stories of the two young cyclists are interwoven with the political background in a masterful way, both inspiring and sad. Read this one.
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Interesting Story from a Different Era, September 23, 2011
By Jonathan T. Harding (North Carolina)
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This is a really interesting true story that starts with the age of the highwheeler when America was transfixed with the bicycle. The story is primarily about a young man from Pittsburgh who attains the financial support of a prominent magazine of the time and attempts to ride the new "safety" bicycle with pneumatic tires around the world, starting in New York and heading West. He makes the mistake of riding through one of the most dangerous parts of Turkey and straight into the Armenian Genocide, and disappears. The remainder of the book is about the search for information on his demise. This book at times became laborious to read and digressed into a sequence of events without much embellishment, drama, or commentary. Some of the language of the era, diplomacy, and foreign language was a bit difficult to follow. However, the story was compelling and I would recommend it.
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