"Well-written and researched. Throughout the text, illustrations...augment the narrative."
— Choice
"This well-researched, thought-provoking book fills a void in the literature, providing important cautionary lessons for today's bicycling advocates."
— Journal of Planning Education and Research
"British journalist Carlton Reid fluently explains why bicycling has only had one real 'boom' in the past century-plus...The book will certainly make cycling advocates wiser."
— Planning
"As this book demonstrates in sharp and illuminating detail, the world needs the bicycle now more than ever."
— Resurgence & Ecologist
"A well-researched, well-argued book that should be compulsory reading for anyone involved in the provision of cycle facilities."
— Road.cc
"Reid has the easy and familiar style of the journalist, and the ability to help the reader form patterns with both cycle specific and general knowledge...this book is essential reading."
— Transport Reviews
"Carlton Reid is one of the most well respected authors in the cycling world today, and with good reason. He is renowned for his political insight and meticulous research. Building on his earlier works—which delve into the history of this multi-purpose machine—Bike Boom is a beautifully fluid account of contemporary cycling and raises Carlton's reputation as a leading cycling aficionado to new heights."
— Chris Boardman, Senior Policy Advisor at British Cycling and Cofounder of Boardman Bikes
"Carlton Reid brings an essential—and often forgotten—historical depth to ongoing debates about cycling and cycling infrastructure. In Bike Boom, he maps the deeply political struggles that are hidden behind seemingly technical, or even banal, issues. Indispensable reading for those trying to grasp cycling, but even more so for those who are fighting the continuous fight for its place in contemporary cities and societies."
— Marco te Brommelstroet, Academic Director, Urban Cycling Institute; Associate Professor in Urban Planning, University of Amsterdam
"Bike Boom is full of heroes fighting for safe places for bikes, up against the Goliath of mass motorization. Carlton deftly tells the stories of the major battles over bikes in Europe and the United States from the 1930s through the 1970s. Not much has changed: we are still facing the same forces today, with the same arguments for and against. The book is a loving testament to yesterday's scrappy champions with lessons for all who persist today."
— Martha Roskowski, Vice President of Local Innovation, PeopleForBikes