If you’re into vintage road bikes you’ve heard of San Francisco collectors Brett and Shelly Horton. I’ve only seen a small display of their collectibles at a VeloSwap a few years ago, so I was excited when their book Cycling’s Golden Age — Heroes Of The Postwar Era, 1946-1967 was announced. After reading it, perhaps what amazes me most is how quickly the Hortons amassed their awesome museum-quality collection. They only started in the mid 1990s and now have over 185,000 items, most of which I would have thought would have been locked up in museums long ago. But, this beautiful book is much more than a catalog of roadie relics because they enlisted famed cycling author Owen Mulholland to tell the stories behind the collectibles and his tales are every bit as fascinating as the Horton’s heirlooms.

ALWAYS RIDE HOME!

As long as you ride a well-maintained bicycle, serious breakdowns should be rare. Out on the road or trail you’ll mostly be repairing the occasional flat tire because it’s hard to avoid every piece of glass, and those rocks and potholes out on the trails. But other than that, it’s amazing how long a maintained bicycle will run trouble free.

Still, it’s smart to be prepared for mechanical emergencies so that you never get stranded and have to walk home. And, by putting together and carrying a small and simple bicycle repair tool kit you’ll be able to fix just about anything that could go wrong. Here’s what I recommend.or mechanical e