An entertaining account of a cycling expedition undertaken by three male friends. There is nothing groundbreaking, but the writing style is engaging and the relationship between the men is touchingly conveyed.

Harry, George and Ian take up cycling as a way to keep fit and to give them a weekend interest. After three months of one hour rides to the pub on a Sunday lunchtime, they decide they are ready for a cycling holiday over the Pennines – then the fun starts!

These beginners 'accidentally' get into a race with seasoned cyclists and get help from other cyclists in different ways. Narrated by Ian, we get an amusing take three different personalities spending intense periods of time together, including sharing a bedroom, all three together! There is much for the three men to learn about themselves and each other – some good traits, some not so good. It sometimes reads very much like a younger version of Last of The Summer Wine, there's very little new ground here but an amusing and entertaining read.

I really wanted to enjoy this book and but I just couldn't get into.
Some one else may feel different so I won't say don't read if it is the sort of book you enjoy give it a go.

Or what a joy it was to read. I have not read Jerome K Jerome's 'Three Men In A Boat' but I've seen the Russian movie version of it. The movie was done so well and the actors (all stars) did such a great job that quotes from the movie became vernacular among population. I myself use quite a few quotes from this move.

The book my Richard Mapes is no different. It is funny, light, entertaining and insightful. You get to know three main characters with all their flaws and weaknesses. You get to know a bit about biking and English countryside (things you would not get to know if you are not on a bike).

Three Men On Their Bikes is a story of three friends whom life is pulling apart. Three day bike holiday is their chance to catch up and to renew their friendship. Will it work? Will they enjoy the holiday? Will they survive?

Well, I guess you have to read the book. Beware, you will laugh out loud in quite a few places.

A joyful and restful read.

Good book with some laughs. 3 friends that have lost contact decide to take a road trip together via bikes. Their adventures both good and bad add to the story. They also learn something about themselves on this trip. Good light-hearted read that is fun to read. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book. Although I received the book in this manner, it did not affect my opinion of this book nor my review.

The cover shows the three men who embark on this cycling adventure. under them are the three words like Orwellian slogans. Work. Life. Cycle.
I suppose it is more Jerome K Jerome than 1984 but it is to the 70's that my mind raced quicker than Geraint Thomas and the exploits of Terry and Bob.
So here is a fictional account of three long-standing friends who are drifting apart and their time around a pint or two only brings this into focus. George is most outspoken feeling Ian's upcoming nuptials will leave him 'grounded' and Harry seems lost in his work following a recent promotion and the need to be the best.
Taking matters into their own hands they take up cycling under Harry's direction at weekends and before long their committed to a cycling holiday in Yorkshire.
I found the characters a little two dimensional and the story more for younger readers than a mature audience.
The humour was sown like the old broadcast method with the seeds of wit not always finding soil to grow into laughs and smiles.
The simple exploration of mates was touched but I was unconvinced over their lad’s holiday as nothing seemed to unite them as friends and the cycling was a later addition. I wondered how and why they had become friends and why anyone cared if they should drift apart.
How they could hold their own on bikes is beyond me as these were serious distances and Harry's competitive edge was never going to make for a leisurely ride through the dales.
I found the people they met good for a 1-hour play but not realistic in terms of a range of abilities cycling the same route. This drive for a more varied cast of characters lacked authenticity and they were never really developed in the piece.
Some home truths were pertinent to each man's thinking at the end of the trip but again most of these could have been foreseen in a conversation in the pub rather than psychological insights through this shared experience.
A great concept and perfectly readable with some good moments but sadly not quite for me.

I really tried to enjoy this tale of 3 dysfunctional, unfit men on a cycle holiday. The main characters were well portrayed as fairly shallow individuals compared to the other cyclists that they encountered on their trip. I could personally relate to many of the incidents described by the author, these were the only enjoyable aspects of the book.

I didn't find the book particularly funny or engaging and to be frank it was an effort to complete the novel up to the final predictable page.,

George, Harry and Ian. Three men moving into their thirties and growing up (maybe) at last. Ready (maybe) to put away childish things and take on the responsibilities and commitments of relationships, family and work. But will this diminish their carefree friendship? Time for a holiday together to cement the bonds that unite them. And why not a cycling holiday? That should do it. This is a light-hearted and amusing tale of three guys on a cycling holiday with all the pratfalls and mishaps that might be expected. Nothing, of course, goes smoothly, and there are some laugh-out-loud moments. Comparisons with Jerome K Jerome’s Three Men in a Boat are inevitable and in fact it doesn’t stand up too badly. Light-hearted yes, but not without its darker side, which makes it a more interesting read than just a madcap adventure tale. Men’s friendships can indeed be put under strain by growing responsibilities. Friendships do indeed change. Work and career often become more difficult to cope with. So the book isn’t just a superficial romp, and although the three of them irritated me at times, I felt for them and hope this won’t be their last holiday together.

This is the fictional account of three out of shape men in their 30s on the cusp of embracing adulthood who decide to tackle a 3-day bicycle trip. What could possibly go wrong? We have Harry, a sales manager who thinks he's amazing. Ian, the narrator, a writer struggling to live up to his past achievements. George is trying to hold together a friendship in the face of major life changes. While this book is listed as general fiction/humor. While there are funny moments, the story also focuses on the friendship, how it has changed and the work involved in maintaining it (or not). Overall, this was a mostly fun journey. I do love the idea of adults taking up a new hobby and challenging themselves. I never was won over by Harry though - I just didn't think his character was written with enough positive qualities to give the other two reason to want to continue the friendship.

Thank you to Richard Mapes, Thistle Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. All comments are my own, unbiased opinion.

Three Men on Their Bikes follows a very well-trodden path, telling the story where close friends from younger days suddenly recognise they are drifting apart and decide to take a road-trip or vacation to rekindle old friendships. My initial difficulty with a story of this nature is that I don’t buy into either the problem or the solution, but you expect humour along the way, so I tell myself, don’t be so pernickety and enjoy the ride (no pun intended – well ok there was).

Ian, Harry and George have been mates since University days and over the years they have started to drift apart. Ian is the narrator of the story and he’s saving for his wedding, so most of his time and money has been spent with his fiancé, leaving little time or money for outings with Harry and George. Harry is an obsessively competitive person whether it’s sports, work or just downing a pint. Work has been getting difficult as he’s moved from sales to management. His highly competitive nature causes problems with his team. On one hand, he can’t stand people that can’t keep up, on the other hand, the capable ones he sees as threats. George is single and seems to have remained the person he always was. He suggests on numerous occasions that he’s still here, it’s the other two that have drifted away.

George not only encourages spending more time together but books a 3-day coast to coast cycling holiday from Morecambe to Bridlington, through the Yorkshire Dales. They have 3 months to prepare and before you know it they’re off and running (well riding). Three guys with testosterone pumping and a boys-let-loose attitude, I expected a lot of funny and crazy episodes but that didn’t happen. The jokes were there but always with a feeling of restraint. The conversations and dialogue for the first half of the book were generally dull and uneventful. George cycles in tweed, long sock and cycling clips – that’s not funny, that’s stupid.

During the trip, they meet various characters that are all undertaking the same trip, all with more experience than they have. There is a sense of camaraderie, although bear in mind Harry is hyper-competitive. The characters and interactions seemed too convenient and with very little depth. Unfortunately, the story didn’t really captivate or interest me, however, the last third of the book it did pick up a little as they each learn something about themselves. They recognise that life changes, priorities change, and we always need to work hard at relationships with family and friends.

For most of the book I was feeling 3 stars but probably raised to 3.5 stars overall. I would like to thank Thistle Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC version of the book in return for an honest review.

There were some bits with grace, quirk and color that I appreciated, but this story of three blokes attempting to reinforce their friendship with a cycling holiday fell a bit short of the mark for me. I love a great travel story, and the fish out of water trope, and while I liked the descriptions of the characters that Ian, George, and Harry encounter on this madcap journey, what romance and high jinx there are don't make up for this being A Walk in the Woods minus Bill Bryson's laugh a minute humor.

Another book I could not finish. Why would 3 men need permission to take a bike trip. They don’t even seem like they should be friends, they are so different.

A light and enjoyable read inspired by J.K. Jerome. It's well writtten, entertaining and it made me laugh out laugh.
I hope to read soon other books by this author because I really liked the style of writing and how he developed the characters.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Thistle Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC

I must admit that my opinion of the book changed about half way through and indeed the more I read the more I became rather encaptivated by it. From the first few pages I thought that this was rather a superficial book about three thirty something middle class men having jolly childish japes as they embark on a hundred and seventy mile cycling holiday from the west to the east coast through the north of England. Amusing with one or two hit and miss funny stories put probably nothing more. However as the reader will discover this is bit more profound and poignant as the book looks at how with the passing of time friendships can change and what once seemed permanent relationships set in stone can quickly dissolve.

Ian the narrator, George and Harry have been going on a regular "boys" holiday for many years but with Ian soon to be married and Harry consumed with the responsibilities of his new management job it becomes gradually clear that this may be the last one. This is particularly on the mind of George who sees that the commitments of his two friends will inevitably take its toll on their relationships. It is somewhat like one of those American coming of age films where the teenager goes to the last summer camp or family holiday to the cabin by the lake. The ending is quite moving and I would be most interested to read a sequel and meet up again with the characters.

Apart from the psychological stuff this is also a fun story of how three cycling novices manage the journey through some strenuous hilly terrain. Personally I found my favourite amusing moments were when they became terrified in a field when mistaking a rather harmless cow for a bull and their night out at a ghastly "music tonight" event in the upstairs room of a pub. Although to Ian's chagrin there was less sightseeing than expected we nevertheless got a flavour of the countryside and some of the towns and villages they passed through or stayed overnight at. If you like meeting quirky characters and can identify with MAMLS (middle age men in lycra) then I think you will enjoy this but I only hope that I never have the misfortune of being behind them while in the car on a long and winding road as I fear I could be there for a long time.

What a fun read! I may not know anything about the English countryside, but I know the pain, humility and humor that comes from riding a bike. Richard Mapes captures it all in this tale about three middle-age men off on a holiday before one gets married. Along with the comic mental picture of guys in lycra comes a message about finding one's self during the ups and downs of a bicycling adventure.

An absolute doozy of a book about three friends Ian, Harry, and George, one on the verge of married life and the other two not sure yet about their route, but one thing is clear they are going through a pre-midlife crisis I believe. Going on a bike holiday not only helped to motivate them in their need to become fitter but also help them to forge stronger friendship bonds. A fun and enjoyable read that took you on a tour of the friendship lines, it led them on a journey giving them a sense of direction to what is most important in their lives.

Three Men on Their Bikes by Richard Mapes is about three long time friends, George, Harry & Ian, attempting the Coast to Coast ride from Morecambe to Bridlington.

None of the three are experienced cyclists and this adds to the humour within the book as they reflect on how their friendship has and will change.

The book is a light read but no less enjoyable for that fact and the main characters along with most of the supporting cast are distinctive and add to the story.

Overall an enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley and Thistle Publishing for the eARC.
3 Friends, Harry, Ian and George, men who haven't fully grown up yet, still living like they're in their 20's, decide to take a 170 mile biking trip. It's meant to save and cement their friendship before they tackle the reality of adulthood.
It's an amusing read with several good laughs. It appealed to me because I once had dreams of biking through Europe or the UK. The writing flows easily, but I found Harry annoying, he's not a friend I would tolerate for long; a selfish and arrogant manchild. But the other characters, especially some of the other cyclists they meet, are appealing and all in all this is an easy, quick read that will lighten your mood.

Meet the MAMLS- Ian, Harry and George. What’s that, you say? Oh, you know, MAMLS- Middle Age Men in Lycra.

I love these guys and I love their story. The three of them have been friends for fifteen years, but now life is changing for them as they enter their thirties and spend more of their time adulting. George convinces them to go on one last holiday, and he sets up a bike trip for them.

The trip is not just a leisurely Sunday pedal to the local pub. They are going to ride cross-country on a coast-to-coast cycle route through Yorkshire and Lancashire. As they say, Hilarity ensues as they join up with “scary looking cyclists in matching team colors and not enough body fat between them to fry an egg.”

The narrator, Ian, is witty, droll and accommodating. George is a thinker and a learner, and Harry is an alpha male, charging ahead through life. How they handle the literal ups and downs of cycling, and their adventures with the friends they make is entertaining and delightful. The three learn about pelotons and teamwork.

I do wish they had spent more time at some of the sites they mentioned, as it seems like a fascinating area of the UK. (I’m American, so I would have loved to learn more!)

“We were together again. Suddenly the holiday didn’t seem like such a terrible idea after all.”

At times comical, and at other points contemplative, this is a good story. “There’s all the time in the world. The only thing that changes is the number of choices you have on what to do with it.” I agree and I highly recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thistle Publishing for a review copy.

Written in the style of Jerome K. Jerome, this is a contemporary version of Three Men on the Bummel. I wouldn't call it comic novel, but it is a very light and easy to read story, which happens to be funny sometimes.

I have to admit that I the more I read, the more I disliked Harry. Spoiler alert! Harry is a terrible friend, and no, coming back after leaving Ian is NOT a redeeming moment. He left his friend behind trying to win a race he could obviously not win. I'm sorry, but he's simply an idiotic and horrible human being who in ruining everyone else's time. And why is everyone humoring him
as if he were an 8-year-old?

Ian (the narrator) is mostly whining and trying to put some perspective into his life, but his character does not evolve at all during the book. I feel the book needs a couple of more chapters so it can actually have a real ending.

I liked everyone else, especially the couple riding the tandem. The book gives you a nice feeling about cycling holidays and the cycling community. I think it captures the spirit of
hiking/cycling tours and having some healthy fun.