I really enjoyed this, a fascinating and inspirational read even if you’re not a cycling fan or into sports biographies. As the title states this is “not about the bike” well not completely anyways, of course the bike is always present (even on Lance’s sickest days when he could barely stand from the chemo treatments he still managed to go for a wobbly ride around the block) but I would say more than half of this story deals with Lance’s brutal battle with cancer and his miraculous recovery. We also learn about his childhood and growing up kinda poor in a single parent home, his early days as a triathlete, falling in love and his 1st marriage (this was written in 2002) and a surprisingly detailed account about the IVF that allowed for the birth of his first child.

It’s well written, honest and unflinching, as some of what we read doesn’t always paint Armstrong in the most favorable light. Other reviewers have mentioned his ego (huge) and his single mindedness when it came to racing and training, bordering on obsession. I am of the mind that you don’t become the best in the world without developing an ego, without becoming preoccupied. I mean it takes everything to get to the top so personal relationships are bound to suffer. On that note while Armstrong praises his (now ex-wife) Kit I was shocked at how he treated her, expecting her life to just revolve around him. At one point she gives up everything in the States and follows him to Europe to just “be there” while he trains, then on a whim Lance quits the tour and he expects her to just pack up the house and follow him back home while he sorts himself out and plays golf.

When Lance is diagnosed with cancer it’s the first time in his life that cycling is not the foremost thing in his life however he handles his treatment and recovery like a big race. Finding the right doctors and learning everything he can about his disease. We the reader get the story down to the smallest of details; from the day he just didn’t feel well, through diagnosis, gut-wrenching fear, denial, dealing with the backlash from his team and sponsors and then a single minded focus on beating cancer through his day to day struggle through operations, chemo and near death. I actually had no idea just how sick he was, not only was the cancer in his testicle but he also had tumors in his chest and brain, his odds of survival at one point were as low as 20%.

His fight to make a comeback into the cycling world is almost as grim as his cancer itself; no team would touch him so there was a political side as well as a physical side to his return. And just because he was in remission and well enough to race didn’t mean his mind was in the game either. I found it fascinating how he entered into a sort of survivor’s guilt phase where he didn’t want to ride, he just wanted to play golf, eat crappy food and be a bum, like he didn’t know how to go back to his life before cancer.

If you’re into cycling obviously this is a must read. The longest chapter here deals with his first Tour de France win and it’s exhausting and totally exhilarating, leaving me feeling like I was grinding up the Alps and Pyrenees amidst a mass of spandex. (Yay me) There is also a freakin ton of inside information regarding well, just about everything you ever wanted to know about “the Tour” and cycling in general, specifically covering European terms, customs, the training regime and accounts of competitions and what it takes to get there. Yup the doping issue is brought up as well, and because Armstrong was an American winning a European dominated race he was tested persistently,(always negative) with such claims as his cancer treatments had given him an unfair advantage!

322jb4

He's not a good writer, but he's an amazing man. Reading his early book about his fight with cancer was inspiring-- he took charge of his life instead of giving in to it and did a complete 180 as a person from selfish young athlete to humanized humbled weak person who really took stock in his true friends. It's an interesting, fast read for anyone, and as a daughter of a cancer survivor, I could totally relate. I realized my mom's attitude was exactly like his, ok I have this, but it's not going to beat me, not until I say so at least... and I'm not ready yet. Very inspiring.

Not going to lie, initially loved the book and everything about him. But now, everything was a lie, so need to leave a bad rating :(

I got told that after reading this book, I would see Lance Armstrong in a 'different light'. At that point in time, I didn't see him in any light at all as I knew close to nothing about him. After reading his autobiography, I see him as an extremely strong, committed, passionate and confident human being. I understand how he might come across as arrogant and boastful to some but I rather liked his cockiness. I thought it showed character and personality.

The book does lack some sophistication in writing (hence the 4, rather than 5, stars) but I think that contributes to it being very easy to read. This was appreciated after reading Ranulph Fiennes’s autobiography which read like a text book for the best part. There are some interesting quotes and concepts contained within 'It's Not About the Bike' and I found it quite emotional in parts. Armstrong is not one to mince his words but that’s fine with me as some people say what they want to say and others don’t.

I'm generally not a fan of reviews and if I must read them, I'll flick through them after I've read a book and not before. Reviewers seem very torn (and at times, quite passionately) about his book. I see it like this: he had cancer, he recovered and then went onto win the Tour de France a number of times. No one else got on the bike and won the races for him. He did it and he did it for himself. This is a remarkable achievement. Unbelievable in fact. It may be a simplistic view, but it is mine.

Update 18/01/13: This book is a BIG, FAT LIE!

Cannot give a ranking to this book because I must admit I am conflicted. As a competitive cyclist and triathlete, starting my battle with cancer at 37, I have too much invested to review it. But I will split my judgement in two parts, plus a note on the author.

The first part of the book, on youth, and illness, and cure, was shocking for me. Reading it while I was coping with the news of having Hodgkin's lymphoma in the middle of my sport career gave me shivers. It was like reading my thoughts loud, on fear, rising awareness, love, recognition, power of will, sacrifice, and acceptance.

The second part, the racing, the bragging on being clean and changing the sport, as we know is total bullshit. Armstrong has been one of the best athletes who ever lived, don't get me wrong, but it was as dirty, covered up, supported, financed, than anybody else times ten. So it's difficult to follow his bravado there.

My ultimate note on the book and the author, however, is more than positive. Lance is an example of the survivor mentality, and the total focus. He came back to life wanting to be the best cyclist in the world, he was aware of the price to pay and he did pay it - the training, the sacrifice, the drugs, the cheating, the lying. He was aware, he did it, and he did it marvellously. He became the very best.

It is the audience, as usual, that I despise. A bunch of weak beings, desperately worshipping the hero without accepting what it means to be a hero. Not tolerating the compromises, the loneliness, the all consuming hysteria and madness. This is what it takes to be the best, to be great, to live above odds. Lance knew it, and he knew he was strong enough to pull it out. Few people do. And even fewer manage to do it without becoming an asshole; Lance wasn't definitely one of those very few.

Ultimately, I hope I will have Lance's same success in beating cancer and pursuing what I truly want. At the same time, I hope that that single focus will be consumed by something more human, less mundane, than winning a race at all costs.

Amazing story of a man being brought down to zero by cancer but he bounced back stronger fitter and became faster than any other cyclist in the world for 7 years in a row!.....pitty it was all done on a multiple amount of world class drugs! 1 point I would like to make, he has been stripped of all his medals, sponsors and has to pay millions. However, another top professional that won 7 Mr universe titles admitted to the world he took steroids. He got to keep all his titles and became governor of California for 8 years! that man is Arnold Schwarzenegger. In dont condone what lance has done but where are the standards?

So...I understand that Lance is not a writer - but why hire a ghost-writer that cannot write either?

That aside - "Its Not About the Bike" is a combination cancer survival against the odds/sports prodigy story/inspiration.

Lance seems like an arrogant asshole, its true, but I couldn't help getting all ferclempt when he wins the tour the first time...I love cycling, I am truly fascinate by the mental and physiological processes of true athletes, and this book *did* give a little insight.

Maybe with a better writer he would have conveyed how much the cancer changed him...he kept saying that it did, but he didn't show me. Sports book - feh. What can you expect?

I read this right after my dad passed away from cancer. Lance was a hero of my dad's for some time, but I'd never seen his autobiography until I found it on my dad's shelf. Lance's drive to survive and win against all odds is an inspiration to anyone, but especially to cancer survivors & their family. It really helped me get through a difficult time, and inspired me to start doing triathlons with Team In Training (a great organization which helps benefit cancer victims).

Oh - and Lance is the shit :)

Talk about an inspiring book. He didn't hold back any details when it came to his treatment and struggles with cancer. It makes his accomplishments with the Tour de France that much sweeter in my mind hearing what he went through. I think my biggest take home from the book is that your mindset and attitude towards struggles can make or break you.

I will say that he also showed signs of being quite arrogant and prideful, but in his defense lots of competitive athletes are. If they're not going to believe in themselves and say how great they are who will? Also since the book was written, he divorced his wife that he spoke so highly of and how much she meant to him.

They met after cancer which I always thought they had met before and after a strong connection she stuck through his ups and downs of returning to racing and getting back on the bike post cancer. I found her to be pretty amazing quitting her job and supporting him and his dream by moving to Europe and making a home for his crazy lifestyle during training. Not to mention she went through the emotional roller coaster of having a baby through in vitro since he was infertile from the chemo.

So I won't say that after reading the book I developed a high level of respect for his overall character in relation to his personal life and how he reacts and treats people. I found those aspects to be very unappealing.

Regardless of these flaws he never gave up and he looked at cancer as something that was going to push him and help him to grow instead of his ultimate death. It's no wonder why he's been so accomplished in his career with a mindset like that. Also who doesn't know about his efforts with Livestrong and his cancer awareness? I think he has tried to give back and make a difference and for that he gets bonus points back for what he lacks in my point of view in personality.

tThe book, Its not about the bike; My journey back to life by Lance Armstrong is an Amazing book. It is about Lance’s biking career and how cancer took it all away from him when he was finally getting to where he wanted to be in the sport. The storys tells us about the difficulties he had when he had cancer and what it was like through the chemo process. Lance was told he had only a 20% chance of living and a very little chance of having children, but he never once thought of giving up. When he was finally released with no cancer in his cells from the hospital Lance was told he would never be the same rider he used to be, Lance was told he would never be at the same level he was at. But Lance proved all the people doubting him wrong, he ended up winning the tour de France, the most popular and longest race in Europe and had a baby boy a few months after that. This book was an amazing book because it showed determination towards something that was loved. When the odds weren't in Lances favor he still never stopped believing in his self. This book reminds me of the people who, everyday, are fighting for their live in hoping to overcome cancer. There are many children and adults who are suffering from the dramatic steps taken to stop the cancer. The book makes me want to donate money to a foundation for cancer to help the people in need of the research and new medication.

tAt age 16 Lance became a professional triathlete. In 1989 the U.S. Olympic development team invited him to train as a cyclist. He placed 11th in the World Championship Road Race, with the best time of any American since 1976. From 1999-2005, Armstrong won seven Tour de France in a row and inspired others with his cancer survival story. In October, however, came the shocking announcement that Armstrong had been diagnosed with testicular cancer. Well advanced, the tumors had spread to his abdomen, lungs, and lymph nodes. After having a tumour removed, drastically modifying his eating habits, and beginning aggressive chemotherapy.

There is a fine line between being self-pompous and having a pair to face adversities head-on. Interesting thing about the line is that, it is so fine you don't know if you have crossed that line. And an outsider can take you for a self boasting prick even if what you say is completely honest. And to be frank, I believe that is why this book garnered so much negative reviews. So my advice is keep aside all your judgments and read it with a mind to accept whatever he is saying is what he did and thought at that time.

Another point you have to keep in mind is never see him as a world famous athlete. Especially when he describes those torturous three months of his life. If you do, you would ask the question, is he the only person to over come cancer? Isn't that what normal people do when they are in his shoes? So see him as another member of the cancer community. See him as someone who is speaking out the difficulties and hardships a person from that community would go through. See him as one among you.

The book is not just about how he overcame the cancer battle in a hospital ward. When I first read the title, I thought this book would have nothing related to his before and after cancer life. I was wrong. It did include everything on his before and after cancer life. On how he started his love for cycling. How he got himself into the spotlight as an angry young racer. And how he finally discovered he had cancer. How he overcame it. How he decided to quit cycling. How he came back roaring. This book is his life in a nutshell.

The way the author tries to bring in humor is appreciable. But there are a few instances when the humor falls flat on its face. But otherwise it is a pleasant read. It doesn't get you too much emo but at the same time it shows you the grave dangers and sacrifices he made during his fight for survival.

Now you would be wondering why I gave 3 stars in spite of all the positive thinks I said. I am a human. I know he was stripped of all his Tour de France crowns for using EPO. So I keep asking myself, is he telling the complete truth in this book? There are sections were he speaks about other races being barred or disqualified for using the same drugs for which he was later punished. I wonder if he would have made those personal records had he not been on drugs. This nagging doubt takes that one star away from my ratings.

But you can't deny the fact that he is a strong willed person. This book would definitely be an inspiration to any one who is going through hard times (not just cancer).

P.S. I want to disagree with the doctor who said to Armstrong that he cheated death. No. He didn't cheat death. He defeated death. He conquered death. At least in that battle of cancer.

This memoir by Lance Armstrong and Sally Jenkins was written just after he won the prestigious Tour de France in 1999 and published in 2000. As the title suggests, it is not so much about his successful cycling career as it is about his fight from a life-threatening illness. When he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996, the disease had already spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain and medical experts gave him little chance of survival, let alone resuming a cycling career. But Armstrong took an entirely different approach, promising himself not only that he would recover, but that he would race again.

He begins by describing his life growing up in Texas as the child of a single teenage mother who had no support from his biological father. Although he had no skills in football, the sport popular in high school, he began entering and winning triathlons. It was an excellent foundation for cycling which soon became his passion. He fills in the details of races he entered, the ones he won and the ones that ended in defeat, so taken up by the sport that riding his bike became an integral part of his life. In 1993 when he was twenty-one, he became World Cycling Champion, but a few years later he hit a wall when he was diagnosed with cancer.

Following his diagnosis, Armstrong read all the literature he could lay his hands on. He studied the disease extensively, learned about the various treatments available and questioned everything and everyone, determined to choose the path with the best outcomes. He shares how he made those decisions and describes the difficult path of enduring them including brain surgery and endless chemotherapy with different cocktails of drugs, noting the many setbacks along the way. The treatment was a brutal, rough ride, but he was determined, stayed the course and never gave up. He was finally deemed to be cancer free in February 1997.

Armstrong firmly believes that his mental strength and his determination to beat the disease played a major role in his recovery. Despite his dogged commitment, neither his cycling team nor his sponsor believed he would ever be able to cycle again, let alone survive the disease. But he did not just survive, he made a miraculous comeback and won the Tour de France. It was an amazing inspirational story, one that gave many patients with cancer hope for the future. Thousands who had never been interested in the sport of cycling, learned about his story and were moved by his grit and determination. Encouraged by his experience, others were moved to be stronger when faced with the uncertainty that accompanies this often fatal diagnosis.

Determined to help others, he established the Lance Armstrong Foundation to promote cancer awareness and research. It was not long before thousands of dollars began pouring in from donors moved by his story.

This book sold well and readers enjoyed hearing a true-life story about the power of the human spirit. It wasn’t until years later that the United States Anti-Doping Agency revealed that it was not just grit and determination that helped Armstrong win races; he had been doping for years and every race he had won in the Tour, he won with the assistance of performance enhancing drugs.

Armstrong had been denying accusations of drug use for years, lied to his family and supporters and misled many who had trusted him. It was a crash landing for Armstrong, his defenders and his many fans. But when this book was published, those revelations were yet to come. Like many others, I was taken in by his story so well told in this book, before the truth was eventually uncovered.