Its popularity stemmed from the fact that it was a witty and fervently-argued manifesto for the rights of cyclists to use the road unmolested, as well as for the physical and spiritual benefits of cycling. “Look at what happens to you on a bicycle,” Ballantine wrote. “It’s immediate and direct. You pedal. You make decisions. You experience the tang of the air and the surge of power as you bite into the road. You’re vitalised. As you hum along you fully and gloriously experience the day, the sunshine, the clouds, the breezes. You’re alive!”