Wonder Wheels: The Autobiography of Eileen Sheridan

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Wonder Wheels by Eileen Sheridan
First Published by Nicholas Kaye Limited - 1956

 Re-printed in 2009 by Mercian Manuals LTD
Hardcover with 158 pages.
www,mercianmanuals.co.uk

Wonder Wheels, the Autobiography of Eileen Sheridan, tells the story of Sheridan's start in club cycling through her eventual career as a professional cyclist. The title of this book, Wonder Wheels, was also a slogan used by Hercules Cycles. She was sponsored by Hercules in the early 1950s as a professional cyclist.

 As a British cyclist during the 40s and 50s Eileen Sheridan broke all the long distance records for time trials. She broke records at 30 miles (1948: 1h 19m 28s), 50 miles (1949 and 1950: 2h 14m 16s), 100 miles (1950: 4h 37m 53s) and 12 hours (1949: 237.62 miles). Her record for 1,000 miles was 3 days and 1 hour. She also found success bicycle track racing.

Sheridan's happy personality comes through in her writing. At 4'11' she is often described as a "dainty" lady. Regardless of how tough the conditions she found herself in,while racing and breaking distance records, Sheridan always smiled and kept a positive attitude. 

She gives the details of her cycling years through the 1956 in the book. Not mentioned in the book are the hardships during World War II that she surely had to endure. 

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun book to read that also tells an amazing story. This book can be hard to find, but well worth the search. Click here for more information on Eileen Sheridan.