Bicycle historian David V. Herlihy has wrapped up another book, "The Lost Cyclist: The Epic Tale of an American Adventurer and his Mysterious Disappearance."

You probably remember Herlihy's previous work, "Bicycle: The History." That heavily researched and interesting book recounted not only the technological advances of the bicycle from the draisine to modern times, but also told us about pioneers in the field and the social impact of two-wheeled travel.

In his latest effort, Herlihy examines the around-the-world bicycle journey of bike racer Frank Lenz of Pittsburgh (that's Lenz at right in India in 1893).

Setting off in 1892 aboard a "safety bicycle" with inflatable tires, Lenz traveled the globe for two years before disappearing forever in Turkey.

In an email, I asked Herlihy why he chose to make the Lenz adventure the subject of his newest book. He answered that he had stumbled across his name many times while researching early 19th century cycling literature.

"He was something of a celebrity even before he disappeared. He struck me as an interesting personality, and I realized that there was nothing out there on him other than his own articles sent to Outing Magazine. So I decided to research his background, track his progress around the world, and do whatever I could to clarify the mystery of his disappearance.

"In the end, the book is as much about the guy who tried to find Lenz, a certain William L. Sachtleben. A globe-girdler himself (1891-93) and a colorful character in his own right , he was sent by Outing to Turkey in March 1895 to find out what had become of Lenz. I was able to unearth much new information about both men, including many never-before-published photos. I also take a close look at Sachtleben's findings to try to determine if he really got to the bottom of the sad affair.

"Apart from the inherent tragedy, however, the book relates the joys and adventures both men experienced on the road while, in effect, leading the way to the great bicycle boom of the mid-1890s."

"The Lost Cyclist" is being published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. It lists an official publication date of June 18, 2010, although it's expected to be available before then. The 336-page book is available from Amazon on pre-order.