The book focuses on the escapades of Mr. Hoopdriver. He works in a menial job as an assistant draper. He is not too happy with his lot in life. He does get two weeks off of work, and decides to set off on a bicycle tour. It is the late 1800s and bicycles are in their heyday. What we would recognize as a modern bicycle is now widely available and capable of being ridden by just about anybody. They are not cheap, but they are accessible to those that desire. The roads have been improved, but cars have yet to appear. It is the dream time to cycle.
On his trip, Hoopdriver runs into a lady. She is waiting for somebody, so he moves on. He will later run into this same lady many more times, along with the man she was waiting for. The man is much older than her and is helping her escape from the regimented life of her mother in law. However, he does not have her best needs in mind. After a few days of coincidentally running into each other, Hoopdriver meets up with her, and helps rescue her from the man. He steals the man's bike and he and the lady make a daring getaway on bicycle in the night.
He feels inadequate with his station in life, and makes up bigger and bigger lies. (She lets her "guess" about his background and then fills in the story to back it up.) Eventually, he decides to let out the truth. This does not hurt their relationship, and she even feels sympathy for the ruse that he felt he needed to pull due to his lower class.
Meanwhile, the mother-in-law and her friends set out to find them. There are plenty of slapstick escapades as this motley group bumble away. Eventually, she decides to go home, with conditions of her setting, and Hoopdriver returns to his life, with a promise to continue his studies.
The story is most often remembered for its portrayal of this particular point in history. I have found Google Maps online that show the route taken in the book. The book does a great job of bringing out the evolution of customs and bicycling culture. It is also a fun story.
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