5 comments about Bicycling and the Law: Your Rights as a Cyclist.

1. Bob Mionske has written a book that any serious cyclist should read or at least have as a reference. This book shares Bob's practical cycling experience with his specialized legal expertise. Know your two wheel rights - buy this book!



2. The best resource (that I know of) on bicycle laws and their history.
   It will answer just about any questions you might have -- like what can you do when the left turn signal isn't triggered by your bike, etc.
   Highly recommended.



3. Lots of good information, especially about bicycle safety. Plenty of generalizations that point one in the right direction but a bit short on some specifics; but, most states have such varied statutes that it would be difficult to cover them all in this type of publication. Good information on insurance as it relates to cycling...



4. This book is perfect for anyone who gets on a bicycle. Although you would think the subject matter would be boring at times, the author discusses everything in an interesting context. Must read for cyclists.



5. I was hesitant at first but did eventually purchase this book. I wished I had this book a couple decades ago. Very informative about the abuse and bias towards cyclists, and also very helpful concerning the cyclists rights when on the receiving end of the abuse and bias. If you commute by bike or just ride for pleasure, this book contains some helpful insights should things go wrong, or even how to explain the effect of the annoyances so many cyclists have learned to tolerate. This book explains you do not need to tolerate many things accepted as normal when out cycling. I found some information explained in the book that is especially helpful when harrased by a potential road rage motorist that yells "get off the road", or simply being cut off by someone passing you too closely. Readers may find some of the history of the laws a bit much, but some of that dry history really helps explain the legal issues. A worthwhile read, especially since more and more people will hit the streets with pedal power as fuel prices increase. If I experience what I have in the past while cycling, this book will have paid for itself during the first minor incidence. I will be very glad I purchased this book the day it is necessary to put this information to use.

3 comments about Franklin Rides a Bike.

1. My 5 year old son got this book for Christmas and we have read it every night since! It depicts the struggle for a young Turtle, Franklin, as he wants to learn to ride a two wheeler like his friends, the peer pressure involved and his overcoming his fears to finally accomplish his goal. Excellent story!



2. We really enjoyed this Franklin book. It shows kids that 1)never give up and 2)everybody struggles trying to learn something new. Franklin thinks his friends will make fun of him since he still has his training wheels on his bike. Franklin then remembers that his friends all had trouble learning new things as well. Franklin then devises an interesting way to learn to ride his bike. Its precious.



3. Another Great Franklin Book. My 3 year old loves for me to read him these stories.

5 comments about Bicycling The Pacific Coast: A Complete Route Guide, Canada To Mexico.

1. This book should really be titled, "Touring the Pacific Coast By Bicycle" because it really isn't about the cycling. Following the route in this book pretty much takes you on the most direct route down the coast and misses some great riding roads. Might be OK if you are pulling a trailer or carrying too much stuff but if you are travelling light and like riding, I'd suggest the Adventure Cycling and Krebs Maps as better routes. It does suggest some nice parks to stay at but I found it not worth the weight and ended up leaving it at a friends halfway through my trip.



2. I used this book for a trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles and found it to be extremely useful for determining route, elevation changes, distances and overnight stops. Its up-to-date and informative, and you don't have to follow the described overnight stops for it to be useful. I brought regular maps for the trip, but ended up only using BTPC for reference throughout. The book is portable enough to bring along for the ride, or you can easily photocopy just the pages you need and stick them in your mapcase. I'll be taking another trip further up the coast this year and will be using this guidebook again.



3. We just completed a coastal ride from San Francisco to Mexico. I bought this book prior to the trip hoping it would shed some light on what to expect, tips, training, etc. I was initially disappointed.
   
   But..as we started our trip we found the maps were very valuable (the rest of the book..so/so). The altitude scales were okay, but good enough to set some level of expectations. They didn't always reflect the map in the right scale, but it worked well enough. We initially thought we could ride route 1 the whole way, but found we couldn't in many of the bigger cities, which is where the book came in handy. The maps showed which side streets to take. You can also follow bike signs or bike lanes along the way, but they're not always around when needed. We usually ripped the page out of the book and only carried the small map vs a bunch of maps. You will be surprised how many different maps you would need to carry. Use the book and maps as a general guide, but don't be afraid to wing it. In a few areas like Santa Cruz, South LA, La Jolla and South San Diego (near the boarder) we couldn't find the streets on the map. We got lost, but usually found our way via other streets using general navigation.
   
   Other tips the book doesn't give...wear bright colors, in SF and LA you will be on busy streets with cars zipping by. I hear going in April or Sept are best to avoid tourists and still have really good weather. We used Yahoo Yellow Pages to print out high level city maps with all the hotels listed with contact info and pre-plotted on the map. This was very handy when trying to find a motel in the evening. I also recommend buying the toughest tires you can find (i.e. Specialized Armadillos). Normal road tires are too soft and get too many holes. Between the two of us we had 6 flats and a tire slash in the first day leaving SF..very discouraging. We bought heavy duty tires at a bike shop in Santa Cruz and never got another one the whole trip! We avg. about 78 miles per day with an avg. speed of 15.5 miles per hour, allowing us to get from SF to Mexico in 8 days. Make sure you know how your bike fits you and your body reacts to long days, esp multiple days. I started to ice my knee and quads every night, which made me feel much better the next day. All in all...it was a lot of fun!



4. Today, I finished cycling the Pacific Coast from the Oregon border to Los Angeles [900 miles] and can say without hesitation this is one of the most inaccurate guidebooks I've ever used. Mileages often were wrong; elevations frequently were wrong [one climb described in the book as 800' turned out to be 300']; climbs were in the wrong place; towns which were on the bottom of climbs were placed by the book at the top; important places were missed entirely; the maps often did not conform to road maps. Worse, some alternate routes, such as the ride over San Marcos Pass into Santa Barbara, were described positively, but were found to be hellish experiences---5,000' total of climbing, bumper-to-bumper traffic driving at high speeds, minimal shoulders. The authors also missed some obvious alternate routes, such as Santa Rosa Road from Lompoc to Buellton, a gorgeous lightly-traveled country road through wine country in favor of highway 154, a boring 4-lane highway with fast-moving traffic.
   
   A much more accurate, and easier to use, cycling guide is the Krebs map for the Northern California coast. Unfortunately, Krebs has published no map for the Southern California section. Let's hope Krebs produces a riding guide for the rest of California.
   
   Despite the many inaccuracies of the Kirkendall book, this is a great bike ride and no one should be deterred by a crappy guidebook. Some sections are absolutely sublime. Riding from Half Moon Bay to Morro Bay in three days, our riders, some of them very experienced [one had ridden the Road Across America], said, "This is the most beautiful day of riding I've ever had," only to say the next day, "Today was even better." Some of the riding encounters fast traffic and no or small shoulders, so take care in those sections. Also, avoid weekends in the more tourist-oriented sections.



5. I bought this because I wore out the old copy I had and it was a little out of date. This book is so valuable to cyclist up and down the coast that they simply refer to it as "The book". While I did notice some inaccurate information, specifically, the book mentions that there is no camping on Hornby Island while I stayed in a huge campground there, It is mostly accurate as I read it cover to cover upon receipt to relive my last ride from Powell River BC to Seattle. This book is indispensable for anyone considering cycling any part of the coast from Canada to Mexico. Don't leave home without it!

5 comments about Shift.

1. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.
   
   Sometimes, life takes a detour.
   
   Shortly after graduating from high school, Chris and his best friend Win set out on their bicycles, determined to travel across the country before college. Like all good road trip, this trek is bumpy, memorable, and metaphoric. Towards the end of their journey, Win unexpectedly takes off by himself. Feeling abandoned and upset, Chris finishes the trip alone. When Chris comes home without Win, he has to answer to his parents, Win's parents, and the police. Where did his best friend go? Why? What really happened between Point A and B?
   
   As close as he thought they were after ten years of friendship, Chris found himself surprised by some of the things his best friend did during their trip. He learns even more as he unravels the mystery of Win's disappearance. In the summertime sequences, their dialogue is always comfortable, sometimes teasing, sometimes competitive. They are friends who almost act like brothers, but they aren't one in the same. Chris comes from a working class family while Win, whose parents are well-off, obviously has difficulty getting along with his father. Growing up, the boys didn't really think about going their separate ways, but now that they have, Chris must figure out what his friend wanted and what he must do.
   
   My favorite line from the book reads as follows:
   
   "Reality had a disappointing habit of not measuring up to my memories."
   
   I also really enjoyed Chris' assessment of his situation:
   
   "[E]veryone kept telling me how much fun I was going to have in college, how much freedom I'd have. I was starting to believe that I'd used up my lifetime quota of both on the trip this summer."
   
   Readers will easily navigate through this story. Like a good film noir, Shift unfolds using both the past and the present: the chapters alternate between the here-and-now, with Chris starting his freshman year of college, and the summer, as Chris and Win make their way across the country. Their friendship and the investigation are accompanied by bicycles, patches, jackets, one glove, small towns, campgrounds, diners, and postcards. Though the element of mystery is always there, Shift is not a whodunnit. Instead, it asks: Why did Win leave? Who is he, really? How well do we really know anyone?



2. My mother and I both believe that you can tell how good a book is by how sad you are when you finish it. Sad because you've become so involved with the story, you feel invested in what happens next....sad because the characters become real to you, and are people you look forward to spending time with each day. Sad because something that's so good is now over. "Shift" by Jennifer Bradbury recently joined my list of books whose finish depressed the hell out of me.
   
   In this book, Bradbury pulls off some challenging feats: 1) she writes in a first-person narrative that still manages to show (more than just tell) the story; 2) she very convincingly writes from the point of view of a teenage boy, in a way that doesn't feel contrived or forced; 3) she alternates each chapter in a flashback/flashforward format that doesn't complicate or confuse the story--rather, it propels the plot forward at a swift pace that keeps you wanting more with each page you turn.
   
   "Shift" is a coming-of-age story of the best kind: not only do the characters within it learn and grow, discovering the world and themselves, so does the reader....as you ride along on Chris and Win's bike trip across the country, you may just find a piece of yourself, your own journey, surprisingly hidden among the pages.



3. "This land was made for you and me." -- Woody Guthrie
   
   "They've all gone to look for America." -- Paul Simon
   
   "'Remember those outlandish lies?' she said, arms crossed as she stared at me across the table.
   "'Mom, that was just Win goofing around--'
   "'He told that poor student tour guide that you'd been in a coma for three years!'
   "'Mom--' I tried to break in, but I could feel the smile pulling at the corners of my mouth.
   "'I'm not finished, Christopher,' she intoned. I shut up and let her continue. 'And he wasn't satisfied with just that lie, was he?'
   "I sat quietly, unsure if I was supposed to answer this question or not.
   "'Um, no, but--'
   "'He went on to tell her that he was an orphan refugee from--' She paused, waved her fingers toward me, beckoning the answer.
   "'I don't remember, Mom. One of the Stan countries, maybe?'
   "But it didn't matter. Now she only wanted to ensure this was as long and painful as possible. 'And,' she said, positively vibrating as she said the words, 'and he claimed to be your adopted brother who'd tutored you to make up for those years of high school you missed during your coma!'
   "My father laughed. 'It's not funny, Allen!' Mom said. 'Chris could have gotten a lot of scholarship money at Marshall. And then he would have been close to home instead of going all the way down to Atlanta.'"
   
   West Virginia high school senior Chris Collins has certainly never spent any time in a coma. His recent accomplishments include Eagle Scout, honor society vice president, and an acceptance letter from Georgia Tech.
   
   Chris has known goofball Win (Winston Coggins III) since third grade and the pair have been best friends for the past half dozen years. Win's high-powered, CEO-of-a-polluting-chemical-company father and disinterested mother are nightmare parents ("All Win knew he could do was disappoint them, so he made an art of it.") who have spent the past six years sending him to therapists ("They couldn't figure out what was wrong with their kid, but wouldn't bother to talk to him when they could pay someone else to.").
   
   Win's father has paid off all the right people and twisted all the right arms so that Win, with his mediocre high school grades, has been accepted for the fall into the same Ivy League school as Winston I and Winston II attended in their days.
   
   As high school graduation approaches -- and Chris' mom starts talking about his getting a summer job at Kmart -- Chris hatches a plan for Win and him to spend the summer bicycling across America. (They've both been entering biathlons since freshman year.)
   
   Chris' mom is horrified by the thought of her child taking off like that, but his father -- whose own teen on-the-road dream was left behind when he'd fallen for Chris' mom -- is supportive and insistent that Chris go for it. Win's father doesn't care what Win does, just as long as Win doesn't call for help when he fails.
   
   And so the two friends hit the road:
   
   "Come and take a walk with me through this green and growing land
   Walk through the meadows and the mountains and the sand
   Walk through the valleys and the rivers and the plains
   Walk through the sun and walk through the rain." -- Phil Ochs
   
   "I'd let Win talk me into paying two bucks for the only qualifying tourist attraction in Pepin -- a reproduction of a log-cabin pioneer homestead. The only interesting trivia that Win picked up was that when Pa Ingalls used to slaughter a hog, he'd make a balloon out of the bladder. He was so impressed by this fact that he asked the nervous little old man volunteering in the small gift shop if they kept pig bladders in stock."
   
   But SHIFT is only in part an on-the-road story.
   
   Fifty miles before they will reach the Pacific coast of the state of Washington, Chris gets a flat tire and Win doesn't stop to wait for him. Instead, Win pedals on -- and disappears.
   
   The book actually begins with Chris attending his first week of classes at Georgia Tech and being confronted by an FBI agent who has been strong-armed by Win's dad -- a former classmate -- into investigating Win's disappearance.
   
   Chapters alternate between our following Chris through his first weeks of college (and unappreciated meet-ups with FBI Agent Abe Ward), and our trying to pick up clues on Win's disappearance while following the teens biking together (and redefining themselves) across the country:
   
   "At home neither of us had ever had a girlfriend. But on the road it actually seemed possible. 'Women love us,' Win had remarked one day as we left a Dairy Queen where a cute girl named Shayna had been sneaking us refills on soft-serve ice cream for the last several hours because we made her laugh. "It was true that biking cross-country was a good conversation starter. True that we seemed instantly cool, since we were doing something that everybody wished they could. I saw myself not as all the girls I'd gone to high school with saw me -- that is, one of the two skinny dorks who were always laughing at something stupid. For the first time we were cool, and we knew it."
   
   As a guy who has spent my own share of time trying to peel off the many layers laid on me in my young years -- both at home and on the construction sites -- by my father, I found SHIFT to be an exceptional coming of age story about fathers and adolescent sons. Having always been awed by the breadth and beauty of America, I enjoyed how the bicycle trip provides a stunning and sometimes comical ode to our land. And having instant messaged my own friend since third grade this morning -- to try to figure out the place in Commack, back in the Seventies, that had the baskets of peanuts on the table (and the shells thrown on the floor) -- I love this exceptional and mysterious story of adolescent guy friends.



4. The transition from high school to college often brings a sense of freedom and release, but Chris' first few days on a universtiy campus were impacted by the arrival of an FBI agent full of questions about his best friend.
   
   Author Jennifer Bradbury does an exquisite job of seemlessly weaving past and present scenes into an intriguing, cohesive story as Chris struggles to decide what to do about his missing friend, Win,last seen at the end of their cross-country bike trip
   
   I felt the wind in my face, burni n my calves and sweat on my back. I look forward to Bradbury's next release!



5. Jennifer Bradbury's "Shift" is a truly engaging story that not only explores a puzzling mystery, but also serves as a brilliantly crafted coming-of age-tale that held my attention to the very end. The first person interchange between the narrator's present situation and his retelling of his journey offers a unique style that serves to move the plot at an exciting pace without sacrificing the development of characters that the reader grows to love. The gripping story is punctuated with suspense and beautiful details that really bring the characters and their struggles to life. This novel explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and the struggles of trying to live up to others' expectations while trying to remain true to oneself. It was a satisfying ride!

5 comments about Bicycling Science, 3rd Edition.

1. Definitely a good book for bike nerds like myself. Really technical and thick reading. If you like stuff like that, then get this book.



2. I like science. I like bicycles. This book goes into much greater depth than most people will want. I couldn't even finish it. If you build bikes and/or are a physicist or engineer and like biking then you will probably enjoy it.



3. I used the book mainly to write a report on the history of recumbent bicycles. But it is an excellent source for bike history and science in general. David Gordon Wilson goes into great detail, both conceptually and technically, with regard to bike issues, such as aerodynamics.



4. While I recommend it, I don't recommend you expect a real engineering reference or good reading cover-to-cover. It is somewhere in between and as such is not very good as either.
   
   The charts and plots are good so if you only want it for that it's a great compilation of other sources and references. The history of the bicycle and the HPV chapters are very interesting. The book is one of a very few like it so "one of the best" is not that great of a compliment.
   
   It is layed out and presented as an engineering reference type book on a specific topic (something like a Mark's for bikes) but it's nowhere near as consistent, rigorous, or detailed. A better description would be "musings on bicycle design and science" by someone who is genuinely very knowledgeable on the topic.
   
   My biggest problem is with the narrative. It has way too many opinions. Many are simply some ideas the author has about a particular design or test (there's no data in this area but one way to get some would be this...). It also has way too much anecdotal evidence which is (thankfully) usually presented as such. And worst of all there are many opinions that are generally made to sound like facts through casual use of expressions such as "future testing should..." "it is recommended" "conventional design practices" "according to some" and so on.
   
   To sum up if you are an engineer looking for an engineering reference you'll be disappointed. If you are a lay bike geek you'll probably find it too technical.



5. As Miss Jean Brodie said, "For those who like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they like." She meant it as an insult, but I don't. Bicycling Science is nerd heaven, full of physics, engineering, molecular biology, aerodynamics and all kinds of other scientific manna. If you have an appetite for charts, graphs, and research studies, then this book will delight you with its explanations of why bikes work so well with the human body.
   
   It's not casual reading by any means. I'd prefer the same information presented in slightly less academic tones, but that doesn't mean it isn't accurate or interesting. So I dip into my copy for short bursts. For me, it's not a cover-to-cover read, but it's been on my bedside table for months because I pick it up regularly.
   
   Bicycling Science may well be more technical info than a casual fan can absorb. However, it's a great reference that will demystify your bike -- if that's the sort of thing you like.

5 comments about Duck on a Bike.

1. David Shannon has once again created a valuable book for the youngest readers. Duck on a Bike tells the fun adventure of an average farm duck with a desire to do something exciting. The story begins with Duck's hungry stare at a red bike, and ends with the same look of desire, only Duck has found a bigger challenge in a tractor. This book has Shannon's signature full page, vividly colored illustrations of farm animals. Shannon's ability to depict human emotion in the facial expressions of animals is a good way for parents to teach children how to anticipate the contents of a story. This book is perfect for young audiences who have just learned the familiar sounds of farm animals. Since the predictable introduction to each animal begins with the standard animal sound, parents can encourage young audiences to interact with the story by voicing the sound of each animal. Duck on a Bike is fun, adorable, and a must read for every toddler and beginning reader.



2. We LOVE this book! The pictures are so vibrant and the repetition is just what toddlers love. It also teaches animals and their sounds. I've given this book as a gift several times.



3. There is something incredibly funny about farm animals riding bikes--oddly, this is as close to normal as David Shannon ever gets. It's a cute little ride around the farmyard, if you're willing to suspend your disbelief about the laws of physics and comparitive animal sizes. My students love listening to this book and looking at Shannon's bright pictures.



4. I borrowed this book from the library for my son and he instantly fell in love with it - as did I - and so I just had to buy it for him. We read it nearly every day and he smiles and laughs each time - and he's only 7 months. A beautiful story with gorgeous pictures and a very funny final page. Enjoy!



5. This happens to be my nephew's favorite book (and it's the third copy he's worn out). Duck on a Bike a delightful story about a dare-devil duck who sets off an bike riding adventure. On his journey around the farm, he greets other animas who in turn get jealous of his biking skills. In the end, all of the animals get a chance to join in on the fun!
   
   As an elementary school teacher, I highly recommend this book for children of all ages. The story is engaging and the illustrations capture the joy of the story!

3 comments about Bicycling Magazine's New Cyclist Handbook.

1. VERY informative little book, I must say. While some of the instructions go a little "over the top", length-wise,(changing a flat tire), it is always feasible to be too"wordy", than not"wordy" enough. Basic maintenance is crucial to enjoying a bike, and to think nothing is going to happen to your bike while riding, is asking for trouble. This book should be standard reading for all bike enthusiasts....mountain AND road. It answers most of the beginning cyclist's questions with easy to read text. Even seasoned "veterans" will appreciate the full spectrum of subjects included in this paperback.



2. Nobody knows everything. Every now and then even the most well versed cyclist has some questions. Put those people to the beginners who need to know everything and the sooner the better and you've got the group who will benefit from this book.
   
   The research that was done to put it together seems excellent. There isn't anything that seems to be left to chance. Of course there could be a little loss when the person isn't aware of a proper name for a part or technique but that will come.
   
   I recommend this book to any cyclist.



3. This book is a good introduction to cycling. It will give good tips on how to set up your riding position, ride securely, differences between mountain biking and road biking, buying appropriate clothing, etc. I'm not a total newbie on MTB but i learned a lot with this book.
   I gave 5 stars to this book because as the title says, this is a book for the new cyclist, so if you are a more advanced rider, you can still find it useful but you should look out to something more specific.

5 comments about Bicycling Magazine's Complete Book of Road Cycling Skills : Your Guide to Riding Faster, Stronger, Longer, and Safer.

1. this book has good info but nothing you couldnt find on the internet for free.



2. Very good especially for the beginning rider excellentbook I learned ALOT!



3. I always look forward to my mail for this one, however the ads are a bit much.



4. Some information in this book I find implausible, and some I /know/ to be false, which further reduces any confidence I may have in the rest of the information. For a subject like cycling, you need someone who understands the underlying physics as well as helpful subjective seat-of-the-pants techniques. Ed Pavelka seems to only have the latter skill, which gives his advice no firm foundation.
   
   A case in point is the brief article on steering. His final conclusion is sound - that countersteering (see Wikipedia for an explanation) is how you steer effectively, but he prefaces it by asserting erroneously that there are 3 ways to steer. To paraphrase, he says you can steer simply by pointing the handlebars where you want to go, without leaning the bike at up to 15mph (defying the laws of physics), or you can steer just by leaning the way you want to go, or you can countersteer.
   
   There is only one way to steer: countersteering. Most of us never realize that is what we're doing. Most of us learned to do it unconsciously on the day we first learned to ride, and from then on we muddle through with a unconscious "micro-countersteer" that starts the bike falling sideways, which we catch by turning the corner. The key to good steering is to use deliberate, active and controlled countersteering - a skill which becomes obviously essential on a motorcycle, where the increased weight makes it impossible to muddle through a turn on unconscious control.
   
   He comes to the right conclusion - so what's the big deal? Well, to me, the big deal is he's made me read and try to understand false information which is of no use whatsoever, and /his/ understanding of the subject is flawed. How am I supposed to trust anything else he says, if it's nothing more than his assertions based on his own gut feeling?
   
   Frequently, theory alone is insufficient, very occasionally practice trumps theory, but best of all is practice based on theory. _Sound_ theory.



5. I'm an experienced cyclist and I found this a fun read. It's a collection of articles that were published in Bicycling magazine back in the 90's on various aspects on road cycling. There are sections on skills, training and nutrition and I found useful information throughout the book. I feel that the articles were chosen to have a timeless slant as there aren't many examples on equipment, most of the articles are on technique.
   Specifically I found the few articles on training that included examples to be helpful, like the suggested trainer routines, use of an heart rate monitor, and estimating calories burned.
   This type of book is what I call a bathroom book, as the short articles are perfect reading when you want something to read for a few minutes.
   The book is also a success in that it helps get you in the mood to go riding. There's not a lot new here, but it's fun to read someone elses opinion on something most of us already know how to do.

5 comments about The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling: Build the Strength, Skills, and Confidence to Ride as Far as You Want.

1. Good basics but probably more for the new long-distance cyclist. I felt it a bit redundant and perhaps 1/2 of the book was actually helpful to read. Written in an easy-to-read fashion.



2. This is a good book for anybody looking for an introduction to long-distance cycling.
   
   If you have already done a few centuries or multi day rides there are only few new things you will learn.
   
   Still interesting and covers all the essentials.



3. I'm on pg 94 and I'm finding this book too general and focused on the long distance racer. The equipment suggestions are summaries, not descriptions or principles. The language level is annoyingly low. I highly recommend Adventure Cycle Touring instead.



4. I bought this book when I first got into cycling about a year ago. For someone who is just starting out it is a great book because it explains a lot about the different aspects of riding such as bike fit, nutrition, etc. I am in the process of reading other books on cycling, but I would without a doubt recommend this to someone trying to learn more about the sport and how to get into better shape while on the bike.



5. This is an excellent reference for long distance riding. Following the information in this book a beginning rider can ride a century, the cyclists' marathon, with no difficulties and few surprises. A good way to start getting involved with long distance riding. Not good for those who want to do time trials or other fast racing.

5 comments about The Bicycling Guide to Complete Bicycle Maintenance and Repair: For Road and Mountain Bikes(Expanded and Revised 5th Edition).

1. this book rocks. I never knew how easy it is to do most repairs on my bike. I have successfully straighted both my wheels (with the purchase of a 8$ tool) and finally got my rear derailer to go into low gear and centered my back break so it would not kick out more to one side. Super easy (well the wheel straighting takes some fine adjustments, but it's by no means complicated) and a super satisfying feeling to fix it yourself. Book is ez to read w/ clear descriptions and well organized. if your thinking about it at all get this book.



2. I got this book about two years ago when I bought my first serious road bike. Whether you are serious biker or just have a few kids bikes in the garage, this is a truly excellent piece of work. Starting with the basics of bicycle maintenance, it proceeds to review every major (and minor) component of the bike (road and mountain), and then discuss them from a trouble shooting point of view, followed by step-by-step photos of whatever it is you want to do. Wrench in one hand, book in the other (a bike stand helps) I have replaced/adjusted/cleaned dérailleurs, brakes, gear cassettes, etc. with nothing but this book. Just did a major spring overhaul last weekend. A clean well-lubricated drive train and shifting mechanism is such a nice thing. You kind of forget between cleanings. You still need to get some special tools at your local bike store, but this tells you which ones and why.



3. I have this title and one other and after starting out for the first time last year, I have overhauled my bikes, three neighbor's 20 year old bikes, two from people I work with and both of my brother's bikes. A little common sense and a set of Park tools and one other very popular book will cover most of what you need. This book has more illustrations and describes most procedures twice, is brief and in detail. No wonder it is the number one seller.



4. This is a good book for the beginner; it has a lot of drawings, pictures to help you understand different styles of bikes and the parts that make them a bike.
   
   I found that it had a little too much on the older bikes but perhaps this is good as I have taken a real liking to bicycles and hope to build my own this winter; Todd does not waste words, the book is well written and precise; it is nice to have when learning as it does provide a good understanding of how bikes parts work together to make a bicycle.
   
   It does have all but the latest shifters and such; in reality bikes are made of many brands and models of parts making it impossible for any single book to have all you need to know about all bikes; for the latest specifications most bike component manufactures have web sites where you can download your model of derailleur, fork for the manufactures specifications.
   
   I gave this 4 stars because of the dated information the negative and 4 for the positive comprehensive coverage of so many possible items he coverers so well.
   
   This is a good book for the beginner, gives a comprehensive illustrated example of how bikes work.
   
   Hooty



5. I bought this book and the Zinn book at the same time. Both books have good illustrations, but this book is much less detailed and helpful. It is VERY basic and leaves out detail needed to really tune anything to any extent.
   
   Having said that, this book does a fair job of showing how to do routine maintanence/repairs. It spends time describing things that should be obvious at a gance, while leaving out detail you need to fix something, however. So, it would seem to be aimed at the rank novice, with 2 left thumbs--above a "Dummies" book, but not by a whole lot, IMHO.
   
   Zinn's book is more detailed, and offers a more comprehensive tour of subjects than this book. It can be used by the novice, but aims at those who have some basic understanding of what is right before their eyes--bike or tool.
   
   However, if you are a gear-head, you probably won't be happy with less than Barnett's painfully exhaustive 4 volume set--which is likely overly detailed for anyone short of a professional shop-set.
   
   Anyway, if I had to do again I would have bought the Zinn book and skipped this one.