5 comments about Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance.

1. If you ride a road bike and don't like paying the wrench at your local shop to maintain it, buy the book; it tells you how to fix what's broken and it even tells you when your probably not going to be able to fix it yourself. Also it gives you a complete list of tools that you will need that corresponds with the level of the repair. I've ridden bikes my entire life but I have only recently been fixing my bike myself. Since I bought the book I have fixed broken spokes, replaced the cogset on the rear wheel and built a single speed city cruizer. If you want to fix your bike and don't really know where to start buy this book. But be prepared to have many of the page corners covered in chain lube and citrus degreaser...Good luck you won't need much if you have this book next to your tool box.



2. I have a hybird bike (Trek 7.3fx) that sits a little more toward the road bike side of the Road-Mountain bike spectrum among hybrids. Because of this, I thought this road bike edition of the Zinn book was more appropriate.
   
   Turns out I was wrong. There is no V-brake section in this version. You need the mountain bike version for that. I am now a happy owner of Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance, but it would have been nice if the choice had been clearer earlier on.
   
   For what its worth, having seen both the road and mountain versions of this book, I'd recommend the mountain bike book to hybrid bike owners. Of course this depends on the particular bike you have, but the hybrids I've seen will mostly likely be better covered in the other work. Especially if you have V-brakes, the choice for the mountain bike book is a no-brainer.



3. Lennard Zinn takes you through your road bike to get it tuned up and in perfect working order for beginners and professional bikers alike.
   
   Contents 25/25
   Ease of Understanding/Practicality 23/25
   Pictures/Illustrations 18/25
   Additional Features 20/25
   Total 86/100
   
   Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance takes you from basic bike anatomy to maintaining, tuning up and troubleshooting problems. Lennard Zinn has been an award winning writer of bicycle maintenance books and has released an updated release for road bikes to keep your road machine in top condition.
   
   With winter now upon us we can put those bikes up and get out our winter sports gear but you should not just hang that bike up on the rack and forget it. It's time to do some preventive maintenance as well as get anything you find fixed and have it ready for the next nice day.
   
   Preventive maintenance is a term I really learned in the military and have come to respect the idea behind keeping things working and in top condition. Money spent on preventing rust and other wear and tear as well as fixing things when they are small really makes sense and saves you money.
   
   Lennard Zinn has spent years as a bicycle frame builder, master framebuilder is the term I keep reading on the internet so he does know his bikes. He takes beginners and experienced riders through the bike anatomy, preventive maintenance and on into those complex repairs like replacing gears and crank bearings.
   
   The Art of Road Bike Maintenance goes from simple bike anatomy and tools to doing what you need to fix and keep your bike in top shape. He explains not only the common bike parts available from stores and gives explanations for generic parts as well as those more expensive brand name parts and bikes.
   
   Zinn goes into specific part replacement and tuning up your bike really well but he also goes into many of the special and brand name parts and systems, including Shinamo, Trek, Campagnolo, SRAM, and many more. Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance works equally well for less expensive bikes purchased at stores like Wal-mart as well as those more expensive and better made bikes like Shimano and Trek.
   
   Each repair or tune up section has basic terms and explains in detail what you are going to do and how to do it whether it's a more expensive bike or the lesser costing ones. Each repair or tune up is broken into levels of difficulty and the book starts out with tools in each level you will need.
   
   Some of the tools you may already have but others you will need depending on what you want to do on your bike so the book starts off with very helpful information about tools, what they do and where you can purchase them. You can also wait to purchase many of the tools until you need them but in the first two levels of repair they are mostly common tools and other things that are handy to have around a home as well as for bicycle repair.
   
   The book goes into tools to take with on everyday riding or longer trips and explains emergency repairs you can perform to get you to your destination or to somewhere to make better repairs. They also go into helpful information for safety equipment you should wear or have when biking for various types of riding like those every day trips or longer treks.
   
   Each level of repair and tune up gives you from basic and necessary repairs like inner tube patching or replacement and adjusting brakes to replacing bearings or other integral parts. Level one repairs are things like adjusting brakes and gears, repairing or replacing inner tubes and other common tasks associated with keeping your bike in shape.
   
   Level two repairs are more in depth jobs like replacing crank arms and pedals while level 3 repairs are things like overhauling parts or even building your own bike from the frame up. This book not only goes into repair and troubleshooting but at level 3 you have all the knowledge and with the right tools explained in the book you can build your own bike with parts you order or purchase.
   
   Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance is a great book that goes into such depth that you will understand and know how to repair, tune up and even build your own bike. This is one of those all in one books that goes beyond simple repairs and shows you everything you could possibly want to know about a bike and how to work on it.
   
   The book includes an important chart with torque information for various parts as well as information on how to fit your bike when you adjust the seat, handlebars add a and even purchase a new bike. The Art of Road Bike Maintenance includes a glossary and occasional tips throughout the book to give more in depth tips from professionals about the topic they are in.
   
   I really like this book and highly recommend Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance for a fantastic manual for repair, tuning up and maintaining your road bike.



4. I really enjoyed reading this book. It makes the most complicated tasks and breaks them down so that anyone can do them. It's obvious that Mr. Zinn has a lot of experience with the subject material. The illustrations are especially helpfull.



5. Zinn does a great job in his newest edition for road maintenance.
   
   Thorough and entertaining. What else can I say?

5 comments about Bicycle Diaries.

1. So far I have really enjoyed reading this book. I have still to finish but so far so good.



2. This reader had high expectations for this collection of bike-riding tales from singer/artist David Byrne. However, in Byrne's //Bicycle Diaries//, these expectations were not met. This compilation might well have been entitled //Random Notes About Places I've Been//. Byrne's been all over the world, and the premise is that he's going to tell us what it's like to ride through cities such as San Francisco, Portland, Berlin, and Rio. But the premise only holds for a few dozen pages, as he tells us about the pros and cons of traveling on two wheels through U.S. cities. This is the interesting and charming part of the book, but it is short-lived.
   
   It's when Byrne visits other countries and continents that all semblance of story structure suddenly departs, which is frustrating. In some places, he elects to describe the local museums; in others, the public housing projects (a topic Byrne seems too interested in), planning processes, architecture, etc. It is all so unpredictable and hard to follow that it becomes quite tiring. Oh... and Byrne also has an ultra-liberal and environmentalist political agenda, so conservatives beware. If you don't agree with his political viewpoints, in the end, this grouping of stories is more like grim life during wartime than entertaining disco.
   
   
   Reviewed by Joseph Arellano



3. Very good book, although not really what I was expecting. It's more like David Byrnes ideas and social commentary, while I thought it would be more about the places he's been. It's still very good though, makes you think.



4. Not only is the title of this book misleading, so is the marketing and hype about it. Supposedly, this book was to convey Byrne's observations and interpretations from the saddle of his bike as he pedaled through cities ans suburbs of some of the world's most interesting venues (e.g., Berlin, New York]. Would that it were such. Being an urban bike rider who observes the life and rigors of urban living from my bike saddle, I thought this would be a great read. Well I was wrong. In fact, if this book had not been a gift to me (because it was on my 2009 Christmas list), I would say I was ripped off.
   
   Some sections of the book do describe what is seen, heard, and thought while riding a bike. The description of riding from a section of Buffalo (actually, he was in a suburb at the start of the ride, and he eschews suburbs to a fare the well) to Niagara Falls is one such description as is his account of riding from downtown Detroit to, and past, 8-Mile Road, but even these are brief, sketchy in observation, and woefully lacking in understanding and interpretation. Yeah, Byrne has numerous comments about rust belt cities, but nothing he thinks or says is a reflection of what he has actually seen from his bike--his comments are just stereotypic notions about Buffalo and Detroit (at least his text about Buffalo did not mention snow) that could have been embroidered into a discussion without ever leaving a pent-house condo in ever-growing cities such as Atlanta, Houston, or Los Angeles. His thoughts have little to do with what he actually saw on his trips, because he missed many important sites and many of those sites he did note, he failed to interpret wisely.
   
   I have made the Buffalo to Niagara Falls ride at least a dozen times (though I have sense enough not to ride the dangerous-to-bicylists Maple Road past Hooters (now closed), Fuddruckers, Commerce Drive and Sweethome Road as he did on his ride) and have walked from downtown Detroit to 8-Mile Road at least three times, and I could write a great deal more than a few paragraphs from what I have seen from just those experience and and still avoid the cliches of Detroit not being there anymore and dissing franchise chain restaurants. What he says about cities is actually sophomoric--not wrong, just not astute and woefully lacking in insight and resolution.
   
   But the real kicker about this book is not that he fails to see much from his bike rides, it is that most of the book has nothing to do with bike rides. He goes on to a great extent about Baltimore, Berlin and other cities without even mentioning bicycling. A better title for this book would have been The Musings of a Man Sitting Late at Night in His Hotel Room When Visiting Some of the Great Cities of the World in Which I Rode a Bike Once in a While.
   
   If you are a David Byrne fan and want to know more about what he thinks about this and that of urban and suburban life and his comments on certain cities, then this book might interest you; but if you think you are picking up a book by a bicylist who describes his observations and thoughts while biking some of the great cities of the world, this is not the book for you.



5. 
   
   As a keen cyclist I just had to have any book with the provocative title of Bicycle Diaries!
   I didn't mind at all when I realised that this was about far more than simply cycling itself. The author's obvious interest in everything that goes on around him made it a fascinating read. Philosophy, architecture, art, music and history made it hard to put down and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone with similar wide interests and concerns about the world.

5 comments about Comeback 2.0: Up Close and Personal.

1. Just great images and a look into Lance's comeback. The photos a great and the descriptions to each one give great insight into Lance's Day to Day. Makes me want to get out and ride everytime I pick it up and look through it.



2. I purchased as a gift & am not the expert on Lance Armstrong, the recipient of this gift is an avid fan of his. To me there are lots of pictures, not much text or substance. Have not given book yet so time will tell but I think the recipient will go through this book very fast.



3. I am along time cyclist and enjoyed the book. It is heavy on photos and short on and written insight. If you are a real pro racing fan, it is fun.



4. Elizabeth Kreutz's color photos capture cyclist Lance Armstrong in motion as he re-enters the competitive world after recovering from cancer that metastasized throughout his body. From behind-the-scenes exercises and preparations to cycling to family portraits, COMEBACK 2.0 charts all aspects of his return and is a winner.



5. I really love everything that Lance does, but this book it isn't what I thought was. I mean, I thought it was like his previous books. This book is a review in photos of the last year.
   However, to all the people who admire Lance, buy there some good photos and personal thoughts.

5 comments about Your First Triathlon.

1. This book was absolutely invaluable in getting myself ready for my first triathlon. The book went into every detail to expect in getting ready for and running in your first tri. I would definately recommend this book to anyone interested in challenging themselves to a great sport.



2. This is a perfect beginners guide to Triathlon and I am looking forward to seeing how the training tips and schedules are going to work for me as I begin training.
   
   I recommend this as a great beginners resource that can carry over to intermediate level as well.



3. I would recommend this book to anyone who is considering training for a Triathlon. It has everything you need to know from the first step up to race day. Nutritition, training, equipment, check list for race day, etc.... You name it, this book has it.



4. I bought two books that were aimed at first-time Triathlon entrants, and while this book might have fewer diagrams or photos, it is by far the better of the two books. I would categorize this as more of a "how-to" book than a diary, and while you might want to read some other biographical accounts of first-timers, make sure you read this so you know what you should be doing to get ready! The author writes in very clear and precise language, and you feel that you are very well prepared to train using his advice. I particularly enjoyed the nutrition information which was much clearer than in the "other" book.



5. this is an outstanding book that i would recommened to anybody just started out in triathlons. lots of good info for newbies

5 comments about The Cyclist's Training Bible.

1. Joe did a good job updating this 4th addition. It's true that any cyclist could learn a lot from this book, but truthfully only the hardcore are going to be able to make full use of it.
   
   I would recommend this book and two others for any serious cyclists. First one being "High Performance Cycling" by Asker E Jeukendrup PhD and the Second book being one that Joe Friel helped with called "The Paleo Diet...for athletes" by Loren Cordain.
   
   With these three books you'd be armed with just about all the practical and technical knowledge one would need to race at a very high level.



2. This book has a vast amount of information for the cyclist - whether starting out of expert



3. this is THE book, ladies and gentlemen. if you want to know how to ride fast, at no matter what level, this is the book for you. even if you have a coach, this book gives you a better understanding on the 'whys' of training.



4. This book gives additional background on how to train and peak for races. It gives more detail than "Training and Racing with a Power Meter". It has stretching and weight training sections as well. If you race, this is much cheaper than paying $200/month for a coach.



5. I read this book twice and nearly gave up on it several times. I repeatedly found the complexity as befuddling as I did amusing. Not only is the program complicated, so is the book.
   
   But I still recommend it.
   
   In order to create a program, I sat down in earnest with a stack of post-its. For everyone's benefit, these are the pages that you need to mark:
   
   pp 47-49
   pp 144-147
   pp 300-307
   
   Forget the templates. Just create your own Excel sheet for the training diary. I decided not to follow his strength training guideline (more complexity, too much upper body).

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

1. the book is a few steps above basic maintenance. it cover everything from the very simple basic things up to some complicated things. it tells you how some stuff is done, even things that your bike shop should do but it helsp to know what has to be doen so they dont rip you off. the knowledge is good and is pretty easy to follow as well.



2. I have always thought it would be so much easier to perform my own bicycle maintenance but never took the effort to look into a "how to" book. After years of taking bicycles to the shop for tune-ups and upgrades, and not having a shop nearby, I decided to investigate the idea of "self repair" a little more. This book is what I needed to get the ball rolling and as the title states, this is a complete guide for at home repairs and then some... This book has made mountain biking even more enjoyable for me!



3. This bike repair book is good, don't get me wrong, but there was much to be desired.
   
   It has a lot of good information, but it doesn't have ALL information. I didn't feel like the pictures were matching up with the text on step by step instructions. It has NO color pictures.
   
   It has great reviews, but I don't think it's that great.
   
   It seems unorganized too. I'm reading it, and i'm not sure what type of brakes they are talking about in the brakes chapter.
   
   I wish I would have went the the "Big Blue Book of Bike repair", although I admit I have not seen it to KNOW it's better that this.
   
   Conclusion: I wish I had went with another book.



4. I bought this book as a resource for repairing my newer MTB. I was surprised to find a lot of useful information for my early, mid, and late 70's road bikes. The information is very detailed and specific to individual popular manufacturer's products. And there are often tips for the less popular products. The trouble shooting portions at the end of the how-to articles are invaluable - especially if you truly wish to remedy 99% of the problems encountered with building and maintaining your own bike. (NOTE: If you do not find that bicycle repair is enjoyable, save yourself the trouble and PLEASE support your local bicycle repair shop)
   
   When building a couple bicycles, I have trusted this book as the human voice when following the overly optimistic manuals provided by manufactures. I'd pay 4x the price for this book. One minor qualm is I occasionally run into mis-captioned photos in the steps. These typos were easily deciphered.
   
   I should add that my friends runs a bike repair co-op. This is their main go to book.



5. This book is definitely worth. Everything that I needed is covered. It takes the mystique out of bike repairs and also shows you what is not worth your time in tackling. Highly recommended.

4 comments about He Crashed Me So I Crashed Him Back: The True Story of the Year the King, Jaws, Earnhardt, and the Rest of NASCAR's Feudin', Fightin' Good Ol' Boys Put Stock Car Racing on the Map.

1. First of all, I have to say how much I loved the title of this book! I felt as though the author was sticking out his tongue at someone and saying "la, la, la, la,la, la".
   
   This book is actually a very thorough and informative look at one of the world's biggest attractions (for men at least) - Nascar racing!!! Yes, for all of you women who loose your men to the TV set every weekend, you can read up on how and when this race actually began.
   
   Living in Montreal, where the Grand Prix is such a big deal, I have always been a little curious at the whole "race car" fascination. To me, its just a bunch of noisy cars going round and round and round. But, yet, the birth of Nascar in 1979 was quite interesting. I think what I liked the best was how all the players such as Bobbie and Donnie Allison and Richrad and Kyle Petty actually contributed to the importance of that first race - while keeping their own little personality traits and defaults alive and well. This obviously is where the title of the book comes from.
   
   This is not a read for everybody. But, if you are interested in how things start and seem to take on a momentum of their own, this book is an interesting read.
   
   Why do I think this one will be bought mainly by men? or for men?



2. "He Crashed Me..." is a surprisingly interesting glimpse inside an American cultural phenomenon. Never having been a NASCAR fan I started this book with trepidation expecting to catch the gist of the story and then set it aside--such is the way when given books by sports fanatics to help understand their passion. However, the author's writing keeps a fast paced clip both lively and informative---getting at all the `inside baseball' information, the races, the feuds, the crashes, the fans... without allowing the technical sports jargon and statistics to take over.
   
   I found it to be a clever and insightful look at the characters and culture that have shaped NASCAR and its emergence from a southern sport to a national pastime. Regardless of whether you're a dyed in the wool NASCAR fan this is an entertaining narrative about a part of American culture written in a clever and accessible style for those of us on the outside of this sport looking in.



3. Any NASCAR fans out there? If so, you be excited about a new book just released from Hachette Books. He Crashed Me So I Crashed Him Back, by Mark Bechtel, is the true story of the year the King, Jaws, Earnhardt, and the rest of NASCAR's feudin', fightin' Good Ol' Boys put Stock Car Racing on the map. The year is 1979 (the year I was born), and stock car racing is virtually unknown. Being mostly a southern phenomenon, many Americans had never heard of Richard Petty and Darryl Waltrip, and especially not the young Dale Earnhardt. But in the spring of 1979, races were televised and the fights, the crashes, and the fast driving became an American addiction. I received a copy of this book for review.
   
   Mark Bechtel used research and interviews with the drivers themselves to write this informative history of the birth of modern day NASCAR. For me, this book was really interesting. A southerner myself, not only did all this occur the year I was born, but reading stories of races that took place right here in Richmond, Virgina, was pretty cool. Jeremy and I love racing, and while we don't follow the drivers or watch every race, we do enjoy a good race once in awhile. A friend of ours used to race and we would got to watch him every week for years. The adrenaline and anticipation can't be replicated elsewhere. The noise, the engines, the speed, it all comes together to make a heart pumping event. He Crashed Me So I Crashed Him Back is packed full of action!
   
   Sometimes serious, other times suspenseful, and definitely full of humor, this book was a fun and interesting read. NASCAR wasn't always what it is today. There were those that paved the way for the younger drivers.



4. NASCAR has always fascinated me. I would love to have the confidence to get out there and race. The thrill of the drive would be such an adrenaline rush. He Crashed Me is a thrilling read about NASCAR drivers. These people risk their lives in these races, all for the joy of the sport. There are fights, enemies and crazy fans. The true stories was one of my favorite things about this book. If you like NASCAR and drama, this is the book for you.

5 comments about It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life.

1. This book will motivate you no matter who you are or waht you do. Whether you are an athlete, student or just want to be a better person this book will make you want to do it better. Filled with inspiration, motivation and a little drama and comedy this book will work for anyone. Great read.



2. Sorry but I agree with Badger Bob. This is a "I love Lance" book written by Lance. And a recurring problem in autobios by unexperienced writers. I have read many auto bios and I was half expecting this to be one of those greats. The Book should NOT have been titled as such. Mr. Armstrong, it took 159 pages of patience for you to crack a smile of humility, you had a chance to make this an inspirational book like "Born to Run" (some great moments). I thought It's Not About The Bike meant you ride with spirit with a certain grace. I half expected to admire cycling more as I'm an avid road cyclist. But it became repetitive. This may have to do with the fact you probably haven't read much great literature, Athlete's are busy, and rarely focus on matters of self discovery and spirituality. I hope in many years when the fame fades away and you discover yourself, THE great Lance Armstrong, who is not a cyclist but like you said, Cancer survivor, human being, and father figure, you can share words of wisdom when u finally get back on that bike at 50 yrs old and although it hurts you ride everyday like a child on his first trainer with a free spirit.



3. Lance Armstrong had all of the experiences and had developed all of the tools to become a great athlete and full blown narcissist. Had cancer not intervened, his views of himself and of the role of those around him might have become even more aggrandized than they did in real life.
   
   His loving and lovely wife we can see was the ultimate support mechanism, very little is spoken of what he gave to her other than the once in a lifetime chance to be with him
   
   There is a good story about dealing with cancer and how it has the potential to change one but in his case not enough.
   
   The history of the last decade has confirmed what the book foretold



4. well worth a read although its a little disappointing to see that by the time i finished the book he had already left his wife (a long time before).



5. STRENGTHS:
   
   Hard cover withstands most crashes.
   
   Quality paper repells bicycle grease better than most.
   
   Just fits in my CamelBak M.U.L.E.
   
   The ink doesn't run after riding in a typhoon, though it takes a long time to dry out the book.
   
   The ink smells of adrenaline.
   
   WEAKNESSES:
   
   Heavier than a paperback, making hill climbs more difficult.
   
   Dark blue cover is hard to see during a night ride--requiring the addition of reflective stickers or a flashing light for safety.
   
   "Hey! This book really ISN'T about the bike. Dammit!!"
   
   SIMILAR PRODUCTS USED:
   
   I graduated from an ivy league college, so I've read a couple of thousand books both for study and enjoyment. I could probably wear the maillot jaune in the Tour de Waterstone's, but I can only think of five books out of all of those that I enjoyed as much as this one.
   
   I am also an avid cyclist of both road and mountain bikes.
   
   REVIEW:
   
   For one thing, this book is SO GOOD despite that the writing doesn't come across as the work of a professional writer. Sally Jenkins managed to maintain Lance Armstrong's voice on the page, so that it mostly reads like a very long e-mail or conversation over beer with Lance Armstrong himself. You would never get this kind of personal-style expression and energy out a person in an interview, giving me the feeling that this really is a book BY Lance Armstrong with significant guidance and help by Sallie Jenkins. The ink smells of adrenaline.
   
   A couple of the chapters do read like professional writing, but it's not overdone and strengthens the readability and enjoyment of the book.
   
   I can only think of one chapter--which was entirely about the bike--that started to get boring because it was full of Lance Armstrong just blowing his own horn. On the other hand, it was kind of Mohammad Ali, "Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee" of him, and showed the real mind of a competitive athlete. All of us who have competed in a hardcore sport on a national or international level have that attitude about ourselves, and it just serves to show that Lance Armstrong is/was no different. It served to connect all of us jerks to the one we admire the most, to evaluate our attitudes and then get a lesson from Lance Armstrong's experience of fighting for his life and his humanity rather than just fighting to win more.
   
   What makes this book really great is that it seems like it's several books, but they're all tied together well. Yeah, it is about the bike at some points, about the Tour at others, about racing, cancer, and his mother--but it's not a jumble of these things. Nor is it some junkie book about a person who just happened to catch national attention, like The Amy Fischer Story or whatever crap is out there about Tonya Harding or some of our instantly famous heros who cash in on that first fifteen minutes of fame. It's not understated, and not overstated.
   
   Will people who are not athletes or related in some way to serious athletes enjoy this book? I have no idea. Maybe they can't relate, maybe they'll like it for some other reason, but for us titans out there--in sports or business or whatever--this is a great read.
   
   What the Book of Five Rings is to teaching people how to be more competitive, this book is to teaching competitive people to be more human.
   
   BOTTOM LINE: I had to stop myself from reading this book all in one day and managed to pace myself out to five days. I'm a rather careful reader, but this was one of those books that I couldn't put down--which is unusual for me.

5 comments about Park Tool BBB-2 The Big Blue Book of Repair - 2nd Edition.

1. I received this book during a Park Tools introduction to bicycle maintenance class at my local REI. I have found it to be quite the useful tool when trying to determine how to go about fixing my bike or performing maintenance tasks. The color pictures are detailed enough to be helpful, and the explanation of each picture also helps you figure out what you are looking at. This book definitely sets itself apart from the other bike maintenance books available with its detailed level of instruction, the coverage afforded to each of the different types of derailleurs, brakes, shift levers etc., as well as the excellent pictures. The only negative, and obviously it is not too negative as I gave the book 5 stars, is that since the book is from Park Tools it will of course only suggest using the Park version of a tool or stand even if something cheaper or better may exist. This is definitely something I would recommend to anyone setting up their home workshop or who needs some detailed instructions on bicycle maintenance from the most basic of flat repairs to rebuilding the headset.



2. I've been repairing my own bicycles for years, but I recently upgraded my bike. The new bike came with the latest brakes chain, sprocket, derailers and well I figured I should upgrade my knowledge of repairing to match. To that effect, this book is great. As in for a person who is handy with tools, knows something about bicycle repair already, this book is just what you need. It's concise, clear photos, and diagrams will get your bike in top shape. However, if you have never done any repair work, I wouldn't start with this book. It is good that with the photos and instructions you can tell pretty well what is the level of skill needed to do the repair, but if this had been my first book it would have been not quite enough information. I rate it akin to those cookbooks which do tell you everything you need to know but do it in a language that experienced chefs understand, and thus beginners are lost.
   
   For a beginner I'd recommend Anybody's Bike Book: A Comprehensive Manual of Bike Repairs and the Park Blue book. Or Glenn's Complete Bicycle Manual and this book.
   
   For a well versed bicycle mechanic go for it. It's as good as Park Tools are, which is excellent.



3. I am an avid bicyclist and bike mechanic.
   Leave it to Park to create an excellent bike repair manual.
   For the most part, it is up to date.
   The pictures and illustrations are excellent. Most of the
   writing is easy to understand. It has some good technical
   references as well. Buy this before your next repair!



4. Great book with lots of good info.I've just skimmed it so far, but it looks like a winner.



5. I bought this book after my bike mechanic recommended it. It has clear instructions, and photos to show you how to do many kinds of repairs to your bike. I have other bike maintenance/repair books and like this one the best.

5 comments about The Time-Crunched Cyclist: Fit, Fast, and Powerful in 6 Hours a Week.

1. I started cycling again a few years ago after having ridden a bunch in high school and college. I had always ridden for transportation and a little fun on the weekends, but I started going on some group rides and found that I was pretty fast. So, I started riding with the "fast" guys. I made a lot of progress (got faster) two seasons ago without any specific training plan, and decided to try my hand at racing. So, I decided I needed to have an actual training plan. I read and tried to follow Joel Friel's Training Bible and made progress last season, but felt that there was something that wasn't quite right. I felt like the prior season had been much more beneficial. I was training smarter, but I wasn't progressing like I thought I should. The training often seemed way too easy. I read this book, and it all started to make some sense. I was rarely able to train more than 8 hrs/wk. When Friel's plan started calling for 10-13 hrs/wk, I just wasn't able to make it happen. I think I just wasn't stressing my body enough last season.
   
   The TCTP (Time Crunched Training Plan) replaces volume with intensity, so you don't have to try to put in 10-12 hrs/wk. Based on my experience of the last two seasons, this should work.
   
   The book is well written. He talks about making it short because he knows the readers are "time-crunched". I felt he could have shortened it a bit more, but it is way better than other books on training that are way too wordy. The three real life examples of CTS clients that have successfully used the TCTP are very motivational and effective as to how to use the plan.
   
   I respectfully disagree with Peter Krogh's review that the book is only for century rider. I think he must have missed some of the book if it came as a surprise that you could be racing during the training plan. pg 5 - "Rutberg put Sterling on the TCTP six weeks before the start of the 2007 spring races in the Carolinas. He rode four times a week, never more than 7 hours total, raced four times in 8 weeks, and finished fourth, eighth, first, and third." pg 17 - "The TCTP is a high-intensity, low-volume training program that produces the fitness and power necessary to push the pace in local group rides and to be competitive in local and regional criteriums, cross-country and short-track mountain bike races, and cyclocross races." pg 17 - "However, there are limits....although the program lets Sterling race for the win, there's a reason he's focusing on the spring and fall series instead of trying to win races throughout the entire season." The book also goes on to detail Taylor Carrington's use of the plan to prepare to race Cyclocross Nationals and describes how he starts racing early in the plan to work on skills even though his fitness isn't very far along. Anyway, I don't get what Mr. Krogh is talking about.
   
   At first read, I didn't understand what you are supposed to do in the 4-6 weeks between sessions. He explains it early in the book and calls it "Maintenance". It is so far in front of the actual plan that I had forgotten about it by the end of the book. When I went back through it, it was plain as day. The maintenance period should probably be briefly touched on again in relationship to the plans.
   
   I'm looking forward to using the TCTP to prepare for the 2010 season. I've set it up to be peaking in April, July, and November. I wanted to write a review now because it is likely that I won't get back to it after I'm done racing next December.
   
   Best of luck to all of you wanting to be "Fit, Fast & Powerful"



2. Simple and straight forward explanation of the concept. Just enough of the science of it all for the target of the book. It was a quick read and worth the time. I will change my training this year because of the book.



3. Very well-argued book. The thinking behind the plan is made very clear and all of Chris's comments are illuminating. I've read several training books and have been training systematically for 3 years. No other coaching book is so clear about its intents. I'll incorporate some of his suggestions into this year's plan.
   
   The chapter on the actual training plans is somewhat confusing, dense and too short. I fthis is your first year training you're going to find it difficult to follow. minus one star.
   
   Chris shills for GU nutrition products at every chance. Seems a bit strange. Go to CTS web page and find that GU are a CTS sponsor. Shameful. minus one star.



4. This book has a lot of great information. I am presently in the third week of the training and know I will be a much stronger and more confident rider in the end. The only recommendation I have is that you take notes while you are reading it. It takes some time to find information after you have finished. I am thinking of re-reading to get everything stronger in my mind and noting where important information is located.



5. The title of my review summarizes my opinion of this book. There is lots of good stuff but, for me, I find it all a bit disorganized and he seems to take too long to get to the point.
   The book looks like it was written by different people from a range of long winded audio notes. The writing style varies widely and in many places is repetitive. Often different places in the book state differing ideas and values (such as workout timing and the period of the training), probably the result of parts being written at widely different times.
   
   If this book was better written it could have been a modern training reference. As it stands it's still a worthwhile addition for anyone who has an interest in cycle training.