Cycling Books

I ride both the road and singletrack. Although Gregg Bromka has written several excellent trail guides for Utah mountain bikers, there has not been a well organized print guide to road rides in Salt Lake envirions prior to this book. The road rides are well chosen and feature excellent descriptions and access instructions. The list does not include all classic local rides but hits most of them with suggestions for add-ons and shortcuts if time is pressing. It is obvius that the author has ridden all of the rides in this book and made careful observations. Of course, these are ultimately suggested routes and I ride a little different route than described in the book for all of these rides but that is the fun of it.

There are little things that frustrate me about the book, most annoying of which is the inclusion of ten mountain bike rides. While the author states that his intention is to provide a well-rounded guide to all cycling in the area, these rides are previously published in his other guides and I cannot help but think they are filler to make the book thick enough in the absence of more road rides to describe. This is unfortunate because there are certainly more road rides in the Park City and Midway/Heber areas as well as the city limits that could have nicely filled out the book and would have been valuable information for the roadies looking for something a little different from the usual SLC rides.

In the end, I have used this book extensively and highly recommend it for the visiting or new roadie in SLC. Even roadie veterans may find some new routes and variations.

This guide is a good start to bicycling on the Uncompahgre Plateau. I would buy it again, but I wish it had more rides and was more thorough. But it's a great start, and it will get you out into some beautiful country!

Gutkind's motorcycling memoir dates from a time some 30 years ago when motorcycle touring was much more of a seat-of-the-pants kind of enterprise. There was no Gore-Tex, helmet technology was primitive, bikes were low-tech, the Interstate system was a work in progress and trash bags were a passable substitute for real rain gear. Gutkind chronicled his adventures on a BMW /5 series bike in such a glorious way as to trigger my first mid-life crisis and got me into motorcycling. I dug out my copy the other day and found myself grinning over a passage in which Gutkind captures the joy of riders chasing each other up and down the mountains and valleys of West Virgina.
Yes, it's dated material, but it's also guaranteed to make you want to go for a ride. This is a worthwhile addition to every motorcyclist's library.

Great book for beginners. Features tips and tricks and great how to get started section. Tells how to build a ramp. For the freestyler who just got started this is your book

This book will enchant readers about the wonderful world of touring Europe on a bicycle. It will inspire you to plan a week's vacation and travel to France to enjoy the countryside, food and hospitality of the country that respects bicycles more than cars. This book will describe in detail the days-in and days-out of a long bike tour through Britain, with a group, roughing it. Proof positive that it can be done, but not anyone is Jane Schnell - a postive energy source who will not be denied the opportunity to cycle anywhere in the world at any age. After reading "Both Are Better" I wanted to load up my bike with panniers and set off down the road, with tailwinds, of course. A great read, even while on the road trip.

The pictures are superb. I would have liked a few more actual historic ones. Lots of the bikes have been rebuilt or refurbished. It is an entertaining light history. However it is mildly frustrating to read that a post-war Phillips bike costs only $34 and not know how much a normal Schwinn would have cost in comparison. There is much discussion about heavy and light bikes but no supporting technical data. However what the book lacks in technical data it makes up for in quality pictures.

Good for 3-7 yrs. A chain reaction style story similar to Mike McClintock's "A Fly Went By." The trouble begins when young boy Chris, takes his bike for a ride down a steep hill, and can't stop. He slams into one animal after another, bringing them along for an unwanted adventure. It's funny, it has a good sense of rhythm, and the illustrations are first-rate.

This book is great. I have been looking for a book like this for a long time. It outlines everything you need to know to get into road cycling. From choosing a bike, maintaining it to riding techniques and in different conditions. This book is the bible for beginners and highly recommended for anyone with a love for road cycling. Grab it and get fit and have fun doing it!

This book was invaluable to me on my tours of Tazmania, South Australia and Victoria. In addition to excellent directions, the author provides you with recommended budget accomadations. Insights into Aussie culture and even a list of helpful Aussie phrases. Fair dinkum mate!

Though not exhaustive, Cycling Colorado's Mountain Passes by Kurt Magsamen, offers a perfect beginning for anyone seeking information on Colorado's many mountain climbs. This book, 237 pages long, describes 34 passes from all parts of the state. All passes are neatly outlined in the table of contents by area, thereby making them easy to find. The introduction describes the book's organization and general content. This section also includes useful information about safety, time of the year with optimal weather conditions, recommendations for conditioning as well as equipment. For someone new to the state or unfamiliar with cycling mountain passes, the introduction is most useful. There is also a summery of passes by region that includes elevation and difficulty on pages 223-4. A pass-bragging log provides a place for making personal notes. The included index provides quick access to the more detailed information contained in the book elsewhere.

The bulk of the book is devoted to a description of each pass. Each of the described passes is organized to begin with an overview, and followed by a road map, recommended start and stop points as well as alternatives, road and traffic conditions, descent challenges, sleep and supplies, and finally mileage logs. All information included is quite useful especially for someone who is new to the state. I especially like the comments contained in the road and traffic conditions, as well as the insights about where one can find accommodations and food. The graphic display of the mileage log offers a quick look of what one is about to tackle and given the exaggerated vertical scale can appear quite intimidating. More accurate information about mountain grades and overall difficulty is included in the opening paragraphs for each pass.

In general, I find the book is well organized and full of useful information. It is small enough to fit into the back of your bike jersey and at a list price of ($$$) should be considered for the book shelf of every biking enthusiast who wants to take on Colorado's mountain passes.