Being somewhat of a nerd, I always read around a subject before attempting it. My re-introduction to cycling was no different. Taking a break from my desktop-warrior research into folding bikes and the world of Dahons, Terns and Montagues, I poked around Amazon to see what I could read on my Kindle (see, nerd).
I was first looking for something that would make me get up an go. Being committed to an urban-riding philosophy, I did not want to become another semi-fitting lycra-wrapped overweight cyclist with the latest Oakley on his nose-bridge. I wanted to ride in normal clothing, wearing normal shoes or even slippers, much like I used to in my teenage days. Neither am I Messenger-bag toting London or New York-ish rider whizzing through the streets with purpose. I just wanted to take my time riding, and preferably alone most of the time, hearing the wind in my ears, before being engulfed by my heaving and shortness-of-breath sounds that would likely happen very soon afterwards.
It was refreshing then to discover Grant Petersen's book so aptly-titled "Just Ride". The reviews from Amazon made it clear that it was for "the rest of us" cyclists, me most possibly included. It has been compared to Michael Pollan's foodie books, and it is perfectly what I was looking for. Full of practical advice easily understood by noobs like me, Petersen's writing style is also honest and hard-hitting where it needs be. After reading this, and finally getting the right price, I went out and bought my Dahon C7S from Rodalink Bangsar and did that - Just Ride!
My beloved wife then bought me another Kindle-download - and this was a very different book. Robert Penn's "It's All About the Bike" title is a play on Lance Armstrong's "It's Not About the Bike" book. Penn's tome traces the Welshman's journey to building his ultimate bike which takes him all over the world to see how his chosen bike-parts were made. During that journey we are educated on the origins of each part of the bicycle, ending up with the manufacturing process of the said part. Detailed, and peppered with the typical wry British humour, Penn's book was a good antidote against Petersen's also-enjoyable hard-nosed utilitarianism.
The third tome is currently in my son's possession as he is also picking up the cycling bug. My intent is to look more into bicycle maintenance, and Howard Zinn's works tend to come on top of the list. At Kinokuniya Orchard Road however, I found Zinn's works too dry and the diagrams too technical and wanted more of a dummies guide. Even the Dummies book did not satisfy my search. Perusing the shelves further, I chanced upon Dorling Kindersley's "Complete Bike Book" by Chris Sidwells, although printed 9 years ago, remains the most comprehensive reference for all things cycling. It was the only book I found to have a reference to foldies, and numerous other types of bicycles that I did not know existed.
So there's the round-up the the books I have been reading on cycling. Some of the other books I am considering are below:
Any book you'd like to recommend me to read?
Take care.
Wan
I was first looking for something that would make me get up an go. Being committed to an urban-riding philosophy, I did not want to become another semi-fitting lycra-wrapped overweight cyclist with the latest Oakley on his nose-bridge. I wanted to ride in normal clothing, wearing normal shoes or even slippers, much like I used to in my teenage days. Neither am I Messenger-bag toting London or New York-ish rider whizzing through the streets with purpose. I just wanted to take my time riding, and preferably alone most of the time, hearing the wind in my ears, before being engulfed by my heaving and shortness-of-breath sounds that would likely happen very soon afterwards.
It was refreshing then to discover Grant Petersen's book so aptly-titled "Just Ride". The reviews from Amazon made it clear that it was for "the rest of us" cyclists, me most possibly included. It has been compared to Michael Pollan's foodie books, and it is perfectly what I was looking for. Full of practical advice easily understood by noobs like me, Petersen's writing style is also honest and hard-hitting where it needs be. After reading this, and finally getting the right price, I went out and bought my Dahon C7S from Rodalink Bangsar and did that - Just Ride!
My beloved wife then bought me another Kindle-download - and this was a very different book. Robert Penn's "It's All About the Bike" title is a play on Lance Armstrong's "It's Not About the Bike" book. Penn's tome traces the Welshman's journey to building his ultimate bike which takes him all over the world to see how his chosen bike-parts were made. During that journey we are educated on the origins of each part of the bicycle, ending up with the manufacturing process of the said part. Detailed, and peppered with the typical wry British humour, Penn's book was a good antidote against Petersen's also-enjoyable hard-nosed utilitarianism.
The third tome is currently in my son's possession as he is also picking up the cycling bug. My intent is to look more into bicycle maintenance, and Howard Zinn's works tend to come on top of the list. At Kinokuniya Orchard Road however, I found Zinn's works too dry and the diagrams too technical and wanted more of a dummies guide. Even the Dummies book did not satisfy my search. Perusing the shelves further, I chanced upon Dorling Kindersley's "Complete Bike Book" by Chris Sidwells, although printed 9 years ago, remains the most comprehensive reference for all things cycling. It was the only book I found to have a reference to foldies, and numerous other types of bicycles that I did not know existed.
So there's the round-up the the books I have been reading on cycling. Some of the other books I am considering are below:
Any book you'd like to recommend me to read?
Take care.
Wan
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