Bikes Reviews

This is by far the best Northern California Mtn Bike guidebook on the market. It is the easiest to use, the most comprehensive, and the most diverse of all the books out there. The book is laid out incredibly well. All of the 100 rides listed are sorted by region, by difficulty, by scenery, and even by whether or not they are family and kid freindly. The maps are detailed enough to give you a good orientation once you arrive at the ride, without being so detailed that you get lost just trying to read it. The written directions provide more detail, and cover virtually everything that you need to know in order to hop on the saddle. Every level and style of rider will be pleasantly surprised by how well this book addresses their specific needs and concerns. So far I've taken 4 of the recommended rides, all of which were exactly as the book promised. This guide is the most used book in our house, and will continue to be until I've exhausted all the rides that I'm interested in. The only thing I haven't been impressed with are the less than spectacular black and white photos. But if you ignore those, this book is a perfect 10.

Now available in an updated and expanded Second Edition, Michael McCoy's Mountain Bike! Southern Utah: A Guide To The Classic Trails is a superbly presented regional guide packed cover to cover with detailed information about the sweeping deserts and amazing red rock vistas of its locale. Black and white maps of a variety of different trails, from short jaunts to extended cross-country tours, guide the mountain biker through wondrous natural landscapes. From safety tips to elevation topography to a comprehensive index, Mountain Bike! Southern Utah is an invaluable, core reference for any Utah-area biker with a keen and active interest in this energetic pastime.

Mountain Bike!: The Midwest is a comprehensive guide to classic biking trails throughout the American midwest. Authors Richard Ries and Dave Shepard introduce the cyclist to the sheer physical beauty and easy riding routes Ohio; the Scioto Trail State Forest; Wayne National Forest; Indiana; throughout Illinois (including the Chicago/Rockford area); the Shawnee National Forest; and much, much more. Each route is profiled with at-a-glance key information, a thorough ride description, a detailed trail map, helpful sources of information, proximity of important services, valuable commentary on elevation changes and possible hazards, and a rescue index. Enhanced with candid and evocative photographs, vivid descriptions of native flora and fauna, a glossary of mountain biking terms, and tips on mountain biking etiquette, Mountain Bike!: The Midwest is a "must" for dedicated cyclists exploring the biking trails of the American midwest.

It's a great book. I learned everything I know from this book, and I'm geting ready to start my own bicycle repair shop.

These are the easiest way to teach children to read. The books are ordered in sets and groups, so each concept is mastered before another is presented. Our son learned to read at a private school using these books, so we are now using them to teach our daughter. The illustrations do look dated, as they were published over a decade ago, but nonetheless, they are wonderful books!

This is a must have calendar for any biker. It is a very tasteful calendar that you can hang in your bathroom or in your office....plus its 15 months! (Bonus)

Remember, keep the rubber side DOWN!

I read this book to a 5th grade class and they absolutely loved it. It is well written, creative and fun. It had me laughing along with the kids as it tells the story of a used bike sales rat and a little rat who wants to buy one. I highly recommend it for a good laugh

I've ridden several rides following the book, and I found the milage accurate, the rides interesting, and the cue sheets very easy to use. The maps are separate from the cue sheets in the book, but flipping back and forth was not a problem. I personally found the cue sheets adaquate without the maps, but the maps provide a useful overview. If you're familliar with Jim Parham's other books, his mapping technique, while always good, has gotten better. These maps are really clear. However, on some of the rides, some intersections were too complicated for me to figure out from the map alone. The cue sheets were perfectly clear in these instances. Overall, this book is a model of ride information.

As a new resident of Washington D.C., this book, "Short Bike Rides: Washington D.C.," has become for my family an invaluable introduction of the area's numerous bike trails and routes. Each route is introduced with a short synopsis of its main attractions and challenges, followed by precise yet easy to follow directions. The book was obviously well researched.

For an urban dweller, this handy little book provides a great insight into beautiful rural areas. Without the book's guidance, I never would have thought to go bicycling in Eagles Mere, Wellsboro, or Thompsontown, but each ride proved delightful. The directions are excellent, and the writer gives a nice little insight into each place that he describes. Pennsylvania has many wonderful places to ride, and this book will take you to many of them.