Bikes Reviews

Ignore the CD - if you want it you can buy it anywhere (e.g. REI), or buy proper paper maps!

However the rides are described really well - the profile matches the simple route maps really well and demonstrates just how many NW rides are HILLY.

The step descriptions on the routes are good, and the distances accurate (so far!).

Things to watch out for: 1) Tiger is the closest ride to Seattle in the book, a couple of more 'after workers' would be good. 2) The directions to some of the rides are not too good, although this is mostly due to lack of road numbering etc in Forestry and out of the way areas.

This book is loaded with GPS topo maps, meticulously made maps of each trail, trail profiles, great descriptions, detailed directions, and great graphics. Not to mention all the other information it's packed with, such as other stuff to do in the area where each ride is located. If you can only buy one guide, I think this one is perfect. The CD at the back is an added bonus, which adds no cost to the book, but it's maps aren't necessary b/c there's so many high quality maps packed into the pages of the book.

The Washington edition of the Mountain Bike America series provides valuable technical information within an entertaining writing style. After reading this guidebook, one wants to head out and experience the beauty and challenging terrain of Washington State.

My wife and I have mountain biked in Moab on two separate, week long trips. From this limited experience, I thought I had a pretty good grasp of the best local rides. On our last trip to Moab, we purchased (really on a whim, because we have 5-6 other Moab guide books) the Mountain Bike America "Moab" book by Lee Bridgers. WHAT A GREAT BOOK ! I read it like a novel, from cover to cover. This book has it all. It includes more rides than other guide books, and describes many rides which are in no other books. The ride descriptions are well done, and very complete. Lee Bridgers goes to great lengths to point out interesting history, geology, and excellent "dinosaur details" for each ride. Why does this place (which looks like it could easily be on another planet) look the way it does? What further separates this book from other guide books is the attention to the local color of the area. The author introduces you to the colorful people of the Moab area.

Having read this book, I know I must return to Moab. I discovered I had not even scratched the surface of the rides in the Moab area. I discovered 3-4 new rides in the "Gemini Bridges" area alone, where most guide books describe only one option.

If you go to Moab, be careful. This area should be treated with utmost respect. I suggest you should consider hiring a guide for this area for part of your trip.

Want to ride Moab, never been there? This is your guide. 379 pages of well written straight forward usefull information about the Mecca of Mountain Biking.

I got my copy two weeks ago and have literally read it front to back. It has made me laugh and cringe, but most of all it has made me ride! Lee Bridges has put together an outstanding compilation of the best rides in the area. The detailed maps, trail difficulty ratings along with the mile by mile ride descriptions will help you select a ride that is suitable for your riding ability.

Along the ride you'll also find entertaining and shocking anecdotes about Moab and it's people. I commend Lee Bridges for putting together an no-holds barred honest account of the area.

If your thinking of riding Moab or just want a book about the area this is it.

I wish all guide books were like this one! I have tons of guide books for areas all over the U.S., but this is the only one I've read cover to cover. Not only do you get the facts you need for the rides, you also get entertaining and humorous stories every few pages. The section on equipment even helped me decide which bike I wanted to buy! Not thin and dinky like many other books of this type either. Just order it! You'll like it!

This is absolutely one of our favourite books. The illustrations are so beautiful and the rhymes are fun to read as well as educational (teaching our 23 mo old son various means of transport). We have enjoyed reading this ever since he was only a few months old and it has become our favourite gift to friends and family. My only criticism is that this board book in the Bear Series is missing a few pages which I discovered when I purchased the large, hardcover edition just a few weeks ago. I was so surprised and dismayed to discover this.

There is something special about this book. A great read outloud -- it still holds the attention of my four year old. Allows for the child to anticipate and read with you. Very cheerful in tone and illustration, simple, but still adds a couple of nice vocabulary words. My daughter has moved on to much more complicated books, but this one is still read and appreciated.

I love this book. I read it to my 5 month old and it actually holds her attention. She loves the bright colors so much so that I will sometimes just lay her on the floor and open the pages for her. The rhyming doesn't bother me - the story is cute, so I'm sure I'll be reading it for some time to come!

This is a nice "coffee table" book about their recent exhibit. As a rider since '59, I couldn't wait to get into the text, which is divided by time periods.
Alas, the print is a super thin, "artsy" typeface, very faint and grey colored- not a rich, easy to read, black Courier, for example. And the white space is excessive; they could have increased the typeface size by 4 or 5 points and still have more than enough border on each page!
Conclusion- a fine book marred by it's designers to make it less readable and useable!

Don't let the price put you off. This book is well worth the price. The color pictures alone are worth it all. The century of motorcycle development is well illustrated and the essays complete the story of the motorcycle. Your favorite bike may not be here (mine's the German Horex which Honda copied) but you could visit dozens of museums and never see the selection that was gathered for the Guggenheim Museum Exhibit.

If you didn't get to the Guggenheim Museum to see the Motorcycle as Art exhibit, or did and want a great book showcasing this historic event, and the artistic contribution that motorcycles have made to the modern age, this is the book to have. The opening text, composed of observations of the motorcycle as an art form and reflection of the dawning machine age, through the present and even into the future, is written (mostly) by obvious non-motorcyclists and it shows in their sometimes incorrect facts and inane assumptions. Dennis Hopper wrote a long poem that is simply drivel. But the photos, and text that accompanies them, is superb and the choice of bikes to represent the history of motorcycles is near flawless. There are a few types of bikes or special individual motorcycles missing, that such a collection should have had. Something from Arlen Ness, maybe Russ Collins' triple engined top-fuel bike and even a Harley Davidson "Rat". But the entire collection from the exhibit is here and the photography is beuitiful. Non-motorcyclists will appreciate what the Guggenheim has set out to do and succeeded brilliantly at... to show that motorcycles have been a real contribution to the world's art and technology, despite whether you ride or not. There is surely no better book to place in your motorcycle library or on your coffee table, even if your not a motorcyclist. I bought mine at the museum, for $75, and it was worth that much and more.

"One day down on the farm, Duck got a wild idea. "I bet I could ride a bike!" he thought. He waddled over to where the boy parked his bike, climbed on, and began to ride..." So begins David Shannon's creative and silly picture book, Duck On A Bike. In no time Duck's mastered the art of pedaling, and is zooming around the barnyard waving and calling to his friends. The cow thinks it's silly, and the sheep is sure Duck will hurt himself. The dog thinks it's neat, and the pigs think Duck is a big show-off. Mr Goat isn't so interested in riding, but would like to eat the bike, the horse just wants to remind Duck that he's still faster, and the cat is so self-involved, he doesn't even look up as Duck rides by. And that's when it happens...a whole gang of kids come riding onto the farm, park their bikes, and go inside. And in just a matter of seconds, Duck discovers he isn't the only animal riding around and around the barnyard..... Mr Shannon's engaging text begs to be read aloud, and is full of animal sounds and clever asides. But it's his bold, bright, and busy illustrations that really make this book sparkle. Each two page spread is filled with endearing oversized animals, marvelous facial expressions, and hilarious details. Perfect for kids 3-7, Duck On A Bike is a joyous, manic romp that little animal lovers and bike enthusiasts shouldn't miss.

As a children's librarian, I am always searching for the next perfect book to read for preschool storytime. I have read this book to several groups now and always have had an enraptured audience--both children and adults love it. Duck decides to ride a bike for the fun of it and greets the animal on the farm as he passes by. It might sound trite, but in this book, it is all magical.

The full bleed illustrations are bright and colorful while the story is humorous and engaging. Don't miss the last page either. All the kids love it. This has become my favorite picture book this year and I will be disappointed if it doesn't receive a Caldecott nod. Add this one to your child's library or give it to a favorite child as a gift. Then sit down and read it together. Neither of you will be disappointed! A great companion book also out this year is "Do Like a Duck Does" by Judy Hindley.

Many children's books put me to sleep while I am reading the bedtime story. This, however, is one of my favorite books to read aloud. I have a great opportunity to practice dramatic voices; I can be a superior acting horse, an arrogant cat, and a worshipful mouse. The illustrations are sensational. I wish I could find more books that are this much fun.

I began mountain biking in January 2000, learning whatever I could from watching the other bikers (and in this sport, there's no time for others to stop and explain!) Don't want to go through the "University of Hard Knocks" to learn more of the sport? Here's the solution!

Whether if you are a new mountain biker or an experienced downhill maniac, this book will teach you the basics and perfect your technique. It provides great details on everything a mountain biker should know about arm & leg technique, taking falls, pedaling tricks, trail use and care, emergency repairs, survival techniques, mountain biking "etiquette", no-no's and even what's fashionable and what's not on the sport.

I would've rated this book 5 stars, had Nealy provided more help on mud trail mastering techniques, making clipless pedals easy and maybe a couple of dog-dodging and cow/bull evading techniques. (Mud, rocks, dirt, grass, rivers, dogs and even bulls are common on a same trail, in a country like mine - Costa Rica) Perhaps we'll see it in a second edition?

The bottom line: This book in its easy-to-understand and funny cartoon format is a must for anybody and everybody who loves mountain biking! So what are you waiting for? Another spectacular crash? Hit that "Add to Shopping Cart" button now!

I have been mountain biking for only a couple of months now and I have to say that this book has saved me from a couple of close call wipe-outs. It teaches techniques to keep from "face planting" yourself as well as basic techniques ( with illustrations) to keep your ride enjoyable.

Good job

If you're like me, listening to someone explain the proper way to do a wheelie hop or shift your weight during hill climbing, is about as exciting as watching old people eat, and about as gratifying. If you need something visual to clue you in, then check out Mr. Nealy's fine illustrations. Once you finish laughing your guts out, you'll realize that this guy really knows what he's talking about when it comes to biking. Studying this book can shave years off your learning curve. I absolutely HATE the fact that what I had to learn through 8 years of experimentation and pain, my buddies picked up in 3 months by pouring over this book on every trip to the john. Buy it. Read it. Use it. Then ride like a bat outta hell.

The way I read these reviews you can tell than half of them are done by friend's of the author or family members. This book is a good book, but it no better than Shaffer's, The Definitive Guide to the Waterfalls of Southern and Central California. I'm a former outdoor writer and think both books are good. However, Brown's books have horrible photographs which take away from her good writing skills. Shaffer's book has great photos which allow you to get a good idea of what the waterfall is before you visit. Personally, I'd buy both books, but dont follow just the raving, "This is the greatest book," reviews. Those are always not from the heart.

I have both Ann Marie's books and the new book by Chris Shaffer and while both have done a good job describing the trails to the falls Shaffer's book offers many more waterfalls and color photographs that all you to really see what the waterfall looks like. The photos in Brown's book are very poor and dont do the waterfalls justice. But, she did do a good job letting us know where waterfalls can be found.

This book has opened up a whole new world for me and my husband. We take it with us everywhere we go around the state, even when we are just visiting relatives, and we go see the waterfalls the author has described in the local area. The book covers the entire state of CA and we've found beautiful waterfalls in places we would never have expected. We love to hike, bike, and camp, and this book has really accurate descriptions that get us where we want to go. The author's comments are also really fun to read.

This thing weighs in at a whopping 19 ounces. Way too much paper filler with all sorts of peripheral information about mountain biking in general, but not enough specific details about the best Arizona trails. The maps were done with a GPS, but a gray line drawn by a computer over a b&w topo that covers only 1/4 page just does not get it. You've probably heard the expression that a camel is a horse designed by committee. This is a book written by a knowledgable mountain biker then stuffed into the Falcon/Globe-Pequot format. This fomulaic (sp?) approach to a mountain bike guide just doesn't work. The local guides and maps are cheaper, better and lighter.

I bought this for my brother, an avid mt. biker in scottsdale. He loved it, and used it the first weekend he got it to find a new trail.

Each time I return to this book I recognize how many little extras it includes, such as vertical profiles, several ways to find or select a trail, a good place to satisfy post-ride munchies, or the phone number of a local bike shop in a nearby town for an emergency repair.

As a 4th generation native of Arizona, I thought I knew my way around, but this book has paid off in directing me to a lot of out of the way trails I never would have found or even heard of swapping ideas with local riders. Do not overlook or underestimate the many "honorable mention" rides included in each chapter.

There's another popular book on Arizona mountain bike trails that is sort of a cartoon. Buy that if you want laughs, but buy Mountain Bike America: Arizona if you want a serious reference tool to get the most out of your visits to and around Arizona.

Once Ron finds a dirt bike at the bottom of a lake he can't believe his eyes. So, the next day he goes scuba diving to find it. But the bike will need some fixing. Ron is certain that his motorcross dream will come true. I think that Matt Christopher's style of writing is spectacular. I feel that his writing is very descriptive and detailed. When he writes he doesn't tell, he shows. So when he writes that the back wheel is spinning, he says, "It is spitting up dirt and rubble!" When Matt Christopher writes a beginning of a story he doesn't start with a dull beginning he starts with action usually destruction. In my book, he starts with a windstorm that blows some belongings away into the lake. I think that is how good writers write.

I recommend this book to anyone that likes sports and has a tough time reading. They will really enjoy this book. This book is a good book because the words are descriptive and it's easy to comprehend, and the details that the author has given us in the book make us feel that we're the character. "The bike bucked and bounced, and a couple of times it skidded to the side to much that I almost lost my balance and fell. But I managed to keep it upright, using my feet to balance it when I felt it leaning over too far." Another great thing about this book is how there are a couple of pictures and that makes me visualize where the character is in the book. One of the pictures shows Ron on his dirt bike and he's in the air after jumping the ramp, Ron said " You're not going to stop me, no matter what you do!" If you like sports and you have a tough time reading, this is the book for you.

If you like to read, you will love this book! The book is fascinating because this book is about dirt bikes. Two boys find a dirt bike in a lake that was lost off of a house boat in a windstorm. The two boys get the bike out of the water and hope to win races with it. The boys meet a bully who tries to keep them from winning. I like the book because I think dirt bikes are awesome and I have always had a passion about riding them. Ages 9-adult should read this book.

An excellent book in many respects. However, Zinn falls victim to the "newer is better" (or, rather, "old is unimportant.") Lots of great bicycle fixing advice, excellent diagrams -- but you are SOL if you are trying to repair a bicycle older than 1998.

For example, Zinn only covers sidepull brakes with a quick release. Only new/expensive bikes have this quick release tab; all other bicycles require you to, e.g., deflate your tires to pull them off. If you didn't know this, you would damage your bicycle. Keeping with this ignoring of those of us who are, e.g., fixing an older bicycle, Zinn gives no help on these issues -- but does spend pages and pages on how to fix the "wireless radio transmitter transmissions".

Next time, Mr. Zinn -- try to keep the ordinary folks in the loop, eh?

A lot of good basic information and up to date. SOme though, is too basic. His instructions for adjusting derailleurs are so poor as to be barely adequate. For the front deraill. for example he has 3 steps. HI gear-- 1.shift back and forth between the middle and inner rings. 2. If the chain jumps over the big ring, tighten the hi-gear limit screw. 3---(more of the same)the .Yea, this is good basic stuff to get you into very roughly correct adjustment, but that is all. Better info is free on Park tool's site. From the troubleshooting section--Tire is Flat. Cause: tire deflated. Action: pump tire. I doubt anyone is so inept they need to be told that.

That said, it is good for those he said it was written for: "(Those) who do not think they are capable of maintaining their bikes." I have the Bicycling magazine book too, and frankly I cannot say one is better than the other. The fact is, once you get the basics down, if you have any mechanical experience or aptitude, most of this stuff is pretty simple. I had hoped for some more advanced tips on making things operate more smoothly or efficiently, but while the Bicycling mags book has some, this has very few. It's a simple book with the basics. Anytime you find a "maintenance" book that tells you ho to chance a tube, you are looking a a very simple book. If you need more, you'll be disappointed. If the basics are what you want, this books is more than adequate.

I read this book from cover to cover the day I got it, even though this is a reference book!
The instructions are very detailed. It even guides you through steps in a logical way and tells you to jump to different steps depending on the result of the previous step!

I would have given it 5 stars...but I bumped it down by one because a lot of the diagrams are not on the page that references the diagram so I found myself flipping back and forth a lot...this is a bit annoying when you're working on your bike...