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Mastering Mountain Bike Skills – 2nd Edition

May 12, 2010 By Racerx Leave a Comment




Mastering Mountain Bike Skills - 2nd Edition
 
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Manufacturer: Human Kinetics
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Product Description

Mastering Mountain Bike Skills is your guide for riding better, faster and more confidently on all terrain. World champion racer Brian Lopes and renowned coach Lee McCormack provide you with all of the key techniques and skills you’ll need to take your ride to the next level.

This new and improved edition of Mastering Mountain Bike Skills provides detailed, technical instruction for every mountain biking discipline:

·      Trail

·      Gravity

·      Aggro

·      Racing

·      and more

The high-quality photo sequences and demonstrations combined with race stories from Brian Lopes will give you the tools you need, whether you’re a recreational rider looking to rock the trails with friends or a rider looking to beat the competition. Let Mastering Mountain Bike Skills help you ride with more confidence and have more fun.

Product Details
  • ISBN13: 9780736083713
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

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Customer Reviews
Masterful Indeed!
 
Review Date: May 31, 2005
Reviewer: Arnie Baker, San Diego, CA United States
Bicycle training includes physical, psychological, and skills training. Although riders often ignore the latter, without skills training mountain bikers limit their potential enjoyment and development as competent cyclists.

This is one of the best books ever published on acquiring mountain biking skills, a book whose principles broadly apply to other forms of bicycling, including road cycling.

The book is well-organized and the topics flow well. The book begins with general bike set-up and pedaling, transitions to braking, cornering, hopping, dropping, and jumping, and puts the basics together in chapters about flowing, crazy (miscellaneous) conditions, and racing.

The book has more than 100 color photos and diagrams, which overall illustrate its points well. Diagrams, such as those on pages 64, 66, and 67 depicting zero, negative, and positive camber help the reader learn the meaning of familiar yet uncertain terms. Time-sequence photography, such as images on pages 106 and 107 illustrating the difference in jumping techniques of a dirt-jumper and cross-country racer are superb.

The book attempts to detail principles for beginners and experts alike, and overall does a great job.

As excellent as the book is, it could be improved.

A glossary would help. Authors and editors often forget that not everyone knows the meaning of the jargon words-such as rail and carve. Even if explained at first usage, a glossary of mountain biking terms would improve the book.

The language is hip, sometimes crude. Although attractive to many who practice downhill mountain biking, the lingo might not appeal to all. For example, in describing pedaling style at the bottom of the pedal stroke on page 34, the authors write: "Pretend you're scraping dog crap off the bottom of your shoe."

The book includes descriptions and illustrations that are inconsistent. For example, in describing a series of turns on page 59, the text describes a left then right series of turns, but the illustration is right then left. In describing how to carve flat turns, on page 66, the text says lean your bike more than your body, but the rider is leaning his body more than the bike. On page 69, in describing skidding into loose corners, the text describes the method of dealing with a skid turning left, but the time-sequence photos are of a rider turning right. Such inconstancies make it more difficult for the reader to follow the authors' points.

Sage advice has its exceptions. When exceptions are not qualified as such, readers may be confused. For example, throughout the book, the problems associated with needless, overzealous, panicked, or overly cautious braking are reiterated. The novice mountain biker may think: "Always stay off the brakes!" Yet in describing how to conquer switch backs, page 68, the first item of advice is "Slow WAY down....you want to reach a happy speed, not scare yourself..." which, of course, is what novice riders think in every situation they consider braking. If the authors had said: "This is an exception to letting-the-brakes-go-to-ride-more-effectively rule," they'd clarify their thinking for the reader and gain credibility.

These minor quibbles aside, this book has great information about mountain biking skills, from one of the most skilled riders who has every lived. If you are a mountain biker, get this book-even if only to look at the pictures.

Reviewer's note/disclaimer: The publisher sent me a review copy. I was not paid for this review.
Is it too late in life???
 
Review Date: September 30, 2005
Reviewer: Randy Spotts, Grand Coulee, WA United States
I'm going on 53 and got my first mountain bike 1 year ago. After a rude introduction to single track, I decided to try and learn some skills. This book looked like a good source of info, so I ordered it. My first impression was that I'll never risk most of the moves shown by the pros in the book. It's definitely geared toward all-out riding. But I went back to the book and got more selective with the chapters. I then realized that all the basics are there. Not only are the techniques shown, but there's great explanations of why they work. It's almost like having a video. So what first looked like an intimidating how-to manual, now seems more like Pandorra's Box. I look forward to practicing whenever I can spare the time, then getting out and enjoying some terrain. The deer trails above my home have taken on new meaning.
Best Step-by-Step I have read for mountain biking
 
Review Date: February 21, 2006
Reviewer: Jeffrey J. Meyer, Newark, DE
The combination of experienced authors, supportive facts, and the fashion in which the material is presented makes this book the best way to learn about mountain bike skills. The format is what I like the most. There are clear frame by frame pictures of moves with concise descriptions to go with them. The authors also provide interesting scientific facts about cycling physics. The troubleshooting sections are also helpful. The chapters are all well organized and packed full of helpful and not so obvious information. Any rider can benefit from this book. The book is more than a list of tips (like most other books: outside foot down, look ahead, etc.) It is the best tool that I own for improving my skills next to my bikes. I am a seasoned racer and I am learning so much from this book. Buy it!
The most useful mountain bike skills book in exhistence!
 
Review Date: March 8, 2005
Reviewer: B. Ferkins,
I'm an "emerging" sport level DH/Freeride biker that wants to take it to the next level but I'm having trouble finding fast, knowledgable riders to ride with. In this book, I've found that rider and then some.... This book is very well illustrated with lots of detail starting from the basics to jumping 50ft gaps. Most of the books I've seen go to the extreme of showing you how to drop off a curb, MMBS shows you how to drop off a CLIFF. They have bike setup tips, usefull troubleshooting guides and tons of race winning tips. The list goes on... I received my book yesterday (#55 - Thanks for the signature Brian), I've read every word and I am looking forward to trying it all.
perfect for all levels!
 
Review Date: August 13, 2007
Reviewer: Desert Pixie, moab, ut
i teach mountain biking skills clinics and i have found that this book is an excellent tool in teaching all levels of mountain bikers - beginner to pro. it is a very well written, fun to read, and highly detailed book that will help you overcome your current obstacles and help you to ride the drops you never dreamed you could.

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About Racerx
An Arizona native, Jeff has been mountain biking and racing since 1997. A father of 2 awesome children Ryder and Skylar. He is the owner of Excelnet Media, an Internet Marketing company.

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