The RB Official MTB Cycling Book Review Thread

[john]

Hope we can turn this into a useful resource. Original idea thanks to DA-EVO. Corresponding Road Bike Book Review Thread is here.

Will try to keep the first post updated with links to individual reviews. If users can just reply to this thread with their reviews we'll see how it goes.

Book - Author - Review Link - Reviewer / Recommender - Buy

The Birth of Dirt - Frank J. Berto - Link - DA-EVO - http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Birth-Dirt- ... 1892495619
Mountain Bike Racing - Tim Gould & Simon Burney - Link - Rich Aitch - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mountain-Racing ... 0713644397
Richard's Mountain Bike Book - Charles Kelly & Nick Crane - - B77 - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Richards-Mounta ... 0946609780
Stumpjumper: 25 Years of Mountain Biking - Mark Riedy - Link - Rich Aitch - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stumpjumper-25- ... 1891369636

 

[DA-EVO]

The Birth of Dirt by Frank J. Berto

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Birth-Dirt- ... 842&sr=8-1

I bought this book a few months ago, I can't remember if it was a recommendation from here or just a find, but it was a good read. The book has plenty of history, pictures, articles, letters and biographies, but aims to answer the question 'Who Invented the Mountain Bike'. I won't spoil it for you by telling you the conclusion of the book, despite the Amazon link above pretty much spoiling any remnant of suspense you might have had :roll:

Anyway, its a nice to read book, a lot of the information can also be found on this very website which goes to show what an excellent resource retrobike.co.uk is, much to the credit of its members.

In conclusion - It has a lot of info, great pics, fun read, an excellent whodunnit.

 

[john]

Thanks for that review DA

 

[captaincosmic]

I can reccomend the following books ;

Obsessive Compulsive Cycling Disorder ,by Dave Barker

an Ebook only I think...and no Ebooks are not those little furry creatures in Empire strikes back
This is a collection of atricles the chap has written for various magazines over the years and I found the writing was clearly that of someone who loves cycling with a passion. One of the stories describes the typical ride on a local training loop beautifully from the reluctant search for clothing and lights through the intimacy of familiarity with the ride and its landmarks and the warm glow of self satifaction on his return to the house.
There are so many stories and observations that you will recognise as a cyclists way of looking at the world.



One Man and his bike , by Mike Carter

Paperback book ,also an Ebook
This is a great adventure a story of an epic ride around the coast of the UK anticlockwise. Badly equipped but tackled with spirit.
This is a story of a ride planned from a commute ride into London where Mike thought to himself "what would happen if I turned right here and rode to the coast instead of turning Left and going into the office"

 

[rc200ti]

I can reccomend the following books ;

Obsessive Compulsive Cycling Disorder ,by Dave Barker

an Ebook only I think...and no Ebooks are not those little furry creatures in Empire strikes back
This is a collection of atricles the chap has written for various magazines over the years and I found the writing was clearly that of someone who loves cycling with a passion. One of the stories describes the typical ride on a local training loop beautifully from the reluctant search for clothing and lights through the intimacy of familiarity with the ride and its landmarks and the warm glow of self satifaction on his return to the house.
There are so many stories and observations that you will recognise as a cyclists way of looking at the world.



One Man and his bike , by Mike Carter

Paperback book ,also an Ebook
This is a great adventure a story of an epic ride around the coast of the UK anticlockwise. Badly equipped but tackled with spirit.
This is a story of a ride planned from a commute ride into London where Mike thought to himself "what would happen if I turned right here and rode to the coast instead of turning Left and going into the office"

Coincidentally downloaded OCCD a couple of days back, which at less than 90p I thought was great value, even more so as it was on my wife's account.

 

[sinnerman]

Made in England: The Artisans Behind the Handbuilt Bicycle [Hardcover]

Matthew Sowter (Author), Ricky Feather (Author), Kayti Peskhke (Photographer)

This Book was recommended to me by a trusted member as a very good read.

If you have any interest in Bicycles, bicycle frames or the men that make them, then this book is a must have.

All that really needs to be said is that, it is a glimpse into the hearts and minds of the some of the most respected frame builders in England.

Quality Photography combined with interviews, from tubing supplier Reynolds, and twelve different frame builders, both new and old.

A book made with Heart and Soul, Just like its Contents.

A must have for any book reading cyclist.

Rating 10 out of 10. (I havent put it down)

Avaliable from Amazon for £35.00 and every penny of that will be well spent.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Made-England-Ar ... 192&sr=1-1

 

[Giom6]

Re:

Made in England: The Artisans Behind the Handbuilt Bicycle [Hardcover]

Matthew Sowter (Author), Ricky Feather (Author), Kayti Peskhke (Photographer)

This Book was recommended to me by a trusted member as a very good read.

If you have any interest in Bicycles, bicycle frames or the men that make them, then this book is a must have.

All that really needs to be said is that, it is a glimpse into the hearts and minds of the some of the most respected frame builders in England.

Quality Photography combined with interviews, from tubing supplier Reynolds, and twelve different frame builders, both new and old.

A book made with Heart and Soul, Just like its Contents.

A must have for any book reading cyclist.

Rating 10 out of 10. (I havent put it down)

Avaliable from Amazon for £35.00 and every penny of that will be well spent.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Made-England-Ar ... 192&sr=1-1

I second that recommendation.

A great read with great interviews and photography.

Well worth the money

 

[Repack Rider]

I have a lengthy narrative composed for a comprehensive work on the subject. My previous efforts were not very satisfying, and I would like one more shot at writing this amazing adventure down while I'm still conscious. I have in my files every relevant scrap of paper, and my published and unpublished writings starting in 1977 preserve a timeline of events.

I am represented by a literary agent who is currently pitching it to a big bike book publisher. I already turned down one offer because the publisher wanted me to write something other than what I wanted to leave as my written legacy.

The right book hasn't been written yet. Frank Berto lives in my town and I have known him for many years. Frank is an engineer, and he sees things from a mechanical point of view. But mountain biking is not just machines, because there have been dozens of similar machines created ever since the "safety bicycle" took the roads away from the penny-farthings. There have been any number of groups who beat up old bikes on dirt trails and left no legacy. The initial Tour de France resembled nothing so much as a mountain bike race of unimaginable distance and duration, but as roads improved, in the interest of overall speed the race moved to them.

Mountain biking is a modern sport, not just a machine, and some special conditions were required to turn it from a local hobby into a worldwide phenomenon. As soon as those conditions were met, the sport happened. It is not a coincidence that the same sporting landscape also gave the world surfing, vertical skateboarding, snowboarding and BMX. The California boys wanted to go "YEE-HAW!" when they played.

Most people here have seen my website, which is the current public repository for my files.

 

[nik_h]

Charlie, I'd buy that book in a flash. I really hope you manage to hook up with a publisher who can do it justice.

I love the website, I've been reading it ever since I got back from California and I'm enjoying filling the considerable gaps in my knowledge. I agree that mountain biking is much more than the mechanical aspects (and that's coming from someone who studied mechanical engineering for many, many years). I was into skateboarding before I got into mountain biking, and I always felt that it was as much about the people and the culture as it was about the 'sport'. Somehow sports like surfing and skating seem to have captured this aspect better when it comes to books and films. It would be great to see someone do the same for mountain biking. There's no-one better qualified for the task than yourself!

Cheers,

Nik

 

[Repack Rider]

Got the word today from my agent. The Big Publisher wants it. Not going to name names until I sign the contract, but they offered me everything I asked for, and it's hard to imagine doing any better.

No way this sees print for six months or so, if that. But it will be thorough and it will be first person.