Newbie - Book Recommendations?

I've lurked here for awhile, but I'm finally getting the nerve to post. I'm a middle aged woman who isn't particularly fit, and I've been considering starting biking for some time, but have never taken the first steps.

I know the local bike shop is the best place to go for info and to actually try different bikes, but I'm intimidated because the last bike I rode was a long time ago and was a simple three speed with basic pedals. So all the talk about clips, hybrid vs road bikes, etc. can be intimidating. I'd have no idea what to do with all the different gears!

Is there any book that you can recommend that covers the basics in terms that a not very technical person can understand? There are a variety of Cycling for Dummies type books and I was just wondering if anyone had found one useful? With a little background, I'd feel more comfortable going into a bike shop and having some idea of what I wanted.

Hi Katie, welcome!!

Here's a great resource for beginner bikers, and it's all totally free info!:
http://bicycling.about.com/od/beginn...eginnerhub.htm

Also start reading the past threads on this forum, which will give you LOTS of excellent info specifically from a women's angle.

Get ready to have more fun that you even imagined! Don't be afraid at all- every day you'll gain a bit more experience and knowledge. :) :) :)

(and aside from the obvious of getting a knowledgeable bike person to help you with your bike purchase, the more YOU learn before you buy your first bike, and the more bikes you test ride, the better your chances of choosing one that will suit you well!)

To tell you the truth, Katie, I've learned more about cycling from this forum than from any book that I've looked at. Every time I read a post here about something with which I'm unfamiliar, it inspires me to do a Google search or to hunt through back issues of cycling mags to get more detailed information. I've thumbed through several books at the bookstore, but have ended up putting them all back on the shelf because I feel that I can learn much more through this dynamic, interactive resource.

I found 7 weeks to cycling fitness (put out by DK) a really useful book. Takes you through all the great basic techniques for cornering and coveres differences between roadies, mtn bikes and hybrids. Even things like cleaning and bike maintainence were in there.

But most of the best information I found here on the boards. Read a LOT of different threads on bikes, commuting, maintenence, mountain biking or racing and you'll get an idea of what you may like to use your bike for and therefore which bikes to test ride.

Good luck hope to see you out on a set of perfect for you wheels really soon!

I don't know any books to suggest but I will say I've also learned a wealth of stuff from sites like this. I just bought my first REAL bike in June--a Trek 5000(I've been riding for about a year on discount store bikes.) I found that the more I learned about cycling, the more my mind changed about what I wanted. I started off just wanting a touring bike to ride in my neighborhood; figured out after lurking on this forum and experiencing the feel of the road, that speed and distance were really what I wanted. Once I told my LBS what I enjoyed about biking and what I wanted out of it, they were more than able to suggest bikes that would fit my needs and give me info about the things that go with them.

I love Ed Pavelka's The Complete Book of Long Distance Cycling (or something like that). Even if you don't really plan on doing centuries and long-distance I think it covers most topics from buying a bike to nutrition and training and gear etc. very well.

Enjoy!

When I first decided to start riding, I went to the library and checked out everything bicycling.com published! I think I read about 7 books about cycling altogether. I also spent hours on the internet on this site and others reading how things are done in the "real world" as far cycling etiquette, etc.

Of course, at some point you will get too much information! When I started getting into books that talked about "fast twitch muscles" and "slow twitch muscles," I knew I was in way over my head and stopped reading at that point!

This forum is the best interactive Q&A book you will find.

However, three books I identify as "must haves" from our "cycling libary"...

Cycling Past 50 - by Joe Friel (written in easy to read style, with lots of specific questions answered)

The Cyclists Training Bible - by Joe Friel (a bit more technical and focusing on training specifics and has guidelines for how to write your own training programme and prepare for events)

The Female Cyclist - by Gale Bernhardt (this draws on the Training Bible and the training bits refer often to that book - however, this has actual examples of training plans which you can adapt)

All three books include a female perspective - though obviously Bernhardt's book more-so than Friel's

Have fun doing your research.

Thanks everyone! I've been lurking on the forum for awhile and found lots of great info. If it weren't for all the encouraging, friendly posts here, I wouldn't even have had the nerve to consider starting this process. :)

I too would say that this forum is an invaluable resource as far as cycling advice goes. A good book about over all fitness is Fit AND Fat The 8-Week Heart Zones Program by Sally Edwards. Might be out of print, but used copies can be obtained through Amazon. It provides means for measuring your baseline fitness level and strategies for the most efficient and meaningful improvement of your fitness level. It also exposes the arbitrary nature of some firmly held beliefs about fitness--especially by the healthcare industry. Of course, heart zones training means using a heart rate monitor, but that is a tool that is well worth the investment...