High-Tech Cycling - 2nd Edition

Riding a lot 10+ years ago, and starting again this year, I needed an upgrade. I picked this book up to help bring me into the current era and I wasn't disapointed. My first dive into the book focused on the peddaling, heart rate and nutritional areas. After reading this, I really felt like I could sift thru a lot more of the (mis-)information that I was hearing. I don't ever expect to be this level of a cyclist, but it was great to learn about what really makes a difference - and what (at least as far as the current studies show) doesn't. Nicely put together!

I found this book to be an excellent collection of articles covering various aspects of the science of cycling. Bike fit, measuring aerodynamics, pedaling efficiency, and so forth. Some of it passed way over my head, but I learned quite a bit, for example, from the chapter on pedaling efficiency, such as studies showing where dead spots typically are, optimal cadence studies and the like. The studies regarding energy use by professional riders in stage races was great information. The book is not going to help improve my riding directly as much as, say, a book the The Trainging Bible, but more knowledge about my sport is a great thing. I highly recommend it.

Ed was truely someone who loved cycling, sports medicine, and science. He died riding a few years ago and I hope that when I go I am also doing something that I love. I have previous editions of this book and several of Ed's other books. I used to be confused about seat height, until I read Ed's collection of data from various studies on the topic. I now keep my road bike saddle at 109% of my inseam (w/shoes), my touring/CX bike at 105%, and my mountain bike at 100-105% depending on whether I am climbing or decending most. He collects data from around the world, and includes data from his own research. Ed repeats various data across some of his books, but you wont mind, its all good, and relevant. Ed references work by Chris Carmichael (Lance's coach), Steve Hed, Leonard Zinn, Greg LeMond, various sports doctors and researchers, and various expert cyclists. He covers nutrition, hydration, aerodynamics, seat height, geometry, training plans, weight training & cross training, periodization, etc. Some of the information is non-conclusive - Ed gives the data in a way that allows you to determine what is the best choice for your types of riding, but many times the 'best' choice is so obvious you are not confused or left hanging (like SO MANY other bike books do).

Ed Burke does an excellent job of choosing experts to write about the different subjects, and using timely research to back up the information. The sheer volume of information is amazing. It is a hard read at times, but it helps if you have an elementary understanding of physics, and biology/physiology. This is a great book for all of us science geeks!

This book covers the major areas of interest to cyclists and coaches. The ordering of the chapters is a little haphazard , but it covers nutrition , biomechanics , energy dissipation , position and suspension. If you want to know the whys of cycling , this is the book to read .So many cycling books seem to rely on subjective comment , this uses objective measurement and presents the data in such a way that the reader can easily extend the text and apply it to their needs. Each chapter is written by different writers and the stylistic differences can be a bit offputting on times , but the shear amount of objective information is astounding . You can use the data to quantify the effect of a few ounces of your bike weight , how much difference the latest whizzo wheels will make etc etc . Cycling in general suffers from fasion , this works in favour of the manufacturers , this book will enable you to cut through the rhetoric and give predictions of the effect for you. It is by far the best book on cycling I have ever read . No other book I have seen comes close to being a useful for the serious cyclist . There are a few weaknesses , the major one being no description of typical training regimes for various ability cyclists , and no work correlating training intensity and duration with improvements in performance . But for describing the physics and biology of cycling , it is excellent , I look forward to future publications that cover some of the missing sections. No serious coach should be without this book , no cyclist can afford not to have it .