Mountain Bike Like a Champion
Master the techniques of America’s greatest rider.
* Glide over rocks, logs, and ledges
* Attack steep climbs and rapid descents
* Carve through curves and turns
* Train smart, then ride to win
Improve your performance with these tips, techniques, and off-road tales from mountain biking legend Ned Overend.
“At the 1990 world championships in Durango, Colorado, Thomas Frischknecht and I were locked in a dogfight…. At the start of the fourth and final lap was a pitch of rocky, loose trail that went straight up the face of a ski run…. My Swiss rival had been dismounting and running this climb while I stayed on my bike. On previous laps, I’d opened a little gap, so I knew this would be my chance. I attacked when Thomas got off again. He never caught me…. To ride that steep trail, I had to use five climbing techniques. There’s no reason why you can’t make them part of your arsenal, too.”
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars The Best Book About Mountain Biking
I love this book. I have owned it for about a month and have read it cover to cover and re-read about half of it at least a couple times. Some books just focus on basic skills and techniques, but this book is more holistic in its approach, putting biking into proper perspective. Ned includes dozens of enjoyable stories and examples from his own biking career that really add color to the overall make-up of the book. Ned’s book is very inspiring, and it will make you want to ride your bike and improve your skills. It will also encourage you to not ride your bike when the time is not right to ride. Ned seems to understand of living a balanced life, a good reminder for some of us who can be a bit obsessive about our hobbies.
3 Stars Good but not great
Ned offers a lot of great tips and invaluable advice on how to best tackle your local mountain on bike without getting too much into the science and nitty gritty of it.
It is small enough to read in on session, which is perfect for those who easily get bored with reading for hours.
The only criticism I have is that it could have included some pictures/photos to make it more engaging.
5 Stars Biking skills improved immediately.
I read the chapters on basic biking skills and immediately I was riding better. I go to Palo Duro Canyon, near Amarillo, Texas, and ride the trails. After reading parts of his book, I was able to get over some of the rough spots that I previously had been walking. It is also much easier to ride the trails because I had been doing many things the hardest way. It is an excellent book!
5 Stars Really Good Book
Boy, you know you got a gem when it devotes one whole chapter on balance. That is like the most fundamental skill of cycling and if you can’t do that right you should take up tennis or something. Most people can do tricks and hops but I venture to say not too many can do a track stand (bike stationary) for more than minute. This is more for XC as the guy writing it is pro XC racer. But these skills are fundamental for every discipline of cycling.
5 Stars 2 minutes off my daily commute on the first day
I ride my mountain bike to work through a wildlife management area daily, 8.7 miles. I applied four of his basic lessons with immediate results: pedal in circles, anticipate and single-shift, look farther ahead of you, and lay off the brakes. On my first day after reading Ned’s book I cut two minutes off my time.
Mr. Overend’s real-race examples of how his technique improved his performance move the rational explanations on in an entertaining way.
Filed under: Mountain Bikes Book Reviews