|
|
|
|
Home > The Art of Cycling: A Guide to Bicycling in 21st-Century America
|
|
The Art of Cycling: A Guide to Bicycling in 21st-Century America
|
|
By Robert Hurst
|
 (14 Reviews)
|
|
List Price: $14.95
|
|
Our Price: $10.17 Eligible for FREE shipping. Details
|
|
You Save: $4.78 (32%)
|
|
|
Availability:
|
Usually ships in 24 hours
|
|
Publisher:
|
Falcon
|
|
Edition:
|
2nd
|
|
Date:
|
October 1, 2006 |
|
Binding:
|
Paperback
|
|
Pages:
|
288
|
|
|
|
|
From our affiliated sellers:
|
|
|
|
We also have these Versions
|
|
|
| |
| Product Description: |
|
| |
Covering much more than just riding a bike in traffic, author Robert Hurst paints, in uncanny detail, the challenges, strategies, and art of riding a bike on America's modern streets and roadways. The Art of Cycling dismantles the bicycling experience and slides it under the microscope, piece by piece. Its primary concern is safety, but this book goes well beyond the usual tips and how-to, diving in to the realms of history, psychology, sociology, and economics. It empowers readers with the Big Picture of riding a bicycle in America -- and gives cyclists useful insights to consider while pedaling the next commute, grocery run, or training ride.
|
|
|
| |
Customers' Reviews:
Add Your Own Review |
 Road rash is your friend, August 7, 2010
|
|
|
This is a must read by anyone with an interest in cycling. It is especially helpful for adults new to cycling again, possibly in a new environment. The original title :art of urban cycling" still hold true. But it is not just for a new cyclist, I have over 100K in the saddle and still reference it regularly. This latest purchase was for 5 more copies, I continuously give the as gift. If you like this at all, Hurst also wrote the cyclist's manifesto. It has a bit more history in it. Happy Trails
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
|
|
|
|
|
A good intro for big city cyclists, but by no means comprehensive, July 5, 2010
|
|
I want to start my review by saying that I cycle about 3000-4000 miles a year, mostly commuting and a little touring, and most of this in a city of about 50,000 people in Indiana, and in outlying rural areas and small towns. (I live about 5 or 6 miles from the city, in the country).
The original title that this book was published under, The Art of Urban Cycling, should probably have been kept, as I originally thought that this book was going to be an overview of all kinds of cycling. However, Hurst is writing primarily for people who are going to be cycling in a large city (by "urban," Hurst seems to mean a city that is large enough to have several interstates and other limited access roads going through it, a "downtown" district with skyscrapers, and outlying suburbs). Hurst's comments about urban development, and the influences that transportation developments (such as streetcars, trains, and automobiles) had on expanding these cities, but this analysis does not really go into detail as to how exactly this development affected smaller cities and towns.
Hurst's style is somewhat humorous and whimsical. In spite of his use of mild profanity in the book, he does provide a reasonable, intelligent analysis of the history of cycling, urban riding basics, safety, pollution, and a basic introduction to maintainance and bike types. Hurst delves little into topics that would be relevant to persons such as myself who commute through outlying rural areas, for example, route selection of adequate country roads, dealing with those cars that appear out of nowhere over rural hilltops, etc.
In fact, Hurst seems to insinuate that commuting on a highway is very dangerous and a bad idea. However, there are many areas in the country where the only paved roads available to rural commuters are state and federal highways; this is true, for example, in the Flint Hills of Kansas. Where I live in Indiana, pedalling at least a few miles on the highway is unavoidable if I want to go to my own house, or visit my parents or grandparents.
Much of Hurst's book is geared toward his own experience and background, which includes various aspects of track racing (such as the track stand, which I still think is ridiculous) and an interesting discussion about why bicycle couriers use fixed speed bicycles. I was disappointed that this book didn't speak much about touring (which happens to be my cup of tea), but I guess one book can't cover everything. Much of his advice seems to be geared toward people who will be doing short commutes of 10 miles or less through a city; his suggestion, for example, that panners have fallen out of favor and backpacks are "in," seems to assume that commutes will be short; as anyone who has ever commuted or toured a good distance with a backback knows, the thing tends to push certain parts of your anatomy down onto the saddle, causing much discomfort.
Hurst does not seem to be part of the "anti-motorist" crowd, which antagonizes motorists and clings to the cyclist subculture. However, he (and other cyclists) don't realize that cycle commuting will never be practicable for everyone; many people, for example, live 20 miles from work, have an extremely busy schedule which makes time for exercise difficult, have to take 3 children with them everywhere they go, suffer from COPD or heart failure and can barely exercise, or have to show up to work in a spiffy business suit with shoes. Although I would like for cycle commuting to be accessible to everyone, the fact remains that automobiles are the only mode of transportation that some people will be able to use on a regular basis; automobiles are not necessarily bad, although we as a society could definitely do much to lessen our independence on them.
The discussion about urban pollution and how horrible it supposedly is makes me wonder where the world Mr. Hurst lives; I won't say the air in Indiana is super clean, but I've never suffered any apparent ill effects from it (though long term effects remain to be seen). Wait, I've got a solution to dealing with the urban pollution; MOVE OUT TO THE COUNTRY. (HAHA).
If you do most of your cycling in a small town or through the country, you may not find this book to be very useful.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
|
|
|
|
|
Good book, would be better in paper format, June 6, 2010
|
|
I bought this on the recommendation of some buddies on [...]. I thought I'd be tricky & buy it for Kindle, so I can easily take it with me and read it on the train to work.
Unfortunately, this is one of those books that would be better in a dead tree book. For one thing, he makes footnotes whenever he quotes something. These notes are sometimes quite detailed, and the references go to a special part in the back of the book. Flipping back & forth is not convenient on a Kindle. The other thing is that some images are mingled into a picture, and the font is tiny & hard to read. If you have a Kindle DX, it is no big deal. On a Kindle or Kindle 2, it is TINY. You'd better have 20/20 vision if you're going to read those parts.
There is some solid survival tips for cyclists here. It is 90% applicable toward urban cycling; only one tiny chapter on suburban cycling. Also, the author continually repeats that when a cyclist gets hit, it is his own fault for not being alert enough. To some extent, this is true. But to put all the blame on the cyclist every time? Get real, Robert. We can't realistically slow down at every green light to make sure no one's going to blow it. We can't anticipate when someone is going to left turn in front of us when we're going 20+ mph.
Aside from these points, it is a great book. No regrets buying, I just wish I'd bought it paper format instead.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
|
|
|
|
|
Entertaining reading for the suburban rider, too!, May 11, 2010
|
|
I find the content of this book to be very entertaining, and eye opening as I am a suburban/rural rider, not an urban cyclist.
The organization also allows for me to review and follow other's comments on particular sections. So I've read ahead based on reviews at times.
All in all a fascinating book for the active cyclist. The only omission is one often overlooked by bicyclists: growth in the electric assist cycling. Not as an intrusion to purists who bike without auxiliary power, but as a practical extension for the many who would otherwise NEVER take their bikes beyond a few miles from home! This is not an area covered by motorcyclists or their "biker" books or mags either.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
|
|
|
|
 The worst book on cycling ever. Really? Really., January 14, 2010
|
|
|
Okay, I love cycling. I average between 60 to 100 miles a week. I don't race. I don't train. I ride mostly in the Los Angeles area. I go to the doctor, the store, the post office. meetings. I am an urban cyclist. And when I talk to my fellow drivers, many tell me how much they would love to get on a bike, but with the traffic they are just too afraid. Robert Hurst, author of "The Art of Cycling" likes that these people are too afraid to cycle. He wants you to be too afraid to cycle. There is nary more than a passing mention of the joy of cycling in here. What Robert wants to tell everyone is that cycling is dangerous, deadly and that you will get hurt, badly, and that if you do, you are lucky. I'm not joking. It is all disguised within the book, because Robert first gives us a nice potted history of cycling, motoring and urban growth patterns in the 20th century. Then he gives his "invocation," where he says it is our duty to show others how "easy it is" to ride in the city. Then he states, "Ride with fear and joy." What follows for the next 200-plus pages is a whole lot of fear. He starts by telling us that our streets are really not suitable for riding, that we have bad pavement, potholes, cracks, seams and waves. His advice: find a route, memorize it, and don't vary from it because if you do, you are taking your life in your hands. Scared yet? Oh, it gets better. Next, Hurst wants to tell you how to ride your bike in the city. His first pronouncement is that if you ride with the traffic laws, you can expect "a few trips to the MRI room." Great! What rules are we supposed to follow? Hard to say. Maybe blow through Stop signs (a common activity for cyclists at empty 4-ways), but mostly, he implores riders to just ride scared. No driver is predictable. And if they hit you, it is probably your fault. He announces that you will get "doored" (have a car door open into you as you ride). You will get hit. You will be injured. A lot of his ultimate advice is basic city cycling technique, but it is buried under a mountain of fear-mongering. Slowly, part of Hurst's problems come into focus. The later you get into the book, you get a better idea of the chip on his shoulder. He rants against "strict" vehicular cycling (a term I didn't really know before reading this book)--that is cycling as traffic in the middle of the lane, stop at ever sign, signal like a car without blinkers. I have no stake in with the vehicular cyclists. But Hurst also begins poking at the notion that cyclists should be visible to drivers. He argues that you can't count on visibility with reflective vests, lights, etc. And here is where things really go off the rails. You can literally see where either the publisher or someone said, "Robert, old boy, you can't go around recommending that people cycle at night, in the city, with no lights on their bikes." But, in fact he does. "Riding at night without lights is not only possible, it can also be a very instructive drill." Oh! One might learn a great deal by performing brain surgery on yourself, too! He decries "the alter of Visibility". Mr, Hurst, cars hit things they don't see. Ride to be seen. Light up your bike and body at night. Riding without lights is not a good idea for anyone. Of course, at the end of his ode to light-less riding, he states that he was only speaking theoretically and "the author must insist" on proper lighting. I think by "author" he means "the publisher" or "the editor". He goes on to detail the dangers of riding with fellow cyclists ("highly experienced cyclists," he snobbishly states, "will express a preference for riding alone.") Then comes Chapter 4. This chapter is all about bicycle injury stats! Ready to ride now? Maybe you should know that "Clearly the pain and danger of cycling has been underrepresented in many statistical surveys." Whee! Oh, he claims that all injury stats are pretty bogus, and waxes poetically about the likelihood of getting road rash, a broken collar bone and severe head injuries. Think I'm joking? "Road rash is a precious gift. Road rash is your friend. Bask in it, appreciate it, love it." You can't make this stuff up. His point is that you will be a safer cyclist after planting your face on the pavement, going to the ER or just getting a square meter of skin rubbed off your body. Or maybe you will just quit before you fall. Because, according to Hurst, you will fall, and get hurt. He has more good news: that helmet you wear, it's junk. If I had to bet, I'd bet Hurst doesn't use one. He devotes a few pages to "the helmet controversy" initially painting it as bike riders thinking that their helmets will somehow protect them from a 60 mph impact with a Ford F150. He begrudgingly admits that helmets were made to protect cyclists heads from impacts in the 10 to 15 mph range (this being the actual maximum speed of the vast majority of cyclist falls). But he's right there to let you know that there could be accidents where the helmet could do more damage than good, one where the helmet gets caught on a bumper and you head gets twisted. Oh-kaaay. This is like the extremely rare group of accidents in a car where the seatbelt does more injury to the occupant than the impact would have. Sure, there is a miniscule chance of having that accident, but it is about as good as winning the lottery. Again, he says "wear a helmet" with the someone-told-me-to-say-this tone of the scolded child. Ready for more good news? Hurst puts in a couple of pages listing all the poisons in car emissions, then details special ways for cyclists to breathe. I'm not joking. He asks the question, "does air pollution cancel the health benefits of cycling?" His "joy of cycling" answer? "Who knows?" This is a quote, folks. Yes, he does go on to state that he thinks its better to ride, but by this point (page 197), he has either scared his readers or pissed them off or both. He makes swipes at biking clothes. He rails against panniers (bags that attach to racks on the front or back of a bike), even citing "anti-pannier" sentiment. Okay, you've read my rant. Here's my response to the book: Cycling is great fun. Wear a helmet. Wear bright, reflective clothes. If you might be out anywhere near dark, have good lights in front and back and if possible clipped to you and your helmet. Signal to drivers. They appreciate it. Respect others on the road as you would want them to respect you. Pay attention when you ride. But ride. Explore. You've never seen a place the way you will see it on a bike. It is a wonderful, visceral experience. There is no right or wrong bike: 27 speed or fixed gear or BMX--just ride. I didn't mention Hurst and his long rant on the lack of safety of bike paths (which he ultimately supports, in a way), but use these. Get your kids out on them. Go slow before you go fast. But feel the wind on your face. Cycling is really not as dangerous as Hurst wants you to believe. It is a joy, and fear is not and should not be the motivation for being a safe cyclist. Respect is the key for safety. Cyclists get enough uninformed fear-mongering from non-cyclists. We don't need it from a supposed advocate. One last warning: Do not get this book for a beginning cyclist! It could easily paralyze them from ever riding again. This book is a real shame.
9 of 15 people found the following review helpful
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home
View Cart
Bookmark This Page
Contact Us
