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Home > Bike Snob: Systematically & Mercilessly Realigning the World of Cycling
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Bike Snob: Systematically & Mercilessly Realigning the World of Cycling
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By Show more by Chronicle Books
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 (52 Reviews)
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List Price: $16.95
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Chronicle Books
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Edition:
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First Edition
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Date:
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December 31, 1969 |
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Hardcover
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Pages:
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222
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Cycling is explodingin a good way. Urbanites everywhere, from ironic hipsters to earth-conscious commuters, are taking to the bike like aquatic mammals to water. BikeSnobNYCcycling's most prolific, well-known, hilarious, and anonymous bloggerbrings a fresh and humorous perspective to the most important vehicle to hit personal transportation since the horse. Bike Snob treats readers to a laugh-out-loud rant and rave about the world of bikes and their riders, and offers a unique look at the ins and outs of cycling, from its history and hallmarks to its wide range of bizarre practitioners. Throughout, the author lampoons the missteps, pretensions, and absurdities of bike culture while maintaining a contagious enthusiasm for cycling itself. Bike Snob is an essential volume for anyone who knows, is, or wants to become a cyclist.
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Customers' Reviews:
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Great to see "The Snob" in book form, May 1, 2010
By Steve Frazier (Seattle)
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The Bike Snob writes a wickedly funny blog poking holes in practically every pretension in the cycling world. His blog careens unexpectedly between the worlds of pro cycling, hipsters, fixed gear bikes, Craigslist ads and the indignity of bike commuting (especially in New York). He never runs out of targets -- the studied poses of various cycling subcultures has given him an unending stream of targets.
In print -- both in his columns in Bicycling Magazine, and now in this book -- he's a bit toned done. In order to reach a broader audience, his writing is a little more accessible, with fewer self-referential, super-inside jokes that propel the humor in his blog. In print, the satire is still there, but the very sharpest edges have been softened a bit.
What's left is a still-funny survey of the world of bicycling in America -- from a brief history of cycling, to a tour of the various cycling subcultures, to some guidance on how to perform basic bike maintenance tasks. The Snob also addresses the "real world" of urban cycling today: what it's like to try to control your temper when a car nearly kills you in traffic, or how to stay warm and dry in a winter rain. And although The Snob avoids organized "bicycle advocacy" efforts (and explains why in his book), he manages to deliver some solid pro-bicycle messages of his own: "Telling cyclists to get out of the road is like telling women to get of the voting booth and go back into the kitchen, or telling Japanese-American people to 'Go back to China.' The ignorance inherent in the statement is almost more offensive than the sentiment behind it."
While he's at it, he tries to knock some sense into cyclists themselves -- questioning the sanity of riding brakeless track bikes on the street, for example, and poking fun at the marketing-driven compulsion of "roadies" to endlessly upgrade their bikes (especially those that are most likely to get stolen anyway).
Some overall themes that emerge are encouraging to the newcomer ("get out and ride"), while persuading the cycling-obsessed to take themselves (and their bikes) a bit less seriously. (He holds a special disdain for "bicycle fetishists" who are more focused on their gear than on riding: "They keep their bicycles clean all the time, they fear scratches like they're herpes, and they don't ever ride in the rain...so their bikes won't get dirty or rusty. They're like the people who collect toys but don't remove them from the package so as not to diminish their value." )
The book is a must-buy for fans of the blog, and great gift for the cyclist in your family.
48 of 49 people found this review helpful
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 Fun on two wheelz!, May 10, 2010
By jwkomdat (Denver, Colorado United States)
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I don't read BikeSnobNYC's blog, and the few times I've checked it out it was a little too all over the place for me to really get into.
The Bike Snob book, on the other hand, is nearly as much fun as riding itself. It's relatively brief but will leave you satisfied with a solid little knowledge of the history of bicycles and bicycle-related subcultures, why to do certain things and not other things on/with your bike, and how to maximize the fun (and utility) of cycling.
BikeSnobNYC is enormously clever, makes plenty of fun similes ranging from spot-on ("In a lot of ways, being a cyclist is like being a vampire. ... Both cyclists and vampires are cultural outcasts with cult followings who clumsily walk the line between cool and dorky.") to a hilarious stretch ("The Urban Cyclist is one of the very few groups of cyclists among whom cigarette smoking is not only acceptable but considered "cool," which is sort of like being really into performance cars but driving around with rags shoved up your tailpipe."), and overall just seems like a good guy. He has clearly thought about every in and out of cycling more than pretty much anyone, and really does make some strong arguments for being conscientious about your life with a bicycle, as well as life in general.
The author isn't out to make you feel stupid, or to give you a step-by-step on how to become a bike snob. He doesn't have any brands or particular types of bikes to push (although you've got some explaining to do if you ride with handlebars chopped more narrow than your own hips). He seems genuinely interested in getting more people on bikes, and the people who are already on bikes to be on their bikes more often. Overall it's just a very enjoyable read, and will encourage you to bike more and to think more.
My only complaint is that the included stickers are not very waterproof. Where would I stick one but on my down tube?
17 of 17 people found this review helpful
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I Loved It!!, May 25, 2010
By Enthusiast
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I'm a big fan of his blog, but this was a real surprise to me. Very funny of course, but much , much more. A real love letter to cycling, with an historical perspective and just a fun read from beginning to end. You'll end up loving the Snob and being more motivated than ever before to just ride. The Bikesnob uses cycling as a metaphor for life, and his view of life is witty, funny and profound.
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
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 OK Bicycle humor, November 8, 2010
By Vernon Forbes (Columbia, MO)
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A humor book offering social commentary on the opinions & attitudes of different groups of cyclists (Roadie, Mountain Biker, etc). The author makes clever observations on human kind he expresses in colorful & memorable characterizations ("If you're unfamiliar with the newspaper, it's something people used to read before the internet. Basically it was like reading a giant tablecloth . . ."). While lewd comments are a tradition in humor going back to Chaucer the author mentions pornography, sex and genitals a little more frequently than is necessary. After reading the introduction a woman I know was put off and did not read further. At the very least this is a book for guys.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
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Ignore all sub-5 star reviews, June 7, 2010
By Carl G. (California)
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A wonderful book, it fills a huge gap that nobody else could or would have filled...and if they'd tried, it wouldn't have succeeded nearly as well. It's not a book of facts, though there are facts in it, and although it's billed as a book-o-rants, it's way more than that, I'd say.
If you take it sentence by sentence or section by section, you won't fully appreciate its contribution, which is that here, now, in the midst of sharply dilineated cycling factions, against each other as much as we are against the non-cycling world, BikeSnob shakes us all by the shoulders, gently slaps our faces to get us to snap out of it, and says "Look at what you're doing and laugh at yourself and reexamine everything you think about the totem pole of bike riders."
It is funny, but not trying-too-hard funny, and that's a tough little tiny dot to hit. Eben comes off as casual, one of us, but has a way with words that belies his mid-30s age and his authorookieship. He has a style, it's polished, and I like it a lot. It's a cheap book--$16.95. You'll get many times that out of it in a new personal and global bike perspective, information, and entertainment. A whopping success, I'd say.
GP
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
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An ode to bicycling, not bicycles., June 20, 2010
By hj (California)
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This book is not a reprisal of BikeSnobNYC's blog. It is a book that is made possible by the blog, and it is a book that many people have tried to write, but few have succeeded in riding the thin line between advocacy and obnoxiousness.
In his blog BikeSnobNYC, has poked fun at all aspects of bicycling subculture for many years. This has earned him a broad and somewhat eclectic following. His writing on the blog is rapier-sharp, but it far toned-down in the book, which is apparently aimed at a wider audience.
This book basically tells why BikeSnob thinks cycling is great; what cycling is all about; and a little bit about how to enjoy life and not get killed on the street.
As a cyclist myself, and a semi-regular reader of BikeSnob's blog, I enjoyed the book immensely. But beyond, that, this is the type of book I would give to my non-cycling friends who just need a little nudge to get them on a two-wheeler of their own.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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Great value, May 4, 2010
By Sarah Morehouse (Rochester, NY United States)
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What a great book for the price! Beautifully illustrated, with quality printing and even includes stickers in the back. I expected much less for this price and was happily surprised.
4 of 8 people found this review helpful
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 Oh dear..., August 12, 2010
By DC
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Not sure who this book is written for. I'm amazed anyone would find it amusing.
The excellent BikeSnobNYC blog is widely read, even by the great Lance himself. It is very well written; amusing and often hilarious daily observations, interwoven with a series of long-running in-jokes. For me, it is one of the very few ""must read"" publications on the internet.
So, this book was a real disappointment. It is a sort of introduction to cycling, for example explaining the differences between a road rider and a mountain biker. If you don't already know that, I can't believe you'd care enough to read about it. And if you do know, then you're probably looking for something with a bit more depth.
My recommendation? Stick to the blog
2 of 5 people found this review helpful
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Required reading for your loved ones, June 9, 2010
By Chris Ingram (Melbourne, Australia)
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Here it it, everyone's favourite bicycle blog in the hardcover bookway.
As a long time reader of Bikesnob, I ordered the book not sure what to expect, the hyperlinked format of a blog does not intuitively translate well in printed form. I was pleasantly surprised.
This book is essential reading for the loved ones of every bike-nerd. It helps explain why we ride to an audience that doesn't.
Although slightly NY-centric, the book has mass-appeal and is easy to read (in a good, readable way, not in a special-ed way).
I actually think that several chapters should be required reading for all learner drivers and driver's ed students.
If you can actually get your wife/girlfriend/partner/helper-monkey to read it, you will not regret it..
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Sofa King Funny, November 19, 2010
By Internet Person (RVA)
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Plainly, if you like the blog, the book is a bonus. The Bike Snob put real effort into 'crafting' this book: It's well written (a clear voice), the writing is humorous with insight (substantive material), and the book itself is noticeably constructed in a way that doesn't suck (It's a hardcover with a high-quality binding; the paper and page design is also notable).
I think readers transitioning from the blog will appreciate this book and find it worth the cash.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
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Great read, June 8, 2010
By Link Stone (NYC)
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Easy to read, insightful, snobby of course, and there's a picture of my bike in it.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful
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great blog, great book, November 11, 2010
By Dwayne A. Hoover (Northern VA)
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I've been reading his blog for a long time now...the book is right there with the same wit, humor and quality. Love me some BSNYC
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Bike Snob, October 31, 2010
By kathy kay
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I got this for my hubby who loves to rides bikes but doesn't read a lot. He could not put it down. This is a must read for bike riders. Its funny yet also informative. The price was good too.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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AYHSMB, June 24, 2010
By campagnolodelta
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Everyone needs a reality check now and again and BSNYC does it for cycling. A great read for anyone new to cycling or trying to understand their cycling friend/ partner/ family member/ cyclist that they have just disentangled from the bull-bar of their city-use-only 4WD. For commentary with more bite then check out the BSNYC blogsite.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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 HYPER?, read this!, May 5, 2011
By Aiko (Los Angeles)
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A REAL downer! Makes one desire to junk his 2-wheeled ride. Snide author is NOT funny & appears to harbor a hatred for all riders 'cept himself. AND, maybe worst of all, no table of contents...SO!, if ya want to read 'bout this bloke's dislike for fixies, ya bloody well 'ave to go searching. BOOK IS APTLY NAMED...author claims to be a cyclist, I suspect otherwise.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Great writing!, November 17, 2010
By Charlie Brown
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I've read the first 60 pages and it's just great. Lots of insight into the cycling world and very creative writing. If you know a cyclist, this would be a great gift.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Funny and Useful, November 6, 2010
By michael
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Bike Snob at his best. Funny and insightful. I highly recommend this book to the cyclist and non-cyclist.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Great jokes for outside folks, May 24, 2010
By N. Arnold
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The beginning is a little slow but once he gets into the classification of bikers, it gets good. Totally worth the price if you like his blog.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Stick to the blog, May 27, 2010
By Dan Active (SC)
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The blog is by far a better read and much more entertaining. It was a good attempt at a book and kept me interested for the most part. I dont mind buying the book considering how much I read the free blog postings, but if it were not for the blog I would feel taken advantage of after reading the book.
Keep up the greatly entertaining postings bikesnob.
1 of 5 people found this review helpful
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Very Boring Read, December 3, 2010
By Daniel Lowney (Massachusetts, USA)
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I thought this small book would contain some smart anecdotes, some enlightening information or even an enticing story or two. WRONG! The book is just filled with old dribble we've seen time and time again. Nothing new about biking, the lifestyle or anything else. I had to struggle to get through it page by page just to say I didn't completely waste my money. Buy a subscription to a bicycling magazine for a year or two and get better stories, better information and the satisfaction of a good read every now and then. EXTREMELY BORING
1 of 10 people found this review helpful
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Too much bitterness, too little motivation. Why?, April 25, 2012
By Mikkael (Düsseldorf, Germany)
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Now that I've finished reading the book, I thought I might add my own 50 cents to it. First one sentence about me, so you'd know who you're handling with: I am a 41 year old city biker, who has opted for his bike (for daily commutes and weekend rides) and left his car in the garag, for good, I've spent the last fifteen years DAILY on the saddle, if not more.
Bike snob, as snob as he pretends he to be, presents himself as the unforgotten, severely underestimated bike god, who not only literally destroys his own breed in bitter words, albeit profiting immensely from the same hype these folks created, but also chooses to shake any glimpse of motivation of a person, who wants to be a part of it. Newbies beware, this is not the book, if you just got your new bike (how old and used this might be) to motivate you to sit on the saddle and feel good about it. Clichés, which the book is all about, are fed generously with ambiguous arguments, which in its sum leaves one single guy who has the right to bike his way through New York's streets. Guess who can that be? It's not funny, not even if it were considered dark humor by some standards, it is demoralizing and even discriminating.
I assume, that the SUVs, wrong lane riders, hipsters and car honks he is continuously complaining about, have left a deeper mark in his psyche than he would admit, which makes him a bitter person than a cheerful rider. Not really surprising, that the book has the same tone and approach.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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There is no such thing as the perfect bike snob..., September 1, 2010
By Doc (Ho'olehua, HI)
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There is no perfect bicycle book, although Eben Weiss comes as close as anyone has in recent years. As has already been pointed out by others here, the `Bicycle Snob' book is a conveniently portable condensation of material, observations, et al, from his bicycling blog, with sharp corners rounded off and language neatly smoothed out to fit uncontested on any pedalist's book shelf.
What Weiss has done here is produce a book that, while very amusing, articulately arch and volubly informative, would be best regarded as a beginner's 'Audubon Field Guide to Urban Two-Wheelers', for he would seem to have prepared a (near) perfect introduction to bicycling for those who are not quite fully fledged members of the sub-species he describes so cleverly (blame this on his editor or publisher, perhaps.
Clearly, Weiss found himself faced with the challenge of mixing lots of disparate author objectives into the writing bowl in order to reach the widest possible audience. It appears a compromise of sorts was reached with his editor/publisher in that the book definitely has a strong element of `Bicycling for Dummies' in it. Including basic bicycle maintenance advice (and a condensed `how-to' guide) is great for absolutely hopeless or totally unknowledgeable would-be cyclists (and for providing encouragement to and moral support for those who have always eyed cyclists and their steeds rather warily), but it wasn't quite the sort of uniformly high-level Oscar Wilde type rumination on cycling that I was expecting from someone who is used to being a bit more...um, shall we say, unconstrainedly candid?
Much of what I found in this book version of Weiss' take on the two-wheeled universe was quite fulfilling, since I find that although I tend to wear wool sox with my Keen sandals, I mostly fit the same `Retro-grouch meets the Lone Wolf, versus the Curmudgeon' pattern that he styles himself after. I suspect that age has much to do with this, since it is a known human awareness dynamic that age & experience tend to catalyse a strong sense of cynicistic crankiness in individuals who have been observing the foibles of humanity for more than half a century. Weiss proves himself a sharp and astute observer of his fellow cyclists, certainly, and although I'd personally add a category or two more to his `various subsets of cyclists', they are for the most part quite accurate to a most entertaining degree.
I am reminded of a few encounters of my own with some of these types of cyclist he describes, one of the most memorable being the ultra-roadie I met one afternoon after returning home (on my bicycle) from work. This chap (a supremely fit 30s-something) was dressed from head to toe in brightly colored roadie Lycra and had shaven his arms, legs, head (and probably anything else he could take a razor to) in the approved manner of a `serious' road racer. His bike was at least a ten thousand dollar machine, based on what I could discern from checking it quickly over, and he had experienced a flat just a short way from my home on a major urban artery. He didn't appear to have an adequate pump with him, although he did have a spare tube.
Passing by him on my old 1971 Peugeot PX-10 commute bike, I felt an immediate pang of comraderly sympathy for his plight, vividly recalling numerous similar circumstances I had had in the past, stranded out in the middle of nowhere on a hot day and eyeing my small Crank Brothers pump with some perplexity. Therefore, upon reaching home I grabbed my heavy-duty floor model bike pump from the garage and cycled the short distance back to him, offering to let him use it to speed up the job (and lessen the work).
Before I really knew what was happening, he commanded me to take the pump and blow up his tire while he critically supervised the whole process with a stern gaze. Taken aback by this unexpected brazenness, but also admittedly highly bemused by his moxie/mojo titre, I dutifully pumped his tire up for him. No sooner was it full and the Presta fitting disconnected than he got back on the bicycle and pumped off, putting on a blazing display of accelerating biceps and quads that rapidly disappeared in the distant heat-haze. Standing there with the pump in my hand and receiving not so much as a nod of thanks from this supremely self-assured fellow, I marveled open-mouthed at the arrogantly assumptive nature of self-important people like this. To me, that was the supreme `archetypal roadie experience' and it's probably why I will never be one myself (yuk). So much for the `brother cyclist' empathy urge!
At any rate, Weiss has delightfully nailed the main groups of cycle subsets to the cross of his overall witty riposte and also managed to cover a few other areas of concern I share. One of these is his critical analysis (doubtless toned down considerably in the book) of cycling sub-cultures (especially the `style cyclist'). In his macroanalysis of cycling style, Weiss makes very relevant reference to basic principles of human sociology and in this context, while he places himself squarely in a deserved niche as a skillful and astute raconteur, he is still able to inform and educate the reflectively challenged. Weiss references the same patterns involved in any cyclist's attempt to stand out from the crowd on two wheels that are found in Chapter One of the human mating manual (e.g. the most brightly feathered, most verbally conspicuous male gets the fecund female). After all, for most ordinary people life is all about setting one's self apart from and above the herd, isn't it? The methods used by urban cycle stylists to do that with a bicycle are most fascinating and worthy of a whole field study guide in and of themselves.
In furtherance of this association, Weiss seizes upon the `fixie' phenomenon and makes rather incisive statements about the foolish affectation `fixie cyclists' have for that particular fad's code of conduct and sense of style (and make no mistake, folks, the fixie thing IS all about perceived style and élan). Safety is an entirely separate matter (by fixie reckoning) and has never had anything to with style and élan in the fixie world. Of course no matter how super-cool a hipster thinks he is, there's nothing very wise at all about riding around in a highly congested urban environment without accessory brakes on one's bike, unless one is simply subconsciously compelled to end up as an organ donor.
Although there are a few inconsistencies in this book, such as his `narchy admonishment (in `Rules vs. Fashion') that despite there being NO absolute rules one must heed, there ARE certain things one ought to observe (like align one's tube stem with the tire data), Weiss never loses sight of the fact that style...all style...is an affectation that one either accepts or rejects to suit the whim and I find myself in agreement with him most of the time. I do maintain some disagreement with him in the matter of wearing a helmet, however, since my background in medicine has given me insights into the need to protect one's noggin against massive head trauma that he clearly does not have, and whether one rides against the proper directional flow in bicycle lanes or not, having a skid-lid wrapped around one's brain is still a very, very good idea.
As I said, in writing a book suitable for everyone, Weiss has apparently had to mollify his publishers who are clearly concerned about not unnecessarily alienating certain types of would-be cyclist reader/buyers. You therefore can't expect him to turn the full `retro-grouch' heat up on many of his more entrenched opinions and I respect that. One thing that he makes clear is the fact that to a great extent, bicycling IS all about the bike in a certain larger sense (sorry, Lance!), although the most important thing is still to simply get on a bike and ride it...any bike, anywhere, any time. The riding's the thing, not the affected style adopted. The highly affected (or is it `afflicted'?) humming beans among us shouldn't be allowed to have it any other way!
This is a great book for someone who is interested in learning a bit about the bicycle culture before plunging into it for the first time. It's also a great book for the Compleat Bicycle Fanatic who must have a copy of every bicycling book ever written on his reference shelf. It's additionally a worthy read for anyone interested in the sociological affectations (or mating rituals) of the human race and for those who haven't been previously amused and entertained by the somewhat more acerbic commentary found in Bike Snob's blog. Overall, it is a very entertaining read in many places throughout its pages.
One final aspect of this book stands out in my mind. Weiss is clearly a product of the New York City mindset, a nuance that is reflected in both his references and context. It probably fits the NYC scene perfectly, where `style cycling' has reached a new high water mark. For a bit more casual west coasties like myself, it loses a bit of its ionic charge in the venue relocation. Still, it is a worthy read and most enjoyable as a complete piece.
It makes me wish I have more faithfully been following his pithier blog observations in their archetypal, buck-nekked fleshly identity. I've no doubt it would probably be delightful to share some Leninaid (SIC) with Weiss and trade bicycle stories with him, based on what I have read in 'The Bike Snob (book)'. My only remaining question: When's the movie going to be released?
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Bikers will like this book!, July 18, 2010
By ArborHillsREZ
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Got this book as a gift for my husband -- who is a bike commuter and frequent rider. He enjoyed it a lot. Got a kick out of the author poking fun at riders who take themselves a little too seriously.
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Very funny, written by a true cyclist, July 16, 2010
By tchuber
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Good read, very funny. He really skewers everyone that is any form of cyclist. If you can't laugh at yourself a little, it may not be for you.
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poor service, July 15, 2010
By janet nelson (DENVER, COLORADO, US)
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This book is great and really funny -- however it took forever to receive it. It was a Father's Day gift that arrived 2 1/2 weeks after the fact and I had orfdered in plenty of time.
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Fantastic book!, October 1, 2010
By Cesar Serrano Ortega (ESP)
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For every entry level in this world. You will enjoy every single page of this masterpiece.
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Bike Snobbery at its finest, September 30, 2010
By Sacramento Book Review (Sacramento, CA)
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It is not a requirement to be a bike enthusiastic to enjoy this book. This book will appeal to you if enjoy a good stereotype-lashing and dishing out generalizations surrounding cycling and people in general. Love sarcasm? Revel in the merciless? This book is a goldmine.
//Bike Snob NYC// takes his cruel, scathing, and direct brand of humor that has made him beloved among bicycle enthusiasts online and has successfully taken it into print. His rants and tirades although one sided and callous ring true. He venomously exposes the underlying superficiality of the hipster cycling obsession in a humorous, cruel yet good-natured way.
Like a father figure trying to steer his flock, he also manages to hand out sound advice. He generously offers guidance but not solutions to common cycling issues. Stopping short of actually telling you what to do, he gives paints you a general idea, then shoves you off to figure it things out for yourself. The insights into cycling history in American culture provide an interesting counterpoint to the tongue lashings found throughout the book. Short, concise and ridiculously funny, you may not come out a better person for reading this, but you will certainly be entertained.
Reviewed by: Auey Santos
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self hating diatribe, June 18, 2011
By mythomane (New Orleans, LA USA)
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This guy goes on and on about how much he hates hipsters. One page has the word hipster no less than 20 times. He claims to hate them, but he sure knows an awful lot about their culture. This word, to my mind, is both cliche and meaningless. Are you a hipster because you want to do something interesting or because of where you live? His definition clearly defines all cyclists as hipsters, with himself as the genuine exception. On the one hand he seems to intellectually support cycling for the masses, on the other he seems totally deprecating to anyone who would show an interest or enthusiasm for cycling. If I see someone that insults my aesthetic sensibilities, I just ignore them. Anything else validates their existence. He defines himself as a bike snob, so I expected a book about what the author perceived to be cool and or interesting about cycling/cycles. What I received instead was a soap-box invective against virtually everyone who rides. Snob is one thing, jerk is another.
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A pessimist's better side., June 16, 2011
By Benjamin A. Plotke
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If you are a very sensitive and good hearted person who believes we all need to be positive, you may not enjoy this book. Any one else will either love this book or be the butt of its jokes. If you are on a bike or enjoy sharp humor this is a book well worth every, well, most, OK there are some rambling parts in the middle but most pages had me spraying my tea from my nose.
On a more serious note it sums up bicycling history, catalogs all of the bicycle sub-cultures, warns of all the follies to avoid, advocates sensibly safe biking, and manages to share a fair amount of the author as well. He is a lover of bicycling and he does an excellent job of imparting that love. I imagine a fair amount of people inspired by his writing have gone out and purchased a bike to sit forgotten in their garages. (For some reason he never discusses that type of cyclist)
Very personal writing style with strong off hand humor and plenty of obscure references. Being a religious Jew I found the Jewish references particularly funny. The book is a bit crude at some points which made me hesitate before sharing a link on facebook.
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A must for cyclists, June 15, 2011
By Terry
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If you are a serious rider you must read this book. It makes me feel like cycling culture is finally coming of age. Funny, slick, even occasionally philosophical. This book will make you laugh out loud and feel good to be a cyclist.
Highly recommended.
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If you're a jaded, self centered, whining, hipster hating biker; you'll love this book., June 10, 2011
By Me Myself & I (Washington, DC)
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I kept turning page after page expecting....HOPING to find some redeeming quality about this book. I reached the end very disappointed and let down. This is essentially page after page after page of some cranky, jaded Über biker whining and complaining about "hipsters" and people that don't ride bicycles in the same fashion and for the same reasons that he does.....but mostly it's just page after page after page of hipster jabs and bashing. Ultimately what I gained from this book is that THIS guy HATES hipsters; hipsters and fixed gear bikes. Actually I think he may LIKE fixed gear bikes, but he hates them because hipsters like them.
If you don't like hipsters, or the popularity of fixed gear bikes, you'll LOVE this book.
disclaimer: I am NOT a hipster...i'm just a regular guy that drives cars, rides motorcycles and rides bikes.
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Quick Read, June 5, 2011
By Techie (Moreno Valley, CA United States)
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Perhaps because I didn't go into this book already a fan of the Bike Snob blog, I wasn't able to fully appreciate it. I'm somewhat new to the adult cycling world, and thought this book would be a fun way to learn about different areas of cycling I was never aware of, and be a fun commentary. This book generally had no useful information, the area near the end of the book that referenced maintenance and repair was only there to say "I'm not going to go into details because you can find this information online, but it's something everyone should know". I read through this book in two days, and that wasn't because it was entrhalling. It there are three real sections of this book. The first a short history on cycling, the second section, the vast majority of the books felt like at was all about how "Hipsters are douchebags". The final third of the book was about the information you "needed to know" as a cyclist, but he never details what they are, or how to do them.
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If you like the blog, you'll love the book, May 16, 2011
By Jeff
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My title says it all. If you enjoy the sarcastic, brutally honest humor of the Bike Snob blog you will definitely enjoy the book. While the blog can occasionally be random and a little out there, the book is focused and has a great message...and the Snob's love for cycling definitely shines through.
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So much fun... and informative, March 27, 2011
By dynamicd
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This is a short, simple, fun book. It's packed with lots of fun tips - cultural and mechanical. But, mostly, it's just fun. Enjoy -- even we bike snobs know when to laugh at ourselves.
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A Read For Anyone Who Rides or Drives, March 20, 2011
By Matthew L. Blackburn (Philadelphia, PA)
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Written from the experience of a true "cyclist," BSNYC makes known the experiences we find ourselves in each day. While he appeals to your humor, he'll also have you asking,"Why can't everyone understand the cyclist's point of view!?" Take it for a spin, it has my approval.
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great gift!, March 4, 2011
By cinderelke
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I got this book for my boyfriend who loves to ride his bike. He loves this book and even wanted to share it with his fellow cyclist friends. We all know what happens when you lend a book out, you never see it again! He really wants to keep this book in his possession so he decided against sharing. I guess they'll have to come on Amazon and get their own copy!
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fun book to read, February 27, 2011
By retread biker (DC Metro)
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Bike Snob's evolution from a youngster bike rider to a mature bike rider is an interesting journey. His encounters with various "cultures" of bike riders along with his opinions of them are an interesting read. Find out where in that pantheon you belong!
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Fun and Entertaining for a Rainy Day off the Bike, February 20, 2011
By Doctor Moss (California)
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This is a really enjoyable little book, great to read on rainy days when you don't feel like getting out on your bike. The Bike Snob mixes a little bit of attitude -- not too much -- with a pretty practical account of cycling and cycling culture. He's not an over-the-top advocate or even a "snob" in the more-carbon-than-thou sense, but an easy-to-take writer with intelligence and a healthy sense of humor about himself.
The book combines three things -- a little bit of cycling history, a description of cycling culture, and a little bit of introduction and encouragement to people who aren't yet strongly into cycling. He talks quite a bit about the dangers of cycling -- how to ride in traffic, etc. -- and how to get over fears. He also talks about some of the more inane cycling fads -- like stubby-barred brakeless fixies ridden by anybody other than a bike messenger.
I confess he caught me out with his description of the different types of cyclists. I knew I was a roadie, but he tweaked me a little bit with his description of the "fetishist." Yes, I have one vintage show-bike that I like to look at more than ride. I do have others that are purely for riding, so I escaped the paragraph with my self-esteem intact.
Reading the book made me like the writer. I'll be a more regular reader of his Bike Snob blog at bikesnobnyc.com -- I just added it to my RSS reader.
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Awesome read for any cyclist, February 11, 2011
By Hannelore Hansen (USA)
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I'm only a few chapters in and am hooked. The writing is witty and engaging. A must read for any cyclist.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Awesome for bike lovers, January 14, 2011
By Jen
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I got this book for my dad. He's crazy for mountain biking and thought this book was hilarious. Plus, very nice hard cover.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Helpful Snobbery with a Laugh, November 13, 2011
By Arex (Cream City, WI USA)
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In the '80s, the only people I recall having a fixation with "upgrades"... really just exchanging inexpensive parts with more expensive parts... was something BMX kids did. And few youngsters would choose to ride anything other than said BMX bike.
Since returning to the two-wheeling world earlier this year, things have certainly changed. Commuting (via bicycle) to a job not related to deliveries is a semi-common choice. I picked up my copy of Bike Snob to get me up-to-speed on the ins'n'outs of the bicycle world today. The book certainly had the desired effect. I was able to make a little more sense out what seemed like an unlikely phenomenon on U.S. streets. And it's saved me a fortune at the local shop... spending my hard-earned cash on necessities, rather than cool looking don't really need it stuff. After all, the safety bicycle is the primary mode of transportation for the Spartan lifestyle. No need to bring mad, out-of-whack consumerism into the picture -- which simply transforms a sleek machine into a Cadillac Escalade on two wheels. Right, Mr. Weiss?
The illustrations (by Christopher Koelle) and the photos (by Weiss) add to the overall beautiful book design... and entertainment value. The Bike Snob stickers add a bit of cheek.
I still refer to the book from time-to-time. It's funny and oh so spot on. I'll leave this review brief, allowing you discover the true value of this publication for yourself.
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A disappointment, October 27, 2011
By Yvette Lian (Brisbane, QLD Australia)
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208 pages of tedium followed by 11 pages of mildly humorous writing. I'm a big fan of Bike Snob's blog, but this book was a real let-down. In some parts it felt like he was trying too hard to be funny. Other times, it felt like he was trying to be unfunny. It just didn't hit the same chord as his web page. I'll try re-reading it in a couple weeks. Maybe I'll see some humour I missed the first time round. But right now, I wouldn't recommend this book.
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I know a bike snob, October 27, 2011
By Marion Hartley
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We have a true bike snob in the family. Although he does not live in my city, he really knows how to get around on his bike when he visits.
This book will be a Christmas present for him.
I am sure he will treasure it. It really seems he could have written it.
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Fun! Made me want to ride., September 5, 2011
By Jason
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Although it has its flaws. Any fool can point out flaws. His hatred toward "hipsters" makes sense to me. I've always said that when fashion takes precedence over intelligence, idiots multiply. And some of them risk other peoples life to be cool.
I had fun reading it. Wish there was more to read. Glad he found a way to get paid for writing. And if you missed the piece of humble pie...then you probably missed the point.
It was a celebration for cycling. Liked the quotes too!
If you ride a track bike without breaks in traffic, your endangering other peoples lives, never mind your own. Its clear your DNA should be weeded out!
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Don't tell the Snob . . . . but!, July 17, 2011
By eclecticcyclistnz
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I have enjoyed the blog Bike Snob NY for a while, in particular the way that he/she takes the Mickey out of those with pretentions. Hence the title of this report! I enjoyed reading the Kindle version. It gave me some interesting ways to answer the car obsessed when they say.. so why do you ride a bike? Enjoyed the humour and the portability. Book marked a number of passages for future use. Recommend it to anyone interested in bicycles, especially those who need to justify their bicycle use. Cheers.
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Good read, July 7, 2011
By JH (CT USA)
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Just finished the book and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The book had me laughing. All in all, a good read & good fun. Not sure why some reviewers were so put off by some descriptions of the cyclist types. Don't buy the book if you want a serious/comprehensive "how to" cycling manual. Do read it if you ride, plan to ride, and want to be entertained.
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Great for non-cyclists to understand the world of cycling., July 7, 2011
By Brian Sun (Flagstaff, AZ)
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I laughed out loud at least three times.
As a car-free-commuting-cyclist, I didn't fit into any of Bike Snob's categories of the characters in cycling culture. Oh well.
Before I read this book, I had no idea why it annoyed people so much when cyclists rode on the sidewalk. I get it now.
Out of this read, you'll get tons of little tidbits that make you laugh and simply make your life better.
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well written, I flew through this book, February 12, 2012
By G. Garcia (Austin, TX USA)
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This is the kind of book that you're sad when you get to the end, it's an enjoyable read, the author is funny and informative, and he sets out his opinion in an interesting manner. I highly recommend it.
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The Bike Snob loves bikes and he can write well, February 10, 2012
By L. Gagnon (New Hampshire)
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The Bike Snob loves bikes and he can write well. BS delivers creative narrative on bike history, etiquette, fashion, personalities and more. I enjoyed some more than others. The connection between these topics was not smooth, so on the good side you can pick up the book and go directly to the chapter you want to read. For those who are just getting into cycling, first, welcome; second, this book will provide a very nice introduction into the the two-wheel world of mobility. Ride on!
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Bike Nerds Rejoice!!, January 20, 2012
By LilMamma3 (Northern Virginia, USA)
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The title says it all -- and it spoke to me while looking for a birthday present for my Bike Nerd of a husband. This book whispered right into my ear how much he was going to appreciate this gift, (my seemingly support of his complete obsession with all things cycles.) And this book did not lie to me... he did love his book. He poured over each pithy remark and insight into the bike snob's world. Was I glad that he sat there for much of the weekend, doing nothing else but reading? No, but he was... and that's good enough for me. Great Book!
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Witty!, March 1, 2012
By Bean
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I love this guy! I used to read his column at Bicycling magazine. He always made me laugh out loud and my wife always wondered what could be so funny in a bicycle magazine? No matter what sort of cyclist you are, this book is for you.
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47th, February 28, 2012
By el jefe
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Yes, well. I haven't read the book but I love the blog. It is shame he doesn't sell the insignia t-shirts and stickers anymore. It's a blog that unites a disparate and competitive group, through humour and, yes, the indignity of commuting by bicycle.
0 of 3 people found this review helpful
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