What do you think?
Rate this book
The Cycling Bible: The cyclist’s guide to technical, physical and mental training and bike maintenance
The Cycling Bible by renowned cycling author and journalist Chris Sidwells is a comprehensive guide to help you get the most out of cycling, whether you go road cycling, gravel riding, mountain biking or enjoy any other kind of two-wheeled fun. Based on the author’s extensive experience and research, this book collates the knowledge you will need to specifically train for the technical, physical and mental aspects of cycling training. It includes riding positions, strength and conditioning, endurance training, the psychological side of training, tailoring nutrition to your goals and bringing it all together to create your own training plan. It also deals with choosing the right bike for you, making essential safety checks and carrying out maintenance. Extensively illustrated, packed full of action photos, The Cycling Bible will help and motivate you to improve and develop as a cyclist and find even more joy in this fantastic sport.
256 pages, Paperback
Published May 2, 2023
1 person is currently reading
12 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 6, 2023
The Cycling Bible is the perfect cyclist’s companion, and would suit someone just getting into cycling just as well as it would a grizzled rouleur.
It covers all of the major topics; how to find the right bike for you, what to wear, bike fit, skills and technique, cycling-specific training and bike care. However, the author, Chris Sidwells, goes further than merely practical advice in his mission to convince the reader of all of cycling’s many splendid benefits. He begins with a manifesto for cycling, covering cycling as a force for good for human health and for dealing with the climate crisis.
Sidwell’s cycling gospel continues, with sermons on how cycling helps to improve mood and brain function, reduces the risk of developing serious conditions such as cancer, and helps you to stay young. If that doesn’t convert you, the book goes into more immersive detail about the broader world of cycling, covering disciplines as diverse as road racing, touring, mountain biking and gravel. It’s a broad church too. E-bikes get their own mention.
You get the feeling that the author is trying to convert as many people as possible, whatever their particular cycling denomination. You won’t retreat buying The Cycling Bible, and you may well end up a true believer.
It covers all of the major topics; how to find the right bike for you, what to wear, bike fit, skills and technique, cycling-specific training and bike care. However, the author, Chris Sidwells, goes further than merely practical advice in his mission to convince the reader of all of cycling’s many splendid benefits. He begins with a manifesto for cycling, covering cycling as a force for good for human health and for dealing with the climate crisis.
Sidwell’s cycling gospel continues, with sermons on how cycling helps to improve mood and brain function, reduces the risk of developing serious conditions such as cancer, and helps you to stay young. If that doesn’t convert you, the book goes into more immersive detail about the broader world of cycling, covering disciplines as diverse as road racing, touring, mountain biking and gravel. It’s a broad church too. E-bikes get their own mention.
You get the feeling that the author is trying to convert as many people as possible, whatever their particular cycling denomination. You won’t retreat buying The Cycling Bible, and you may well end up a true believer.
March 14, 2023
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It claims to be a "comprehensive guide to help you get the most out of cycling", which is quite a challenge, but one that it largely succeeds at. These days cycling is a very broad church but the book is right up to date, covering the more recent themes of gravel cycling, adventure riding and bikepacking as well as more "traditional" forms of cycling such as road, touring and mountainbiking.
There's advice on equipment, how to buy a bike, what all the different types of cycling are, and a thorough section on bike fit and cycling skills before moving on cover to fitness, nutrition, mental and physical training and bike maintenance.
What really stood out for me was the balance that has been struck between providing enough detail and information at a sufficiently technical level to inform the reader and enhance their knowledge, and yet not ending up with very detailed, complicated, long and difficult to understand explanations. The author has done well to convey all the topics in just the right amount of detail. Overall a very good guide for anyone looking to understand all aspects of cycling in more detail, to try out some of the other disciplines of cycling, or simply just to raise their knowledge base
There's advice on equipment, how to buy a bike, what all the different types of cycling are, and a thorough section on bike fit and cycling skills before moving on cover to fitness, nutrition, mental and physical training and bike maintenance.
What really stood out for me was the balance that has been struck between providing enough detail and information at a sufficiently technical level to inform the reader and enhance their knowledge, and yet not ending up with very detailed, complicated, long and difficult to understand explanations. The author has done well to convey all the topics in just the right amount of detail. Overall a very good guide for anyone looking to understand all aspects of cycling in more detail, to try out some of the other disciplines of cycling, or simply just to raise their knowledge base
February 28, 2023
Great book for people who are a little unsure of where to begin with cycling, and if it is really worth getting on your bike.
The book highlights many benefits of cycling, including many health benefits. It also guides the reader through how to set up their bike, which is useful even if you have been cycling for many years. There are also well written sections on maintenance, stretching, clothes, riding your bike in traffic and many other aspects of cycling, so the reader has no excuse not to get on a bike, whether it is a road bike, gravel bike or other type of bike :)
The glossary is really good as it helps the reader understand lots of different terminology related to bike parts and other aspects of cycling. Although there is no index, the contents section is very well set out and guides the reader to the relevant section.
The book highlights many benefits of cycling, including many health benefits. It also guides the reader through how to set up their bike, which is useful even if you have been cycling for many years. There are also well written sections on maintenance, stretching, clothes, riding your bike in traffic and many other aspects of cycling, so the reader has no excuse not to get on a bike, whether it is a road bike, gravel bike or other type of bike :)
The glossary is really good as it helps the reader understand lots of different terminology related to bike parts and other aspects of cycling. Although there is no index, the contents section is very well set out and guides the reader to the relevant section.
February 28, 2023
A comprehensive guide to cycling, covering all aspects of the sport from physical and mental training to cycling calls and nutrition and from bike maintenance to what to wear. This book has something to offer for almost everyone, whether just getting into cycling for the first time or wanting to optimise training for a new goal. Those who don’t need to read about why they should cycle, should simply skip the first chapter!
The book is for the most part clearly laid out, though the initial couple of chapters jumped from on-road to off-road a little disconcertingly, so sometimes it wasn’t quite clear which discipline was being discussed. It would also have been nice if the photographs had been captioned - serving as inspiration and ideas as well as pretty pictures.
All in all a well-researched and detailed guide.
The book is for the most part clearly laid out, though the initial couple of chapters jumped from on-road to off-road a little disconcertingly, so sometimes it wasn’t quite clear which discipline was being discussed. It would also have been nice if the photographs had been captioned - serving as inspiration and ideas as well as pretty pictures.
All in all a well-researched and detailed guide.
March 3, 2023
This is an incredibly detailed book, written by someone who is a total expert and whose advice you can trust. The first half of the book is aimed at those who are perhaps new to cycling or have just started out, and covers absolutely everything you should know - about bikes, fitness, etiquette on the road when riding in a group, etc. I have learned a lot of this over the years, but by reading this book you can gain that knowledge straight away!
It is a good idea to read this cover to cover even if you're an experienced cyclist. I certainly picked up some very helpful tips which will be invaluable in helping me to improve my cycling skills and fitness.
I particularly liked the section tailored to training for specific events, e.g. cyclosportives, time trials, etc. This is an excellent reference book and I highly recommend it.
It is a good idea to read this cover to cover even if you're an experienced cyclist. I certainly picked up some very helpful tips which will be invaluable in helping me to improve my cycling skills and fitness.
I particularly liked the section tailored to training for specific events, e.g. cyclosportives, time trials, etc. This is an excellent reference book and I highly recommend it.
June 27, 2023
I haven't bicycled in years. I grew out of my old bicycle and was lax on maintenance. Perhaps I got rid of it.
A British man talks about bicycles and cycling. Chris Sidwells discusses the benefits and positive aspects of bicycling for transportation or exercise. It talks about preparation and stuff you should have.
The book covers fitting a bike to your height, choosing the right bike for what you want, and fitting a helmet to your head. It talks about topics I didn't even consider, like the clothing you should wear.
Furthermore, the book covers training and technique for higher levels of fitness. There are plenty of helpful pictures and images. The book is recent enough to mention the Covid pandemic.
I enjoyed the book. It made me want to go out and buy a bicycle. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
A British man talks about bicycles and cycling. Chris Sidwells discusses the benefits and positive aspects of bicycling for transportation or exercise. It talks about preparation and stuff you should have.
The book covers fitting a bike to your height, choosing the right bike for what you want, and fitting a helmet to your head. It talks about topics I didn't even consider, like the clothing you should wear.
Furthermore, the book covers training and technique for higher levels of fitness. There are plenty of helpful pictures and images. The book is recent enough to mention the Covid pandemic.
I enjoyed the book. It made me want to go out and buy a bicycle. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
March 2, 2023
The Cycling Bible is well written by Chris Sidwells using his extensive knowledge and experience to cover many aspects of cycling. It takes the reader from the basics of getting started, buying a bike, fitting a helmet to the more serious competitive cycling, road touring etc.
He writes in depth about how cycling benefits physical and mental health and fitness and the immune system as well as environmental benefits. He suggests exercises to improve cycling fitness and specific programs for cycling challenges. The Cycling Bible is easy to read even if you don’t have prior knowledge about the sport. The book has many photographs on good quality paper. An enjoyable read and great reference book.
He writes in depth about how cycling benefits physical and mental health and fitness and the immune system as well as environmental benefits. He suggests exercises to improve cycling fitness and specific programs for cycling challenges. The Cycling Bible is easy to read even if you don’t have prior knowledge about the sport. The book has many photographs on good quality paper. An enjoyable read and great reference book.
March 1, 2023
A huge amount of information is packed into this serious book. I found particularly helpful the well illustrated chapters on training and nutrition. There’s also very useful information in chapters on bike maintenance, and cycling techniques, together with lots of inspirational photos. Both on and off road cycling is covered. I will find the explanation of the different off road disciplines particularly helpful in choosing my next bike.
A handy reference book for on and off road cyclists.
A handy reference book for on and off road cyclists.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews