The Ultimate Bicycle Owner's Manual: The Universal Guide to Bikes, Riding, and Everything for Beginner and Seasoned Cyclists

by Eben Weiss

Everything you need to know to purchase, maintain, and ride a bike for recreation, commuting, competition, travel, and beyond! From the bike world's most beloved and trusted advocate. Eben Weiss, aka Bike Snob NYC, is the voice of cyclists everywhere. Through his popular blog he has been informing, entertaining, and critiquing the bike-riding community since 2007. With his latest book, The Ultimate Bicycle Owner's Manual, Weiss makes his vast experience and practical advice available to bike "newbies" and veterans alike. Chapters cover Obtaining a Bike, Understanding Your Bike, Maintaining Your Bike, Operating Your Bike, Off-Road Riding, Coexisting with Drivers, Competitive Cycling, Bike Travel, Cycling with Kids, and What the Future Holds for Bikes in our Communities. Weiss's humorous, down-to-earth style takes all the mystery and intimidation out of cycling and will inspire even the most hesitant couch potato to get out and ride! Eben Weiss is the blogger behind Bike Snob NYC. He is the author of Bike Snob, Bike Snob Abroad, and The Enlightened Cyclist. He lives in New York City with his family.

Genres: Nonfiction, Cycling, Sports, Reference, Health, Bicycles, How To

227 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 3, 2016

Reviews

[Sean Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bikesnobnyc gets so much right about what's wrong with cycling culture. His humor and obvious genuine love for the sport make his often cutting observations more than just a screed. Bikesnobnyc wants to help us cut through all the bullshit that we build up around something so beautiful and simple. If you like his columns you're sure to laugh out loud a few times while reading "The Ultimate Bicycle Owner's Manual . . ." While I disagree with many of his observations around mountain biking and maintenance his advice on how to buy a bike and become a cyclist is probably the single-most straight forward and rational guide I've ever come across.

[Rochelle Hartman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite this being written by someone who goes by the name "The Bike Snob," this is a very accessible, readable, and sensible guide to anyone who wants to get more out of their biking experience. Hard-core, experienced riders might not be interested, but highly recommended for the rest of us.

[Lee Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

part of my progress of becoming more annoying ! but actually a greaaaattrtttr and very accessible intro point for new cyclists. much of my beginnings have been not even knowing what to ask to then try to learn what i needed to know to get deeper into this newfound love - this book answered many questions and gave me the reference points needed to then learn even more ! especially as i’m starting to want to go further, ride with others, and add a little more of the “essentials” to my life.

[Dachokie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent Source of All-Around Bike Info …

This book was reviewed as part of Amazon's Vine program which included a free copy of the book.

I’m not familiar with the “Bike Snob” (Weiss), but I love my mountain bike and thought his book, THE ULTIMATE BICYCLE OWNER’S MANUAL, was an entertaining and well-rounded resource on “all-things bike”. Never boring and quite informative, this book should appeal to all bicycle enthusiasts: from the novice to cycling veteran and all those in-between.

30 years ago, I moved from a flat, sea-level city to go to a university in a small town that is tucked away in the mountains. In short order, I received an education as to why my 10 speed had those other 9 gears … my decision to ride my bike to class was a miserable one-time experience. Staying in that college town after graduating had me finally appreciating the rich biking environment that surrounded me and I found myself itching to ride again and embracing those mountains. I only wished this book was available back then.

THE ULTIMATE BICYCLE OWNER’S MANUAL is a one-stop resource for all things bike-related. While I own other bike reference books, they are generally dry and I only use them for technical advice. This book is different because it not only provides a ton of useful information, it is actually written in a manner that makes you want to read it from beginning to end. The pleasant mixture of common-sense advice, history, general bike information and essential technical knowledge provides a solid reference for those new to bicycling. For the more seasoned cyclists, the author’s sarcastic take on most every topic should be both amusing and appealing. In other words, riders of all levels should be drawn to the universal approach Weiss took with this book.

The book is broken down into 10 succinctly-written chapters that explain most every facet of bicycles. The early chapters provide rudimentary information like detailing the different types of bikes and how they apply to specific riding environments; the essentials that should be useful for anyone just starting to ride or for those who used to ride and want to start again (like me, graduating from my steel frame “10 speed” to my aluminum-framed, 27-gear mountain bike). Subsequent chapters divulge technical knowledge about bikes and pretty much explains everything the average bike owner needs to know about his/her bike, essential gear (helmets, clothes, air-pumps, repair kit/tools, etc.) and simple repairs (changing tires, removing/replacing the chain, securing/storing your bike, etc.). The book does not get into intricate details on how to perform more complicated repairs or the hows-and-whys about upgrading components … getting too technical would ruin the book’s simple premise and seriously curtail the entertainment factor. I found the chapters discussing the basic cycling subcultures quite entertaining and relatable: living in a college town, we’ve got the snobby “roadie” pelotons and their carbon-framed “two-wheeled Mercedes” sharing turf with mud-clade mountain bikers who try to turn every surface into a single-track obstacle course … they are the college-town version of the Bloods and the Crips.

Weiss does a great job using basic common-sense to articulate many points throughout the book. I found myself frequently nodding my head as I read; the author makes salient points on every subject that not only reinforce existing knowledge, but makes you think about things you haven’t considered. The chapter on co-existing with car drivers is particularly valuable and thought-provoking. While I’m a more “seasoned” rider, reading the chapter on sharing the road with cars made certainly opened my eyes to some issues I’d not previously considered … it actually jolted me with a little fear.

THE ULTIMATELY BICYLCE OWNER’S MANUAL is written by a bike lover for bike lovers of all calibers … there is a little something for everyone. While I’m at odds with Weiss on some issues (my 1990’s introduction to mountain biking still has me favoring “stupid” toe-clips and bar-ends), I still enjoyed his food-for-thought take on all bike matters. If you own a bike, ride every day or only once-in-a-while, THE ULTIMATE BICYCLE OWNER’S MANUAL is a worthy book to have on hand and certainly fun to read.

[ניקאָלע · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is like an actual book. pretty chill though

[Bernard Fournier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drôle, informatif et entertaining.


Je recommande fortement à pas mal tout le monde, cycliste ou non!

[Bob H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an upbeat, readable, and one-stop reference and guide to bicycles and bicycling. The neophyte will find this book indispensable, but even experienced riders will find it helpful. I've biked for decades, live in an area that helped pioneer mountain biking, yet found some new insights as to maintenance tips, tools and accessories -- and accessories to include things like attire, helmets and attachments. This isn't just a book on the mechanics of biking, of course, but also insights, often witty, into types of bikes, shopping for and buying bikes, locking and securing bikes, transporting bikes, introducing children to bike-riding, biking subculture, and general rules of the road. In all, a splendid and concise resource to keep close at hand.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and helpful.

[Chan Fry · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enjoyable read! Weiss has a chuckle-worthy sense of humor that made it easy to fly through this book, and the information parts of it were comprehensive enough that I didn’t feel like he left out anything important/crucial.

On one hand, I think I had already learned 90% or more of this information through watching cycling videos on YouTube. But on the other hand, that required weeks/months of absorbing a little at a time from dozens of sources of varying trustworthiness, while this was a couple of hours of fun and all the info was in one place, nicely organized.

There’s really no downside to this book.

EDIT: Goodreads insists that I read the “Kindle edition”, but this is impossible, since I don’t have a Kindle, nor have I ever read a Kindle edition of anything. I read a paperback with the ISBN number 9780316352680, which isn’t listed in the Goodreads options. This is getting pretty frustrating — it happens at least every third book I read.

[Justine Oh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book which seem to be written by a witty bicycle snob. Yeah. Sounded like one and yet, humorous.

I am likely at the Adolescent or latent biker stage. Used to ride a lot when I was in my teens and the bicycle was so hardy then. A used $100/- bike asked me for 6 to 7 years. Covid interest me to ride again, I spent first $100/- on a bike that put me off riding, then $300/- on one that has given me many headaches. Finally recently acquired a Brompton which cost so much that inspired me to read the book.

Some of the information I already know but there are many great learning points. The way the writer put the information across, made it very easy to finish the book.

[jph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't really know what I was getting to be fair, but I must admit this is a lot more basic than what I had hoped to read. The writing style is also quite obnoxious, as the author tries very hard to be funny. Most of the time it fell completely flat for me, though I will admit I had a few sensible chuckles, but it does mean the book is longer than it needs to be. Still, I'd prefer that to a completely dry read, as this reads very easily. I actually found the discussions on the history of cycling and his occasional rants about motorists to actually be the most interesting bits of the book.

Recommend if you want easy reading and don't know much about bikes.

[Ken Sherwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a self-taught cyclist, I’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way. By reading and learning more about cycling I’m improving the way I think about and interact with my bike. This book is a great broad look at many aspects that face a modern cyclist. The humor and information blend together seamlessly in a way that makes it more interesting to read than other stuffy instructional books I’ve read. It also takes a very practical look that helps keep the activity affordable. Overall I enjoyed this book and took some advice and pointers that I will use in my everyday bike commuting.

[Jennifer O'Meara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generally enjoy reading about my hobbies as much as I enjoy the hobby itself. Bicycling is no exception. I wouldn't say this is actually the best guide to cycling I've read in terms of actual information, but it's by far the funniest, and many people who might just give up on a drier manual will finish reading this one. Weiss is a fantastic writer, and I enjoyed reading this from start to finish. I also picked up a few useful cycling tips.

[Wendy Yang · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sarcastic, depreciating sense of humour in this book is pretty funny (written by a bike snob indeed). I really appreciated the fact that the layers of mystique surrounding Cycling (as a sub-culture and consumer item) is stripped away - when it comes down to it, it's just two wheels with a seat on top and a lot of fun to get around on! Informative too.

~ back to making doe eyes at my bike and crashing into fences.

[Richard Wolff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good overview of many aspects of bicycle purchasing, ownership, operation and culture. The author combines wit with insight, making this a fun read. It's intentionally on the shorter side, so occasionally leaves some holes in discussions - but I'm very glad I read this, and will refer back to it from time to time.

[Janne Sinkkonen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a nice little summary of biking and bikes, and I probably learned something despite having practiced the thing for 30 years. Rating would be the standard four stars by substance, but Eben Weiss is so entertaining, only occasionally feeling tiresome or rude, that he deserves five.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this for free from buying a bike. Nothing in there I didn't know but it was an entertaining read. If you want to learn how to ride a bike a bit more seriously without taking yourself too seriously there are worse resources.

[Sonja Brue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny book- silly sense of humor- one sentence was something like “you can be smug about riding a bike instead of driving a car, just don’t be smug in public”. That’s the kind of humor you’ll find throughout the book. Makes you feel better about the bikes and equipment you already have!!

[David Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a lot of bike books over the years and this is by far the best. Practical advice and engagingly written. If you’re a cyclist or thinking about becoming one, this is the only book you’ll need to know what you’ll need to know.

[Taweewat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good and fun book to read about bicycle. It's a beginning-friendly book for people who are interested in bikes. The book might be a little dry but the information is good to have be combined into one book, instead of finding the internet for all the information.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is THE book if you're getting started in biking. Tells you everything you need, in an entertaining manner. Highly recommended!

[Dan Siroky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read, mostly the same info from Bike Snob, but still enjoyable.

[Dann Zinke · Rating 3 out of 5]

A helpful primer for those just getting into cycling. Not as witty as a lot of his other writing. I read it to see what kind of resources are out there these days for my customers.

[Cody Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious as well as filled with practical advice

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty writing, yet candid and truthful sharing abt bike culture

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and hilarious. I like his style of humor.

[Cody Eldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesomeness!! Should be included with every new bicycle purchase! Also should be required reading for current cyclists and even motorists alike. Very informative and readable. A great book overall!!

[Caleb Horton · Rating 5 out of 5]

good book!

[Michael Roman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and informative for someone thinking about cycling, already bicycling, or those just interested in other people who bicycle.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

It does check out: Eben Weiss comes off as a bike snob, though I don't think he's an unbearable one. In this guide, he'll admit what frames and gadgets should suffice (so yeah, it's a no on carbon fiber unless you're a racer), and his straight-laced honesty is probably what garners him as the Bike Snob. He has said pretty important stuff re: the culture and courtesy, so if there's anything to take away from the book, it's all that jazz.

The only issue I have is that while the guide is universal, it's not comprehensive or does a great job explaining things. Some of the quick fixes are in paragraph blocks, which didn't feel like an economic or easy way to read, learn, or do the thing at the moment. The condensed nature of the book makes for a great, quirky gift for an avid cyclist and perhaps a newbie, to actually learn more? This ain't it.