Originally Posted by
WestMass
I searched the forum and couldn't find any posts about this book in the commuting forum, so here goes - a mini-review of sorts. This book was a really fast read.
The book is tall, skinny, and deep, but the thickness comes from the paper used, not the number of pages. It is 212 pages of short chapters of 1-3 pages each. Whenever you have a spare 5 minutes, you can bang out a chapter or two. Each chapter contains a rant of sorts from Grant Petersen, founder of Rivendell Bicycles. Some of the chapters might leave the typical non-racing bicyclist thinking "duh!," while most chapters push to challenge us, as cyclists, to think critically of what we're being fed by bike companies and bike culture. Do you really need clipless pedals, an "aggressive" stance, a helmet, blinking lights, padded shorts, lycra jerseys, and rain pants? Certain chapters of this book will certainly rub each and every reader the wrong way, but I found that most of the chapters were very interesting, and if they didn't necessarily change my mind, they at least challenged my ideas about riding a bicycle. I found that the book inspired me to try out new things as I ride, and has helped me take steps toward being an "unracer."
Thingy on NPR:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/...grant-petersen
Anyone else read this? Did you like it?
I've just finished reading it. I agree with most of what Grant has to say, and in person I'd probably like him but, all the same, he's a bit annoying in print. His insistence on framing a racers-vs-everyone-else argument is a bit much to take, for example. (I personally do not think that racers have any more influence on the average bicycle commuter than formula 1 drivers have on the average car commuter.) He also has an irritating tendency to present common-sense, practical ideas that have been around forever as a brand-new idea that he came up with on his own.
I disagree with some of it: I don't think it's a bad thing to have 27 gears, for example, and I disagree that anyone is delusional enough to think that bicycle helmets will help much in a serious accident.
That said, he has some ideas worth sharing: Clip-in pedals probably aren't necessary for most riders. When you factor in the weight of the rider and all of his/her gear, five pounds one way or another isn't worth worrying about on a commuter. Fenders are a good idea in areas that get a lot of rain. It's a good idea to know how to fix things. Nothing is terribly original here, but it doesn't hurt to be told the obvious from time to time, and people new to commuting by bicycle may actually find this stuff to be a revelation.