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:
https://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/...grant-petersen


Anyone else read this? Did you like it?

fat_bike_nut

I haven't read it, I did listen to the NPR interview, and I am wondering if it's just a repeat of the stuff that he puts up on the Rivendell website.

RaleighSport

I was reading the OP, and thinking wow that books sounds great! But I think I want to know if your right about it just being his riven rants.

WestMass

I haven't read the stuff on the website, but that prior to reading the book I think I read that some of it is based on his previous writings.

jdswitters

I've read both, about 85% riv rants in the new book, and an amazing amount of similarity to the BSNYCs new book, "Enlightened Cyclist". If you have found your way to this forum and are not getting paid to race bicycles then you have probably seen most of the material already.

Having said that I think either would be great for people just getting started, and plan to pass my copies along .

johnny99

Yes it is, just in book form.

johnny99

Pretty funny that Grant is an even bigger snob than the "Bike Snob NYC".

MattFoley

I was kind of annoyed by his comments on BTWD, which came across to me as "people who commute in bike clothes are posers" or "American Bike Geeks" as he put it. The underlying point he's trying to make is valid (don't feel like you have to kit up to commute), but seriously, get over yourself dude...not all of us live in the Bay Area where it's 65 degrees every day, and some people find bike specific clothing to be more comfortable when, you know, riding a bike.

What he should've said was "don't feel like you have to have commute in bike clothes. For many people, commuting in your work clothes will work just great. But ultimately, wear whatever makes you comfortable, as doing otherwise will keep you off the bike."

Rick@OCRR

I just got Grant's book and while I haven't read it all the way through, a quick browsing does read like his Rivendell Reader articles. No surprise, it's the same Grant Petersen, same Rivendell-ish ideas.

Can't say that I agree with everything he says, but it's good reading regardless!

Rick / OCRR

ItsJustMe

Sounds like classic Grant Petersen curmudgeonlyness. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I don't need a book to tell me that I can just get on a bike and ride without buying a lot of crap.

tjspiel

Agreed. He's a little too preachy for my tastes but I do like that he builds his bikes in factories where the workers are compensated fairly.

Aside from that I think his perspective has been distorted by too many years in the cycling industry. Most people in the U.S. get their bikes from Target and Walmart. They're not buying racing bikes, they're getting hybrids, cruisers and faux mountain bikes (or BMX bikes for the kids). They're certainly not putting clipless pedals on them.

Even if they got their bike from a shop, there's a good chance it was a hybrid. If I'm not mistaken, Trek's most popular bikes are the FX series which are well suited for more casual riding.

Most of the people that commute around here don't wear cycling specific clothes until the weather starts to get more extreme. They managed to figure out they don't need it without ever having heard of Grant Peterson.


The people that go out and buy the kit and the clipless pedals are the enthusiasts.

acidfast7

That's actually quite an interesting argument.

After spending years living in Copenhagen, Stockholm and now Frankfurt, I don't remember seeing any (less than 3% at most) in cycling-specific clothing while going to work. The whole "kitted"-up thing is kind of ridiculous IMHO (I have attached a video from "rush hour" in Copenhagen) expect for those new flashers that have to be installed by Danish law. I like those quite a bit.

alan s 

My image of the guy is of a hippie riding a beach cruiser on a bike path. He has obviously never ridden in areas that get hot or cold. Try riding 15 miles to work on a typical sweltering DC summer day in a suit. How about when that rainstorm or icestorm hits? Bike clothes are not just for looks. They serve a functional purpose. Same with clipless pedals. Whatever.

Papa Tom

Man, that Copenhagen video has me wanting to pack my bags and go right now.

tjspiel

Sure, but Copenhagen has relatively mild weather compared to much of the States, is flat, the speeds are slow, and the average commuting distance is pretty short. There's not even an inch of snow on the ground in the winter clips.

Besides, not all cycling specific clothing is "kit".

Lots of people do just fine without cycling gear, but I think it's a mistake to dismiss it as "ridiculous" without knowing why somebody chooses to wear it.

MattFoley

Right...short commutes over flat terrain in cold-to-mild weather. But I'd like to see you and/or Grant Peterson show up to work in normal clothing after just a few hilly miles in 95 degree heat with 75% humidity and look anything other than a hot mess. Wear what works for you, but calling out others' commuting attire is what is really ridiculous. Attire-judgment is like the cyclist version of road rage....

acidfast7

That's because the bike lanes/highways are cleared before the streets. Seriously, I am not joking.

Also, -10-20C is not that uncommon, with some really tough wind (at least in CPH.)

acidfast7

To be honest, when I worked in Copenhagen/Stockholm/Frankfurt (still here), I never found an office without a shower and good break/lunch room when one could bring and cook one's own lunch. Maybe I was lucky. Also, I didn't see every office in all three cities.

acidfast7

I just agreed with the author's argument. Did I hit a sore spot with you? When DO you ride to work in?

tjspiel

Average winter temp in Copenhagen is 0C. In Minneapolis it's -10C

The bike paths here are plowed quickly as well, but the residential streets will often be often ice and snow covered for several weeks (maybe months) during the middle of the winter before it warms up enough to get down to bare pavement again.

My 6 mile commute during the winter can take 45 minutes or more depending on road conditions and when it's -20F, you're not going to be very comfortable with the clothes people would typically wear to work.

acidfast7

however, you must admit that your conditions are an American phenomenon, which was the author's argument.

Even the sidewalks (and some central bike lanes) were heated in Oslo when I live there one winter and most still commuted by bike. Also, to be fair, in Denmark one pays roughly 180% sales tax on a car purchase, which forces more people to ride, and probably pays for most of the infrastructure.

Andy_K 

That's great. When America has the cycling context of Copenhagen/Stockholm/Frankfurt we can do things exactly like they do. In the mean time, America has a very different context. I'm all for telling people that they can just hop on whatever bike they want and ride to work in whatever clothes they want, and that's entirely true. But given that most Americans live more than 10 miles from work and aren't willing to dedicate more than an hour each way, I don't think the cause is currently served well by pretending that the European model is the only way to bike to work.

tjspiel

I guess all that I'm saying is that you should wear what works for you and your situation and not worry too much about what either Grant Peterson, the US cycling industry, or "Cycle Chic" says you should be wearing.

A few years ago I was riding to work one hot summer morning and I came upon a woman huffing up a hill on a heavy single speed bike wearing heels and a light summer dress. Aside from the sweat cascading down her face, back, and everywhere else, she could have been one of those women you see pictured on the CycleChick website. Not that I minded, but I don't think it was the look she was shooting for.

Truth be told, she'd be fine on most Minneapolis summer mornings as long as she took her time. But on that day and probably a half dozen or so other summer days, she might want some other clothes to change into once she got to work. If you're like me and want to go fast, a change of clothes is something I prefer almost every day.

If you live further South, especially in places with high humidity, on many mornings you'll start sweating after being outside a few minutes.

MattFoley

Well, describing another's attire choice as "kind of ridiculous" smacks of snobbiness...and when the goal simply is to attract new bike commuters, getting all judgy about what people wear isn't exactly productive.

For the record, I usually commute in bike shorts and a generic, looser-fitting jersey...sometimes I'll wear baggies, but usually only if I have to stop at the store or something. I don't own any "kit" but if that's what people like, more power to 'em...my only concern is HOW people ride (as in, safe or unsafe) and not what they ride in or on.

Scheherezade 

Maybe you wouldn't be, but I'm fine. I might wear long underwear on a -20F day, but once you peel off all the outer garments (just random winter gear that most people own), I look just like any Joe at work.