Brian Lopes

This is a FANTASTIC look at mountain bike skills. I'm rusty from a long layoff, and in addition to getting out and just *riding*, this book has been very inspirational and educational to me. There's a ton of useful information in here that I just didn't learn by osmosis when I was riding super regularly, as well as some details that have just changed as bikes and trails change.

This will be on my bookshelf for a long time to come, and I'll recommend it broadly to anybody I know who's a mountain biker.… (meer)

Having recently come to Cross-Country Mountain Biking from (a long break from) Cyclocross, I needed to revive some old skills, re-contextualise, and learn a whole raft of new ones! This book is a gem. Written in a very relaxed and witty style with plenty of anecdotes, diagrams and photos, the first pass through has been both an entertaining and an informative read. I'll be dipping into it again and again to work on specific skills for quite some time - especially as the "How good is your Kung Fu?" quiz at the end of the book reveals that I "have lots to do. Wax on, wax off. Daniel-san." I like that this stuff is technically engaging while being fun and not too serious - just how I like my biking :-D… (meer)

For the budding mountain biker of any age, this book is loaded with directions and advice for mastering the technical skills needed for off-road biking. The instruction is delivered by precise descriptions in a conversational style. The photographs are just superb -- crystal clear, awesome action, and carefullly documented techniques. Somewhat heavy on BMX-type skills and lighter on riding trails in cruddy conditions. Warning: if you try the skills in this book, you're going to do dangerous things. Have fun!… (meer)