$39.95 USD Cycle Publishing, hardcover, July 2010

(also available in an electronic edition)

320 pages

Reviewd by Anne Mathews

Bicycle Technology offers a wide-ranging look at modern and historical bicycles. The overview of components, materials and the history of the machine is neither a repair manual nor a comprehensive cycling history, per se. Instead, the reader is introduced to the parts, accessories and science of bikes, as well as the mechanics of resistance and drag, techniques of frame construction and the economics of bicycle production. The chapters are generally accessible to lay readers, but the more technical territory may require additional background or illustration. The majority of rider-centered discussions are based on the “typical” American male, and female cyclists make only rare appearances. Overall, van der Plas and Baird have produced a thorough and enjoyable tome for any aspiring or accomplished bike nerd: A long, edifying look into the science of this form of human-powered transport and an excellent resource for anyone interested in improving his or her technical knowledge of the bicycle.

cyclepublishing.com