Experts Tell Us the Best Mountain Biking Books

Jill Homer’s record-breaking bicycle ride through Alaska on the Iditarod Trail is documented in ‘Into the North Wind.’ Fitness, on the other hand, remained elusive as ambitious preparations resulted in failures, sickness and injury. Even the trail’s survival was in doubt – during the winter, Alaska suffered exceptional heatwaves and snowmelt, threatening to leave the Iditarod Trail inaccessible. Jill was ready to throw her dream into the barely-frozen lake by the time she lined up at the start. Instead, she pedalled her way over the soggy ice, repeating her mantra of ‘one day at a time.

Having been fascinated by Danny’s YouTube videos I wanted to learn more and found his book to be a really enjoyable read, more motivational than how-to.

Mountain biking has been my passion but when I was a newbie this book was the best resource for me to get started and learn the craft. The book covers all the tips and tricks to be a better mountain biker. I specifically enjoyed reading about different techniques which are needed to ride a variety of trails, from basic to advanced. Up-hill and Down-hill riding techniques are also well covered in this book. I am glad that I picked this book early in my mountain biking adventure. I can certainly say that my riding skills have improved after referencing this book. I highly recommend this book for those who are passionate about mountain biking.

Mountain Biking is a sport with steep hills, tricky climbs and rocky, broken terrain. If you are new to the sport or have fallen out of love with it so far but still want to try mountain biking for old times sake then I recommend you take a look at Joe Friel’s book Mountain Bike Training Joe Friel is an American cycling coach specializing in training the world’s best cyclists. He was formerly Editor-in-Chief of VeloNews Magazine America’s most popular bicycle racing magazine now retired from that position, he works as a consultant on athletes’ training programs.

“Dialed” is one of the best mountain biking books because saddle fitting and the setup are important and there aren’t many (if any) books on the topic. Over the years I tested different adjustments but didn’t really get the right fit. This book taught me how to read a geo chart, fit and size my bike and improve my riding style.

If you’re a mountain bike rider and haven’t gotten your hands on a Lennard Zinn book, now is the time. Zinn is one of the world’s leading experts on cycling, having been building and customizing bikes for decades. Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance is the comprehensive guide to caring for a mountain bike that every rider needs. With 750 illustrations, this easy-to-read step-by-step guide covers everything from basic repairs and troubleshooting to advanced techniques for overhauling and customizing your mountain bike’s design. The 6th edition has updated sections and features, new chapters, and expanded illustrated guidelines throughout. It is a truly comprehensive book and one that empowers mountain bike riders to take ownership of their bikes in a new way.

A wide range of technical issues is covered in such a compact volume, prior understanding of the fundamentals has had to be assumed in some cases. Without a large number of formulae, a variety of diagrams and graphs from both data recording and computer simulation have been utilised to explain various occurrences.