Customer Reviews

Effective Cycling: 6th Edition

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found this book to be nothing short of a godsend. With over 30 years of cycling experience, I felt comfortable and competent cycling in traffic, at least in most circumstances. But this book was recommended so many times, I decided to read it anyway. At first, it didn't seem like a big deal. It all made sense, and seemed to describe how I already rode, perhaps with a few subtle differences.

But as I began to incorporate these subtle changes in my own riding the results were amazing. My relationship with car drivers completely changed. Instead of interacting with them once in a while -- only when necessary -- I became an integrated participant with the rest of traffic.

It is impossible to explain in words how just subtle lane positioning changes, and a new attitude, can make such a radical difference in one's cycling experience in traffic. But consider what Forester conveys in this simple statement: "Between intersections, position yourself according to speed; at intersections, position yourself according to destination". You may think you do this already, but based on the fact that I almost never see any cyclists do this consistently, I can almost assure you that you don't. And I'm not talking about kids and "recreational cyclists". I'm talking about experienced commuters, and experienced club riders and racers. Only a very small percentages of cyclists actually behave like a (slow) vehicle driver consistently. Much of the time on the road is spent in space "left over" by motorists, riding too far to the right, not positioning at intersections according to destination (THINK about what that means), etc. etc.

"Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles" - John Forester

This book is for you if any of the following is true:

* You want to learn to LOVE to ride your bike in traffic, not just tolerate it.
* You're tired of motorists passing you and then cutting you off when they turn in front of you, or motorists coming from the other direction cutting you off when they turn in front of you (believe it or not, if you read this book you will learn how to stop them from ever doing this to you again!).
* You are comfortable riding in bike lanes passing stopped or slow car traffic on their right.
* You think that you should assume that you're invisible to motorists, and ride accordingly.
* You don't think you should position yourself away from the edge of the road, often in the path of motorists coming from behind, in order to be more visible and predictable.
* You don't feel safe riding in traffic.
* Your greatest fear is that you will be hit from the rear.
* You don't know that almost all bike-car collisions are caused by, or could have been prevented, by the cyclist.
* You feel safer riding on shoulders and in bike lanes than "out" in the regular traffic lanes.
* You're rusty on what the laws are regarding cycling.
* You believe the best thing that can be done for cycling is building more bike lanes and bike paths.
* You've never taken any courses on cycling in traffic (like LAB's Road 1 course - see bikeleague.org).
* You don't believe cyclists have the same rights on the road as do motor vehicle drivers.
* You ride on the side of the road opposing traffic (like a pedestrian should walk).
* You ride on sidewalks.
* You value your life and want to ride your bike accordingly.

This is not the perfect book. Forester does tend to ramble, and some of the advice I don't agree with (like you don't really need a rear light at night, just a rear red reflector and a good front light). Also, some of the material, like on equipment and racing, is dated. But the chapters on riding in traffic are timeless and priceless, and so TRANSFORMATIONAL that they alone make this a 5-star book.

I used to think I knew how to bicycle. Right. After reading this book (over 8 years ago) my eyes were truly opened as to how a truly competent cyclist should operate. Even fifteen years of regular cycling for transportation and fun did not teach my half what a single reading of Effective Cycling did about using my bicycle effectively as part of traffic flow. This book cuts through the preconceptions and misconceptions about bicycle riding. After understanding and practicing the techniques Forester gives in the book, your experience of riding will be totally transformed in a way you cannot imagine. You will feel confident about handling just about any situation on a bike--rotaries, making left turns on multilane divided roads, passing through major intersections--not because you are being foolhardy but because for the first time you truly understand how to negotiate them properly and more safely than you ever did in the past, using the same traffic principles that govern the behavior of all other vehicles on the road. I can't think of many traffic situations I didn't feel confident riding in in the 8 years since I read and began applying Effective Cycling to my riding. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

I knew instinctively that the road belongs to me just as much as it does to any other vehicle operator. I knew the rules of the road apply to me as a bicyclist. John Forester showed me HOW these bits of knowledge apply in the real world. More importantly, he showed me how to apply them safely and (yes, I'll say it) effectively. Riding a bicycle in traffic is a matter of negotiation with all other users of the road. If a rider inspires confidence in those other users, s/he will be safe; if the rider is erratic or hugging the last inch of pavement along the shoulder, s/he will be treated as illegitimate. John reinforces my sense of a rider's right to be, even though he is thoroughly opinionated. He sometimes diverges to side topics to the point of silliness. But "Effective Cycling," a book designed to be used as a text for safe cycling courses, is a complete treatise on normalizing the bicycle (and its operator) for the real world. If you ride in that world, or would like to, this book is worth your time and consideration.

This book is unique in its focus on the technique of sharing the road with motor vehicles. His accounts of run-ins with various government bodies are also enlightening, even though I grew impatient around the third or fourth time he recounted his experiences modifying the Uniform Vehicle Code.

His advice about equipment, diet, and the other mechanics of bicycling needs to be taken somewhat lightly. Even though this is a "second edition", much of the material in the book is considerably older. On the other hand, the fundamentals of safety (visibility, lighting, traction, lane placement, risk factors) are invariant over time.

Mr. Forester has a definite axe to grind, and this book does it quite effectively. He adds a definite splash of common sense to the fine technique of road riding: don't let other vehicles take your lane away from you, don't surprise them, safety always first, slower traffic keeps right. The safest way to bicycle on the road is not necessarily the one that educators, legislators, or law enforcement officers think it is.

This book is a must-read for any cyclist who ever shares the road with a motor vehicle.

This is it -- the bible you need if you're going to be a cycle commuter, or just someone who rides more than 10 miles on a weekend. JF takes you the next step from simply pedal pushing, puts you in the league of pedal "twirling", and shows you how to:

1. Be a vehicular cyclist (ride on the road with cars without getting killed, honked off the road or intimidated.)
2. Ride on "longer" trips -- more than the few miles you can do without any clue -- by eating right, drinking right, and pedalling right.
3. Cycle commute, and enjoy doing so -- what you need and what you don't.
4. Basic repair and maintenance.

and, most importantly, how to "grow" as a cyclist. There are so many things that I know instinctively now (e.g., how to keep cadence high) that enable me to go further, easier, safer and faster that I wouldn't know where to begin.

If you're the kind of cyclist who wants to use their cycle to live better, this is the book for you. Mine's grease stained and well thumbed. (Also an enjoyable read.)

Whatever your involvement in cycling, you'll want to read *Effective Cycling*. You'll learn about every aspect of riding, from selecting equipment to touring to riding in traffic. Find out what kind of accidents really happen to cyclists, so you can learn how to avoid that sort of accident, and stop worrying about accidents that almost never happen. (Like being hit from behind.)

Forester is one of the world's foremost experts in traffic cycling, and he designed the *Effective Cycling* program which is taught by the League of American Bicyclists. A similar program is the Can-Bike Skills program of the Canadian Cycling Association. Both courses teach traffic cycling skills and use *Effective Cycling* as the text.

I consider the "riding in traffic" chapters to be most important. You'll learn where to be on the road (which lane? how far from the curb?) and where to be within your lane (right? middle? left?) - all of which depends on what sort of road you're riding on. You'll learn how to change lanes properly in any traffic condition, how to gain cooperation from motorists, how to prevent acccidents from happening to you, and how to avoid an accident that's coming your way by using emergency maneuvers.

If you are going to buy only one cycling book, *Effective Cycling* should certainly be the one. While you're at it, buy a gift copy for every cyclist you love.

Forester's *Effective Cycling* techniques work. I ride in busy city traffic every day and it's easy and fun. This I owe in large part to *Effective Cycling*.

John Forester is the patron saint of bike commuters and VC types. I have been cycle commuting for 24 years now and still need to pull my copy of Effective Cycling from the shelf. It is a tonic and elixer that will get you going on your bike. Anytime I get discouraged or get stuck on a fine traffic safety point (or any cycling matter) I get out my copy of Forester. John's book is the ultimate. I had his earlier homemade editions of this book from the start. Without them I would have floudered. This current edition is a joy to pick up, to hold, and to read. If you do not have this book, you have missed the boat! So what if John happens to irritate you at some point in his book, get over it! This is the book that will save your bacon!

Seven years ago, I decided to pull my bike out of the basement, tune it up and start riding to work. That has been one of the best decisions I have ever made for my health. I went looking for a good general book on cycling. Picking up Effective Cycling was one of the best reading decisions I have ever made. Forester is a strident advocate of equality for cyclists on the road. But he backs it up with statistics and logic. His arguments are centered around what makes cycling safest. In the last seven years, I have logged thousands of miles, most of it in rush hour traffic. In that time, in part thanks to this book, the closest I have come to an accident has been an encounter with an unseen pothole.

John Forester not only defined and developed the system of scientifically-based instruction in traffic cycling; he compiled and analyzed the data to back up his recommendations. This book provides not only the instruction, but the background information, and so it is a valuable reference in advocacy. Many cyclists report that this book transforms their style of riding, just as a good course in water safety changes fear of the water into confident knowledge. That was this reviewer's experience.

Forester's position is fundamentally libertarian. He asks for no special favors for cyclists, but rather, he argues for the right to the road, and against laws that infringe on it and endanger cyclists. Forester is usually correct about such issues, but some readers find the argumentative sections tiresome.

On a few questions about cycling equipment, Forester's positions appear to be intended more to prevent legal trouble for cyclists than to recommend the most prudent course of action: for example, he does not recommend rear-view mirrors, and he considers a large rear reflector sufficient for night riding without an additional taillight.

Readers who prize elegantly-turned prose will find Forester's writing a joy. Few authors use the English language with such care and precision, and particularly not in instructional material.

Effective Cycling contains a lot of very valuable information. Unfortunately, half of the book is mostly repetitive axe-grinding and random opinions. I would have given the book a higher rating if these necessary half were not thoroughly interwoven with the unnecessary half.

It bothers me that Forester complains about others using unsubstantiated, anecdotal evidence, because he uses plenty himself. For one example, his brief discussion of recumbent bicycles is so absurd that it should have been left out. His double-standards regarding fact vs. opinion and logic vs. emotion greatly undermine his arguments.

That said, a reader with a critical eye and a tolerance for hot air can separate the wheat from the chaff.