High-Tech Cycling [Paperback]

Edmund R. Burke (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1995

Contains the most recent advances in physiological, biomechanical, nutritional, and technical advances in cycling. The book provides insights and practical applications to improve cycling training and performance. The book is divided into 11 chapters covering a broad range of topics of interest to serious cyclists. It examines: criteria for selecting comfortable and efficient riding equipment; the physics, engineering, and performance of mountain bike suspensions; the effects of body size and weight, as well as body positioning, on cycling performance; optimal pedalling cadence and equipment adjustment; recent findings related to the biomechanics of cycling; the energy cost of cycling, and how to optimally refuel the body for endurance cycling; resistance training programmes for off-road cyclists; and the prevention of knee injuries in cycling. Each chapter of the book also contains suggestions for future research, which point towards the next horizon in cycling science.

Editorial Reviews

Review

""This is a tremendous compendium. Ed Burke has assembled some of the greatest cycling minds of our time and put them to good use."
Lennard Zinn
Technical editor, VeloNews and Inside Triathlon
,","."with discussions ranging from basic equipment selection to the nuances of optimal cycling biomechanics, High-Tech Cycling contains a wealth of information on a variety of topics that will be of immediate interest to cyclists of all levels and abilities."""
Steve Johnson, PhD
Chief Operating Officer and Director of Athletics for USA Cycling
From Tailwinds
"""This book provides valuable insights into the dynamics that exist between the cyclist and the machine, and serves as a noteworthy final tribute to Ed Burke and his commitment to cycling science.""
" --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Review

”This is a tremendous compendium. Ed Burke has assembled some of the greatest cycling minds of our time and put them to good use.”

Lennard Zinn
Technical editor, VeloNews and Inside Triathlon

"...with discussions ranging from basic equipment selection to the nuances of optimal cycling biomechanics, High-Tech Cycling contains a wealth of information on a variety of topics that will be of immediate interest to cyclists of all levels and abilities."

Steve Johnson, PhD
Chief Operating Officer and Director of Athletics for USA Cycling

From Tailwinds
"This book provides valuable insights into the dynamics that exist between the cyclist and the machine, and serves as a noteworthy final tribute to Ed Burke and his commitment to cycling science."

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 293 pages
• Publisher: Human Kinetics (Trade) (September 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087322535X
• ISBN-13: 978-0873225359
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,067,643 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Describes well how power is generated and dissipated, November 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: High-Tech Cycling (Paperback)

This book covers the major areas of interest to cyclists and coaches. The ordering of the chapters is a little haphazard , but it covers nutrition , biomechanics , energy dissipation , position and suspension. If you want to know the whys of cycling , this is the book to read .So many cycling books seem to rely on subjective comment , this uses objective measurement and presents the data in such a way that the reader can easily extend the text and apply it to their needs. Each chapter is written by different writers and the stylistic differences can be a bit offputting on times , but the shear amount of objective information is astounding . You can use the data to quantify the effect of a few ounces of your bike weight , how much difference the latest whizzo wheels will make etc etc . Cycling in general suffers from fasion , this works in favour of the manufacturers , this book will enable you to cut through the rhetoric and give predictions of the effect for you. It is by far the best book on cycling I have ever read . No other book I have seen comes close to being a useful for the serious cyclist . There are a few weaknesses , the major one being no description of typical training regimes for various ability cyclists , and no work correlating training intensity and duration with improvements in performance . But for describing the physics and biology of cycling , it is excellent , I look forward to future publications that cover some of the missing sections. No serious coach should be without this book , no cyclist can afford not to have it .

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ed's the man..., August 4, 2005

By 

Mark A. Lucas "SingleSpeeder" (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: High-Tech Cycling - 2nd Edition (Paperback)

Ed was truely someone who loved cycling, sports medicine, and science. He died riding a few years ago and I hope that when I go I am also doing something that I love.
I have previous editions of this book and several of Ed's other books. I used to be confused about seat height, until I read Ed's collection of data from various studies on the topic. I now keep my road bike saddle at 109% of my inseam (w/shoes), my touring/CX bike at 105%, and my mountain bike at 100-105% depending on whether I am climbing or decending most.

He collects data from around the world, and includes data from his own research. Ed repeats various data across some of his books, but you wont mind, its all good, and relevant. Ed references work by Chris Carmichael (Lance's coach), Steve Hed, Leonard Zinn, Greg LeMond, various sports doctors and researchers, and various expert cyclists. He covers nutrition, hydration, aerodynamics, seat height, geometry, training plans, weight training & cross training, periodization, etc.
Some of the information is non-conclusive - Ed gives the data in a way that allows you to determine what is the best choice for your types of riding, but many times the 'best' choice is so obvious you are not confused or left hanging (like SO MANY other bike books do).

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an excellent resource, January 5, 2002

By 

Sean "funmtbiker" (san diego, CA, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: High-Tech Cycling (Paperback)

Ed Burke does an excellent job of choosing experts to write about the different subjects, and using timely research to back up the information. The sheer volume of information is amazing. It is a hard read at times, but it helps if you have an elementary understanding of physics, and biology/physiology. This is a great book for all of us science geeks!