Customer Reviews

Road Biking Wisconsin: A Guide to Wisconsin's Greatest Bicycle Rides (Road Biking Series)

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Road biking Wisconsin: A Guide to Wisconsin's Greatest Bicycle Rides by M. Russ Lawthian seems to be a good reference to use for selecting recreational bicycle rides on roads in Wisconsin. It includes a state map with numbers of the rides to indicate their relative location in the state. Then, each ride has an overview, narrative, turn-by-turn directions, a readable map, and a fact sheet. It lacks an elevation profile, and I'm not sure how busy the highways might be that link the quieter blacktop roads on the routes. I plan to use it for on-road trips soon, but I haven't put it to a practical test yet.

We purchased this book early in the summer and have had the opportunity to do part or all of 6 of the rides. We have been very pleased with the routes and the optional lengths that are offered. The history and settings described in each section make the journey more memorable. The maps and routes can be easily copied and cut out to fit a bar map pouch. They have been accurate for the most part with only a few misspellings or wrong road names. We would recommend looking at a google map to confirm the route before going. "Rolling with a few moderate climbs" can sometimes be translated "a lot of hills". This book has allowed us to grab our bikes and head out to explore some beautiful bike routes with very little time invested in mapping.Road Biking Wisconsin: A Guide to Wisconsin's Greatest Bicycle Rides (Road Biking Series)

I am an avid cyclist, and do many long rides and particularly enjoy challenging hills. My bike's computer has been verified to be accurate from a local bike shop.

Recently I attempted to use this book and follow the 104-mile "Trempeleau County Classic" ride on page 93.
The mile markers were incorrect, the directions were incorrect (e.g., "turn right" when in fact it should have directed to "turn left"), and brevity was chosen over clarity. In fact, 30 miles into the route I was so off-course that I decided to scrap it and design my own for the rest of the way.
It all makes me wonder how accurate the rest of the book is, or if the author or publisher even rode or validated the routes as accurate.
I pursued and obtained a refund from the retailer where I had purchased it. I have also notified the publisher of at least 10 specific corrections for the ride I attempted.

I cannot and will not use this book further. It cannot be trusted, and in my opinion is worthless.