Serious Cycling - 2nd Edition (Paperback)

~ Edmund R. Burke (Author) "Any professional cyclist will tell you that to be successful at road cycling, you need to build up your weekly mileage to develop a good..." (more)
Key Phrases: yearly training schedule, elite pursuit riders, pedaling mechanics, Tour de France, Human Kinetics, Lance Armstrong (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

”Not only is this book a top-rated synthesis on road cycling in general, it is also an invaluable tool for helping cyclists at all levels achieve their dreams of athletic success.”

Chris Carmichael
Coach of three-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong

Product Description

Ride faster and more efficiently with Serious Cycling. Exercise scientists have unearthed a wealth of information that cyclists can use to improve their performance. However, most cyclists have never had access to this great body of knowledge.

Now you do. Serious Cycling bridges the gap between scientific observation and cycling performance. It takes the latest scientific data on physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, injury prevention and recovery, and training, and translates it into practical applications that will have an immediate impact on your personal training program. Written by one of cycling's top experts, this book will help you build endurance, increase lactate threshold, and enhance cycling strength and power.

Two-time U.S. Olympic team staff member Ed Burke has combined physiological training principles and real-world experiences to make Serious Cycling the reference that no elite cyclist should be without. The training methods and techniques he presents are what the top cyclists use. You'll learn how to

- use power meters and heart rate monitors to gauge what is happening in your body while you work out;
- prevent injuries and illness, even during periods of hard training and racing;
- use proper nutrition and cutting-edge supplementation strategies to train harder and recover more effectively;
- make your body and your bike work with—not against—each other,
- get the best, most current information on proper positioning and cycling biomechanics; and
- apply effective tactics and race strategies to ensure your success in time trials, road races, and criteriums.

Whether you're a competitor, a club member, or a weekend century rider, Serious Cycling will give you the know-how—and the means to apply it—so that you can reach your full potential.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Human Kinetics; 2 edition (February 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 073604129X
• ISBN-13: 978-0736041294
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #211,601 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars detailed, very serious and technical tome, December 24, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Serious Cycling (Paperback)

Burke, a well known name among cyclists, gives very detailed and sometimes complicated advice about how to train, how to create a training schedule for various goals, how and why to make a training diary, etc. Readers should be aware that his advice is aimed at the very serious cyclist, and his training schedules range from those for serious collegiate cyclists (~15hrs/week) to professionals (~25+ hrs/week). His advice is sound, but it may be more than most people really need. His peak mileage (feb) is 2000miles--that's 500 miles per week!

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good info on training for competition not on tactics., November 29, 2001

By	Daniel R. James "Daniel R. James" (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Serious Cycling (Paperback)

A big question for me when buying my first book on training for racing, was "Who provides the most reliable and important information?" I have seen Dr. Burke quoted in a variety of sources including Bicycling magazine, Velo magazine, and Chris Carmichael's web site. So I had the impression he is respected in the sport. Further, when reading his writings in other sources, he has gone into the underlying physiological processes that contribute to one's performance on a bike. As such, I decided to purchase his book based on his apparent credibility and the depth of information he provides. Strengths of his book include its excellent coverage of what goes into training for competitive cycling. From beginning "base training" to sprint training, periodization, and planning one's training for the entire year. He also speaks at length on nutrition, equipment/rider aerodynamics, body positioning on the bike, and adjunct training methods. Again, there is an emphasis on underlying physiological processes including some discussion of relevant research. I would say the book's weaknesses lie with it's failure to address racing tactics. Certainly, you learn about what is happening with the body at race pace, but this book will not tell you about positioning for a sprint or pacing one's self for a time trial.
In short, buy this book if you are serious about racing and want to enhance your knowledge of what goes into training for competition. Don't buy this book if you want to learn about tactics.

5.0 out of 5 stars "The" book for bike racing (training, nutrition, fit, etc), May 17, 2009

By	Steven P. Atrosh "polski32" (seattle, wa usa) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is packed with valuable information. This book alone is all one needs to get start a serious cycling training and racing regimen. The only thing that would be better is hiring a personal cycling coach. Even then this book would be a great augmentation.