The Complete Guide to Choosing a Performance Bicycle

Tells how to decide what kind of bicycle to buy, discusses clothing and accessories, and includes advice on maintenance and bike-handling

Berto's book is mistitled. While it could be used just for upgrading bicycle components, it could also be used for deciding on the initial purchase, as it is the most comprehensive, up-to-date, thorough bicycle buying guide in print. Berto, Bicycling magazine's West Coast editor, completely covers most brands and models of all components and the frame. He freely admits his biases, and includes comparisons of index vs. friction shifting, toe clip/strap vs. Look release-type pedals, brakes, saddles, handlebars (but does not mention the Scott DH, an important 1980s innovation), hubs, rims, and tires. The tables are full of good detail and are complete. (The photos and illustrations were not seen but if they are up to usual Bicycling standards, they would be excellent.) Highly recommended. Lehrer's book is beautiful with catalog-quality color photographs by Steve Broaddus that effectively illustrate the text. His premise is that when one wants a medium-to-high priced assembled bike or a custom bike, one should have some unbiased background information to help guide the decision. However, better books on bike selection are Berto's; Michael J. Kolin and Denise De La Rosa's The Custom Bicycle (Rodale, 1979); and even the fit and equipment chapters of Greg LeMond's Complete Book of Bicycling ( LJ 7/87) by Le Mond and Kent Gordis. Lehrer has a good chapter on fixing a flat and simple cleanup and maintenance, but what do these have to do with buying a bike? Good index and glossary.Thomas K. Fry, UCLA Lib.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.