Mountian Biking Masterclass, 20 Nov 2008
This is a truly excellent, informative book. The comments made by some reviewers about the trendy language are perhaps justified but you soon find your way through it to uncover a wealth of useful, well explained and very well illustrated tips on how to improve your riding or "driving" as the authors put it. I have been riding a mountain bike for nearly 20 years but realised that I was lacking in many core techniques which is why I bought this book. I was not at all disappointed and I have already noticed an improvement in my riding. Buy it.

This excellent book is called MASTERING mountain bike skills!, 21 Jul 2008
I rarely write reviews, but this one deserves a good review and also deserves the record to be set straight with respect to a couple of previous reviews. Specifically, buying a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills (the clue is in the title) and complaining that it is not suitable for beginners is akin to buying a book on vegetarian cookery and complaining that it does not have enough meat dishes in it.
This book is by far the best skills book for anyone who has mastered the basics. It has a mass of detail in it. There are hundreds of hints and tips and the book pays dividends when read a few times over simply because there is so much info in it. I'm kind of gobsmacked at some of the bizarre criticisms I've read here. It's a shame these critics haven't named the books they have found superior. In over 10 years of riding I haven't seen another book/magazine/website/DVD that comes anywhere near providing the wealth of useful info that this book does. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to improve their existing mountain biking skills. Here's another clue/tip: - If you don't know what an endo is, don't buy a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills, buy a BEGINNERS guide to mountain biking.


Dialing the wrong number, 05 May 2008
There are countless thousands of people with mountain bikes looking for a book to help them ride trails more skilfully. Sadly, this is not it.

At the outset the authors declare they want to write a step-by-step guide to mountain biking. They not only fail to do that, they do so in language which excludes newcomers while making asides which are only likely to put off inexperienced riders altogether.

There are a few good tips - drop offs, bunny hops and "manuals"/wheelies are all well and coherently covered. But there's no real sense of progress, and the authors give the impression they would rather be talking to fellow racers than taking time with beginners or recreational riders looking to add a few skills to their repertoire.

It is all written in irritating mountain bike magazine jargon which serves only to irritate and obscure rather than illuminate. Everything is "dialed". Of course. The overall tone is that of a 13-year-old boy pulling wheelies in front of his house.

One can only guess at the authors' motivation for going into details about death, paralysis and broken limbs on the trail or racecourse. Bravado has its place, but not in a training manual. Then again, the main theme of the book does seem to be "whatever you do, don't use the brakes".


Great guidance for all styles of riding, 29 Feb 2008
If you only ever buy one mountain bike tuition book make sure that this is it. Ive only been riding just over a year and ive found every part of this book really useful. It covers loads of subjects, including everything from basic riding techniques to more complicated trials, jumping and racing topics. Its all very well laid out with lots of pictures and despite the opinion of some that it may be hard for beginners to understand due to jargon terms, I still class myself as a novice and had no problem understanding it. Besides, if there are any terms you are unsure of, there is always that wonderful invention, the internet, which is always willing and able to explain things to you....... ENJOY YOUR RIDING!

Buy it, you'll learn something., 22 Jan 2008
I've only been riding mountain bikes since this spring and a mate got me this for Christmas. I enjoy doing some off road stuff but most of what the book shows is well beyond what I'm likely to get into so I initially read it without expecting to get much out of it. Boy did I get a surprise. Within a week I'd managed to incorporate much of what is in the early chapters into my riding and I'm finding I've got a lot more confidence and am attacking the trail far more than I did before. As far as the later chapters go (jumping, dropping and such like) maybe one day it'll be something I want to look at but it's definitely fun to read about in the meantime.

As for the language, some of it is a bit Southern Californian but I managed to work my way round it. I'm still laughing about him suggesting that I might want to learn to "pump the backside".

Mountian Biking Masterclass, 20 Nov 2008
This is a truly excellent, informative book. The comments made by some reviewers about the trendy language are perhaps justified but you soon find your way through it to uncover a wealth of useful, well explained and very well illustrated tips on how to improve your riding or "driving" as the authors put it. I have been riding a mountain bike for nearly 20 years but realised that I was lacking in many core techniques which is why I bought this book. I was not at all disappointed and I have already noticed an improvement in my riding. Buy it.

This excellent book is called MASTERING mountain bike skills!, 21 Jul 2008
I rarely write reviews, but this one deserves a good review and also deserves the record to be set straight with respect to a couple of previous reviews. Specifically, buying a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills (the clue is in the title) and complaining that it is not suitable for beginners is akin to buying a book on vegetarian cookery and complaining that it does not have enough meat dishes in it.
This book is by far the best skills book for anyone who has mastered the basics. It has a mass of detail in it. There are hundreds of hints and tips and the book pays dividends when read a few times over simply because there is so much info in it. I'm kind of gobsmacked at some of the bizarre criticisms I've read here. It's a shame these critics haven't named the books they have found superior. In over 10 years of riding I haven't seen another book/magazine/website/DVD that comes anywhere near providing the wealth of useful info that this book does. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to improve their existing mountain biking skills. Here's another clue/tip: - If you don't know what an endo is, don't buy a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills, buy a BEGINNERS guide to mountain biking.


Dialing the wrong number, 05 May 2008
There are countless thousands of people with mountain bikes looking for a book to help them ride trails more skilfully. Sadly, this is not it.

At the outset the authors declare they want to write a step-by-step guide to mountain biking. They not only fail to do that, they do so in language which excludes newcomers while making asides which are only likely to put off inexperienced riders altogether.

There are a few good tips - drop offs, bunny hops and "manuals"/wheelies are all well and coherently covered. But there's no real sense of progress, and the authors give the impression they would rather be talking to fellow racers than taking time with beginners or recreational riders looking to add a few skills to their repertoire.

It is all written in irritating mountain bike magazine jargon which serves only to irritate and obscure rather than illuminate. Everything is "dialed". Of course. The overall tone is that of a 13-year-old boy pulling wheelies in front of his house.

One can only guess at the authors' motivation for going into details about death, paralysis and broken limbs on the trail or racecourse. Bravado has its place, but not in a training manual. Then again, the main theme of the book does seem to be "whatever you do, don't use the brakes".


Great guidance for all styles of riding, 29 Feb 2008
If you only ever buy one mountain bike tuition book make sure that this is it. Ive only been riding just over a year and ive found every part of this book really useful. It covers loads of subjects, including everything from basic riding techniques to more complicated trials, jumping and racing topics. Its all very well laid out with lots of pictures and despite the opinion of some that it may be hard for beginners to understand due to jargon terms, I still class myself as a novice and had no problem understanding it. Besides, if there are any terms you are unsure of, there is always that wonderful invention, the internet, which is always willing and able to explain things to you....... ENJOY YOUR RIDING!

Buy it, you'll learn something., 22 Jan 2008
I've only been riding mountain bikes since this spring and a mate got me this for Christmas. I enjoy doing some off road stuff but most of what the book shows is well beyond what I'm likely to get into so I initially read it without expecting to get much out of it. Boy did I get a surprise. Within a week I'd managed to incorporate much of what is in the early chapters into my riding and I'm finding I've got a lot more confidence and am attacking the trail far more than I did before. As far as the later chapters go (jumping, dropping and such like) maybe one day it'll be something I want to look at but it's definitely fun to read about in the meantime.

As for the language, some of it is a bit Southern Californian but I managed to work my way round it. I'm still laughing about him suggesting that I might want to learn to "pump the backside".

Average, 08 Feb 2008
Was very disappointed after reading the reviews. Have really wasted my money. Just paid out again for the Park Tools book which is far superior for the novice mechanic

Great instruction manual, very good value, 07 Nov 2007
I've had the 2nd edition for ages and just bought the 4th edition which is updated with disc brakes, tubeless tyres, rear suspension and more on suspension forks.
Text and diagrams explain really well how to fix and maintain your bike and the style is easy going. There's line drawings and exploded views that show how just about every part goes together (far better than any photo could). For items like forks and rear shocks where there are so many variations out there that its impossible to describe them all, the author explains the differences between different manufacturers' products so you'll still be able to fix just about any component.
If you want to do your own maintenance on your mountain bike, this is the book to get, and it covers all abilities too: from fixing punctures, emergency trailside repairs and adjusting gears, right through to bearing installation and fork/shock dismantling. And if that wasn't enough, its a really good price too.


Good for the Bike Novice, 21 Jun 2006
Liked this book. I know very little about bikes not having had one since age about 16, many moons ago. Just got into biking again and the book has been extremely useful after only having it for a few days

Highly recomended, 22 Jul 2004
This is the first review I've written on Amazon and this is the only book on bicycle maintenance that I own. I'm so glad I bought this book. I've learnt so much here, even for doing the simplest jobs like replacing tyres or bars. I've acted on some of his tips, like buying the Rohloff chain testing tool and the drawings actually work really well and are humorous at times. Buy this book, Zinn is great to spend time with.

Best by far, 18 Sep 2002
Since buying this book I've changed bottom brackets, chainsets, installed chains, adjusted gears and brakes... I'm a mechanical novice and it's great understanding what makes your bike run smoothly. The illustrations DO work very well, especially where components are exploded. (The black & white photos used in many other manuals just don't work with the complexity of MTB components- you can't see any detail.) Top marks for the drawings and the excellent text. And it's fun. Buy it!

Mountian Biking Masterclass, 20 Nov 2008
This is a truly excellent, informative book. The comments made by some reviewers about the trendy language are perhaps justified but you soon find your way through it to uncover a wealth of useful, well explained and very well illustrated tips on how to improve your riding or "driving" as the authors put it. I have been riding a mountain bike for nearly 20 years but realised that I was lacking in many core techniques which is why I bought this book. I was not at all disappointed and I have already noticed an improvement in my riding. Buy it.

This excellent book is called MASTERING mountain bike skills!, 21 Jul 2008
I rarely write reviews, but this one deserves a good review and also deserves the record to be set straight with respect to a couple of previous reviews. Specifically, buying a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills (the clue is in the title) and complaining that it is not suitable for beginners is akin to buying a book on vegetarian cookery and complaining that it does not have enough meat dishes in it.
This book is by far the best skills book for anyone who has mastered the basics. It has a mass of detail in it. There are hundreds of hints and tips and the book pays dividends when read a few times over simply because there is so much info in it. I'm kind of gobsmacked at some of the bizarre criticisms I've read here. It's a shame these critics haven't named the books they have found superior. In over 10 years of riding I haven't seen another book/magazine/website/DVD that comes anywhere near providing the wealth of useful info that this book does. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to improve their existing mountain biking skills. Here's another clue/tip: - If you don't know what an endo is, don't buy a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills, buy a BEGINNERS guide to mountain biking.


Dialing the wrong number, 05 May 2008
There are countless thousands of people with mountain bikes looking for a book to help them ride trails more skilfully. Sadly, this is not it.

At the outset the authors declare they want to write a step-by-step guide to mountain biking. They not only fail to do that, they do so in language which excludes newcomers while making asides which are only likely to put off inexperienced riders altogether.

There are a few good tips - drop offs, bunny hops and "manuals"/wheelies are all well and coherently covered. But there's no real sense of progress, and the authors give the impression they would rather be talking to fellow racers than taking time with beginners or recreational riders looking to add a few skills to their repertoire.

It is all written in irritating mountain bike magazine jargon which serves only to irritate and obscure rather than illuminate. Everything is "dialed". Of course. The overall tone is that of a 13-year-old boy pulling wheelies in front of his house.

One can only guess at the authors' motivation for going into details about death, paralysis and broken limbs on the trail or racecourse. Bravado has its place, but not in a training manual. Then again, the main theme of the book does seem to be "whatever you do, don't use the brakes".


Great guidance for all styles of riding, 29 Feb 2008
If you only ever buy one mountain bike tuition book make sure that this is it. Ive only been riding just over a year and ive found every part of this book really useful. It covers loads of subjects, including everything from basic riding techniques to more complicated trials, jumping and racing topics. Its all very well laid out with lots of pictures and despite the opinion of some that it may be hard for beginners to understand due to jargon terms, I still class myself as a novice and had no problem understanding it. Besides, if there are any terms you are unsure of, there is always that wonderful invention, the internet, which is always willing and able to explain things to you....... ENJOY YOUR RIDING!

Buy it, you'll learn something., 22 Jan 2008
I've only been riding mountain bikes since this spring and a mate got me this for Christmas. I enjoy doing some off road stuff but most of what the book shows is well beyond what I'm likely to get into so I initially read it without expecting to get much out of it. Boy did I get a surprise. Within a week I'd managed to incorporate much of what is in the early chapters into my riding and I'm finding I've got a lot more confidence and am attacking the trail far more than I did before. As far as the later chapters go (jumping, dropping and such like) maybe one day it'll be something I want to look at but it's definitely fun to read about in the meantime.

As for the language, some of it is a bit Southern Californian but I managed to work my way round it. I'm still laughing about him suggesting that I might want to learn to "pump the backside".

Average, 08 Feb 2008
Was very disappointed after reading the reviews. Have really wasted my money. Just paid out again for the Park Tools book which is far superior for the novice mechanic

Great instruction manual, very good value, 07 Nov 2007
I've had the 2nd edition for ages and just bought the 4th edition which is updated with disc brakes, tubeless tyres, rear suspension and more on suspension forks.
Text and diagrams explain really well how to fix and maintain your bike and the style is easy going. There's line drawings and exploded views that show how just about every part goes together (far better than any photo could). For items like forks and rear shocks where there are so many variations out there that its impossible to describe them all, the author explains the differences between different manufacturers' products so you'll still be able to fix just about any component.
If you want to do your own maintenance on your mountain bike, this is the book to get, and it covers all abilities too: from fixing punctures, emergency trailside repairs and adjusting gears, right through to bearing installation and fork/shock dismantling. And if that wasn't enough, its a really good price too.


Good for the Bike Novice, 21 Jun 2006
Liked this book. I know very little about bikes not having had one since age about 16, many moons ago. Just got into biking again and the book has been extremely useful after only having it for a few days

Highly recomended, 22 Jul 2004
This is the first review I've written on Amazon and this is the only book on bicycle maintenance that I own. I'm so glad I bought this book. I've learnt so much here, even for doing the simplest jobs like replacing tyres or bars. I've acted on some of his tips, like buying the Rohloff chain testing tool and the drawings actually work really well and are humorous at times. Buy this book, Zinn is great to spend time with.

Best by far, 18 Sep 2002
Since buying this book I've changed bottom brackets, chainsets, installed chains, adjusted gears and brakes... I'm a mechanical novice and it's great understanding what makes your bike run smoothly. The illustrations DO work very well, especially where components are exploded. (The black & white photos used in many other manuals just don't work with the complexity of MTB components- you can't see any detail.) Top marks for the drawings and the excellent text. And it's fun. Buy it!

IT IS LIKE HAVING YOUR OWN COACH, 22 Aug 2005
This book is a meaty read and quite heavy on the science aspects of training. But Metcalfe uses clear mountain bike examples to get his point across. I liked the step by step approach which helped me build a training plan that was specific to me. I aim to go through the processes outlined in the book each year to update my training programme. For this reason it is well worth the money and is a valuable reference guide.

Got me out of a slump, 18 Jul 2005
This was just what I needed to give my performance a boost. I had been training haphazardly for years and wasn't really improvong each year. Using this book enabled me to organise myself and sort out a training program. I have got fitter and my results so far this year are showing that I'm improving. If you want to save youself time and effort get hold of this book.

Not bad for wannabe pros, 12 Jul 2005
Not much advice for the general reader looking to use a mountain bike to get fit but plenty for the aspiring proffessional racer.

Mountian Biking Masterclass, 20 Nov 2008
This is a truly excellent, informative book. The comments made by some reviewers about the trendy language are perhaps justified but you soon find your way through it to uncover a wealth of useful, well explained and very well illustrated tips on how to improve your riding or "driving" as the authors put it. I have been riding a mountain bike for nearly 20 years but realised that I was lacking in many core techniques which is why I bought this book. I was not at all disappointed and I have already noticed an improvement in my riding. Buy it.

This excellent book is called MASTERING mountain bike skills!, 21 Jul 2008
I rarely write reviews, but this one deserves a good review and also deserves the record to be set straight with respect to a couple of previous reviews. Specifically, buying a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills (the clue is in the title) and complaining that it is not suitable for beginners is akin to buying a book on vegetarian cookery and complaining that it does not have enough meat dishes in it.
This book is by far the best skills book for anyone who has mastered the basics. It has a mass of detail in it. There are hundreds of hints and tips and the book pays dividends when read a few times over simply because there is so much info in it. I'm kind of gobsmacked at some of the bizarre criticisms I've read here. It's a shame these critics haven't named the books they have found superior. In over 10 years of riding I haven't seen another book/magazine/website/DVD that comes anywhere near providing the wealth of useful info that this book does. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to improve their existing mountain biking skills. Here's another clue/tip: - If you don't know what an endo is, don't buy a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills, buy a BEGINNERS guide to mountain biking.


Dialing the wrong number, 05 May 2008
There are countless thousands of people with mountain bikes looking for a book to help them ride trails more skilfully. Sadly, this is not it.

At the outset the authors declare they want to write a step-by-step guide to mountain biking. They not only fail to do that, they do so in language which excludes newcomers while making asides which are only likely to put off inexperienced riders altogether.

There are a few good tips - drop offs, bunny hops and "manuals"/wheelies are all well and coherently covered. But there's no real sense of progress, and the authors give the impression they would rather be talking to fellow racers than taking time with beginners or recreational riders looking to add a few skills to their repertoire.

It is all written in irritating mountain bike magazine jargon which serves only to irritate and obscure rather than illuminate. Everything is "dialed". Of course. The overall tone is that of a 13-year-old boy pulling wheelies in front of his house.

One can only guess at the authors' motivation for going into details about death, paralysis and broken limbs on the trail or racecourse. Bravado has its place, but not in a training manual. Then again, the main theme of the book does seem to be "whatever you do, don't use the brakes".


Great guidance for all styles of riding, 29 Feb 2008
If you only ever buy one mountain bike tuition book make sure that this is it. Ive only been riding just over a year and ive found every part of this book really useful. It covers loads of subjects, including everything from basic riding techniques to more complicated trials, jumping and racing topics. Its all very well laid out with lots of pictures and despite the opinion of some that it may be hard for beginners to understand due to jargon terms, I still class myself as a novice and had no problem understanding it. Besides, if there are any terms you are unsure of, there is always that wonderful invention, the internet, which is always willing and able to explain things to you....... ENJOY YOUR RIDING!

Buy it, you'll learn something., 22 Jan 2008
I've only been riding mountain bikes since this spring and a mate got me this for Christmas. I enjoy doing some off road stuff but most of what the book shows is well beyond what I'm likely to get into so I initially read it without expecting to get much out of it. Boy did I get a surprise. Within a week I'd managed to incorporate much of what is in the early chapters into my riding and I'm finding I've got a lot more confidence and am attacking the trail far more than I did before. As far as the later chapters go (jumping, dropping and such like) maybe one day it'll be something I want to look at but it's definitely fun to read about in the meantime.

As for the language, some of it is a bit Southern Californian but I managed to work my way round it. I'm still laughing about him suggesting that I might want to learn to "pump the backside".

Average, 08 Feb 2008
Was very disappointed after reading the reviews. Have really wasted my money. Just paid out again for the Park Tools book which is far superior for the novice mechanic

Great instruction manual, very good value, 07 Nov 2007
I've had the 2nd edition for ages and just bought the 4th edition which is updated with disc brakes, tubeless tyres, rear suspension and more on suspension forks.
Text and diagrams explain really well how to fix and maintain your bike and the style is easy going. There's line drawings and exploded views that show how just about every part goes together (far better than any photo could). For items like forks and rear shocks where there are so many variations out there that its impossible to describe them all, the author explains the differences between different manufacturers' products so you'll still be able to fix just about any component.
If you want to do your own maintenance on your mountain bike, this is the book to get, and it covers all abilities too: from fixing punctures, emergency trailside repairs and adjusting gears, right through to bearing installation and fork/shock dismantling. And if that wasn't enough, its a really good price too.


Good for the Bike Novice, 21 Jun 2006
Liked this book. I know very little about bikes not having had one since age about 16, many moons ago. Just got into biking again and the book has been extremely useful after only having it for a few days

Highly recomended, 22 Jul 2004
This is the first review I've written on Amazon and this is the only book on bicycle maintenance that I own. I'm so glad I bought this book. I've learnt so much here, even for doing the simplest jobs like replacing tyres or bars. I've acted on some of his tips, like buying the Rohloff chain testing tool and the drawings actually work really well and are humorous at times. Buy this book, Zinn is great to spend time with.

Best by far, 18 Sep 2002
Since buying this book I've changed bottom brackets, chainsets, installed chains, adjusted gears and brakes... I'm a mechanical novice and it's great understanding what makes your bike run smoothly. The illustrations DO work very well, especially where components are exploded. (The black & white photos used in many other manuals just don't work with the complexity of MTB components- you can't see any detail.) Top marks for the drawings and the excellent text. And it's fun. Buy it!

IT IS LIKE HAVING YOUR OWN COACH, 22 Aug 2005
This book is a meaty read and quite heavy on the science aspects of training. But Metcalfe uses clear mountain bike examples to get his point across. I liked the step by step approach which helped me build a training plan that was specific to me. I aim to go through the processes outlined in the book each year to update my training programme. For this reason it is well worth the money and is a valuable reference guide.

Got me out of a slump, 18 Jul 2005
This was just what I needed to give my performance a boost. I had been training haphazardly for years and wasn't really improvong each year. Using this book enabled me to organise myself and sort out a training program. I have got fitter and my results so far this year are showing that I'm improving. If you want to save youself time and effort get hold of this book.

Not bad for wannabe pros, 12 Jul 2005
Not much advice for the general reader looking to use a mountain bike to get fit but plenty for the aspiring proffessional racer.

How to ride a mountain bike properly, 11 Dec 2005
Very good indeed. It starts off with the basics of how to set up your bike properly then goes into basic technical stuff like how to do track stands, bunny hops and pedal correctly. It also tells you how to corner, brake, climb and descend. There's lots of little tips (eg. practice your track stand while your mate has a comfort stop) and there's loads of annecdotes sprinkled throughout the book to improve its readability. I've docked it one star as its more biassed towards the harder packed US trails than the UK muddy bridleways.
If you're just getting in to mountain biking or recently took it up then this is a really good book that will improve your technique. Better still, its a good entertaining read as well.

Great for beginners too, 18 Oct 2005
I just took up mountain biking recently having not had a bike for over 10 years, and have been looking for ways to get the basics under control. This was the first book (and I've tried a few as well as some DVDs) which really started from scratch and has given me loads of good information. I was beginning to give up hope of finding something like this so am all the more overjoyed for finding it.
Highly reccomended

Absolutely brilliant!, 30 Jun 2004
I bought this book a few months ago and once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. I have been riding the same section of local forest for 6 months and there are lots of sections I would never ride for lack of technique/fear of crashing but after reading this book I now ride almost every section and haven't come off once. There is just the right balance of example stories, techniques and skill drills to try, even a section of how to fall off properly, ha ha. My hill climbing is 200% better after reading the section on climbing properly and my confidence has soared. Get this book and start to ride like you should be

Mountain Bike Like a Champion: Master All the Skills to Tack, 20 Jan 2004
Superb read, packed full of tips and "skill drills" which have proved invaluble. The section on braking is especially helpful for a novice like myself.I have read it from cover to cover on a number of occassions, the only criticism I could level at the book is the lack of photos but this is in fairness countered by the clear, concise writing style.

Technique Tips from the Master, 16 Jan 2004
Ned Overend is one of the most respected names in XC mountain bike racing, so a book on bike handling skills with his name on it is an excellent starting point. It is written in a relaxed, almost conversational style which entices you to keep turning the page.

Initially I was slightly disappointed on receiving the book as there are very few pictures accompanying the text. However, the text is very clear and only the more obscure techniques need and are illustrated with photos, for example Ned's weighting and body position during cornering.

The value in any manual of technique is in its successful application and here I found the format most useful: schedule training rides around the tips and drills contained in the book and then go back to it for more detail on handling skills that need attention. (If you are doing this correctly and concentrating you will find that the fitness element looks after itself!) I gained a real improvement in my bike handling skills after a first read and will be returning to the book regularily to build on it.

The section on winter training is especially valuable, laded with Ned's experience, and is a refreshing counter to the many overladen winter routines out there.

Buy It and Apply It - this is an excellent value book that will enhance your enjoyment on the bike.

Mountian Biking Masterclass, 20 Nov 2008
This is a truly excellent, informative book. The comments made by some reviewers about the trendy language are perhaps justified but you soon find your way through it to uncover a wealth of useful, well explained and very well illustrated tips on how to improve your riding or "driving" as the authors put it. I have been riding a mountain bike for nearly 20 years but realised that I was lacking in many core techniques which is why I bought this book. I was not at all disappointed and I have already noticed an improvement in my riding. Buy it.

This excellent book is called MASTERING mountain bike skills!, 21 Jul 2008
I rarely write reviews, but this one deserves a good review and also deserves the record to be set straight with respect to a couple of previous reviews. Specifically, buying a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills (the clue is in the title) and complaining that it is not suitable for beginners is akin to buying a book on vegetarian cookery and complaining that it does not have enough meat dishes in it.
This book is by far the best skills book for anyone who has mastered the basics. It has a mass of detail in it. There are hundreds of hints and tips and the book pays dividends when read a few times over simply because there is so much info in it. I'm kind of gobsmacked at some of the bizarre criticisms I've read here. It's a shame these critics haven't named the books they have found superior. In over 10 years of riding I haven't seen another book/magazine/website/DVD that comes anywhere near providing the wealth of useful info that this book does. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to improve their existing mountain biking skills. Here's another clue/tip: - If you don't know what an endo is, don't buy a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills, buy a BEGINNERS guide to mountain biking.


Dialing the wrong number, 05 May 2008
There are countless thousands of people with mountain bikes looking for a book to help them ride trails more skilfully. Sadly, this is not it.

At the outset the authors declare they want to write a step-by-step guide to mountain biking. They not only fail to do that, they do so in language which excludes newcomers while making asides which are only likely to put off inexperienced riders altogether.

There are a few good tips - drop offs, bunny hops and "manuals"/wheelies are all well and coherently covered. But there's no real sense of progress, and the authors give the impression they would rather be talking to fellow racers than taking time with beginners or recreational riders looking to add a few skills to their repertoire.

It is all written in irritating mountain bike magazine jargon which serves only to irritate and obscure rather than illuminate. Everything is "dialed". Of course. The overall tone is that of a 13-year-old boy pulling wheelies in front of his house.

One can only guess at the authors' motivation for going into details about death, paralysis and broken limbs on the trail or racecourse. Bravado has its place, but not in a training manual. Then again, the main theme of the book does seem to be "whatever you do, don't use the brakes".


Great guidance for all styles of riding, 29 Feb 2008
If you only ever buy one mountain bike tuition book make sure that this is it. Ive only been riding just over a year and ive found every part of this book really useful. It covers loads of subjects, including everything from basic riding techniques to more complicated trials, jumping and racing topics. Its all very well laid out with lots of pictures and despite the opinion of some that it may be hard for beginners to understand due to jargon terms, I still class myself as a novice and had no problem understanding it. Besides, if there are any terms you are unsure of, there is always that wonderful invention, the internet, which is always willing and able to explain things to you....... ENJOY YOUR RIDING!

Buy it, you'll learn something., 22 Jan 2008
I've only been riding mountain bikes since this spring and a mate got me this for Christmas. I enjoy doing some off road stuff but most of what the book shows is well beyond what I'm likely to get into so I initially read it without expecting to get much out of it. Boy did I get a surprise. Within a week I'd managed to incorporate much of what is in the early chapters into my riding and I'm finding I've got a lot more confidence and am attacking the trail far more than I did before. As far as the later chapters go (jumping, dropping and such like) maybe one day it'll be something I want to look at but it's definitely fun to read about in the meantime.

As for the language, some of it is a bit Southern Californian but I managed to work my way round it. I'm still laughing about him suggesting that I might want to learn to "pump the backside".

Average, 08 Feb 2008
Was very disappointed after reading the reviews. Have really wasted my money. Just paid out again for the Park Tools book which is far superior for the novice mechanic

Great instruction manual, very good value, 07 Nov 2007
I've had the 2nd edition for ages and just bought the 4th edition which is updated with disc brakes, tubeless tyres, rear suspension and more on suspension forks.
Text and diagrams explain really well how to fix and maintain your bike and the style is easy going. There's line drawings and exploded views that show how just about every part goes together (far better than any photo could). For items like forks and rear shocks where there are so many variations out there that its impossible to describe them all, the author explains the differences between different manufacturers' products so you'll still be able to fix just about any component.
If you want to do your own maintenance on your mountain bike, this is the book to get, and it covers all abilities too: from fixing punctures, emergency trailside repairs and adjusting gears, right through to bearing installation and fork/shock dismantling. And if that wasn't enough, its a really good price too.


Good for the Bike Novice, 21 Jun 2006
Liked this book. I know very little about bikes not having had one since age about 16, many moons ago. Just got into biking again and the book has been extremely useful after only having it for a few days

Highly recomended, 22 Jul 2004
This is the first review I've written on Amazon and this is the only book on bicycle maintenance that I own. I'm so glad I bought this book. I've learnt so much here, even for doing the simplest jobs like replacing tyres or bars. I've acted on some of his tips, like buying the Rohloff chain testing tool and the drawings actually work really well and are humorous at times. Buy this book, Zinn is great to spend time with.

Best by far, 18 Sep 2002
Since buying this book I've changed bottom brackets, chainsets, installed chains, adjusted gears and brakes... I'm a mechanical novice and it's great understanding what makes your bike run smoothly. The illustrations DO work very well, especially where components are exploded. (The black & white photos used in many other manuals just don't work with the complexity of MTB components- you can't see any detail.) Top marks for the drawings and the excellent text. And it's fun. Buy it!

IT IS LIKE HAVING YOUR OWN COACH, 22 Aug 2005
This book is a meaty read and quite heavy on the science aspects of training. But Metcalfe uses clear mountain bike examples to get his point across. I liked the step by step approach which helped me build a training plan that was specific to me. I aim to go through the processes outlined in the book each year to update my training programme. For this reason it is well worth the money and is a valuable reference guide.

Got me out of a slump, 18 Jul 2005
This was just what I needed to give my performance a boost. I had been training haphazardly for years and wasn't really improvong each year. Using this book enabled me to organise myself and sort out a training program. I have got fitter and my results so far this year are showing that I'm improving. If you want to save youself time and effort get hold of this book.

Not bad for wannabe pros, 12 Jul 2005
Not much advice for the general reader looking to use a mountain bike to get fit but plenty for the aspiring proffessional racer.

How to ride a mountain bike properly, 11 Dec 2005
Very good indeed. It starts off with the basics of how to set up your bike properly then goes into basic technical stuff like how to do track stands, bunny hops and pedal correctly. It also tells you how to corner, brake, climb and descend. There's lots of little tips (eg. practice your track stand while your mate has a comfort stop) and there's loads of annecdotes sprinkled throughout the book to improve its readability. I've docked it one star as its more biassed towards the harder packed US trails than the UK muddy bridleways.
If you're just getting in to mountain biking or recently took it up then this is a really good book that will improve your technique. Better still, its a good entertaining read as well.

Great for beginners too, 18 Oct 2005
I just took up mountain biking recently having not had a bike for over 10 years, and have been looking for ways to get the basics under control. This was the first book (and I've tried a few as well as some DVDs) which really started from scratch and has given me loads of good information. I was beginning to give up hope of finding something like this so am all the more overjoyed for finding it.
Highly reccomended

Absolutely brilliant!, 30 Jun 2004
I bought this book a few months ago and once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. I have been riding the same section of local forest for 6 months and there are lots of sections I would never ride for lack of technique/fear of crashing but after reading this book I now ride almost every section and haven't come off once. There is just the right balance of example stories, techniques and skill drills to try, even a section of how to fall off properly, ha ha. My hill climbing is 200% better after reading the section on climbing properly and my confidence has soared. Get this book and start to ride like you should be

Mountain Bike Like a Champion: Master All the Skills to Tack, 20 Jan 2004
Superb read, packed full of tips and "skill drills" which have proved invaluble. The section on braking is especially helpful for a novice like myself.I have read it from cover to cover on a number of occassions, the only criticism I could level at the book is the lack of photos but this is in fairness countered by the clear, concise writing style.

Technique Tips from the Master, 16 Jan 2004
Ned Overend is one of the most respected names in XC mountain bike racing, so a book on bike handling skills with his name on it is an excellent starting point. It is written in a relaxed, almost conversational style which entices you to keep turning the page.

Initially I was slightly disappointed on receiving the book as there are very few pictures accompanying the text. However, the text is very clear and only the more obscure techniques need and are illustrated with photos, for example Ned's weighting and body position during cornering.

The value in any manual of technique is in its successful application and here I found the format most useful: schedule training rides around the tips and drills contained in the book and then go back to it for more detail on handling skills that need attention. (If you are doing this correctly and concentrating you will find that the fitness element looks after itself!) I gained a real improvement in my bike handling skills after a first read and will be returning to the book regularily to build on it.

The section on winter training is especially valuable, laded with Ned's experience, and is a refreshing counter to the many overladen winter routines out there.

Buy It and Apply It - this is an excellent value book that will enhance your enjoyment on the bike.

Excellent Guide, 27 Apr 2008
I bought this to learn some new local trails and was very impressed. It's modern (no retro photos of Etto helmets here!) well writen, excellent maps and some great photography.
Lots of route options that don't follow the obvious trails which was nice to see and very easy to follow instructions.
Unusually it was well worth reading the introduction as well. Funny and informative.
All round, top job. When I travel with my bike in future I'll look for Nick Cottons book of the area to see what trails are recommended.


Pocket sized mountain bike guidebook, 24 Apr 2008
I tend to hoard mountain bike routes so when I saw this book had been released I purchased it straight away. The routes in the book are presented in a clear and easy to read format with excellent local knowledge of the area covered. I have only ridden a couple of them so far, but have been very impressed. A CD is available containing PDF versions of the routes which are handy to print out and pop in the pocket. The only possible downside is the routes are not presented on OS maps- but the mapping used is very easy to read and easily transferred to OS.

Mountian Biking Masterclass, 20 Nov 2008
This is a truly excellent, informative book. The comments made by some reviewers about the trendy language are perhaps justified but you soon find your way through it to uncover a wealth of useful, well explained and very well illustrated tips on how to improve your riding or "driving" as the authors put it. I have been riding a mountain bike for nearly 20 years but realised that I was lacking in many core techniques which is why I bought this book. I was not at all disappointed and I have already noticed an improvement in my riding. Buy it.

This excellent book is called MASTERING mountain bike skills!, 21 Jul 2008
I rarely write reviews, but this one deserves a good review and also deserves the record to be set straight with respect to a couple of previous reviews. Specifically, buying a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills (the clue is in the title) and complaining that it is not suitable for beginners is akin to buying a book on vegetarian cookery and complaining that it does not have enough meat dishes in it.
This book is by far the best skills book for anyone who has mastered the basics. It has a mass of detail in it. There are hundreds of hints and tips and the book pays dividends when read a few times over simply because there is so much info in it. I'm kind of gobsmacked at some of the bizarre criticisms I've read here. It's a shame these critics haven't named the books they have found superior. In over 10 years of riding I haven't seen another book/magazine/website/DVD that comes anywhere near providing the wealth of useful info that this book does. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to improve their existing mountain biking skills. Here's another clue/tip: - If you don't know what an endo is, don't buy a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills, buy a BEGINNERS guide to mountain biking.


Dialing the wrong number, 05 May 2008
There are countless thousands of people with mountain bikes looking for a book to help them ride trails more skilfully. Sadly, this is not it.

At the outset the authors declare they want to write a step-by-step guide to mountain biking. They not only fail to do that, they do so in language which excludes newcomers while making asides which are only likely to put off inexperienced riders altogether.

There are a few good tips - drop offs, bunny hops and "manuals"/wheelies are all well and coherently covered. But there's no real sense of progress, and the authors give the impression they would rather be talking to fellow racers than taking time with beginners or recreational riders looking to add a few skills to their repertoire.

It is all written in irritating mountain bike magazine jargon which serves only to irritate and obscure rather than illuminate. Everything is "dialed". Of course. The overall tone is that of a 13-year-old boy pulling wheelies in front of his house.

One can only guess at the authors' motivation for going into details about death, paralysis and broken limbs on the trail or racecourse. Bravado has its place, but not in a training manual. Then again, the main theme of the book does seem to be "whatever you do, don't use the brakes".


Great guidance for all styles of riding, 29 Feb 2008
If you only ever buy one mountain bike tuition book make sure that this is it. Ive only been riding just over a year and ive found every part of this book really useful. It covers loads of subjects, including everything from basic riding techniques to more complicated trials, jumping and racing topics. Its all very well laid out with lots of pictures and despite the opinion of some that it may be hard for beginners to understand due to jargon terms, I still class myself as a novice and had no problem understanding it. Besides, if there are any terms you are unsure of, there is always that wonderful invention, the internet, which is always willing and able to explain things to you....... ENJOY YOUR RIDING!

Buy it, you'll learn something., 22 Jan 2008
I've only been riding mountain bikes since this spring and a mate got me this for Christmas. I enjoy doing some off road stuff but most of what the book shows is well beyond what I'm likely to get into so I initially read it without expecting to get much out of it. Boy did I get a surprise. Within a week I'd managed to incorporate much of what is in the early chapters into my riding and I'm finding I've got a lot more confidence and am attacking the trail far more than I did before. As far as the later chapters go (jumping, dropping and such like) maybe one day it'll be something I want to look at but it's definitely fun to read about in the meantime.

As for the language, some of it is a bit Southern Californian but I managed to work my way round it. I'm still laughing about him suggesting that I might want to learn to "pump the backside".

Average, 08 Feb 2008
Was very disappointed after reading the reviews. Have really wasted my money. Just paid out again for the Park Tools book which is far superior for the novice mechanic

Great instruction manual, very good value, 07 Nov 2007
I've had the 2nd edition for ages and just bought the 4th edition which is updated with disc brakes, tubeless tyres, rear suspension and more on suspension forks.
Text and diagrams explain really well how to fix and maintain your bike and the style is easy going. There's line drawings and exploded views that show how just about every part goes together (far better than any photo could). For items like forks and rear shocks where there are so many variations out there that its impossible to describe them all, the author explains the differences between different manufacturers' products so you'll still be able to fix just about any component.
If you want to do your own maintenance on your mountain bike, this is the book to get, and it covers all abilities too: from fixing punctures, emergency trailside repairs and adjusting gears, right through to bearing installation and fork/shock dismantling. And if that wasn't enough, its a really good price too.


Good for the Bike Novice, 21 Jun 2006
Liked this book. I know very little about bikes not having had one since age about 16, many moons ago. Just got into biking again and the book has been extremely useful after only having it for a few days

Highly recomended, 22 Jul 2004
This is the first review I've written on Amazon and this is the only book on bicycle maintenance that I own. I'm so glad I bought this book. I've learnt so much here, even for doing the simplest jobs like replacing tyres or bars. I've acted on some of his tips, like buying the Rohloff chain testing tool and the drawings actually work really well and are humorous at times. Buy this book, Zinn is great to spend time with.

Best by far, 18 Sep 2002
Since buying this book I've changed bottom brackets, chainsets, installed chains, adjusted gears and brakes... I'm a mechanical novice and it's great understanding what makes your bike run smoothly. The illustrations DO work very well, especially where components are exploded. (The black & white photos used in many other manuals just don't work with the complexity of MTB components- you can't see any detail.) Top marks for the drawings and the excellent text. And it's fun. Buy it!

IT IS LIKE HAVING YOUR OWN COACH, 22 Aug 2005
This book is a meaty read and quite heavy on the science aspects of training. But Metcalfe uses clear mountain bike examples to get his point across. I liked the step by step approach which helped me build a training plan that was specific to me. I aim to go through the processes outlined in the book each year to update my training programme. For this reason it is well worth the money and is a valuable reference guide.

Got me out of a slump, 18 Jul 2005
This was just what I needed to give my performance a boost. I had been training haphazardly for years and wasn't really improvong each year. Using this book enabled me to organise myself and sort out a training program. I have got fitter and my results so far this year are showing that I'm improving. If you want to save youself time and effort get hold of this book.

Not bad for wannabe pros, 12 Jul 2005
Not much advice for the general reader looking to use a mountain bike to get fit but plenty for the aspiring proffessional racer.

How to ride a mountain bike properly, 11 Dec 2005
Very good indeed. It starts off with the basics of how to set up your bike properly then goes into basic technical stuff like how to do track stands, bunny hops and pedal correctly. It also tells you how to corner, brake, climb and descend. There's lots of little tips (eg. practice your track stand while your mate has a comfort stop) and there's loads of annecdotes sprinkled throughout the book to improve its readability. I've docked it one star as its more biassed towards the harder packed US trails than the UK muddy bridleways.
If you're just getting in to mountain biking or recently took it up then this is a really good book that will improve your technique. Better still, its a good entertaining read as well.

Great for beginners too, 18 Oct 2005
I just took up mountain biking recently having not had a bike for over 10 years, and have been looking for ways to get the basics under control. This was the first book (and I've tried a few as well as some DVDs) which really started from scratch and has given me loads of good information. I was beginning to give up hope of finding something like this so am all the more overjoyed for finding it.
Highly reccomended

Absolutely brilliant!, 30 Jun 2004
I bought this book a few months ago and once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. I have been riding the same section of local forest for 6 months and there are lots of sections I would never ride for lack of technique/fear of crashing but after reading this book I now ride almost every section and haven't come off once. There is just the right balance of example stories, techniques and skill drills to try, even a section of how to fall off properly, ha ha. My hill climbing is 200% better after reading the section on climbing properly and my confidence has soared. Get this book and start to ride like you should be

Mountain Bike Like a Champion: Master All the Skills to Tack, 20 Jan 2004
Superb read, packed full of tips and "skill drills" which have proved invaluble. The section on braking is especially helpful for a novice like myself.I have read it from cover to cover on a number of occassions, the only criticism I could level at the book is the lack of photos but this is in fairness countered by the clear, concise writing style.

Technique Tips from the Master, 16 Jan 2004
Ned Overend is one of the most respected names in XC mountain bike racing, so a book on bike handling skills with his name on it is an excellent starting point. It is written in a relaxed, almost conversational style which entices you to keep turning the page.

Initially I was slightly disappointed on receiving the book as there are very few pictures accompanying the text. However, the text is very clear and only the more obscure techniques need and are illustrated with photos, for example Ned's weighting and body position during cornering.

The value in any manual of technique is in its successful application and here I found the format most useful: schedule training rides around the tips and drills contained in the book and then go back to it for more detail on handling skills that need attention. (If you are doing this correctly and concentrating you will find that the fitness element looks after itself!) I gained a real improvement in my bike handling skills after a first read and will be returning to the book regularily to build on it.

The section on winter training is especially valuable, laded with Ned's experience, and is a refreshing counter to the many overladen winter routines out there.

Buy It and Apply It - this is an excellent value book that will enhance your enjoyment on the bike.

Excellent Guide, 27 Apr 2008
I bought this to learn some new local trails and was very impressed. It's modern (no retro photos of Etto helmets here!) well writen, excellent maps and some great photography.
Lots of route options that don't follow the obvious trails which was nice to see and very easy to follow instructions.
Unusually it was well worth reading the introduction as well. Funny and informative.
All round, top job. When I travel with my bike in future I'll look for Nick Cottons book of the area to see what trails are recommended.


Pocket sized mountain bike guidebook, 24 Apr 2008
I tend to hoard mountain bike routes so when I saw this book had been released I purchased it straight away. The routes in the book are presented in a clear and easy to read format with excellent local knowledge of the area covered. I have only ridden a couple of them so far, but have been very impressed. A CD is available containing PDF versions of the routes which are handy to print out and pop in the pocket. The only possible downside is the routes are not presented on OS maps- but the mapping used is very easy to read and easily transferred to OS.

Truly inspiring, 26 Mar 2006
Two men travelling across three continents that keeps the excitement and sense discovery to a fast pace throughout. Never feels like a diary or re-run of the itinery, just the story of the riders as they find out what's around the next corner - and there's a surprise or two believe me.

Often it reads like you're there by the road side, making a sugery cup of tea as camp is set up.

Buy it and feel good and challenged!

WOW!, 06 Jun 2005
This book is tremendously enjoyable and inspirational. I have read a fair few travel/adventure type auto biographies and with many of them after the initial excitement of beginning the trip the writing deteriorates into a boring descripition that just reads basically like an itinerary. Not so this one.

Plenty of humour, excellent descriptions, so good you actually feel you are right there along side the guys most of the time.

The only thing is wonder is 'where are the photographs?'. There are amusing drawings to break up the text but at least a few photos would have been nice. Maybe it was to do with printing/publication cost etc.

A must read for those feeling call of the unknown and toying with the idea of taking the road less travelled.

Buy it.

So good I cleaned off the bike..., 13 May 2005
This book is an easy holiday read. One of those "I gave up work to follow a dream books".

But through the quality of the writing, the book stays with you, and challenges you.

Whilst not a life changing read, it is definatly a life challenging one!

Thoroughly recommended.

Good book, great journey - makes you loathe your desk job!, 02 Sep 2004
I read this quickly and relished the sense of freedom it contained in its pages.

I think the story is remarkable: people who didn't just talk about turning their lives upside down in search of something more meaningful but actually DID IT. That's inspiring enough. But the things they see and the people they meet along the way are perhaps the real triumph of this narrative.

I guess it's one of those 'life's not a dress rehearsal' books. The sort of reminder we all need from time to time. Buy it, read it and, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but someday, you'll probably find it moved you to try something different, too.

A real adventure story, 11 Nov 2003
One of those books that can send a shiver up your spine - you want to become a part of their adventure and travel and see the things they saw in Australia, Africa and South America. You can imagine the spectacular landscapes and while I was reading it I wished I was there. It's an honest book, it describes the squabbling, the disagreements, the far from perfect conditions, but despite all of that it conveys a sheer excitement of travelling and discovery. I defy anyone not to want to travel, or at least do something adventurous after reading this!

Mountian Biking Masterclass, 20 Nov 2008
This is a truly excellent, informative book. The comments made by some reviewers about the trendy language are perhaps justified but you soon find your way through it to uncover a wealth of useful, well explained and very well illustrated tips on how to improve your riding or "driving" as the authors put it. I have been riding a mountain bike for nearly 20 years but realised that I was lacking in many core techniques which is why I bought this book. I was not at all disappointed and I have already noticed an improvement in my riding. Buy it.

This excellent book is called MASTERING mountain bike skills!, 21 Jul 2008
I rarely write reviews, but this one deserves a good review and also deserves the record to be set straight with respect to a couple of previous reviews. Specifically, buying a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills (the clue is in the title) and complaining that it is not suitable for beginners is akin to buying a book on vegetarian cookery and complaining that it does not have enough meat dishes in it.
This book is by far the best skills book for anyone who has mastered the basics. It has a mass of detail in it. There are hundreds of hints and tips and the book pays dividends when read a few times over simply because there is so much info in it. I'm kind of gobsmacked at some of the bizarre criticisms I've read here. It's a shame these critics haven't named the books they have found superior. In over 10 years of riding I haven't seen another book/magazine/website/DVD that comes anywhere near providing the wealth of useful info that this book does. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to improve their existing mountain biking skills. Here's another clue/tip: - If you don't know what an endo is, don't buy a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills, buy a BEGINNERS guide to mountain biking.


Dialing the wrong number, 05 May 2008
There are countless thousands of people with mountain bikes looking for a book to help them ride trails more skilfully. Sadly, this is not it.

At the outset the authors declare they want to write a step-by-step guide to mountain biking. They not only fail to do that, they do so in language which excludes newcomers while making asides which are only likely to put off inexperienced riders altogether.

There are a few good tips - drop offs, bunny hops and "manuals"/wheelies are all well and coherently covered. But there's no real sense of progress, and the authors give the impression they would rather be talking to fellow racers than taking time with beginners or recreational riders looking to add a few skills to their repertoire.

It is all written in irritating mountain bike magazine jargon which serves only to irritate and obscure rather than illuminate. Everything is "dialed". Of course. The overall tone is that of a 13-year-old boy pulling wheelies in front of his house.

One can only guess at the authors' motivation for going into details about death, paralysis and broken limbs on the trail or racecourse. Bravado has its place, but not in a training manual. Then again, the main theme of the book does seem to be "whatever you do, don't use the brakes".


Great guidance for all styles of riding, 29 Feb 2008
If you only ever buy one mountain bike tuition book make sure that this is it. Ive only been riding just over a year and ive found every part of this book really useful. It covers loads of subjects, including everything from basic riding techniques to more complicated trials, jumping and racing topics. Its all very well laid out with lots of pictures and despite the opinion of some that it may be hard for beginners to understand due to jargon terms, I still class myself as a novice and had no problem understanding it. Besides, if there are any terms you are unsure of, there is always that wonderful invention, the internet, which is always willing and able to explain things to you....... ENJOY YOUR RIDING!

Buy it, you'll learn something., 22 Jan 2008
I've only been riding mountain bikes since this spring and a mate got me this for Christmas. I enjoy doing some off road stuff but most of what the book shows is well beyond what I'm likely to get into so I initially read it without expecting to get much out of it. Boy did I get a surprise. Within a week I'd managed to incorporate much of what is in the early chapters into my riding and I'm finding I've got a lot more confidence and am attacking the trail far more than I did before. As far as the later chapters go (jumping, dropping and such like) maybe one day it'll be something I want to look at but it's definitely fun to read about in the meantime.

As for the language, some of it is a bit Southern Californian but I managed to work my way round it. I'm still laughing about him suggesting that I might want to learn to "pump the backside".

Average, 08 Feb 2008
Was very disappointed after reading the reviews. Have really wasted my money. Just paid out again for the Park Tools book which is far superior for the novice mechanic

Great instruction manual, very good value, 07 Nov 2007
I've had the 2nd edition for ages and just bought the 4th edition which is updated with disc brakes, tubeless tyres, rear suspension and more on suspension forks.
Text and diagrams explain really well how to fix and maintain your bike and the style is easy going. There's line drawings and exploded views that show how just about every part goes together (far better than any photo could). For items like forks and rear shocks where there are so many variations out there that its impossible to describe them all, the author explains the differences between different manufacturers' products so you'll still be able to fix just about any component.
If you want to do your own maintenance on your mountain bike, this is the book to get, and it covers all abilities too: from fixing punctures, emergency trailside repairs and adjusting gears, right through to bearing installation and fork/shock dismantling. And if that wasn't enough, its a really good price too.


Good for the Bike Novice, 21 Jun 2006
Liked this book. I know very little about bikes not having had one since age about 16, many moons ago. Just got into biking again and the book has been extremely useful after only having it for a few days

Highly recomended, 22 Jul 2004
This is the first review I've written on Amazon and this is the only book on bicycle maintenance that I own. I'm so glad I bought this book. I've learnt so much here, even for doing the simplest jobs like replacing tyres or bars. I've acted on some of his tips, like buying the Rohloff chain testing tool and the drawings actually work really well and are humorous at times. Buy this book, Zinn is great to spend time with.

Best by far, 18 Sep 2002
Since buying this book I've changed bottom brackets, chainsets, installed chains, adjusted gears and brakes... I'm a mechanical novice and it's great understanding what makes your bike run smoothly. The illustrations DO work very well, especially where components are exploded. (The black & white photos used in many other manuals just don't work with the complexity of MTB components- you can't see any detail.) Top marks for the drawings and the excellent text. And it's fun. Buy it!

IT IS LIKE HAVING YOUR OWN COACH, 22 Aug 2005
This book is a meaty read and quite heavy on the science aspects of training. But Metcalfe uses clear mountain bike examples to get his point across. I liked the step by step approach which helped me build a training plan that was specific to me. I aim to go through the processes outlined in the book each year to update my training programme. For this reason it is well worth the money and is a valuable reference guide.

Got me out of a slump, 18 Jul 2005
This was just what I needed to give my performance a boost. I had been training haphazardly for years and wasn't really improvong each year. Using this book enabled me to organise myself and sort out a training program. I have got fitter and my results so far this year are showing that I'm improving. If you want to save youself time and effort get hold of this book.

Not bad for wannabe pros, 12 Jul 2005
Not much advice for the general reader looking to use a mountain bike to get fit but plenty for the aspiring proffessional racer.

How to ride a mountain bike properly, 11 Dec 2005
Very good indeed. It starts off with the basics of how to set up your bike properly then goes into basic technical stuff like how to do track stands, bunny hops and pedal correctly. It also tells you how to corner, brake, climb and descend. There's lots of little tips (eg. practice your track stand while your mate has a comfort stop) and there's loads of annecdotes sprinkled throughout the book to improve its readability. I've docked it one star as its more biassed towards the harder packed US trails than the UK muddy bridleways.
If you're just getting in to mountain biking or recently took it up then this is a really good book that will improve your technique. Better still, its a good entertaining read as well.

Great for beginners too, 18 Oct 2005
I just took up mountain biking recently having not had a bike for over 10 years, and have been looking for ways to get the basics under control. This was the first book (and I've tried a few as well as some DVDs) which really started from scratch and has given me loads of good information. I was beginning to give up hope of finding something like this so am all the more overjoyed for finding it.
Highly reccomended

Absolutely brilliant!, 30 Jun 2004
I bought this book a few months ago and once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. I have been riding the same section of local forest for 6 months and there are lots of sections I would never ride for lack of technique/fear of crashing but after reading this book I now ride almost every section and haven't come off once. There is just the right balance of example stories, techniques and skill drills to try, even a section of how to fall off properly, ha ha. My hill climbing is 200% better after reading the section on climbing properly and my confidence has soared. Get this book and start to ride like you should be

Mountain Bike Like a Champion: Master All the Skills to Tack, 20 Jan 2004
Superb read, packed full of tips and "skill drills" which have proved invaluble. The section on braking is especially helpful for a novice like myself.I have read it from cover to cover on a number of occassions, the only criticism I could level at the book is the lack of photos but this is in fairness countered by the clear, concise writing style.

Technique Tips from the Master, 16 Jan 2004
Ned Overend is one of the most respected names in XC mountain bike racing, so a book on bike handling skills with his name on it is an excellent starting point. It is written in a relaxed, almost conversational style which entices you to keep turning the page.

Initially I was slightly disappointed on receiving the book as there are very few pictures accompanying the text. However, the text is very clear and only the more obscure techniques need and are illustrated with photos, for example Ned's weighting and body position during cornering.

The value in any manual of technique is in its successful application and here I found the format most useful: schedule training rides around the tips and drills contained in the book and then go back to it for more detail on handling skills that need attention. (If you are doing this correctly and concentrating you will find that the fitness element looks after itself!) I gained a real improvement in my bike handling skills after a first read and will be returning to the book regularily to build on it.

The section on winter training is especially valuable, laded with Ned's experience, and is a refreshing counter to the many overladen winter routines out there.

Buy It and Apply It - this is an excellent value book that will enhance your enjoyment on the bike.

Excellent Guide, 27 Apr 2008
I bought this to learn some new local trails and was very impressed. It's modern (no retro photos of Etto helmets here!) well writen, excellent maps and some great photography.
Lots of route options that don't follow the obvious trails which was nice to see and very easy to follow instructions.
Unusually it was well worth reading the introduction as well. Funny and informative.
All round, top job. When I travel with my bike in future I'll look for Nick Cottons book of the area to see what trails are recommended.


Pocket sized mountain bike guidebook, 24 Apr 2008
I tend to hoard mountain bike routes so when I saw this book had been released I purchased it straight away. The routes in the book are presented in a clear and easy to read format with excellent local knowledge of the area covered. I have only ridden a couple of them so far, but have been very impressed. A CD is available containing PDF versions of the routes which are handy to print out and pop in the pocket. The only possible downside is the routes are not presented on OS maps- but the mapping used is very easy to read and easily transferred to OS.

Truly inspiring, 26 Mar 2006
Two men travelling across three continents that keeps the excitement and sense discovery to a fast pace throughout. Never feels like a diary or re-run of the itinery, just the story of the riders as they find out what's around the next corner - and there's a surprise or two believe me.

Often it reads like you're there by the road side, making a sugery cup of tea as camp is set up.

Buy it and feel good and challenged!

WOW!, 06 Jun 2005
This book is tremendously enjoyable and inspirational. I have read a fair few travel/adventure type auto biographies and with many of them after the initial excitement of beginning the trip the writing deteriorates into a boring descripition that just reads basically like an itinerary. Not so this one.

Plenty of humour, excellent descriptions, so good you actually feel you are right there along side the guys most of the time.

The only thing is wonder is 'where are the photographs?'. There are amusing drawings to break up the text but at least a few photos would have been nice. Maybe it was to do with printing/publication cost etc.

A must read for those feeling call of the unknown and toying with the idea of taking the road less travelled.

Buy it.

So good I cleaned off the bike..., 13 May 2005
This book is an easy holiday read. One of those "I gave up work to follow a dream books".

But through the quality of the writing, the book stays with you, and challenges you.

Whilst not a life changing read, it is definatly a life challenging one!

Thoroughly recommended.

Good book, great journey - makes you loathe your desk job!, 02 Sep 2004
I read this quickly and relished the sense of freedom it contained in its pages.

I think the story is remarkable: people who didn't just talk about turning their lives upside down in search of something more meaningful but actually DID IT. That's inspiring enough. But the things they see and the people they meet along the way are perhaps the real triumph of this narrative.

I guess it's one of those 'life's not a dress rehearsal' books. The sort of reminder we all need from time to time. Buy it, read it and, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but someday, you'll probably find it moved you to try something different, too.

A real adventure story, 11 Nov 2003
One of those books that can send a shiver up your spine - you want to become a part of their adventure and travel and see the things they saw in Australia, Africa and South America. You can imagine the spectacular landscapes and while I was reading it I wished I was there. It's an honest book, it describes the squabbling, the disagreements, the far from perfect conditions, but despite all of that it conveys a sheer excitement of travelling and discovery. I defy anyone not to want to travel, or at least do something adventurous after reading this!

Bike Scotland Trails Guide, 31 May 2007
Bought on a recent bike trip to scotland - had just right level of information for us and we ended up using it alot.

Seems great at first, 09 Jan 2007
Very well laid-out, nice little book with many trails mentioned. Unfortunately, they seem to be only mentioned. In it is a ride I do at least once a month, in which there are several paths to achieve the summit of Dumyat (a hill above Stirling). However, I still don't know, even with the help of 1:25000 maps, which paths they are using. More in-depth descriptions would be welcome. Most of the time, with manmade trails/centres, this does not matter as information is at the destination.

Only buy if you need a starting point, even with a map, I think you will get lost on several of these rides!!! This book has loads of potential too, which is a shame - nicely set out, great pictures and some excellent trails mentioned.

Essential kit!, 03 Oct 2006
I think this is a fantastic wee book with obvious appeal to the ever growing spectrum of people who like to mountain bike. As a trails rider I particularly appreciate the informative and varied information on marked trails, including the less well known ones. But the fact that this book also provides first hand knowledge about some real gems of routes which are off the beaten track, and also has something to appeal to the "family" or novice riders among us means it is sure to have widespread appeal.

Having ridden some of the routes already I reckon the level of detail provided is just right for a pocket guide book. The pictures, and the author's enthusiasm for the trails, make you want get out there and ride them all. I'm looking forward to ticking them all off my "to do" list.


Essential for Mountain Bikers, 27 Sep 2006
I picked up a copy of this book in August and have since tried four of the routes. As a fairly recent convert to mountain biking, the book has been a god-send for me, and I know I will continue to use it for years to come. A well written and accessible guide, highly recommended.

From the publisher, 17 Aug 2006
Please note that Uncle Pedro, the poster of the only negative review of this book, is a member of Stirling Bike Club - as is the author of another Scottish trails guide which sells a lot less copies. And his name isn't Pedro, its Peter.

Mountian Biking Masterclass, 20 Nov 2008
This is a truly excellent, informative book. The comments made by some reviewers about the trendy language are perhaps justified but you soon find your way through it to uncover a wealth of useful, well explained and very well illustrated tips on how to improve your riding or "driving" as the authors put it. I have been riding a mountain bike for nearly 20 years but realised that I was lacking in many core techniques which is why I bought this book. I was not at all disappointed and I have already noticed an improvement in my riding. Buy it.

This excellent book is called MASTERING mountain bike skills!, 21 Jul 2008
I rarely write reviews, but this one deserves a good review and also deserves the record to be set straight with respect to a couple of previous reviews. Specifically, buying a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills (the clue is in the title) and complaining that it is not suitable for beginners is akin to buying a book on vegetarian cookery and complaining that it does not have enough meat dishes in it.
This book is by far the best skills book for anyone who has mastered the basics. It has a mass of detail in it. There are hundreds of hints and tips and the book pays dividends when read a few times over simply because there is so much info in it. I'm kind of gobsmacked at some of the bizarre criticisms I've read here. It's a shame these critics haven't named the books they have found superior. In over 10 years of riding I haven't seen another book/magazine/website/DVD that comes anywhere near providing the wealth of useful info that this book does. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to improve their existing mountain biking skills. Here's another clue/tip: - If you don't know what an endo is, don't buy a book called MASTERING mountain bike skills, buy a BEGINNERS guide to mountain biking.


Dialing the wrong number, 05 May 2008
There are countless thousands of people with mountain bikes looking for a book to help them ride trails more skilfully. Sadly, this is not it.

At the outset the authors declare they want to write a step-by-step guide to mountain biking. They not only fail to do that, they do so in language which excludes newcomers while making asides which are only likely to put off inexperienced riders altogether.

There are a few good tips - drop offs, bunny hops and "manuals"/wheelies are all well and coherently covered. But there's no real sense of progress, and the authors give the impression they would rather be talking to fellow racers than taking time with beginners or recreational riders looking to add a few skills to their repertoire.

It is all written in irritating mountain bike magazine jargon which serves only to irritate and obscure rather than illuminate. Everything is "dialed". Of course. The overall tone is that of a 13-year-old boy pulling wheelies in front of his house.

One can only guess at the authors' motivation for going into details about death, paralysis and broken limbs on the trail or racecourse. Bravado has its place, but not in a training manual. Then again, the main theme of the book does seem to be "whatever you do, don't use the brakes".


Great guidance for all styles of riding, 29 Feb 2008
If you only ever buy one mountain bike tuition book make sure that this is it. Ive only been riding just over a year and ive found every part of this book really useful. It covers loads of subjects, including everything from basic riding techniques to more complicated trials, jumping and racing topics. Its all very well laid out with lots of pictures and despite the opinion of some that it may be hard for beginners to understand due to jargon terms, I still class myself as a novice and had no problem understanding it. Besides, if there are any terms you are unsure of, there is always that wonderful invention, the internet, which is always willing and able to explain things to you....... ENJOY YOUR RIDING!

Buy it, you'll learn something., 22 Jan 2008
I've only been riding mountain bikes since this spring and a mate got me this for Christmas. I enjoy doing some off road stuff but most of what the book shows is well beyond what I'm likely to get into so I initially read it without expecting to get much out of it. Boy did I get a surprise. Within a week I'd managed to incorporate much of what is in the early chapters into my riding and I'm finding I've got a lot more confidence and am attacking the trail far more than I did before. As far as the later chapters go (jumping, dropping and such like) maybe one day it'll be something I want to look at but it's definitely fun to read about in the meantime.

As for the language, some of it is a bit Southern Californian but I managed to work my way round it. I'm still laughing about him suggesting that I might want to learn to "pump the backside".

Average, 08 Feb 2008
Was very disappointed after reading the reviews. Have really wasted my money. Just paid out again for the Park Tools book which is far superior for the novice mechanic

Great instruction manual, very good value, 07 Nov 2007
I've had the 2nd edition for ages and just bought the 4th edition which is updated with disc brakes, tubeless tyres, rear suspension and more on suspension forks.
Text and diagrams explain really well how to fix and maintain your bike and the style is easy going. There's line drawings and exploded views that show how just about every part goes together (far better than any photo could). For items like forks and rear shocks where there are so many variations out there that its impossible to describe them all, the author explains the differences between different manufacturers' products so you'll still be able to fix just about any component.
If you want to do your own maintenance on your mountain bike, this is the book to get, and it covers all abilities too: from fixing punctures, emergency trailside repairs and adjusting gears, right through to bearing installation and fork/shock dismantling. And if that wasn't enough, its a really good price too.


Good for the Bike Novice, 21 Jun 2006
Liked this book. I know very little about bikes not having had one since age about 16, many moons ago. Just got into biking again and the book has been extremely useful after only having it for a few days

Highly recomended, 22 Jul 2004
This is the first review I've written on Amazon and this is the only book on bicycle maintenance that I own. I'm so glad I bought this book. I've learnt so much here, even for doing the simplest jobs like replacing tyres or bars. I've acted on some of his tips, like buying the Rohloff chain testing tool and the drawings actually work really well and are humorous at times. Buy this book, Zinn is great to spend time with.

Best by far, 18 Sep 2002
Since buying this book I've changed bottom brackets, chainsets, installed chains, adjusted gears and brakes... I'm a mechanical novice and it's great understanding what makes your bike run smoothly. The illustrations DO work very well, especially where components are exploded. (The black & white photos used in many other manuals just don't work with the complexity of MTB components- you can't see any detail.) Top marks for the drawings and the excellent text. And it's fun. Buy it!

IT IS LIKE HAVING YOUR OWN COACH, 22 Aug 2005
This book is a meaty read and quite heavy on the science aspects of training. But Metcalfe uses clear mountain bike examples to get his point across. I liked the step by step approach which helped me build a training plan that was specific to me. I aim to go through the processes outlined in the book each year to update my training programme. For this reason it is well worth the money and is a valuable reference guide.

Got me out of a slump, 18 Jul 2005
This was just what I needed to give my performance a boost. I had been training haphazardly for years and wasn't really improvong each year. Using this book enabled me to organise myself and sort out a training program. I have got fitter and my results so far this year are showing that I'm improving. If you want to save youself time and effort get hold of this book.

Not bad for wannabe pros, 12 Jul 2005
Not much advice for the general reader looking to use a mountain bike to get fit but plenty for the aspiring proffessional racer.

How to ride a mountain bike properly, 11 Dec 2005
Very good indeed. It starts off with the basics of how to set up your bike properly then goes into basic technical stuff like how to do track stands, bunny hops and pedal correctly. It also tells you how to corner, brake, climb and descend. There's lots of little tips (eg. practice your track stand while your mate has a comfort stop) and there's loads of annecdotes sprinkled throughout the book to improve its readability. I've docked it one star as its more biassed towards the harder packed US trails than the UK muddy bridleways.
If you're just getting in to mountain biking or recently took it up then this is a really good book that will improve your technique. Better still, its a good entertaining read as well.

Great for beginners too, 18 Oct 2005
I just took up mountain biking recently having not had a bike for over 10 years, and have been looking for ways to get the basics under control. This was the first book (and I've tried a few as well as some DVDs) which really started from scratch and has given me loads of good information. I was beginning to give up hope of finding something like this so am all the more overjoyed for finding it.
Highly reccomended

Absolutely brilliant!, 30 Jun 2004
I bought this book a few months ago and once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. I have been riding the same section of local forest for 6 months and there are lots of sections I would never ride for lack of technique/fear of crashing but after reading this book I now ride almost every section and haven't come off once. There is just the right balance of example stories, techniques and skill drills to try, even a section of how to fall off properly, ha ha. My hill climbing is 200% better after reading the section on climbing properly and my confidence has soared. Get this book and start to ride like you should be

Mountain Bike Like a Champion: Master All the Skills to Tack, 20 Jan 2004
Superb read, packed full of tips and "skill drills" which have proved invaluble. The section on braking is especially helpful for a novice like myself.I have read it from cover to cover on a number of occassions, the only criticism I could level at the book is the lack of photos but this is in fairness countered by the clear, concise writing style.

Technique Tips from the Master, 16 Jan 2004
Ned Overend is one of the most respected names