The Bicycling Big Book of Training: Everything You Need to Know to Take Your Riding to the Next Level

The Bicycling Big Book of Training is truly a complete book of cycling training for the both the bicycling novice and fairly experienced bicycling enthusiast. The publication contains enough information to fill the curriculum of a freshman college class, Cycling Training 101. The up-to-date content contains more than enough depth, detail, and accessibility for the average person to use its lessons and become a better cyclist. Unless you are the cycling savant, you will not be acing this 101 course with one reading pass. As such, look at this book as a reference for your favorite college class— no student loan required!

A cycling coach will find the book is equally useful as an aid in coaching seasoned cyclists. Success in cycling always goes back to the basics, and consistency is your best friend.

Some of the topics include: “Set a goal for every ride” or “Unplug once in a while” and listen to what your body is telling you. “You've got to rest as hard as you train.” Even the post-crash checklist is important for the seasoned cyclist because we know that cycling is about the experience more than about the equipment. 

In addition to the requisite training outlines, diet considerations, and how to prepare for a local race, this book references some of the newest research and how it translates to rider improvement. Included in these discussions is information addressing both modern and traditional training trends: What should I eat while riding: sugar, carbs, or protein? What should an athlete consider about, say, the Gluten Free diet or the Paleo diet? The benefits of stretching and yoga exercises are also discussed. The book also ventures into territory such as the best way to support your local charity ride. 

If you are looking for highly advanced cycling topics such as training with power or using an O2 sensor, look elsewhere as these are advanced topics. Instead, you will find facts and data in a succinctly written narrative on the topics that are important to the rider who is not looking to turn pro.

In short, there is much of interest to just about any cyclist in this book that absolutely delivers what its title suggests.