Just Ride: A Radically Practical Guide to Riding Your Bike

This is one of those books that is a pleasure to read, even if it just confirms what you already believe and know to be true. Although it is just good old-fashioned common sense, the attitude conveyed in this book is something which is sadly missing in today's cycling world of heart-rate monitors; power-meters; and uber-expensive delicate carbon-fiber bikes.What the author describes is basically what we all did on our bikes when we were children- we just rode! O-K, as a middle-aged man, I do want a little something more than "just riding". I do appreciate the fact that I can afford a decent and fairly-light road bike; and I do like doing a respectable speed, as opposed to just puttering along at 12MPH like i did when I was a child on 35lb department-store behemoth of a bike. Bear in mind that the author of this book manufactures heavy 1960's-style bicycles which he sells for around three grand....so he may be somewhat partial- but none-the-less, his attitude is refreshing.While I may not be totally on-board with the author's philosophy; and don't care to putter along on an over-priced and needlessly heavy throwback-to-the60's bicycle; I am also not a racer; so I guess I fall somewhere in the middle, between the two extremes of the modern cycling culture's mantra that everyone must act like they are practicing for the Tour De France; and the author's "just putter along like a child on a heavy bike" mentality.Regardless of how you ride, one has to appreciate the simple truths of this book- e.g. things like how ridiculous it is to obsess over a few grams of weight; and how you don't need a delicate ultra-light wonder-bike if you're not a racer. It's just a pleasure to see such basic truths acknowledged- even though they are simple facts that you already know. Just the fact that others are embracing these truths is reason to cheer.And perhaps if a newcomer to cycling would read such a book as this, it would save him from the "everyone must act like a racer" mentality, which is foisted on us by the cycling industry; and which is largely de rigueur amongst cyclists. Perhaps this book will bring the FUN back to cycling (which, in many circles, has been replaced by "suffering" in the name of becoming faster)- and while the author may be at one extreme of the spectrum; it is a welcome change from the other extreme of the spectrum, which seems to get most of the press these days- even if your tastes lie somewhere between the two extremes, as do mine.It's just an enjoyable read that encourages day-dreaming and childhood memories- and it can easily be read in one sitting- even by me- the guy who usually doesn't even read a pamphlet in one sitting! And I say this, even as someone who is not otherwise a fan of the author, nor of his out-dated over-priced bicycles and $125 ponchos! (I kind of think of the author as being somewhat of a dee eye see kay...but that doesn't stop me from acknowledging the truth of what he says; nor does it detract from my enjoyment of the book.)

A fun read with a different way to enjoy riding for fun instead of performance

I can confidently say that Grant Peterson saved my life.Don't believe me?Let me tell you how. I started riding a tiny hand-me-down Trek about 8 years ago. I weighed about 260 lbs and was really out of shape. I rode the tiny Trek everywhere, and found that I really loved riding. I also had an incredible amount of neck and back and shoulder pain during and after my rides. So I went into my LBS (local bike shop) and said I wanted to get a new bike. I was all prepped up to get a new carbon fiber state-of-the-art material superlight racer. LBS guy was like "um dude, you should get a steel bike, that's what we ride here." So I did. I started researching this whole steel bike thing, and came across the Riv site.I kept riding. On my new, but still too small, 57 cm bike. I am 6'3".I also started reading. This book is an amalgamation of all the stuff that Grant has written in the past, with some new stuff added. I found out that my bike was probably still too small. That I was still trying to become a racer. These readings helped me understand how bikes work, how I can ride safely, and how I can be a normal temperamental dude when discussing hot button issues like helmets, carbon forks, and riding in traffic. They have been invaluable.Since I started riding (and, more importantly, KEPT RIDING) I have lost 40 pounds and kept it off, I feel healthy, I have cleared up a liver issue that was potentially fatal, and am just a generally happy and healthy guy. This liver thing was the kicker. I needed to lose the weight to make it work.I lost the weight by cutting carbs. I learned to cut carbs to lose weight by reading Gary Taubes' excellent book 'Why We Get Fat' which was given to my wife while we were at Rivendell Headquarters riding bikes (I ended up buying the first bike that has ever fit me, what a wonderful feeling it is to have my legs tire before my back, neck , and shoulders). Were it not for that trip, or for the friendly Riv staffer giving my wife the book, which led to me reading it and dropping the weight, who knows what would have happened.I can say that the approach to riding that Grant lays out in this book has made riding fun, interesting, compelling, and wonderful. It has allowed me to stick with it, riding my bike year round in Vermont because I WANT to, not because I feel like I need to train for centuries or learn tricks on a fixie. I ride a bike that is incredibly comfortable, allows me to see traffic clearly, and is just a total blast. All of this is because of Grant.If you are getting into riding for the fun of it, you NEED to buy this book. Before you buy a bike. Before you go into your LBS. Before you start reading internet postings. Just buy this, read it, and just ride.

There’s a whole lot of truth to this book… I reluctantly have to admit… Good book for a lot of cyclists to read, definitely food for thought for many of us.. Recommended

Awesome book - always interesting advice.

It is an obligatory reading to the ones that disagree with the excessive consumerism linked to road cycling. It also has some precious tips for beginners.

I liked the philosophy and most of the content but it was too short and over priced. I was expecting more.

se cercate un punto di vista tanto per leggere qualcosa di diverso, ok, fa per voi. Se invece cercate un punto di vista realista e costruttivo per la bike-culture o un intelligentemezzo di confronto lasciate stare, il vivere la bici secondo il signor Petersen può' andar bene per il giretto del weekend mana di certo per viaggi a media lunga percorrenza.