Mastering Cycling by John Howard

Mastering Cycling by John Howard is a useful overview of cycling that offers a user-friendly tour though all the key areas from bike fit to post-ride stretch. In between are helpful chapters on nutrition and workout variation so that we aging cyclists can keep up that bone density. ‘Aging cyclists’? Yep – this is one of the few cycling books to look at the sport and recreation from the ‘experienced’ rider’s perspective.Perhaps it should be titled ‘Masters’ Cycling.’ His is a no-nonsense guide who focuses on sharing the hard-won wisdom that helps him enjoy cycling for fun, fitness and health as we get older. And Howard himself knows of what he speaks: he’s not only a distinguished figure in the sport, including time served as athlete, coach, and two-wheeled speed-record holder; he’s a bit long in the tooth and grey too.

The virtue of Mastering Cycling is that Howard knows you don’t have time to waste on floral elaborations about the joys of cycling because. He knows that we know how great a pursuit it is. He knows we can’t share in a play-by-play recap of his great race, so instead he provides plenty of sidebar visits with everyday cyclists like you and me. He’s so conscious of time that he includes a chapter on making time to bike in middle-age and beyond.

Even experienced cyclists will learn something about how different foods affect our rides, say, or how we can change-up our cycling habits to build our bones. Who knew that road cycling is associated with less bone density than mountain biking or weight-bearing pursuits like running?

Readers interested in learning about how the sport that we love poses new challenges as we get older are well advised to pick up Mastering Cycling. It’s an informative, easy read just loaded with insight and understanding.