Brandon your suggestions are spot on; however, you have left off my all time fav. "anybody's bike book" by tom cuthbertson is an absolute must have for the beginner and long timer alike. I have had my copy for 34 years now and hardly a month goes by that I don't refer back to it. Simple instructions and descriptions that are timeless as well as entertaining.
Nick Zatezalo Atlanta,Ga.
> [Original Message]
> From: Brandon Ives <brandon@ivycycles.com>
> To: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Date: 8/13/2005 1:42:19 PM
> Subject: [CR]Books for Newbies
>
> Kendra,
> Folks have been recommending the Zinn books--which are good books--
> but are maybe a bit too contemporary for this forum. If you're
> looking for info that would be most useful in this forum look no
> further than your public library. Most public libraries bought most
> of their cycling books during the 70s bike boom. Books by Eugene
> Sloane and Richard Ballentine will get you inside what was happening
> during the time that the CR list is most concerned with.
>
> Most seasoned cyclists will poo-poo these "classic" books, but it's
> been a long time since we were newbies. Personally I'd look for "The
> Custom Bicycle" by Kolin and de la Rosa, "The High-Tech Bicycle" by
> Stevenson, and "The Bicycling Book" by Krausz for starters. Also if
> you search the archives some book thread or other comes up every 6
> months or so and these can add extensively to your summer reading list.
> best,
> Brandon"monkeyman"Ives
> Coeur d'Alene, Idaho