There are many avid recreational cyclists in Sydney who are keen to get out and about on the weekends and to visit different areas. The concept of this book is a good ploy, a handy pocket-sized soft cover book to fit in your back pocket with maps covering Sydney, from Manly to Maroubra and between Bondi to Burwood.

In an age of obesity and fast food, it is good to see encouragement to get out there and get active. Although this book is somewhat misguided if it thinks it can teach a person how to ride a bike in just one paragraph and I don't think they make adult size training wheels. I'm surprised it has made it to a second edition.

In order to review this book properly, I took it upon myself as a recreational cyclist which enjoys the occasional Sunday ride to 'road test' a suggested cycle route. If only the author had spoken to me before this book went to print.

My journey began at Denistone East with the aim to ride to Lane Cove National Park and back. I found that I had to stop and look frequently at the map to follow the correct route, which if you happened to lose, it was very difficult to find again as streets which are not part of the route are not marked on the map. I dread to think where I would have ended up if I tried to cycle through the city.  

Not far into the ride the first flaw arose, part of the route was not mapped as it was out of the limits of the map. Annoying as this was, it wasn't too hard to figure out which way to head and the course was completed without too much stress, just a lot of map reading.

 Once I arrived at the end of the National Park I re-evaluated the route taken and using my own local knowledge decided that the official council route through the Macquarie University was much easier and a lot less complicated. However, it should be noted that this route was also out of the limits of the map.

I followed the route in the book successfully and I made it home without throwing the book under a semi-trailer, which took some self-restraint. I thought better of it, as books can come in handy on unexpected toilet stops or as a makeshift brake pad on a bike ride.

This book appears to be written for cyclists of all levels. However, while the information at the beginning of the book provides a comprehensive guide for the beginner rider, the maps are too complicated to follow with ease.

Beginners may have considerable trouble using the maps on the road and experienced cyclists would not need this amount of detailed information.  

Adding to the book's redundancy are some pearls of handy wisdom in the guide to cycling section, such as squirting water at ferocious dogs and riding in the shade when it is hot. If you need to be told to ride in the shade then no book will save your misguided cycling efforts.

Another problem with this book is that it tries to cover too much in too little time. It tries to teach you how to ride a bike in a paragraph but skimps on other more important details.

There are no hills indicated on the maps so choosing a route in a new area is difficult as you have no idea of the topography. If you are on a family ride the younger members may not be able to manage the ride. One route suggests the rider starts at Meadowbank Station, kicking off the ride with a monstrous hill.

I know it is a book review, but I didn't expect to read so much. Most of the information about bike user groups and safety hints is too elementary compared with the complex and difficult routes which only advanced riders can manage.

The RTA and local councils publish very good free maps to showing all the different cycle paths, so why pay for a book that shows you just variations of those route?