As a 4th generation native of Arizona, I thought I knew my way around, but this book has paid off in directing me to a lot of out of the way trails I never would have found or even heard of swapping ideas with local riders. Do not overlook or underestimate the many "honorable mention" rides included in each chapter.

There's another popular book on Arizona mountain bike trails that is sort of a cartoon. Buy that if you want laughs, but buy Mountain Bike America: Arizona if you want a serious reference tool to get the most out of your visits to and around Arizona.

5 of 6 found the following review helpful:


The definitive guide to Arizona riding  Aug 23, 2002
This book is a must have for mountain bikers who live in Arizona, or are just visiting. It's got all the must-do rides (South mountain, elden in Flagstaff, Sedona, etc) , and plenty of out of the way gems to try. The maps are spot-on, and the mileage logs combined with a good bike computer are invaluable for exploring the new routes.

7 of 9 found the following review helpful:


The Bee's Knees For Arizona Mountain Biking  Aug 12, 2002 By Rich Holtzin
As an ecotourism operator, and someone who is accustomed to booking mountain biking adventures throughout the Southwest, I find Paul Beakley's "Mountain Bike American (Arizona)" among the best I've ever read. He has taken most of the work out of the usual logistics I end up having to do when planning tours for our clients. Fact is, I feel guilty using his excellent source of knowledge, but not paying him for it.

Still, Paul has written a most excellent mountain bike book that every mountain bike enthusiast will enjoy as well as benefit from the tangible knowledge Paul lays out in his tome. It's all there, too: text; graphics; pictures; and the all important numbers crunch stuff that will help anyone figure out just how much he or she is willing to tackle in any given terrain.

I highly recommend this book for amateur and professional alike; it even does wonders for we who are in the touring line of work...

3 of 4 found the following review helpful:


My brother loved it  Jan 31, 2003 By Steven Bradford
I bought this for my brother, an avid mt. biker in scottsdale. He loved it, and used it the first weekend he got it to find a new trail.

4 of 6 found the following review helpful:


Great Book, Great Trails, Great Guy  Apr 08, 2002 By Jon Bond
I had the privelege of riding with the author of this book, and lemme tell you, he rides as well as he writes! A great guy, he took me out on a tour of South Mountain (we skipped national, I was on a rental bike and my pedals/shoes were stolen a few days before so I was on flats and running shoes! Yeah, so its an excuse, and I wouldn't be able to ride it anyway, but thats my story and I'm sticking too it!)

Erm, where was I?

Oh yeah, the review. Ok, here's the lowdown:
- an AMAZING variety of trails, and he's ridden every one at least twice so the information is very accurate
- great, easy to understand writing style that's enjoyable to read
- very accurate maps and directions, in an easy-to-follow format
- a sense of humor... how refreshing!
- all this for the price of a coated map!

Ok, quick anecdote: I was in South Mountain Cycles with Paul, returning the bike I rented, and Paul showed the owner, the mech, and a representative of the local bike store coalition the book. All three said they wanted to buy a copy.

If you're planning a trip to Arizona, and plan to do a bit of biking while you're out there, this is the book to have. In depth and accurate, you won't be sorry!

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