The No-Drop Zone contains all the information necessary for new cyclists to gain the knowledge and skills to take them from buying their first bicycle to starting their first race. Cyclists learn how to handle the bike, perform minor maintenance, select clothing and accessories, join clubs, and find events. The book also covers every aspect of riding in a group, emphasizing such specific skills as how to avoid bumping into other riders when riding in close quarters and fixing a flat quickly enough to rejoin the group. Author Patrick Brady explores the particular pleasures that come from group riding, a unique experience at once social (talking with friends while riding), exciting (descending in a group), and exhilarating (finishing a long hill). Brady also details the enormous fitness benefits of riding in a group. The No-Drop Zone has all the knowledge a cyclist needs to move to that next level of skill.