It's a fun manga to read, nothing new or original, just a weird main char that finds his calling and a straight road to becoming the best, still, chars are somewhat interesting and is often quite funny. I recommend watching the anime first thou, if you like it give the manga a try.
Also, be warned the ending is not good at all and probably will be disappointing, it pretty much looks like that either the magazine publishing pulled the plug and the author had to wrap it up in a few chapters or the mangaka got bored resulting in the same thing.

... Last updated on August 14th, 2016, 11:36pm

I enjoyed reading it but the drama got too intense for my liking so I dropped it.

As a sports manga it is a good read, though.

... Last updated on January 20th, 2014, 3:01pm

Nice sports manga, probably more realistic than most (but then what do I know about road racing).
But I think it kind of becomes a martial arts manga with the martial arts swapped by cycling.

I honestly love this. IMHO one of the best sports manga ever. It may not be a classic like Slam Dunk, or ever be as popular as sports/gag manga like Eyeshield 21, but this is a perfect underdog story, with great moments of humour and raw emotion. This manga has an atmosphere which really pulls you in and makes you feel for Mikoto as he grows into the man we know he will eventually become - I'm just incredibly happy to be along for the ride

... Last updated on April 3rd, 2013, 8:44am

Crinale: It gets better. You do have to do some plowing though. The last third is actually pretty good, because it focuses on people who are actually already decent cyclers, and therefore suspension of disbelief is made easier than the first few chapters, where Shinozaki is an inept doof yet somehow achieves shining brilliance and full-page moments. The amount of those go down (gradually) as the manga proceeds.

For myself, I quite enjoyed it. It takes a lot of suspension of disbelief, like I said, in the earlier chapters, but later on it rather grew on me. It's not really much of a rival to the classic shounen sports mangas, though.

Shinozaki is adorable.
Over Drive is a good read.
Yes, there is the harsh reality of the unrealism of sections of the story;
The way Shinozaki develops his initial passion through persuasion from his female interest.
However, there was a moment where the author revealed some background information on Shinozaki, of his love for bicycles, from his childhood.
My personal desire is for Yasuda sensei to tap more into depth with the reason of Shinozaki's passion for riding.
Speaking about realism, is there a manga out there that portrays the same life experience of one particular individual?
Is there even a manga out there that does not have any imagination, creativity or the more failed attempts (as we call them), the ones that go down drains; unrealism?
If so, then I really don't understand why you can't just sit on the sides of the streets and observe realism.
Follow up with an acquaintance every moment you are able to about every second of their lives.
Stay close to them and listen in to their private lives.
Look at them through windows, hiding behind bushes and observe till your heart's content.
Just be sure that everything comes with a price.
Childish sounding as it may be, reality has proven to us that cases involving such suspicious activities is what makes up some of genuine society today.

I personally prefer manga.

Give Over Drive a chance if you're not devoting your life into seeking realism.

... Last updated on May 6th, 2010, 5:39am

Sure the lead character is overwhelmingly ignorant about almost everything.

But what makes it great is there's the character growth, rivalry, and inspiring push-past-your-limits kind of development. And it's all about bicycling with only a hint of possible romance (realistic, none of that lovey-dovey ecchi crap) topped off with a good dollop of humor.

i started reading this because i've developed an interest in cycling and what better way to learn than through the power of shounen sports manga. i've gone through 2 volumes of it (read 1, skimmed through most of the second) and it makes me want to puke due to the unbearable way the story unfolds.

yes, i understand that shounen manga, especially sports ones, follow a cliched introductory trajectory (happenstance introduction to a sport, meeting a talented rival/senior, discovery of innate talent) but man, this takes the turd for heavy-handed handling of an improbable premise that it takes out all the enjoyment from it. that same idiotic mindset that gets shinozaki into cycling is applied over and over again turns the whole thing into a train wreck. it's fine to have a passion, but there's not authenticity to it. i'm just not convinced someone like shinozaki would dive head first and so deep into something introduced to him by a girl he sorta liked, for a selfish reason.

i just can't stand it anymore. that's just a shame because i'm interested in the subject, but the whole thing comes across as a hack. i'd like to continue reading it if somebody told me it gets through this terrible early phase.

i first watch the anime because i was bored but found it my liking. Interesting characters, some might say that the protagonist is weak but that is just who he is and hes not a total wimp and as the stories goes he does grows with it

1) It's only on chapter 15 so far, and trust me, NO ONE is in love with him yet. There's one girl that somewhat cares about him so far...but that's it.
2) Why does everyone keep saying he's an idiot? Because he never gives up? Sorry, not getting you.

Basically, a very comedic sports manga about willpower, I liked it.