The Rider

Tim Krabbé is one of Holland's leading writers. He is also a cycling (and chess) enthusiast. In The Rider he has created a book unique in the ranks of sporting literature, and probably elsewhere. Already acclaimed as a cycling classic, this translation from the original Dutch serves not only to evoke the endeavour and exhaustive struggle of road racing, but also inspires as a study into the workings of the human mind, from the context of a racing cyclist. The narrative is driven by an analysis equal parts psychological and philosophical, strategic and surreal. The reader might feel that Krabbé is presenting the race or the rider as a metaphor for life in general, but the author might argue that it is more than that as he brings the ecstasy and the agony of the race, and the descriptions of his fellow competitors, to such a prominent position that all else is somehow of little significance. Perhaps Krabbé's real point is that only the rider can truly understand what makes the feelings engendered by the race so vital. For the rest of us, his description might be the nearest we get. Nevertheless, The Rider stands as a masterpiece, and alone of its kind. The feelings experienced by the actors of endurance sports have never been so well captured, nor the power and the pain of cycle racing captured in such a cerebral yet compelling manner.--Trevor Crowe

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Crisp and focused... - Rated
This is an `inside the head of the cyclist' account of a 1970's amateur, 150 kilometer cycle race in France. Only 148 pages, the novella is not written in chapters but broken down into kilometres travelled. This is effective in terms of conveying the unbroken nature of the race. The writing is sparse and pared down; in places it felt as hard and real as a bicycle saddle. This clean, efficient prose helps to convey the clinical sense of competition amongst the racers. It brings a strong sense of realism but perhaps at the expense of warmth and emotion. I felt I understood the characters but I didn't form any lasting connection to them. The Rider doesn't try to be something it isn't - its main aim is to give the reader an 'in-situ' 150 kilometre saddle-ride, and it achieves this. Without question, The Rider works as a specific, cult piece of work.

One of the very best - Rated
One of the very best book on cycling. A race seen from inside by a great amateur rider. A must read for racers and cyclotourists.

How it Should be Done - Rated
I read this book a long time ago but it remains in my mind as one of the best books about how it feels to ride a bike. Cyclists will recognise this instantly when they start to read this wonderful little book, but from the reviews, clearly it works on other levels as well. I'd also recommend Matt Seaton's book "The Escape Artist".

The perfect miniature - Rated
This book isn't long. It has about as many pages as there are kilometers in the mythical Tour de Mont Aigoual, so if you're a fast reader you could probably finish it in about the same time that it takes Krabbe, Reilhan, Barthelemy et al to cycle the course. How's that for realism? The book describes a race in which the author, himself a passionate racing cyclist, is participating. In between sections of commentary on this particular race we are treated to snippets of cycling history and folklore, of Krabbe's earlier sporting career, and of the flights of fantasy and philosophizing that pop unbidden into the mind of the weary rider as he pushes down one pedal after the other. This makes for a great deal of variety in such a slim volume that tells the story of just one race. No wonder this book has become a classic. The hopes, doubts, fears, joys and disappointments of the endurance athlete are all there. This book will appeal mostly but not exclusively to those interested in road racing and other endurance sports. I believe it can be enjoyed by anyone, with or without knowledge of cycling tactics and technicalities. I challenge you to read it without feeling an ache in your legs.

Perfect - Rated
What a book! This is my first review for anything, but I just had to tell all that this book is perfect - I am not a serious cyclist (manage to cycle once a week if I'm lucky) and you don't have to be because this is not just a cycling book, it's a story book and so well written - the one small problem is that I finished to quickly, although this gives me extra time to read it again and again and again and....