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The Rider
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By Tim Krabbe
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 (40 Reviews)
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Publisher:
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Bloomsbury USA
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Date:
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June 1, 2002 |
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Binding:
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Hardcover
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Pages:
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160
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A literary sports classic, finally available in the U.S.
Originally published in Holland in 1978, The Rider became an instant cult classic, selling over 100,000 copies. Brilliantly conceived and written at a breakneck pace, it is a loving, imaginative, and, above all, passionate tribute to the art of bicycle road racing.
Not a dry history of the sport, The Rider is beloved as a bicycle odyssey, a literary masterpiece that describes in painstaking detail one 150-kilometer race in a mere 150 pages. We are, every inch of the way, inside amateur biker Tim Krabbé's head as his mind churns at top speed along with his furious peddling. Privy to his every thought-on the glory and vagaries of the sport itself, the weather, the characters and lineage of his rival cyclists, almost hallucinogenic anecdotes about great riders of the past-the book progresses kilometer by kilometer, thought by thought, and the reader is left breathless and exhilarated.
A thrillingly realistic look at what it is like to compete in a road race, The Rider
is the ultimate book for bike lovers as well as the arm-chair sports enthusiast.
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Customers' Reviews:
Add Your Own Review |
 a good read, May 28, 2010
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It's good to be able to distract yourself from the grinding mill of life by reading about your main distraction: cycling. The protagonist is a racer, engaged in a race, with flashbacks to other points in his racing career, and commentary on road race culture. No need to be a racer to understand what "the rider" is talking about, so get a copy and enjoy the reading. You can read it in small spurts or large chunks, depending on your time and preferences. It is a good read, and worth your time and money.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
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Crisp and focused..., January 2, 2010
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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.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
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 Best Bike Racing Book?, November 19, 2009
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The Rider probably is the best-written novel on bike racing, edging out Ralph Hurne's The Yellow Jersey, but that could be damning with faint praise. If you're a fan of bike racing you should enjoy this book, but as a fan of books, I was often frustrated by the fact this this was so close to being utterly brilliant, but somehow fell short. I'm going to assume it is because the work was translated, but perhaps not. Perhaps it is brilliant, and I need to read it again. As it stands I enjoyed this book, and often found myself smiling (Krabbe clearly knows amateur bike racing and isn't faking knowledge the way so many thriller writers do when they botch scenes involving ordnance, for example) but for me the experience never produced the aesthetic moment wherein the story elevated itself to art. Krabbe's style is typically stark, and effective. It would be easy to parody. If you have seen the original version of The Vanishing and the U.S. version than you know how Krabbe's work was somehow dumbed-down for Hollywood. I have a suspicion that is what happened with the translated version of this novel. A good book, but certainly not a great book. For overall cycling enjoyment I'd recommend James Starrs anthology on cycling The Noiseless Tenor. Still, this is vastly superior to anything anyone in the U.S. has produced on bike racing.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
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A must read for any cyclist...0r any non cyclist!, September 15, 2009
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Even though this book takes place way before the advent of power meters and 5 thousand dollar bike frames it's as relevant today as it was in the 70's. A perfect picture of the struggle and triumph that occurs several times over in a bike race and in life. Even if you have never pinned a number to a jersey at 7am and thought "Why do I do this to myself?" as you rolled up to the starting line you will be drawn in. A great story and strong motivation to throw your leg over that top tube and ride into the unknown.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
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Read "The Rider", April 3, 2009
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If you love cycling you will enjoy "The Rider" very much.This gritty realistic story of a one day stage race made me feel a part of the peloton.Cycling is a demanding and dangerous sport.When I daydreamed of becoming a professional cyclist this book reminded me of why that probably wasn't a good idea.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
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