Customer Reviews

Tour De France For Dummies

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4 star:		(2)
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2 star:		(1)
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Yes, there's a Dummies title for just about everything. And since we're now in the 3rd week of the Tour de France, I figured it was about time to finish up Tour de France For Dummies by Phil Liggett, James Raia, and Sammarye Lewis. And yes, I learned quite a bit.

Content:
Part 1 - A Bicycle Race Unlike Any Other: Answering All Your Tour Questions; Understanding the Tour de France Race Routes; The Races within the Race
Part 2 - How the Race Is Run and Won: It's All about the Team; More Tour Rules Than You Ever Wanted to Know; Understanding Race Strategies
Part 3 - Loving the Ride - A Man and His Bike: Who Are These Guys and How Do They Do It?; Spending a Day in the Life of a Rider; Having the Best Equipment in the Bunch
Part 4 - Watching the Race: Perfecting the Art of Spectating from Home; Going to the Tour - A Brief Guide
Part 5 - The Part of Tens: Ten Greatest Riders in Tour History; The Ten Most Important Tours in History; Ten Unique Tour de France Statistics; Ten Dramatic Tour de France Moments; Ten Great Tour Climbs and Mountaintops; Ten Other Important Races; Glossary; Index

Let's set expectations... I ride a bike maybe a couple times a year, and strictly for recreation. Like many other Americans, I became interested in the sport and the Tour through Lance Armstrong's story. I'd like to think I'm moderately educated on how the Tour works, the different jerseys, a bit of the strategy, and so forth. But when it comes to understanding how riders are picked, the logistics for running the team for three weeks, and how the team cars work, I'm lost. This book really helped clear that up. In a very understandable and readable format, Liggett, Raia, and Lewis take you from the very basics (like jersey colors) through tactics and history. At worst, you'll come away knowing about the peleton and the maillot jaune. But in all likelihood, you'll finish with a much greater and deeper appreciation for what these supreme athletes go through to just finish the Tour, much less compete to win. It's rather awe-inspiring...

The only complaint I have about the book is fairly minor, but it really started to get on my nerves after awhile. The editing of the book is a bit uneven. I don't know if it's due to trying to blend three authors into a single volume or if it was a rush job to get it out before the event. For instance, if a new French word is introduced, like musette (feedbag), I don't need the word musette (feedbag) explained to me every time it occurs. The first time I learn about the domestique going back to get musettes (feedbags) for everyone on the team, that's fine. After that, I should probably know what musette (feedbag) means. Let it go! Same thing with the Discovery Team (formerly the US Postal Service Team). I can make that translation myself after the first five times. And if you say US Postal Service Team (now the Discovery Team), I'm guessing I could have figured that out.

So, if you're still a bit confused about all the hoopla during three weeks in July, this book will definitely clear it up for you. If you're an experienced rider, you may still pick up a few factoids you didn't know.... A good read.

Even as a avid follower of the Tour and Bicycle racing for that matter, this book gave me insights about the Tour and Bicycle racing, that I guess would make it really a book not just for Dummies!
It was just plain fun to read this well research guide to a different world!

This book was well organized and very readable. I read it preceeding the Tour and even tho I've watched the Tour for several years now I still learned some things I didn't know before. I probably will read it again next year as it's one of those books where you seem to be able to pick up something each time you read it. This book has enhanced my enjoyment of the Tour.

Phil Liggett, one of the most knowledgeable cycling commentators in the business, breaks it down for both the novice TdF viewer as well as providing nuggets for the annual viewer. You'll enjoy the upcoming race from July 2 - 24, 2011 on Versus more (with Bob Roll and Paul Sherwin) having read this book and keeping it along side you for reference.

This is a book that once you start reading is impossible to put down. I finished reading it in one whole day; it gave me all the information I always want it and could not get in anywhere else. I am very pleased with this purchase.

This is an excellent book for new viewers of the Tour de France. I had to scratch my head when I first watched the race, but this book is a great guide to read when you have a question about why they do things the way they do in the Tour. One of the authors, Phil Leggett, is one of the commentators for the Tour and a very knowledgable one at that. The book is written in an easy to understand manner. After watching the Tour for several years now, I still have to flip through the book to learn something new or refresh my memory.

This book covers the fundamentals of the tour. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in watching the tour, on TV and especially if you plan to travel to France to watch it live.

At this writing, October 2005, the book is still hot off the press and very current. If you're interested in the Tour, this book is for you because it covers and explains pretty much every aspect of the event.

this book is amaterurishly written and edited and poorly final-proofed. organization is helter skelter. biggest complaint is way too much fluff. in fact, the book is mostly fluff. very little on scoring and strategy other than the obvious qualitative stuff. hotels. how the riders get on the bus. did you really want to know the secrets of the podium girls? well there aren't any. but the writers seem to think you want to know that. maybe you do.

a MUCH better source for everything technical about the Tour is in Wikipedia. save your money and shelf space and look it up.

Interesting, helpful and well presented. Easy to access answers to questions.