Cycling World magazine

[John Holiday]

I recently renewed my subscription to this magazine, but have heard nothing since.
Their phone number seems permanently engaged.
Does anyone know what is or has happened?

[Cunobelin]

If the same Company (and I am reasonably sure that it is),it was dissolved in February 2016

[MLJ]

Facebook shows a continuation of Cycling World magazine
https://view.joomag.com/cycling-world-m ... 1504795920
Maybe contacting the publisher will bring some clarity?

[steady eddy]

I haven't seen it on sale for months. A sad loss even if the most recent version was a poor shadow of the old newspaper style one from years ago.

[AndyK]

They keep emailing and phoning me to try to get me to advertise, most recently about 3 weeks ago, so they were still in business then. The magazine has changed ownership at least once in the last few years and is currently produced by CPL Media.

You can see the December issue online here: https://issuu.com/cyclingworld5/docs/cw_december_issue . Personally I cannot imagine paying money for this assortment of advertorial and cut-and-pasted press releases, but that's just me.

[MLJ]

CPL Media (Colin Woolley) took over publication of Cycling World in April, 2004. Prior to that it had been owned since its inception by Stone Leisure (Bob Griffiths). Originally it contained articles written by cyclists, most of whom were not full time journalists. Eventually, and more recently, the owner avoided paying for copy by publishing mainly advertorials, ie those provided free by the advertisers to enhance their businesses. At all times since it changed ownership it struggled financially. Quite often printing was withheld until the previous month's bills had been paid, so its publication dates were rather erratic. I believe that it began publication because at that time Bob Griffiths was involved with Motor Home Monthly and this seemed to be a complementary magazine as so many motorhome owners used bicycles.

[steady eddy]

Why would you buy this if you can read the December 2017 issue for free on line?
Too much "paid for" content for my liking.

[RickH]

Why would you buy this if you can read the December 2017 issue for free on line?
Too much "paid for" content for my liking.

It would depend, at least in part, on whether the "free" version is a cut down version of the paid for copy or the full thing.

[steady eddy]

The link seemed to take me to a complete copy of the December edition!

[ebor62]

In October 2016 they had a stand at the Birmingham Cycle Show. I paid a years subscription as they gave me a decent cycle helmet. I received about three issues, then no more. I tried to chase them up, but got nowhere. I was surprised to see they had a stand at this years show. When confronted they said distributor had not sent out copies and when he folded, they found his warehouse full of all the magazines. I declined to renew until they had sent me the back issues or a refund. Of course I have had neither. I was given a personal contact email but didn't bother as I did not believe what I was been told.

[John Holiday]

All rather puzzling!
In today’s post arrived a September edition of the magazine with a Complements slip from' Nichole'!
Still haven't been able to contact by phone, but appears slightly more optimistic?

[robgul]

If it's any consolation I'm still waiting for the final 3 issues of my annual subscription from SIX YEARS AGO.

The whole outfit seems fly-by-night to me - AVOID

Rob

[PaulB]

It's a sad situation regarding "Cycling World". I have copies going back to the '80s and had quite a few articles published in it over a few years. It was a magazine aimed at and written by touring cyclists who submitted copy for the pleasure of it and were not paid. The quality of paper used was poor - some of my copies are turning yellow - and some of the material would have benefited from some editing but it was a good read and filled a niche that is no longer catered for.

More recent issues - when available - were mostly 'advertorial' and the covers followed the style of 'Lycra warriors'. There is now no cycling magazine aimed squarely at leisure riders. All the cycling publications on the shelves of WHS look the same and contain training plans for sportives and reviews of carbon fibre machines costing thousands of pounds. Maybe there just isn't the market for a magazine that ignores the more sporting side of cycling.

[steady eddy]

Perhaps the problem is more that there is insufficient advertising in the touring market to support such a magazine, although in Germany they have 3 excellent specialised cycle touring magazines.

[Richard Fairhurst]

Premium magazines can work without advertising, even on the news-stand. Narrowboat (sister magazine to Waterways World, which I used to edit) has been running successfully along those lines since 2006. It's £5.99 an issue, so significantly more expensive than an ad-supported title.