Cycle mag

Cyril Haearn
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Re: CTC Gazette

Post by Cyril Haearn »

One does wonder which School of Journalism mr joyce attended. He made some queer photo choices in the article about fixed-wheel cycles, (feb 2020), one photo with the riders head 'cut off' was used twice :? , and a very similar photo of the machine without a rider appeared on the same spread
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Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
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Jdsk
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Re: Cycle mag

Post by Jdsk »

Is Skitt's Law in play?

Jonathan
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Mick F
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Re: Cycle mag

Post by Mick F »

Philip Benstead wrote: 12 Feb 2021, 5:27pm The magazine has IMHO been going downhill for years rather poor in content for quite some time, being used as a marketing tool instead of information provider or frank exchange of views.
I agree, and I stopped my mag arriving a few months back.
I would flip though it, and then chuck it in the recycling, so it was pointless CUK sending it out to me.
Mick F. Cornwall
mattsccm
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Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Cycle mag

Post by mattsccm »

That reply to a reply to a reply on page 3 says it all. That's one persons view of an ordinary cyclist. But not to me. I know of a few commuters including me but we don't wear our civies. We wear lycra as its more comfortable and my 10 miles of mud each way as well as tarmac is the shortest of all the commutes I know. 200 quid bikes have no interest. That's recycle shop material. Highway code, access, commuting, anything to do with kids or families have no interest either.
My point is that you can't please everyone. If you see the mag as the mouthpiece of a campaigning group then it may do but as the mouthpiece of the CTC it's nowt special. Which is why I stopped it.
rogerzilla
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Joined: 9 Jun 2008, 8:06pm

Re: Cycle mag

Post by rogerzilla »

It was a great magazine about 15 years back. Cycling Plus had gone all MAMIL, £10k bikes and wall-to-wall sportives, and the other mags were basically racing news or MTB. Cycle was about the only mag catering for keen cyclists who rode but didn't race (or pretend to race). I read it cover-to-cover.

Now it seems aimed at getting people on bikes (even e-bikes) and is very dumbed-down. CJ leaving didn't help one bit. Are the target audience for this stuff already members, though? I doubt it, and as a membership magazine it needs to accept that it's preaching to the already-converted.

Anyway, I usually scan it in 5 mins, then it goes in the recycling.
Ivan
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Joined: 4 May 2008, 2:59pm

Re: Cycle mag

Post by Ivan »

I have to admit I found great interest in the interwar touring article and the accompanying photos. In no circumstance am I supporting what happened, I'm just saying it was interesting for me to read an article with hindsight, reflecting the moment and written without the perspective of hindsight.
markjohnobrien
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Joined: 4 Oct 2007, 8:15pm

Re: Cycle mag

Post by markjohnobrien »

rogerzilla wrote: 12 Apr 2021, 8:48pm It was a great magazine about 15 years back. Cycling Plus had gone all MAMIL, £10k bikes and wall-to-wall sportives, and the other mags were basically racing news or MTB. Cycle was about the only mag catering for keen cyclists who rode but didn't race (or pretend to race). I read it cover-to-cover.

Now it seems aimed at getting people on bikes (even e-bikes) and is very dumbed-down. CJ leaving didn't help one bit. Are the target audience for this stuff already members, though? I doubt it, and as a membership magazine it needs to accept that it's preaching to the already-converted.

Anyway, I usually scan it in 5 mins, then it goes in the recycling.
Agree: it’s gone downhill. The reviews used to be loads better and it’s never been the same since CJ left.

It also used to have greater focus on touring, unsurprisingly, and (being biased) I’d like to see more reviews of touring bikes. Obviously, will not happen.
Raleigh Randonneur 708 (Magura hydraulic brakes); Blue Raleigh Randonneur 708 dynamo; Pearson Compass 631 tourer; Dawes One Down 631 dynamo winter bike;Raleigh Travelogue 708 tourer dynamo; Kona Sutra; Trek 920 disc Sram Force.
KTHSullivan
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Re: Cycle mag

Post by KTHSullivan »

Received my comic today; I make it roughly 46 pages of advertisements to include adds thinly disguised as reviews, approximately 60% if one includes the front and rear covers. Whipping on to page 7 we are treated to the CEO bathing in the reflective glory of an orange roundel proclaiming the 46% increasing in cycling (according to government figures) compared to 2019/2020. If you are reading this Sarah, it’s nothing to do with you or CUK it’s covid. My favourite snippet this month is the in depth 63 word epic about not crossing military firing ranges when they are in use; after that it went for recycling.
Just remember, when you’re over the hill, you begin to pick up speed. :lol:
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Traction_man
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Location: Bangor NI

Re: Cycle mag

Post by Traction_man »

Well I've enjoyed this latest issue, especially the cycle shopper piece and the tents review, something to mull over while having a brew.

There's no cycling mags for the likes of me, I'm not into MTB or sporty stuff, just a regular bloke on bike type, 'leisure cyclist', so the arrival of the cycle mag fills a space for me.

Cheers,

Keith
Rod Goodfellow
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Joined: 22 Aug 2017, 12:02pm

Re: Cycle mag

Post by Rod Goodfellow »

A quick flick through whilst more adverts were on the ITV programme break,then straight to recycling (as last edition). Must remember to cancel subscription when due for renewal in August.I can still remember how I eagerly awaited the magazines arrival when I first joined in 1953,but most good things have to come to an end.
belgiangoth
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Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 4:10pm

Re: Cycle mag

Post by belgiangoth »

~ 10 years ago it was good. Now I don't need 30 mins to skim for sections I'm interested in.

I think a main point they need to consider is that bike reviews have no place in this magazine. If we are getting the magazine we own a bike and if we are thinking of buying a new bike there's the internet that will have much more details and many reviews of the bikes we are interested in. BUT most of us are not shopping for a bike and even those of us who are bike shopping are unlikely to be interested in the bike in the mag - so the bike reviews are 99% pointless to all readers and unlikely to have enough detail for the 1% who would be interested.
If you are going to do bike reviews, then properly look for niche bikes, like laibacks, cargo bikes, long haulers, fat bikes - things that will actually suggest a new and different experience that a reader might be interested in.

If the magazine can claim to be a membership benefit then how can they justify the amount of adverts/advertorials? I recall the mag used to have a valuation of £4 (I think), 29 pages of advertising in 75 pages is just shameful. If this were a small membership organisation who couldn't produce a magazine without the advertising it would be different, but you can't sell this to members as a benefit for £30 a year.

Tents are not for me, but I think that's the sort of short review that makes sense, opening eyes to new ideas.

I would like to see an article on LEL, or PBP, or night rides (Dunwitch Dynamo) or S24 rides - stuff that your standard UK rider could either try or build up to. The magazine needs at least two different and new articles - or it's just not worth it.
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
Mtb tourer
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Joined: 15 Mar 2020, 2:59pm

Re: Cycle mag

Post by Mtb tourer »

Cycling UK does not want us to fly (carbon footprint) , have a look at the back cover advert. Just looking at the pic, think we all need a jeep to follow us around just incase we puncture 🤔. Is it a case of any advert will do to pay the staff.
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RickH
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Re: Cycle mag

Post by RickH »

Mtb tourer wrote: 29 Mar 2022, 8:53am Cycling UK does not want us to fly (carbon footprint) , have a look at the back cover advert. Just looking at the pic, think we all need a jeep to follow us around just incase we puncture 🤔. Is it a case of any advert will do to pay the staff.
I think you are vastly over-thinking things here!
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
AndyK
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Re: Cycle mag

Post by AndyK »

RickH wrote: 1 Apr 2022, 9:50am
Mtb tourer wrote: 29 Mar 2022, 8:53am Cycling UK does not want us to fly (carbon footprint) , have a look at the back cover advert. Just looking at the pic, think we all need a jeep to follow us around just incase we puncture 🤔. Is it a case of any advert will do to pay the staff.
I think you are vastly over-thinking things here!
For those who haven't seen it, it's an advert for a bicycle pump. Repeat, a bicycle pump.

No planes or Jeeps feature in it at all. The advert shows a cyclist in a dry, hot place, and is for Lezyne, a company based in a hot, dry place called San Louis Obispo, California. For all we know, it could be the view outside the CEO's house. It could also, of course, be a scene in Spain (easily reachable by ferry or by tunnel and car).And anyway, the statement "Cycling UK does not want us to fly" is fundamentally incorrect.
Mtb tourer
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Re: Cycle mag

Post by Mtb tourer »

Hi Andy. Every picture tells a story, the advert gives the impression that the pump will save you in the back of beyond. The shadows suggest Photoshop.
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