Bad day - venting my ire at Cycling Plus!

[Shortandcrisp]

Ok, so yesterday was a bad day.

Can't go into details about what I'm up to at the moment cos it's top secret. Anyhow, come in at 2pm they said. Arrived, hung about for 45 mins and then told I was no longer needed. I've had nearly two weeks of similar stuff. Blood's boiling!

Decided to buy a copy of Cycling Plus to appease my rising spleen on the train journey home. Wish I hadn't.

Some bloke reviewing 12 bikes for under a thousand quid and having the gall to say he could find no end of subtle and nuanced differences between each and everyone of them. Bet a pound to a penny that, if it were possible to ride a bike blindfolded, this bloke wouldn't be able to tell his Canyon from his Btwin. My review would read something like: ' Yep, they all seem ok to me. Can't really tell one from t'other. Just buy the one you find the prettiest, or the one that costs less.' Not sure that'd sell much copy though.

Then the price of stuff! Not just wheels but even fecking shoes and pumps for almost as much as I'd spend on a second hand bike.

To cap it all, near the back, some Doctor telling me to 'Visualise Success' ffs!

Rant over. Bad day. To old for all that nonsense. I'll retire gracefully from the field and carry on riding me bike.

 

[AndyRM]

I find "Cyclist" a more enjoyable read than Cycling Plus. Certainly has more varied articles and doesn't seem solely driven by advertising.

 

[User6179]

Did one of the bikes climb effortlessly while others were a bit sluggish on hills ?

 

[S-Express]

Some bloke reviewing 12 bikes for under a thousand quid and having the gall to say he could find no end of subtle and nuanced differences between each and everyone of them. Bet a pound to a penny that, if it were possible to ride a bike blindfolded, this bloke wouldn't be able to tell his Canyon from his Btwin. My review would read something like: ' Yep, they all seem ok to me. Can't really tell one from t'other. Just buy the one you find the prettiest, or the one that costs less.' Not sure that'd sell much copy though.

Completely agree. Sadly, when journos are given wordcount targets and deadlines, this is what happens.

 

[S-Express]

Did one of the bikes climb effortlessly while others were a bit sluggish on hills ?

I think one of them "surged forward with every turn of the pedals, willing the rider to go faster"...

 

[AndyRM]

I think one of them "surged forward with every turn of the pedals, willing the rider to go faster"...

I bet it had lateral stiffness and vertical compliance too.

 

[Dogtrousers]

And I expect the carbon fork does a good job soaking up the road buzz

 

[AndyRM]

One of them was probably let down by a disappointing set of wheels, even at this price point.

 

[ianrauk]

How did the 'Cockpit's' fare?

 

[Crackle]

Every bike I've ridden had different characteristics. That said, a lot of these reviews seem to be filled with more than a bit of guff.

 

[Lonestar]

Stopped buying Cycling Plus ages ago.

 

[MikeG]

Imagine you work for a cycling magazine. Imagine you had to review half a dozen bikes every month. Every month. Month after month after month. Imagine trying to come up with something interesting to say, and to say it without resorting to cliche (sorry, no accents). Imagine doing all this whilst paid a pittance, and with the worry of wondering how you are going to pay off that massive student loan which got you through your English and Journalism course at university. Personally, I pity the poor buggers who have to churn out this drivel........

 

[mjr]

Try some stories http://www.bicycletraveler.bicyclingaroundtheworld.nl/

 

[Smokin Joe]

Not forgetting the bike that comes out top will (By pure coincidence of course) be sold by their most prolific advertiser.

 

[Banjo]

All the cycling mags are a waste of good cake money IMHO.
They don't help beginners in any meaningfull way and experienced cyclists can recognise bullshit and hype when they see it.