Disappointed with Cycling Active magazine's new style of concentrating on serious road bikes?

[Smokin Joe]

Road tests of bicycles are worthless rubbish, based soley on what side of bed the reviewer got out of, if he likes the colour and how much the manufacturer spends on advertising in that particular magazine. The frame aside (And most of those are generic) different groupsets, wheels, tyres and the rest perform the same no matter what bike they are fitted, unlike the automotive world where virtually all the major mechanical components are specific to the vehicle they are designed for. We don't need to be told how slick and positive the 105 gearshift is on the latest model Flashbike because it is exactly the same as the one fitted to last years Flashbike, and to every other bike on the planet fitted with the same groupset.

 

[Hyslop]

BTW if you are Surrey libraries member you get access to Zimio - an online/app magazine service and you can read Cycling Active, Cycling Plus and Cyclist for free. Oh and for me, Rugby World and SFX as well

Good point,same here in Cumbria.

 

[Hip Priest]

I tend to avoid cycling mags. Mainly because they tell me that the wheels I spent a considerable amount of money on, and which I've been racing on all season, are "As heavy as you'd expect at this price point, but robust. Ideal for the winter bike."

 

[Smokin Joe]

I tend to avoid cycling mags. Mainly because they tell me that the wheels I spent a considerable amount of money on, and which I've been racing on all season, are "As heavy as you'd expect at this price point, but robust. Ideal for the winter bike."

Their aim seems to be to make you feel inadequate if your bike costs less than a new Ford Fiesta.

 

[StuAff]

I can see the potential readership for Audaxing Curmudgeon Monthly is pretty large. Whether you tight-fisted lot would actually buy it.......

 

[Bollo]

I can see the potential readership for Audaxing Curmudgeon Monthly is pretty large. Whether you tight-fisted lot would actually buy it.......

Chris Juden is available.

 

[Pikey]

Actually, when cycling was very much a minority geek sport magazines were far better quality than they are today. They wrote informed articles covering all aspects of the sport rather than just trotting out a never ending stream of product reviews as they do now. They are aimed squarely at the "New breed", people with high disposable income who want all the latest bling kit to be fashionable before they disappear into the distance when cycling becomes, "so last year, dahling".

So I'm a miserable old git, I'm comfortable with that.

I really, really can't wait for it to be 'so last year dahling.

If I get another podgy accountant, probably called Roy, who has sold his Calloways a week ago to get the next big bike, force advice on me about 'what I really need to do / eat / wear / buy to go faster which is just recycled cr@p from the latest fashionable magazine trotted out brainlessly verbatim like he is a sports guru I'll be making pies like Sweeney Todd for months to come.

I just needed to get that off my chest .

 

[Pikey]

It just wouldn't be a cycling magazine thread if it didn't have people moaning about them now, would it? I have a vision for my own magazine: 'Audaxing Curmudgeon Monthly'. Packed full of articles about how bus shelters are much better accommodation than Travelodges, why these newfangled STI levers and 9 speed drivetrains are just a flash in the pan, and how to make that 30-year old Carradice look just like a 25-year old one.

Is it so wrong that I am sub fifty years old and this sounds like a utopian publication???


I envisage it would smell of pipe tobacco rather than magazine gloss with free bumper review booklets for all the different mounting brackets and dynamos available.

 

[NickWi]

Somebody has to be brave enough to mention this, so here goes.
Cycling World Magazine

Very touring oriented, a bit quirky and rather heavy on the advert content, but it preaches to a broad church and covers some diverse topics.

 

[littlee]

Totally agree with the OP. I have subscribed to cycling active for a couple of years and the new format isnt too endearing. Will be looking elsewhere when subscription runs out.

Some interesting suggestions on magazines though

 

[martint235]

I bought Cyclist yesterday. Content seems good but the font is c**p so I'm struggling to read it even with my glasses. As it cost a fiver I intend to persevere though

 

[John the Monkey]

Is it so wrong that I am sub fifty years old and this sounds like a utopian publication???


I envisage it would smell of pipe tobacco rather than magazine gloss with free bumper review booklets for all the different mounting brackets and dynamos available.

Free! Cotton Duck key fob for every reader!

 

[Winnershsaint]

The problem is with cycling it is such a broad church you are never going to please all cyclists all of the time so I think magazines reflect this. Audax Curmudgeon Monthly sound like a great idea mind you! FWIW I have finally got round to cancelling C+ subscription as last month's mag was just plain bollocks. I like the Cyclist and swap that with neighbour for Pro-Cycling. Only ever bought Cycling Active once, it was garbage. BTW never played golf, but only started riding again 5 years ago and am seriously into bike porn.
https://www.cyclechat.net/attachments/imag0233-1-jpg.101803/

 

[User16625]

What's a 'serious' road bike?

Somethin like this:

Have no idea what a sarcastic bike would look like tho.

 

[RegG]

I bought a copy of Cycling Active on Monday from Smiths (they had reduced the price to £3.75 probably because the new edition is out today) but I doubt I will get another copy, mainly for many of the reasons quoted in earlier posts. As a relative newbie to cycling (again) I would have liked a mag that features items that help newbies like myself such as basic maintainance, choosing bikes (not the top of the range, expensive kit), routes suitable for all ages and abilities etc.

I will continue to look things up on line and keep a regular eye on this great forum! The magazines can stay on the shelf!