ITV in with new Cycling Show

[derrick]

It.s getting better.

 

[ianrauk]

it is getting better but need a better place to film rather then LMNH's.
Don't want to see some chump in the background noshing away on a salad whilst watching/listening to an interview.

 

[NotthatJasonKenny]

Twice as long just meant twice the shite. I really want it to get good and I'll keep watching hoping it does but have you noticed...no bike reviews at all yet? Why? Worries about advertising? Break it down it's pretty piss poor featureless up to now.

 

[jonny jeez]

let's have some answers

is a tv show about cycling a goer?
what kind of format might it be?
if it's segments, what might those segments be about?

my view is that if it is done in segments then it might be split four ways
a) beginners - these people can help you explore the countryside, get around town (and, yes, Wayne Hemingway, who is no mean cyclist, did do a decent job)
b) aspirationals - yes, you too can cycle to Paris/JoG
c) expert/competitive - from Audax to Olympics - not really my thing, but with Team GB doing so well there'll never be a better time

Its proper awful, and is getting worse. It doesn't know its audience...or cant decide upon which it should be.

Is it for hardened cyclists (elite and limited) of for those new to cycling (plentiful and fickle) or perhaps for the non cyclist who just likes to be entertained (even more plentiful and even more fickle), Top gear managed to pull one that off well

Once they decide they can gear the programme accordingly.

I personally have very limited knowledge of say Eddie Merckyxzkyz achievements so perhaps a segment on each guest and his/her life life would be interesting (perhaps even a review of his Emx range)...I'm sure a segment on Fisher would have been.

As far as ideas, well...

I have nothing against Alan Davies but at least have a celebrity who doesn't appear as surprised by their appearance on the show as we are.

Shootouts...we need shootouts, how about a few presenters arguing it out over Sram vs Shimano or full susser vs hardtail, ally versus carbon, red lights jumping vs ...er...not red light jumping. Helments or not.

perhaps sex it up with exotic shootouts like Pinarello dogma 2 vs Merckx Emx5..I dont care about how relevant they are to one another...get some sexy shots of sexy bikes

Maybe induct those new to cycling by showing segments dedicated to the varied forms of riding, and the even more varied forms of cycle...make them entertaining and even slightly comical. Put a brompton on an MTB downhill trail or challange riders to climb alpe d'huez on a fixed...or a bent, whilst letting a pro spin up in on a full carbon tool fit for the job

Show something glamorous and aspirational, perhaps ice riding on studs in greenland or MTB super fast downhill skills through the pyrenees perhaps even a segment on the highest paid, most successful sponsored riders in the world and the lifestyle they enjoy...then put them on a courier bike and make them compete against some uber cool courier in jeans and vans.

loose the frumpy kooky and frankly ugly spectators from the cafe, I don't care how real they are they make cycling look like something taken up by misfits and outcasts. They are literally ruining my cred.

Get on location. Get out on a Californian trail to show us how MTB came about and inspire us to want to go there. Go to the Alps, go to Death valley, the Amazon, great wall of china go any-place that isn't dull and rainy.

Take bikes places that we would never be allowed to ride...timetrial's through Bluewater, MTB over the top of the O2, BMX around the Colosseum, relive famous car chases... on bikes through beautiful city locations... fixed racing through the Paris streets following Jason Bournes route or BMX down the San Fran hills al-la Steve MQueen...Who wouldn't want to watch that?

I appreciate they tried some location stuff but it was poorly executed and a waste of opportunity. The short segments that they had on glacial riding for example showed little more than interviews with the presenter before and after the event. not slick shots of the environment that give you a taste of the event (the BBC are masters at this in my view).

oh, and drop the cylemeter challange thing, its pointless and dull and frankly putting the likes of Alan Davies (who will happily admit to being a middle aged infrequent cyclist) up against someone like Keelan Phillips was humiliating...to Phillips.

I'm so disappointed by this missed opportunity.

 

[GlasgowGaryH]

Was good to see a Gary Rhodes lookalike on the show last night. As for the show itself,its something cycling I suppose

 

[Sandra6]

It was on, but I wasn't paying attention - kind of says it all. I pay attention at the wiggle advert!!
I did like the bit when they talked to commuters, and showed you about locking up your bike.

 

[numbnuts]

It's getting better, but it has a long way to go to become entertaining

 

[NotthatJasonKenny]

All good points from Jonny but I don't think they have the budget for more than a few exotic packages like the snow covered mountain biking which seemed to be filmed mostly on go-pro's.

A better format would be:

Welcome from the host, a 2 minute round up of sport events, a package as they are doing now, keep them relevant and general to appeal to cyclists and none cyclist viewers, then a gadget show like shoot off of bikes, reviews of new kit, like Di2 or 2013 models or even the latest helmets?

Then another package, then a guest on the sofa but please make them relevant to cycling and then if we have to have the Star on a reasonably fixed gear bike at least have people on who can genuinely compete with each other so a good leader board gets going!

Easy really!

 

[jonny jeez]

I thought it better to tell them, rather than just bitch about it.

Sent to Rohan Browning MD of Century TV the producers

"Rohan.
You don't know me, which is probably best.
I am a keen cyclist, keener now more than ever. I commute 40 odd miles through London most days, ride at weekends when the wife issues a hall pass and am attempting LEJOG next August in aid of cancer research.I am also very active in the cycle community. I am a long standing member of a large cycle forum and contribute positively to promote cycling.I have published cycle safety guides to help new riders and do all I can to set a positive image of cycling.
I tell you this in the hope that it will somehow qualify my next statement.
THE CYCLE SHOW IS AWFUL...and is getting worse.
There, I've said it.
I know this is hard to read, I know the show represent hours and hours of dedication and effort and I know that, ultimately you will feel some paternal pride towards the show.
But this is tough love my friend.
You see, I want your show to be great, I want it to earn you millions, I want it to set your presenters up for life and for it to attract a huge production budget year on year. I want it to be the oracle of the cycle community, the talk of the water cooler. When people use the phrase" the cycle show" I want it to evoke images of your show, your presenters, your ideas...not foggy drizzly memories of the NEC.
I was so disappointed in the show that i recently took to the keyboard to hammer out my disgust on 'tenternet. In the hope that this somehow helps to add to content I shall reveal below my outburst. (I apologise in advance, its not pretty and its not clever but i do hope it helps to make your show great.)
Press on Fella, you will succeed... I know it!
All the best."

 

[BSRU]

Why when ever they talk about encouraging more cyclists, do they seem to go on about spending huge amounts of money on getting cyclists off the "dangerous" roads onto purpose built cycling infrastructure like the Dutch and wearing helmets.
About time they mention enforcing the laws we already have and having a traffic police presence on our streets.

 

[numbnuts]

One thing I did notice last night was when ever they showed a group of cyclists on the roads they were all wearing helmets there were only a few without I did wonder if this was actual staged

 

[dawesome]

Just awful. Unprofessional, silly and poorly presented, one line "Looks like things have never been better for cyclists!" which is trite and meaningless.

There was some very silly undertaking in the cycling clips, and I couldn't ride on a public road and look into a camera behind me at the same time.

The bloke eating was incredibly annoying. Rubbish programme.

 

[dellzeqq]

I thought Ned Boulting was good, the mix was half decent, the presenter kind of dull and the guest from Rwanda a bit silly. They've got a thing about girly girls. I don't have a problem with the undertaking, and looking back at the camera is fine as long as the person on the front of the motorbike has their wits about them. And they were clear about the distinction between cycling in London and the rest of the country, so, in that respect, the 'never had it so good' comment was justified.

It may get there. It needs time.

 

[Hilldodger]

Glad I turned down the opportunity to take part. They contacted me before christmas about either featuring cyclemagic or me doing some history. They didn't sound very professional back then.

The other episodes, the guy on the BMX, he is a skilled lad, but what was the point in him being on the show, they barely talked to him.
Because he can hardly string an intellegent sentence together.

 

[Rob3rt]

Glad I turned down the opportunity to take part. They contacted me before christmas about either featuring cyclemagic or me doing some history. They didn't sound very professional back then.

The other episodes, the guy on the BMX, he is a skilled lad, but what was the point in him being on the show, they barely talked to him.
Because he can hardly string an intellegent sentence together.

The point re. guests who could not articulate was prevalent throughout my post.

Neither could most of the other guests and the ones that could, weren't given the chance.

If someone can not speak a few coherent sentences, then do not put them on a TV show as a featured guest in a chat/interview based section, simply does it! If he couldn't speak coherently enough for him to interviewed, they had no business having him on the show as a couch guest, it was just awkward and he did not contribute to the show at all (not that the producers actually gave him a chance). They could have just shown one of his short video's and discussed it between themselves.