Bicycling mag any good?

[Burke Gilman]

One case in point: Three years ago I purchased a new road bike. After
purchasing the bike, I noticed an article about the bike published by
Bicycling. I'd previously evaluated the bike myself--by riding it, by
measuring the frame specs in my own shop, and by contacting the
manufacturer for information about its materials selection and other
design criteria.

My measurements fit the manufacturer's published specs. Moreover,
details on tubing selection provided by the manufacturer helped
distinguish the bike from others from the same maker. Now my point
about Bicycling is this: There was little correlation between the
actual specifications of the bicycle and those published by Bicycling.

I concluded that Bicycling simply guessed at the specs for the bike,
thereby saving the time required to responsibly assess the bike.
Although the Bicycling review was quite "fluffy" and favorable, it was
no less a bundle of guesswork and misinformation. Such a publication
may pass for entertainment marketable to the armchair enthusiast, but
in my view it is only a worthless distraction.

IMO, the best single source of info is right here.

BG

 

[[email protected]]

the mag is best read at the local library, a sub tends to amuse age
10-12
if you want to get a grip on bikemag journalism, read several issues of
Backpacker also from Rodale
i'm not knocking bikemag's effort which is ok but maybe not intended
for adults of normal intelligence
as constant reading - like the man sez -the effort is recycled.
i liked it more with the page bottom liner notes

 

[bfd]

Art replied:

<but Rivendell is NOT the place to catch up on the latest
equipment trends which is what the OP is looking for. >

I disagree. Rivendell has been leading the charge on a variety of
equipment! For example, Rivendell has been on front leading the
revival of 650B (584mm) wheels. Through its newly formed relationship
with QBP, arguably one of the largest bicycle distributor in the US,
any bicycle shop in the US can get a Rivendell-designed frame that uses
650B wheels. Further, rims, tires and complete wheelsets are, or at
least will be, available thru QBP.

Need more? How about the revival of CENTERPULL BRAKES. Yup, Riv is
leading the charge of bringing back those same brakes that dominate
bikes back in the 60s and 70s are now all the rage! Using them first on
their own bikes - Saluki, Glorius and Wilbury. Centerpull brakes are
now beginning to be found on many custom bikes from builders like
Hampsten (Cycle Tournesol), Goodrich, and many others.

Moreover, Riv is leading the charge with its "mixte" framesets. Yup,
those "women" bikes from the 60s/70s are back. Fancy, dancy lugs,
lightweight tubing, and designed for, you guessed it, CENTERPULL
BRAKES, if you got the dough, Riv's got the bike for you!

So, new wheels (including rims and tires), frames, brakes, who leads
the "latest" cycling equipment trends?

 

[[email protected]]

"bfd" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I disagree.

I think I will subscribe to Rivendell Reader

 

[Dave Larrington]

In article <[email protected]>, bfd
([email protected]) wrote:
> Art replied:
>
> <but Rivendell is NOT the place to catch up on the latest
> equipment trends which is what the OP is looking for. >
>
> I disagree. Rivendell has been leading the charge on a variety of
> equipment! For example, Rivendell has been on front leading the
> revival of 650B (584mm) wheels. Through its newly formed relationship
> with QBP, arguably one of the largest bicycle distributor in the US,
> any bicycle shop in the US can get a Rivendell-designed frame that uses
> 650B wheels. Further, rims, tires and complete wheelsets are, or at
> least will be, available thru QBP.
>
> Need more? How about the revival of CENTERPULL BRAKES. Yup, Riv is
> leading the charge of bringing back those same brakes that dominate
> bikes back in the 60s and 70s are now all the rage! Using them first on
> their own bikes - Saluki, Glorius and Wilbury. Centerpull brakes are
> now beginning to be found on many custom bikes from builders like
> Hampsten (Cycle Tournesol), Goodrich, and many others.
>
> Moreover, Riv is leading the charge with its "mixte" framesets. Yup,
> those "women" bikes from the 60s/70s are back. Fancy, dancy lugs,
> lightweight tubing, and designed for, you guessed it, CENTERPULL
> BRAKES, if you got the dough, Riv's got the bike for you!

And the above are examples of Good Things why?

--
Confused of E17

 

[CharlesM]

"Wes" <[email protected]> wrote in news:1146596648.744353.125490
@g10g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

> So what bicycling magazines do you read?
>

You might try C Plus , a British cycling mag, if you can find it
(try Borders). Current issue covers commuting. Other issues have covered
touring, racing, etc. There is also a section on repairs, suggested day
trips, and so on.

CMM

 

[CharlesM]

CharlesM <[email protected]> wrote in news:Xns97B95097046B9cmmgeisl@
140.99.99.138:

> "Wes" <[email protected]> wrote in news:1146596648.744353.125490
> @g10g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:
>
>> So what bicycling magazines do you read?
>>
>
> You might try C Plus , a British cycling mag, if you can find it
> (try Borders). Current issue covers commuting. Other issues have covered
> touring, racing, etc. There is also a section on repairs, suggested day
> trips, and so on.
>
> CMM
>

Oops. Make that Cycling Plus (I must be thinking about computer compilers).
I
just noticed another poster had already suggested Cycling Plus.

 

[Donald Gillies]

A magazine must be more valuable to me than the subscription price
PLUS the chance that I get anthrax into my home by opening another
piece of mail. At $5.99 a year, Bicycling still isn't worth it !!

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

 

[Donald Gillies]

[email protected] writes:

>Long time OUT of bicycling
>Any other rags to consider?

CyclingPlus+ from the UK reminds me strongly of Bicycling Magazine
from the 1970's. They never go quite as deep technically as Frank
Berto or Richard Jow did on derailleurs or fork trail, but they do
their darndest to appeal to cyclists of all ages and persuasions
(retro to carbon .. racer, commmuter, and world tourist.) They do
in-depth articles on new (and old) widgets. If Bicycling spends one
page on something they act like they're making you a gift!

Bicycling Magazine:
98% Poseur Content, Guaranteed !!

CyclingPlus+
100% Poseur-Free !!


- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

 

[[email protected]]

[email protected] (Donald Gillies) wrote:

>A magazine must be more valuable to me than the subscription price
>PLUS the chance that I get anthrax into my home by opening another
>piece of mail. At $5.99 a year, Bicycling still isn't worth it !!

Agree

Boy...sure seems like there is a good market for a GOOD
bicycling mag for the masses

Wonder why someone hasn't seized that opportunity?

 

[Ozark Bicycle]

[email protected] wrote:

<snipped>

>
> Boy...sure seems like there is a good market for a GOOD
> bicycling mag for the masses
>
> Wonder why someone hasn't seized that opportunity?

Perhaps it's because a magazine that serves it's readership (in this
case, cyclists) well by being honest and informative (e.g., "The
HypeOmatic Buzzbuster bar plugs do *nothing*, save your money".) will
be of little or no interest to the manufactureers/advertisers. They
want their propaganda delivered to your home thinly disguised as
"special interest publication".

Of course, there is the model of a magazine that accepts no advertising
and is supported by subscribers and newstand sales. How many of us
would be willing to spend $4-5 (or more) an issue for such a magazine?
Enough to make such a magazine viable?