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TobinHatesYou
Posts: 12443
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:02 pm

by TobinHatesYou

AJS914 wrote:
Wed Nov 17, 2021 3:09 pm

I don't really understand the argument. You won't read the "best cycling website bar none" because of an editorial article that was clearly marked editorial?

My only problem with the article is that it's a waste of space devoting an article to calling out a handful of complainers on Twitter or message boards. So what if a few people don't like pictures of women in showers? There will always be complainers about everything especially when they can vent their ideas anonymously. I just roll my eyes every time I see a journalist writing about the natives getting restless on Twitter.

And IMO it's pretty important point out that sort of behavior anywhere whether it's a comments section, Twitter or weight weenies.

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Roel W
Posts: 943
Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2005 9:39 am
Location: Belgium

by Roel W

Is it me or has the quality of Cyclingtips dropped over the last couple of months?
For exemple: The number of picture galleries has been reduced. In the past, they had a nice gallery after every classic race and a few galleries of every grand tour. I know buying pictures from Cor Vos, Kramon,... cost a lot of money.
Another exemple: A lot of articles are entertainment articles: "Top 10 prodcuts I liked this year", how someone makes art of old bike parts....
But articles with information and reviews has dropped: product reviews, long term tests, extensive articles about bikes, frame builders, bottom bracket standards, all about disc brakes,.... those articles had an added value to me, those kind of articles made me learn something but I'm dissappointed over the last couple of months as they have been reduced.

TobinHatesYou
Posts: 12443
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:02 pm

by TobinHatesYou

Roel W wrote:
Tue Nov 30, 2021 10:28 am
Is it me or has the quality of Cyclingtips dropped over the last couple of months?
For exemple: The number of picture galleries has been reduced. In the past, they had a nice gallery after every classic race and a few galleries of every grand tour. I know buying pictures from Cor Vos, Kramon,... cost a lot of money.
Another exemple: A lot of articles are entertainment articles: "Top 10 prodcuts I liked this year", how someone makes art of old bike parts....
But articles with information and reviews has dropped: product reviews, long term tests, extensive articles about bikes, frame builders, bottom bracket standards, all about disc brakes,.... those articles had an added value to me, those kind of articles made me learn something but I'm dissappointed over the last couple of months as they have been reduced.

Products have embargos and it’s the off-season for new product releases. Normally there would be a bunch of indoor training releases in October, but there simply haven’t been any major announcements besides, like, the Elite Rizer. So yeah, it’s time for road silly season stuff and CX stuff until late January.

MichaelB
Posts: 993
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2008 4:31 am

by MichaelB

One of the latest CT article is about balance bikes ..... :unbelievable:

TobinHatesYou
Posts: 12443
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:02 pm

by TobinHatesYou

I’d say getting kids on bikes is a fine way to grow the sport.

It’s not them, it’s you (us.)

stoney
Posts: 474
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:26 am

by stoney

I'm certainly not paying them for the crap they write now.

Maddie
Posts: 1520
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2017 5:44 am

by Maddie

stoney wrote:I'm certainly not paying them for the crap they write now.
Who would get your money then?

TobinHatesYou
Posts: 12443
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:02 pm

by TobinHatesYou

stoney wrote:
Thu Dec 02, 2021 12:15 pm
I'm certainly not paying them for the crap they write now.

So you’re going from not paying to…not paying?

bikeboy1tr
Posts: 1394
Joined: Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:19 am
Location: Southern Ontario Canada

by bikeboy1tr

Haha I havent subscribed to any cycling mags for well since the internet advanced beyond dial up. I dont miss it. Magazines or dial up.
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petromyzon
Posts: 781
Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 4:14 pm

by petromyzon

Hands down my favourite two road cycling websites are CyclingTips and Inner Ring.

The former has a huge range of content so I just don't bother reading what I'm not interested in. I mainly go there for the tech reviews which I think are head and shoulders above the rest of the industry. I agree that it has been quite quiet recently but I think that is due to issues beyond their control. I like the fact that they have writers with distinct voices, and it is one of the only sites left where they are openly critical at times. Their Podcast output is also free of charge and clear about any sponsorship agreements. In particular (for my interests) Nerd Alert is in-depth and seems honest about poor products on a regular basis.

The latter is a phenomenal labour of love but the output is not consistent and in general doesn't cover products and so sidesteps many of the commercial/conflict of interest issues.
In general I think we are coming to the end of a couple of decades of high quality free internet content. As the support available from the print media side continues to decline we will all have to consider paying for more content that maintains editorial independence.

youngs_modulus
Posts: 668
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 1:03 am
Location: Portland, OR USA

by youngs_modulus

petromyzon wrote:
Wed Dec 29, 2021 10:19 am
I mainly go [to CyclingTips] for the tech reviews which I think are head and shoulders above the rest of the industry.
I fully agree. James Huang has a degree in material science, which is adjacent to my own mechanical engineering degree. He's among the very few tech writers who ask manufacturers tough questions. Plenty of them think they understand the claims manufacturers make and imagine they're thinking critically about those claims, but only Mr. Huang brings the well-informed heat on a regular basis.
petromyzon wrote:
Wed Dec 29, 2021 10:19 am
In particular (for my interests) Nerd Alert is in-depth and seems honest about poor products on a regular basis.
Yep! I'm also a regular listener. I don't quite understand why there's so much deference paid to Caley Fretz on those podcasts; he comes across as peevish and not especially technically sophisticated on the podcast, but maybe he has charms to which I am immune.

I'd consider paying for CyclingTips. I already pay for a Bicycle Rolling Resistance membership, as it's cheap and they provide quality info that's updated regularly. But they only put up their paywall after being acquired by Pinkbike, and I'm waiting to make sure they don't have a writers' exodus post-acquisition.

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