Magazines

[ededwards]

Just picked up a copy of Peleton and thought it was ok, bar the references to beer and BBQ in cities I'm unlikely to visit anytime soon if at all (plus the article that stated that American builders saved the steel bike from extinction, which was news to me).

Rouleur, despite some flights of fancy, is generally a good read, as is Cycling Weekly. Any other road magazines that are worth checking out?

 

[Goldie]

There's a blatant hole in the market for Retro Bike: The Magazine...

My wife got me a subscription to Cycling Active last year, and although it's not great, they do keep featuring steel framed bikes (Holdsworth Professional, George Longstaff handbuilt audax bike, custom Surly singlespeed).

Cycling Plus refuses to acknowledge the existence of bikes constructed prior to the current model year, which can get a bit wearing...

 

[roadking]

There's a blatant hole in the market for Retro Bike: The Magazine...Cycling Plus refuses to acknowledge the existence of bikes constructed prior to the current model year, which can get a bit wearing...

Cycling Plus is like a PR journal for the trade.

Rk.

 

[fiks]

I prefer to look at actual old mags and books.

Cycling Plus refuses to acknowledge the existence of bikes constructed prior to the current model year, which can get a bit wearing...

I haven't looked at the mag for several years but they did have a few articles on older bikes. There was an old 753 vs new carbon bike test once or something like that, and an article on restoration, and they had a regular "Design Classics" page.

But of course their main thing are new bikes and kit, it's no suprise

 

[ekallus]

...(plus the article that stated that American builders saved the steel bike from extinction, which was news to me)...

Probably some truth in that, if a touch overstated...

 

[David B]

...(plus the article that stated that American builders saved the steel bike from extinction, which was news to me)...

Probably some truth in that, if a touch overstated...

More like the American market saved the steel bike, given the reputation of UK builders like Mercian or Bob Jackson over in the States - I gather such firms built up a decent bit of export trade (well, as big as you can get for an outfit that doesn't mass-produce) from the 70s onwards.

David

 

[ekallus]

Not sure I agree with that. I should probably check which period we're talking about?

I was referring to the last 10-15 years or so where American custom steel framebuilders (many of whom learned their trade in the UK) have revitalized the steel frame market.

 

[Old Ned]

Cycling Weakly - a good read? Not if you look at the comments on other cycling forums, they ALL consider it rubbish these days. I wouldn't buy it, virtually no content about UK racing and mainly 'lifestyle' articles getting regurgitated every 18 months.

Hardly even warrants a flick-through in Smiths these days. In fact, I can't remember the last time I actually bought a cycling magazine apart from an annual spend on a TdeF special issue.

Miserable old git............................................ :roll:

 

[David B]

Not sure I agree with that. I should probably check which period we're talking about?

I was referring to the last 10-15 years or so where American custom steel framebuilders (many of whom learned their trade in the UK) have revitalized the steel frame market.

See your point now, in terms of builders like Independent Fabrication. Good for the UK too as their custom helps keep the order books at Reynolds in good health, though probably not as much as the demand for tubing from Far Eastern firms churning out steel framesets for brands like Genesis.

David

 

[Goldie]

I prefer to look at actual old mags and books.

Cycling Plus refuses to acknowledge the existence of bikes constructed prior to the current model year, which can get a bit wearing...

I haven't looked at the mag for several years but they did have a few articles on older bikes. There was an old 753 vs new carbon bike test once or something like that, and an article on restoration, and they had a regular "Design Classics" page.

But of course their main thing are new bikes and kit, it's no suprise

I wish it still had all that in it! I was actually thinking of suggesting a design classics slot. Roger St. Pierre still gets a page inside the back cover - this month's was about Barry Hoban. It's often the best bit of the magazine, not just because its usually long on adventure and short on energy gels and moodily lit bib tights, but because he's a cracking writer too.

Last year, they ran an article by Robert Penn that was abridged from his "It's all about the bike" book, detailing the building of his Rourke framed dream bike, and I thought that was fantastic - he's a very eloquent advocate of hand built steel.

I'd give my right arm for Retro Bikes in print though. We've already had a full on, all you can eat photo feature on a Feather bike - where you can talk to the owner, no less! - whereas Ricky has only got the odd picture and box of text in the press...