Professional Cycling Magazine Review
February 22nd, 2007 |Magazines devoted to professional road cycling are few and far between. Understandably, it’s not a very big market. But there are some good mags out there, along with some not so good ones.
I have been reading pro road cycling magazines since 1986 when I picked up my first copy of Winning. Much to the chagrin of Mrs. Smithers, I have also been saving copies of road cycling magazines dating back 20 years. I am constantly going back to the archives to find articles about riders long since retired. I have never thrown away a good road cycling magazine.
Below is my review of the magazines that I read, or have read, regularly.
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ProCycling • As far as I am concerned, ProCycling is hitting on nearly all cylinders. Rider profiles, race coverage, full review of every aspect of the sport. ProCycling is the bench mark to which all other road cycling magazines should aspire. One feature I really enjoy is Classic Climbs. Each month one of the editors tackles a famous climb or race route and they do a full analysis of the climb or course. They just made a total overhaul of the magazine format and it’s better than ever. You can find it at your local book seller.
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RIDE • Great magazine, maybe even better than ProCycling. RIDE is an Australian publication that is associated with CyclingNews.com. Rider interviews, beautiful photos, team profiles, race reports and product reviews of bikes and accessories. The most recent issue has a very in depth look at wattage meter systems with comments on set up and use, very cool. My only criticism of RIDE is that it is only published 4 times a year. Plus it is god awful expensive as it is printed and shipped from Australia. But it’s a big read and usually takes me a month to get through it all. You can sometimes find it at Barnes and Noble but they don’t get many copies in. Your best bet is to subscribe.
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Cycle Sport • Also a good magazine. I subscribed to Cycle Sport back in the days before WCP started publication of an American version. There is still a UK version with a different cover, I am unsure if the articles are the same between the two issues, I assume that they are. Cycle Sport seemed to suffer a bit from Lance-itis over the past few years, but it is still a good publication. Race coverage, rider profiles, equipment reviews. Unless you are an addict you only really need either ProCycling or Cycle Sport. Of course, I get both. One thing that really bothers me about Cycle Sport, and ProCycling does this as well, are the bike test rides. First off, I don’t know why they bother with them. Equipment and component reviews have some value. Even an article about the bike manufacturing company discussing the technology used to make the bike is great. But an actual road review of a bike can be a bit subjective. More importantly, why they have someone review the bike who then proceeds to comment on things that are totally subjective is beyond me. Complaints about the saddle, or the handlebar tape, or the tires or even the fight between Shimano and Campagnolo components are really immaterial to how the bike rides. I am not interested in hearing about why the reviewer does not like Mavic wheels each month. Just put another set of wheels on and test the bike! Jesus palomino. Cycle Sport can also easily be found at your local book seller.
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Road • If you want a magazine that keeps you up to date on the U.S. domestic scene, Road is ok. Interviews of domestic racers and some race coverage of U.S. races are pretty typical each month. They also attempt some bike reviews. I don’t think their bike reviews are particularly good, they should not even bother. They try and cover Euro races and racers as well but their reporting and interviews are not up to standard exhibited by the publications above. Their focus should be what they are best at: coverage of U.S. domestic racers and races. The photography is great.. Road magazine can be found at bike shops in California or by subscription.
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VeloNews • Super Bad is right. First off, half the magazine is full of MTB junk that no one cares about. So VeloNews loses a bunch of points right off the bat for that crap. Second, this magazine is just a cheerleader for American cycling and cyclists. If you point out this fact to them they get all defensive about it as Super Rookie experienced this week. If that’s what they want to be all about then fine. But they call themselves “The Journal of Competitive Cycling” and this kind of reference does not leave the door open for the obvious bias towards U.S. cyclists and U.S. teams that VeloNews has. What VeloNews does best, if anything, is published on their website everyday. Don’t bother subscribing, just check out their website once and a while and you will get everything of any value that VeloNews has to offer. VeloNews can be found in my recycling bin.
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I am sure there are other good magazines out there that cover the sport that I am missing. But I only speak and read English so I don’t care about them.
