Road Cycling - Any magazines worth reading?

Ok so I am just getting back into biking and am wondering if there are any good mags to read. I have been an am golfer for several years and basically the 2 big golf mags (Golf Digest and Golf Magazine) all mostly just ads. Any Bike mags that really have something to say or are they all ads too?

Sorry if this has been asked a billion times before. :D

Bicycling Magazine (seriously)

God, not Bicycling. He said a magazine that's not ALL ADS.

I would recommend Procycling and VeloNews. I love those magazines. If I ever get insane enough to want to read Bicycling, I go to Borders and read it for free and put it back. It only should take about 15 minutes, and by the time you get through all the ads, there's not much left anyway. :(

Koffee

I really enjoy Cycle Sport (http://www.cyclesportmag.com/) magazine!

:D

Ed

God, not Bicycling. He said a magazine that's not ALL ADS.

I would recommend Procycling and VeloNews. I love those magazines. If I ever get insane enough to want to read Bicycling, I go to Borders and read it for free and put it back. It only should take about 15 minutes, and by the time you get through all the ads, there's not much left anyway. :(

Koffee

LOL Thanks Koffee. I actually think Bicycling is published by the same company as Golf Magazine so I can imagine. I will probably look for VeloNews and get a sub if I like it.

I really enjoy Cycle Sport (http://www.cyclesportmag.com/) magazine!

:D

Ed

Thanks Ed I will look for it at B&N.

take a look at Road magazine. it hasn't been around long, but is nicely done. it's in a larger format, nice layout, more race oriented, but it isn't just straight recounts of races. lots of kind of interesting back story stuff, lifestyle, surrounding events, etc. also lots of good gear reviews.

LOL Thanks Koffee. I actually think Bicycling is published by the same company as Golf Magazine so I can imagine. I will probably look for VeloNews and get a sub if I like it.

Velo News and a mag called ROAD. I'd send you a copy if you'd give me your address!

Bicycling.Serioulsy. Koffee has a point. But it's the POV of someone with tons of experience. Such magazines cater primarily to beginners. As such it's your best choice. I still subscribe because every once in a while it has a great article.

http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,3253,s1-6355,00.html?category_id=363

Bicycling.Serioulsy. Koffee has a point. But it's the POV of someone with tons of experience. Such magazines cater primarily to beginners. As such it's your best choice. I still subscribe because every once in a while it has a great article.

http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,3253,s1-6355,00.html?category_id=363


Like Biketown :) And the 91year old guy.

I've got about 2 yrs left on my subscription before I have to renew again

Chad

Bicycling.Serioulsy. Koffee has a point. But it's the POV of someone with tons of experience. Such magazines cater primarily to beginners. As such it's your best choice. I still subscribe because every once in a while it has a great article.


Yeah I'd aggree with that. Bicycling is a great mag for the beginer. Cycle Sport is what I read because I enjoy the rider profiles and the race coverage. It doesn't add anything about how to ride or any tips etc. so if you are looking for that Bicycling would be better.

Velo News and Road for sure
and whatever else after that if I just can't get enough :D (like when I'm stuck indoors)

Velo News and a mag called ROAD. I'd send you a copy if you'd give me your address!

I am telling you man I am not giving you my address. If I do that you may try to slip that $2 in there and I wont be able to give you crap about anything anymore. :D LOL I have a Barnes and Nobles .5 miles from my house so I will stop in there and read those and Bicycling.

Good try though. :p

I am telling you man I am not giving you my address. If I do that you may try to slip that $2 in there and I wont be able to give you crap about anything anymore. :D LOL I have a Barnes and Nobles .5 miles from my house so I will stop in there and read those and Bicycling.

Good try though. :p

I am going to drive up there...we can go riding, play a little golf, and I'll give you the $2. Buy a book called "The Rider" by Tim Krabbe...at B and N...trust me...

I dunno, with the availability of online news and reviews, the cycling magazine is almost a dinosaur for anyone but beginners.

I remember the glory days of Bicycling (late 80s) when they did great stuff like test the flexibility of every shoe on the market. Who can forget their first (groundbreaking, at the time) article on computer simulation of frame stresses? About the time that Trek released their first oversized, bonded aluminum race bike (Trek 2000?) and I remember reading Bicycling's review over and over like a kid with the Sears Xmas toy catalogue.

I get Velonews for the photos and in depth coverage. I used to get Procycling but really, it's 3 months old by the time I'm reading it and I wasn't seeing anything I hadn't read online. Now I'll only grab Procycling if my supervisor is away and it's a slow day in the office :D

procycling.com, pezcyclingnews.com and velonews.com satisfy 90% of my reading needs.

I am going to drive up there...we can go riding, play a little golf, and I'll give you the $2. Buy a book called "The Rider" by Tim Krabbe...at B and N...trust me...

Now there is a plan...give me some time to loose some more of this weight so I can keep up though. I, no doubt will loose the $2 back to you during the round of gold so it will be all good. :p

'The Rider" huh? I will look for it.

I dunno, with the availability of online news and reviews, the cycling magazine is almost a dinosaur for anyone but beginners.

I remember the glory days of Bicycling (late 80s) when they did great stuff like test the flexibility of every shoe on the market. Who can forget their first (groundbreaking, at the time) article on computer simulation of frame stresses? About the time that Trek released their first oversized, bonded aluminum race bike (Trek 2000?) and I remember reading Bicycling's review over and over like a kid with the Sears Xmas toy catalogue.

I get Velonews for the photos and in depth coverage. I used to get Procycling but really, it's 3 months old by the time I'm reading it and I wasn't seeing anything I hadn't read online. Now I'll only grab Procycling if my supervisor is away and it's a slow day in the office :D

procycling.com, pezcyclingnews.com and velonews.com satisfy 90% of my reading needs.

Yea the internet is great and all but I don't care to spend my non working hours in front of a screen as I do my working hours. I would rather flip through a mag or two, plus I would rather have my son see me reading a mag or book than sitting in front of a computer all the time.

Now there is a plan...give me some time to loose some more of this weight so I can keep up though. I, no doubt will loose the $2 back to you during the round of gold so it will be all good. :p

'The Rider" huh? I will look for it.

Man, you are going to lose your $2 in the spelling bee...lol

Man, you are going to lose your $2 in the spelling bee...lol

Gold golf whatever. :eek: I never could spell that is why I signed up for GEA Ti...spell checker. :D

Took my 3 yr old to the pool the other day and ever since he has been calling it the pond....I just laugh and say.."Pool...Pond...Pond is probably better for you."

Gold golf whatever. :eek: I never could spell that is why I signed up for GEA Ti...spell checker. :D

Took my 3 yr old to the pool the other day and ever since he has been calling it the pond....I just laugh and say.."Pool...Pond...Pond is probably better for you."

My 9 year old son was an otter...may still be...he floats around for hours on his back and will only leave the pool when dragged out...or if I hold a shrimp in front of his nose and lure him out!

I kept my subscription to "Bicycling" for several years until I couldn't justify the cost in my budget any more (recently). It's a fun mag to read but, like Koffee said, you can read through it in 15 minutes or less. The last few years it has become more and more of a commercial, and less and less of a magazine. There are a few issues that were so bad I looked through the mag and threw it away!

Velonews is great for those who enjoy the racing scene. My favorite is Cycle Sport. They have the best Tour issue going.

I used to subscribe to Bicycling in the 80s, and even then it was mostly ads. I had picked one up about 10 years ago, and didn't even know what the point was anymore. Not only lots of bike ads, but car ads, ads for stuff unrelated, and the few articles weren't about biking, just about looking good. I haven't looked at it since.

Playboy....but, only for the articles...

I like "Road" published 6x a year I think and "Ride" published 4x a year. I like Road mainly for the bike specs and they offer the best Buying guide for road bikes I have ever seen.

Bicycling Magazine seems to be the same fluff repeated over and over... Rodale has a problem with that.

Ever notice how every single issue of Men's Health says "Great Abs in 10 Easy Steps" on every single cover??

Bicycling Magazine has "10 Steps to a better bike ride" on every cover. And they say things like: Carrying peanut butter in your jersey pocket will improve your ride!

What a revelation.

Bicycling Magazine seems to be the same fluff repeated over and over... Rodale has a problem with that.

Ever notice how every single issue of Men's Health says "Great Abs in 10 Easy Steps" on every single cover??

Bicycling Magazine has "10 Steps to a better bike ride" on every cover. And they say things like: Carrying peanut butter in your jersey pocket will improve your ride!

What a revelation.

This month it's some "secret" muscle you are supposed to use...I've got their secret muscle right here!

g'day,

Ok listen up guys...without any doubt at all, the best cycling mag in the world is an Oz publication called 'Ride cycling Review'. Its available in the states or by subscription. Its published by the same people who run 'cyclingnews.com'......go out & get it...you won't be sorry,

cheers,

Hitchy

I am surprised no one has mentioned Asphalt. It's way too expensive, but it's very nice. Has kind of a coffee table kind of look
to it.
http://www.asphaltmag.com/

Bicycling Magazine (seriously)
LOL. Um, no. The only way is if you find one of those "one year free" deals you sometimes get when you order from a completely unrelated vendor (Buy.com comes to mind). Bicycling is, quite frankly, the worst magazine I have EVER read. I only get it because it's free and every other issue they have a page that's worth glancing at (and if I save up enough issues, I can start fires in the winter). What's sad is that I remember it being a good magazine back in the day...

Bicycling Magazine seems to be the same fluff repeated over and over... Rodale has a problem with that.

Ever notice how every single issue of Men's Health says "Great Abs in 10 Easy Steps" on every single cover??

Bicycling Magazine has "10 Steps to a better bike ride" on every cover. And they say things like: Carrying peanut butter in your jersey pocket will improve your ride!

What a revelation.

Lately, when I flip through a Bicycling Magazine at the bookstore, they have been pushing the 'South Beech Diet' for everything. Of course, Rodale happens to sell the South Beech Diet book!

How can eating Beech trees make you a better cyclist anyway? ;)

Seriously, my favorite cycling magazines are Adventure Cycling and the Rivendell Reader. The rest are either Nascar on two wheels or use 'content' to lead into the advertisements. It's carp like Bicycling Magazine that convince the gullible that they need 10 speed cassettes and carbon fiber brake levers so their 'buddies' won't drop them on the way to $tarbuck$.

Man,

I used to be an avid reader of Mountain Bike magazine. The only reason I found out about Bicycling was because I had to switch to it in order to keep getting Mountain Bike (they don't sell it at newstands only available to Bicycling subscribers). After reading a few issues of bicycling I didn't like reading mountain bike anymore (I hardly flip threw it now, a little ya because I can't stand wasting money...) But the #1 reason i have a roadbike now is because of my subscription to bicycling...I was a stubborn mountain biker.

They have some really crappy issues sometimes, and I almost cancelled my subscription when it ended after a year. But then I renewed for another year after reading Bike town...great article. And lately they have had some really good articles on interesting people...it's not always about the greatest bike...the old guy they did an article on a month or so ago was 91 years old and road a steel bike...

Another thing I like about bicycling is that they do little snips here and there of things you wouldn't think or normally, like they do a thing on loacl bike shops, they do them from all over the world though. And then "the ride" all the different places to vacation.

The ads may be ads but I still glance at those from time to time anyway. I don't know why so many people trash the magazine I find it to be decent. Like any magazine with a really low price (I got my third year for 22$CDN including the mountain bike extra issues) they need to pay for it with advertising.

I have a subscription to some fairly adless magazines (not for cycling) and I pay ALOT more money for those then for bicycling. All in all I'd say I'm pretty happy. And for those of you who hate the ads try reading the feature article in an issue (maybe next months even).

Regards,
Happy Bicycling subscriber :)
Chad

On another note, Canadian Cyclist was the biggest waste of cash for a subscription Ive ever experiened. There buyers guide doesn't review the bikes, it lists what they get built with from the distributor and its not even conclusive...they are missing alot of brands. BAH and it cost more than bicylcling!!!

Does ROAD magazine have a website? I couldn't find it via google.

Does ROAD magazine have a website? I couldn't find it via google.

Ditto that.

I'm kind of warming up to Cycling Plus, it has a fair amount of ads but has alot more of a worldly perspective than what i found with Bicycling. Plus the now have added Ligget, who doesn't want more of Phil!

is there a magazine that has similer content as bicycling except with out as many ads. Becuase i like to read what little articles there are and all there reviews and stuff. its just i wish there was more content and less ads

Definatly not roadie-centric but more blue collar cyclist orientated. Dirt Rag

Cycle Sport is also a very good magazine. I can't believe I forgot about that one! :eek: They did a really good issue a few months back where they broke down all the Classics and the teams competing. I was impressed- it really gave insight into the strengths and weaknessess of the teams- very knowledgeable. I also liked the pictures.

Koffee

Does ROAD magazine have a website? I couldn't find it via google.


http://www.h3publications.com/

Is Road more racing oriented or recreational in nature? The cover at the website showed a racer. I find race coverage about as exciting as
watching paint dry.

Is Road more racing oriented or recreational in nature? The cover at the website showed a racer. I find race coverage about as exciting as
watching paint dry.

Racing oriented.

as a Newbie cyclist I like Bicycling magazine and CyclePlus. Although CyclePlus can be hard to find in Arizona at times, I do enjoy reading them.

How about alternative media? Are there any good bicycling zines out there? :)

Vincent

Other than Velonews and the other racing oriented mags the bet I've found is
Ashphalt Magazine. It's expensive and only quarterly, but after reading one issue I ordered all the back issues. Great general cycling mag by some of the same people that brought you Bicycle Guide in the mid-eightys before it was sold and got crummy.
Highly reccomended. My Refrigerator is broken...what a horrible way to have to spend money! www.asphaltmag.com

Steve

LOL....ignore the line about my 'fridge. Somehow the line from another e-mail snuck in.
Weird.
Steve

http://www.h3publications.com/

not much of a website yet. i guess i'll need to find a copy at my local bookstore to see if i want to begin subscribing to it.

Road is good.

God, not Bicycling. He said a magazine that's not ALL ADS.

I would recommend Procycling and VeloNews. I love those magazines. If I ever get insane enough to want to read Bicycling, I go to Borders and read it for free and put it back. It only should take about 15 minutes, and by the time you get through all the ads, there's not much left anyway. :(

Koffee


Well....it used to be a good read...and it takes you 15 min? I'll bet that includes the time it takes to order your espresso!!!!