The Cycle Show ITV4

jonny_trousers

Agreed as above.

It was slightly better than the first week, and they did say something along the lines of, "thanks for all the comments about last week's show," which does suggest they are listening. Anyone know if the production team checks here, and if not, can we alert them to our thoughts?

I'm pretty certain that was Jeff Banks and I wonder if he has something to do with the production company as he is big road bike fan and the show does have 1990s Clothes Show feel about it. I think it was notable how much clearer and more enthusiastic he was at delivering his question to Mercx than the presenter was. Can't ITV4 get Ned and Garry involved? Oh, and Liz Hatch too?

p9uma

That was Jeff Banks posing that last question.

I thought the show was better than last week, but no much.

It's typical of TV production companies and producers of recent times, no one wants to make an original programe in an original format, they are all so scared of losing jobs their jobs and standing out, that their creativity has been stifled.

One sees on so many programess the same tired old clichė formats, quiz shows, all use the pregnant pause before revealing what ever answers, Chat shows, all have some bloke behind a desk asking prearranged questions so a celeb can sell their shite, same colour music/lighting stabs, to emphasis a point in a talent show, talking head interviews with people no one has ever heard of in the interminable top 20/50/20 worst/ best dog poo shows.

Why the flippity blast blumen hell can't these kids with media degrees come up with something original for gods sake?

Scrumple

it is awful

Truly awful.

Paper thin, and nothing more than a rag mag of cobbled together tat. I wanted to like it, as it is cycling, but the FF button never lies. You can "watch" the whole thing in 30 seconds and not miss much.

mm1

Someone could have asked Eddie if it was really him who (allegedly) introduced Lance to Dr...er, maybe not.

p9uma

Scrumple wrote:

it is awful

Truly awful.

Paper thin, and nothing more than a rag mag of cobbled together tat. I wanted to like it, as it is cycling, but the FF button never lies. You can "watch" the whole thing in 30 seconds and not miss much.

On reflection and due consideration I have to agree with you. It is terrible television.

Scrumple

Jack of all trades and master of none...

And quite often pointless!

It needs to decide what it is, and then have some conviction.

kentphil

Just watch the second show and quite liked it. As a show aimed at a wider audience it gives a little insight into the world of cycling and might inspire some people to get on their bike.

VmanF3

Just watched the second show on itv player and I thought it was a vast improvement on the first show, but it still has some way to go.

It does feel a bit 'Londoncentric' as well......

airbag

I like the Hairy Road Bikers idea, and the Pro Commute as a rip-off of TG's SIAPRC.

Really it needs big features concentrated on one thing - not 5 minutes skits. I'd like to see something akin to Clarkson's motorworld - going to different cities/places and exploring the different cycling cultures there. Contrasting Copenhagen's city bikes to London's Tour de Commuters, the tifosi of Italy and fixed-gear fashionistas of NYC would be entertaining IMO .

Right, that's the planning done. Who wants to give me a few million and a camera crew, and some time off work to film it?

GiantMike

airbag wrote:

Right, that's the planning done. Who wants to give me a few million and a camera crew, and some time off work to film it?

A few million. The Cycle Show manages on about £2000 per show*.

* guestimate based on quality of output

cooldad

GiantMike wrote:

airbag wrote:

Right, that's the planning done. Who wants to give me a few million and a camera crew, and some time off work to film it?

A few million. The Cycle Show manages on about 2/-6d show*.

* guestimate based on quality of output

FTFY

airbag

All right then. I will settle for twenty quid, a penny farthing, a Brooks saddle, some cake, and a camera phone, so I can do the traveling and filming myself. The penny farthing makes it retro and hipster-y. I may need a bit longer off work though.

Oh, and one other thought about the show - ditch the opening credits tune. It's far too embarassingly trying to be cool - makes me think of a middle-aged man with white shirt tucked into jeans dancing at a wedding party. It's also crap. Queen's 'bicycle race' would be an obvious choice, or a bit more left-field, something like hoppipolla by Sigur Ros.

And give it a more imaginative name than 'the cycle show' for christ sakes :roll:

GiantMike

Watched the 3rd one tonight. Still crap. I really have tried, but I just can't watch any more.

Alan 'feckin' Davis? Make it stop! I did a bit of sick when that tattooed woman said 'fixie'.

Cleat Eastwood

And they seemed to have interviewed the Tango Man.

andy46

I was at work tonight and forgot to record it, did I miss anything?

dw300

There was actually a cool segment in the middle of the show that showed a nice Rotary watch, and a trailer for 'Heros film season' ITV4 at 10pm. Had about as much to do with cycling as the rest of the show as far as I can see.

GiantMike

andy46 wrote:

I was at work tonight and forgot to record it, did I miss anything?

Jonathon Creek popped in from his flat around the corner because he rides his bike about a mile to get to 5-a-side every Thursday morning, and that's just around the corner from LMNH (the funky cafe where it's set) so they wouldn't have had to pay travel or hotel expenses. Jonathon was trying to solve the mystery of why he was allowed on the programme in the first place.

andy46

Such a shame I missed this tv gold :roll:

Nick Cod

I understand the struggle they maybe having with this show, trying to appeal to all disciplines in under 30 minutes isn't easy.

However I'm in agreement with the majority here thus far it's been a pile of pony. I watched the show last night in grimace as Alan Davis was on there. Not really sure he's anything more than a minor celeb who's suddenly discovered the Tour de France.

A couple of old dudes who are cycling the UK end to end for charity. Ok good cause and free bit of awareness for their ride, no major problem with this.

Simulated puncture, fingers crossed for a rear blow out or we're in the sh*t. Yep rear flat, now bring your bike to a controlled stop............ ok not sure where they were going with this. I'm pretty sure most of us know not to speed up if we get a flat.

I think they could do so much more with this show. Reviews of bikes / kit in various parts of the country with locals on their local trails / rides. Best deals of the week. Fitness and nutrition. Up and coming events. I could go on

At the moment though it has to be said this is quite painful to watch

t.m.h.n.e.t

As if a puncture wasn't bad enough, that tw4t Hayles turns up.

God this proggie is awful

dodgy

Good to see them giving hints to the nutters out there (carpet tacks).

mrushton

If only they could b*ullsh*t about power meters,Shimano vs Campag and the best wheels for under £500 then it would be like a video equivalent of some of these threads

roadietoo

I thought that the first show was dismal but the presenter has been good elsewhere. Having seen three or four shows now it is very much better. With the sudden national explosion of interest in cycling, media has a lot of catching up to do. Give them a chance to do our sport good. Wiggo has changed cycling in the UK for ever!

team47b

IT'S TELEVISION!

king_jeffers

CiB wrote:

How quickly could a pro-rider do my actual commute?

This would be awesome, could have some great fun messing up peoples strava times :twisted:

jonny_trousers

A painfully awkward show. I'm going to stick with it because it's about bikes, but it makes me want to hide behind my hands on a regular basis. I just hope it doesn't put people off producing a better version one day. Cycling has never been cooler in this country so a quality show I'm sure would go down well. It would be great to see a Cycle Sport program concentrating on professional riders, professional events and quality gear, but maybe I'm asking too much.

dodgy

I hate everyone in the audience in LMNH

Even though they may be nice people that I've never met.

Crapaud

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

A painfully awkward show. I'm going to stick with it because it's about bikes, but it makes me want to hide behind my hands on a regular basis. I just hope it doesn't put people off producing a better version one day. Cycling has never been cooler in this country so a quality show I'm sure would go down well. It would be great to see a Cycle Sport program concentrating on professional riders, professional events and quality gear, but maybe I'm asking too much.

Maaybe something like 'superstars', if anyone remembers that, where professional sportspersons compete against each other in various cycling disiplines. That could be cool.

jonny_trousers

Crapaud wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

A painfully awkward show. I'm going to stick with it because it's about bikes, but it makes me want to hide behind my hands on a regular basis. I just hope it doesn't put people off producing a better version one day. Cycling has never been cooler in this country so a quality show I'm sure would go down well. It would be great to see a Cycle Sport program concentrating on professional riders, professional events and quality gear, but maybe I'm asking too much.

Maaybe something like 'superstars', if anyone remembers that, where professional sportspersons compete against each other in various cycling disiplines. That could be cool.

Hmm, I'm not sure about that. I think Superstars belongs firmly in the 1980s. Besides, what would it be without Brian Jacks giving it a bazillion squat-thrusts in a minute?

I was thinking about The Cycle Show this afternoon and I wonder if we are criticising a program that is not aimed at the likes of us? I don't know who the hell it is aimed at - someone who has been commuting for two months and is quite-getting-into-it-again maybe? Either way it's really annoyed me that each episode has begun with a crappy, half-hearted reference to some of the biggest cycling achievements in British sports history without offering any interviews or footage, before quickly moving on to some inane feature about how to ride up a hill or how to properly strap on a helmet.

I've come to the conclusion that this show needs to be binned and an alternative sought. It should be produced by a company who have a proven record in cycle journalism and who better than Bike Radar? Maybe it's too much effort, maybe it makes no money, I don't know, but I'm afraid The Cycle Show's days, as it is now, must surely be numbered.

mfin

dodgy wrote:

I hate everyone in the audience in LMNH

Even though they may be nice people that I've never met.

know what you mean, i think they might be growing Twerpnip in pots on the window sills and they wander in mesmerised like in a Bisto advert.

(The programme - I can't believe anyone can make such a bad programme, which could be so much better... if they get bad viewing figures and put it down to there not being an audience for it then they'll miss the point by a mile... I wonder if it will get axed quickly through a potential misconception like that)