The Cycle Show ITV4

crescent

As with any TV show, there is always the OFF button but I want to like his show so much, but just can't. Tuned in every week so far and have been disappointed every time, especially since I thought it was just beginning to improve since moving to the hour long slot. I don't mind the main presenter guy, I think he's actually OK. I do get the feeling he is just asking scripted questions though and doesn't have enough interest in the subject to follow up with anything other than the next scripted question, the classic case of 'waiting to talk' rather than listening.
Stephen Roche sounds like an interesting guy and was a decent guest. Not so sure about the other two MTB riders, probably great at what they do but not great guests. Maybe it's my age but I just tune out when people start...like...kind of...like...punctuating their...you know... sentences....like....with the words...like...and kind of...you know what I mean....like. Does my 'kin head in.
Anna Glowinski seems likeable and enthusiastic enough but is just woeful in front of the camera. Rob Hailes is not charismatic enough to present on a TV show.
Ned Boulting, as others have said, moved the programme up a few notches two weeks ago but it is bombing again I feel. I hope I'm wrong and I hope it improves but I suspect it will fizzle out and put off other attempts at a cycling show.

jonny_trousers

Crescent wrote:

As with any TV show, there is always the OFF button but I want to like his show so much, but just can't. Tuned in every week so far and have been disappointed every time, especially since I thought it was just beginning to improve since moving to the hour long slot. I don't mind the main presenter guy, I think he's actually OK. I do get the feeling he is just asking scripted questions though and doesn't have enough interest in the subject to follow up with anything other than the next scripted question, the classic case of 'waiting to talk' rather than listening.
Stephen Roche sounds like an interesting guy and was a decent guest. Not so sure about the other two MTB riders, probably great at what they do but not great guests. Maybe it's my age but I just tune out when people start...like...kind of...like...punctuating their...you know... sentences....like....with the words...like...and kind of...you know what I mean....like. Does my 'kin head in.
Anna Glowinski seems likeable and enthusiastic enough but is just woeful in front of the camera. Rob Hailes is not charismatic enough to present on a TV show.
Ned Boulting, as others have said, moved the programme up a few notches two weeks ago but it is bombing again I feel. I hope I'm wrong and I hope it improves but I suspect it will fizzle out and put off other attempts at a cycling show.

I couldn't agree more with all you have said!

Gizmo_

londoncommuter wrote:

Staggered at how uninformative and pretty misleading the section on ride2work schemes was a minute ago.

Likewise.

Women: "I'm going to go for the cheaper bike, the £450 one."
Interviewer: "So, you can spend £550 on accessories then!"

No, that's not the point, you no-bend. The point is that people can get a bike cheaper, not spend £1k on stuff for the sake of it...

p9uma

Despite my earlier post stating that I would not watch the cycle show any more, I found myself watching it today, just when you think something can't get worse it does. But, I might have stumbled upon the fundamental problem of it. It's not the programme, or the presenters, althought they are dire, especially that blond bint, it's not the production, or the annoying distraction of what's going on in the background.

It's the subject matter, cycling in all it's forms, the professionals within it, and the business of cycling are just not interesting enough for a TV programme.

I love cycling me, getting out on the bike, buying the gear, the fresh air, the scenery, the challenge of the hills and al that, but listening and watching poeple talk about it is dull.

crescent

p9uma wrote:

Despite my earlier post stating that I would not watch the cycle show any more, I found myself watching it today, just when you think something can't get worse it does. But, I might have stumbled upon the fundamental problem of it. It's not the programme, or the presenters, althought they are dire, especially that blond bint, it's not the production, or the annoying distraction of what's going on in the background.

It's the subject matter, cycling in all it's forms, the professionals within it, and the business of cycling are just not interesting enough for a TV programme.

I love cycling me, getting out on the bike, buying the gear, the fresh air, the scenery, the challenge of the hills and al that, but listening and watching poeple talk about it is dull.

Fair point.

Gazzetta67

Was Nice of Stephen Roche to dodge the Armstrong question.....Tho he is never short on telling us about his new book thats out, or his business in majorca and nice eh.

Ned Boulting should be presenting anyway....suppose we should be glad were getting a cycling prog at all.

Gizmo_

Crescent wrote:

p9uma wrote:

Despite my earlier post stating that I would not watch the cycle show any more, I found myself watching it today, just when you think something can't get worse it does. But, I might have stumbled upon the fundamental problem of it. It's not the programme, or the presenters, althought they are dire, especially that blond bint, it's not the production, or the annoying distraction of what's going on in the background.

It's the subject matter, cycling in all it's forms, the professionals within it, and the business of cycling are just not interesting enough for a TV programme.

I love cycling me, getting out on the bike, buying the gear, the fresh air, the scenery, the challenge of the hills and al that, but listening and watching poeple talk about it is dull.

Fair point.

Worryingly true.

Take the silly power oversteer and loud engine noise out of Top Gear, what have you got? A few blokes tootling around like Old Top Gear, Chris Goffey's jumpers included. Dull, dull, dull. Bikes are supposed to be silent, so how do you make it good telly?

CiB

Gizmo_ wrote:

Take the silly power oversteer and loud engine noise out of Top Gear, what have you got? A few blokes tootling around like Old Top Gear, Chris Goffey's jumpers included. Dull, dull, dull. Bikes are supposed to be silent, so how do you make it good telly?

Not so. TG is presented by three very affable & fun presenters (IMHO) who all manage to convey the impression that they're interested in what they're doing, are good at it, and enjoy doing it. It helps that the production budget for TG is of a magnitude higher than TCS but the end result is that TG is fun whilst TCS is (or has become) a lengthy interview with some cycling people, interspersed with quite dull VT inserts and the occasional piece by the blond woman who really has no business being on telly in the first place. TG is a fun show made by and for 10-year-old boys of all ages. TG is fun. Guests aren't invited on because they have a car, maybe they have a book / film / DVD to plug but they're invited on as personalities. And they take up a small portion of the show's running time.

The bike aspect on TCS could be more fun and more exciting but they seem to have a situation where this blond girl must appear in each episode being not very good at something - interviewing a group but not letting them get their message across; bouncing around a small MTB track with a fake wil-she-won't-she-improve-her-lap-time-does-anyone-really-care set up; or the mysterious why-oh-why can she do a 180 bunny hop. Take the blonde presenter out; replace her with someone who can present and do some interesting things, something a bit off the wall maybe. Cycling is dull most of the time. So is driving to work. So reduce the focus on the dull bits, concentrate on the fun aspect do it and get someone in who can do it or someone who can make it dull but fun - come in James May your time has come.

lostboysaint

The other thing missing from the show (and TG has it in spades) is banter!! The presenters are all busy trying to be positive about everything instead of having a bit of the "roadies vs mountain bikers vs commuters" etc. type fun that we have in the sport.

p9uma

CiB wrote:

Gizmo_ wrote:

Take the silly power oversteer and loud engine noise out of Top Gear, what have you got? A few blokes tootling around like Old Top Gear, Chris Goffey's jumpers included. Dull, dull, dull. Bikes are supposed to be silent, so how do you make it good telly?

Not so. TG is presented by three very affable & fun presenters (IMHO) who all manage to convey the impression that they're interested in what they're doing, are good at it, and enjoy doing it. It helps that the production budget for TG is of a magnitude higher than TCS but the end result is that TG is fun whilst TCS is (or has become) a lengthy interview with some cycling people, interspersed with quite dull VT inserts and the occasional piece by the blond woman who really has no business being on telly in the first place. TG is a fun show made by and for 10-year-old boys of all ages. TG is fun. Guests aren't invited on because they have a car, maybe they have a book / film / DVD to plug but they're invited on as personalities. And they take up a small portion of the show's running time.

The bike aspect on TCS could be more fun and more exciting but they seem to have a situation where this blond girl must appear in each episode being not very good at something - interviewing a group but not letting them get their message across; bouncing around a small MTB track with a fake wil-she-won't-she-improve-her-lap-time-does-anyone-really-care set up; or the mysterious why-oh-why can she do a 180 bunny hop. Take the blonde presenter out; replace her with someone who can present and do some interesting things, something a bit off the wall maybe. Cycling is dull most of the time. So is driving to work. So reduce the focus on the dull bits, concentrate on the fun aspect do it and get someone in who can do it or someone who can make it dull but fun - come in James May your time has come.

Spot on and well put. The presenting team are truly awful on TCS, the bloke is nice enought but out of his depth, and that scruffy girl is just hopeless, and has the charisma do a plant pot. The show needs some personalties, some imagination and perhaps change the format from a chat show type of prog to something totally different.

keyser__soze

p9uma wrote:

that scruffy girl is just hopeless, and has the charisma do a plant pot.

Believe it or not the 'scruffy girl' has her own line of women's cycling fashion - http://www.ananichoola.co.uk/ - and was shortlisted to be a podium girl on the Tour of Britain a year or two ago.

jonny_trousers

Keyser__Soze wrote:

p9uma wrote:

that scruffy girl is just hopeless, and has the charisma do a plant pot.

Believe it or not the 'scruffy girl' has her own line of women's cycling fashion - http://www.ananichoola.co.uk/ - and was shortlisted to be a podium girl on the Tour of Britain a year or two ago.

:shock:

I suppose at least that explains why she's worn that same, hideous top for virtually every feature she's done. She just looks dirty to me, and I don't mean that in the good sense.

The sconn/scone banter between her and the Irish fella was like vintage Pete and Dud, only different.

Speaking of podium girls, anyone clock the girl supporting the bikes in yesterday's Vuelta time trial?

p9uma

Keyser__Soze wrote:

p9uma wrote:

that scruffy girl is just hopeless, and has the charisma do a plant pot.

Believe it or not the 'scruffy girl' has her own line of women's cycling fashion - http://www.ananichoola.co.uk/ - and was shortlisted to be a podium girl on the Tour of Britain a year or two ago.

Eckshoooally, I did know that, and she had her stuff on sale at a stand in the bike village at the Bleheim Bike Fetival. I think their gear was overwhelmingly average and designed for other scruffy girls of her ilk. I think it's a new subculture.

p9uma

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

The sconn/scone banter between her and the Irish fella was like vintage Pete and Dud, only different.

And not funny, in fact it was as funny as cancer.*



*you need to be a Peter Cook and Dudely Moore fan to get that reference, so don't get offended!

ethanhayes

Keyser__Soze wrote:

p9uma wrote:

that scruffy girl is just hopeless, and has the charisma do a plant pot.

Believe it or not the 'scruffy girl' has her own line of women's cycling fashion - http://www.ananichoola.co.uk/ - and was shortlisted to be a podium girl on the Tour of Britain a year or two ago.

Obviously she was shortlisted to be a podium girl, British podium girls are always right munters.

airbag

CiB wrote:

Gizmo_ wrote:

Take the silly power oversteer and loud engine noise out of Top Gear, what have you got? A few blokes tootling around like Old Top Gear, Chris Goffey's jumpers included. Dull, dull, dull. Bikes are supposed to be silent, so how do you make it good telly?

Not so. TG is presented by three very affable & fun presenters (IMHO) who all manage to convey the impression that they're interested in what they're doing, are good at it, and enjoy doing it.

+1. When a car show gets in trouble, they can always just cut to an Italian hypercar doing 200mph sideways in a cloud of its own former tyres - but at the same time, it was interesting (when TG was good, I mean) watching them test out family hatches as minicabs. TCS (and for the love of god that name is crap) is just too earnest. There's no substitute for decent presenters with personality.

On a side note, JM might actually be a good choice if he ever left TG...

hstiles

TCS has shown glimpses of promise. The folding bike vs Penny farthing race was quote amusing and the rollapolooze is good for a 30 second giggle. Other than that, who gives a toss about a cycling website for social rejects (sky ride or your local cycling club anyone?)

They should follow the Top Gear model and mimic the "star in a reasonably priced car" with a range of hilarious bike-related challenges such as trials riding, cyclocross or track - anything likely to result in broken bones basically.

They should also do a candid camera section with fake stings on bike thieves and deliberately winding up motorists by jumping red lights, bunny hopping onto pavements at junctions and knocking their wing mirrors.

dw300

They actually seem to do precious little in terms of XC and DH, or X-games BMX type stuff. I'm not into that stuff, but it would make the program a lot better to show spectacular, dangerous riding, and a bit of greenery here and there. And why if that chick is a MTB'er hasn't she been MTBing? She's the Michael Carrick of that show .. outclassed by everyone around her, and then played totally out of position!

They need to develop the presenters personalities (if possible) in the way that TG does, then no one would care if some of the features weren't that strong because the show would be more like watching your mates having a laugh?

Back to features .. why, not have a couple of really good descending roadies go down some insane mountain pass at 70mph with cameras fitted to them. Show the public the extremes of the sport, and how exhilarating it can be.

Get a geeky presenter to take one of those motorised commuter bikes and rewire it and strap some forklift truck batteries to it and see how fast it'll go?

Roadie vs Downhiller - roadie uses pubic roads on a , DH'er rides a gondola and comes down a black run which crosses the same road, setting up a super slow mo shot of the DH'er in mid air about the roadie.

Or get a Top Gear presenter to have a commuter race vs a Cycling Show presenter so you know it's not fixed like the TG one (or did the bike win that?) - If you're gona rip of TG, then do it in style!

simona75

New Top Gear started out with a very low budget but was built on having very entertaining and personable presenters and some innovative features. Its success came when this approach meant the show was watched by people who are not really into motoring or cars.

I dont think I'd want TCS to be a two wheeled Top Gear but it could take some inspiration from it. I think it needs more "cavalier" presenters, a less staged feel and probably needs to be on either the beeb or C4 who give shows more room to breathe.

CiB

Said it 10 pages ago, but something daft like a pro Tour rider doing someone's commute would be a good start. How much faster than me would Ian Stannard be doing my hour or so thrash to work? Etc...

Introduce an element of bonkers and drop the 23 minute interrogation of some unknown who might be good at some form of cycling but is recognisable to about 300 viewers. And lose the blonde woman. She's hopeless. Really.

Come on TCS. We know you're reading this. Don't you have anything to say?

crescent

airbag wrote:

When a car show gets in trouble, they can always just cut to an Italian hypercar doing 200mph sideways in a cloud of its own former tyres

I like that 'former tyres' reference.

I wonder if anyone from the show actually reads this. There are a lot of good suggestions on here. Granted, there are also a couple of borderline slanderous comments, but still some good ideas nonetheless. Certainly better than most of the articles that have been on it so far.

GiantMike

NO! NOT TOP GEAR ON BIKES!

Get some newbie cyclists and train them up to do a Sportive or a Race. 5-10 mins every other show. (popular topic on BR)

Real world aero improvements. What difference do aero improvements make to a 'normal rider' doing a TT? Maybe even have a bit of science in there. (popular topic on BR)

3 hard UK climbs for 3 different ability riders. Power to weight, gearing etc. (popular topic on BR)

Chinese frame/fork bike build and review. Can you build a top end bike for low-end money?

Dizzy blonde failing to do a 180 on a BMX. Oh, hang on.......

CanalRider

I like the idea of following a commute. They can try mine through Handsworth, Lozells, Alum Rock and Chelmesley Wood... see if they have a bile and camera crew.
Review of bike cameras, lights what with winter and all that.
Different cycling, track, downhill, trail bmx etc
There are some cracking videos on you tube they could emulate, maybe not the messenger race but you know what I mean.
i want this show to take off, I still sky+ it, I can condense it then :-)
I surprisingly enjoyed the Jeff Banks interview, I didn't know he had invested in cycling. They should have got him out as the star on a reasonably priced MTB.

jonny_trousers

I'm looking forward to tonight's episode:

Graham Little: "So tonight, ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to welcome Lance Armstrong to the sofa... Lance, so what about them doping accusations, then?"

Lance Armstrong: "Yeah, well I've just been waiting for the right interview to open up about it all."

Graham Little: "That's brilliant. So have you ever ridden a tricycle off-road?"

Lance Armstrong: "Um, no, but I really should confess, when riding The Tour I did take..."

Graham Little: "Well here's Anna Glowinski to show us how she had a crash course in just that. Over to you Anna..."

Omar Little

I notice one of the guests tonight is someone who got called out on using some rather unethical selling tactics on this very forum

bartimaeus

I'm not sure why everyone's moaning about Anna Glowinski... at least in her segments we get to see someone doing some stuff on a bike.

So if you knew nothing about Dan Atherton before the show you pretty much knew nothing after he'd been on - he does 'Enduro' (no explanation) and he nearly killed himself... but let's face it we'd all have been better off watching the Atherton Project. But then we actually *saw* that Sam Pilgrim can ride a bit ; we saw that a 180 looks cool when done well; and we learned that it is actually pretty hard... but also that an ordinary rider might be able to learn how to do it. Similarly with her BMX segment... even the Brompton folk looked like they were having a good time.

This show definitely still needs to find its feet - but I'm all for more riding and a bit less chat... though the interview Olympic women was worth the wait.

awallace

CanalRider wrote:

I like the idea of following a commute. They can try mine through Handsworth, Lozells, Alum Rock and Chelmesley Wood... see if they have a bile and camera crew.
Review of bike cameras, lights what with winter and all that.
Different cycling, track, downhill, trail bmx etc
There are some cracking videos on you tube they could emulate, maybe not the messenger race but you know what I mean.
i want this show to take off, I still sky+ it, I can condense it then :-)
I surprisingly enjoyed the Jeff Banks interview, I didn't know he had invested in cycling. They should have got him out as the star on a reasonably priced MTB.

Blimey bet you ride at a great average pace on that commute!

White Horse

I thought Monday 3rd's show was very good. Seems they've finally cracked the format. The interviews were better. Graham Little at least appeared to be listening and having a conversation rather than just firing off pre-determined questions. The article on balance bikes was good - although they could have saved the bikeability thing for another day rather than just mention it in passing (maybe they're going to - who knows). The maintenance was OK. At least they explained the bits that were going to degrade, but the tips could have been better - actually show a novice HOW to lube the brakes not just say it. Maybe explain exactly what that chain guage was showing as well? I'm always a bit mistifed when the mechanic whips out his widget and just says "Oooh, you'll need a new chain mate - look!"
The Steve Peats thing was OK and was a bit of the "tyre screeching" that was mentioned earlier in the thread.
Big improvement, in my opinion. From the lack of comments in here, I would suggest that either many think that and there's nothing to moan about any more or that everyone has already given up watching.

jonny_trousers

White Horse wrote:

I thought Monday 3rd's show was very good. Seems they've finally cracked the format. The interviews were better. Graham Little at least appeared to be listening and having a conversation rather than just firing off pre-determined questions. The article on balance bikes was good - although they could have saved the bikeability thing for another day rather than just mention it in passing (maybe they're going to - who knows). The maintenance was OK. At least they explained the bits that were going to degrade, but the tips could have been better - actually show a novice HOW to lube the brakes not just say it. Maybe explain exactly what that chain guage was showing as well? I'm always a bit mistifed when the mechanic whips out his widget and just says "Oooh, you'll need a new chain mate - look!"
The Steve Peats thing was OK and was a bit of the "tyre screeching" that was mentioned earlier in the thread.
Big improvement, in my opinion. From the lack of comments in here, I would suggest that either many think that and there's nothing to moan about any more or that everyone has already given up watching.

No, I agree! Definitely on a better track. I was watching some of it with Mrs Trousers and she even commented that Graham Little was a "good interviewer", which this week he appeared to be. I see next week's is last in the series so hopefully they'll fine tune it for next time. That's assuming there is a next time.

Good luck to 'em, I say (despite having slagged them off on an almost weekly basis)!

crescent

Agree, definitely better this week.
Actually looking forward to next week's article on the Stelvio pass.

Cheers