GCN fatigue

Orkneylad
Orkneylad Posts: 104
edited July 2018 in Road general
Don't know about you, but GCN is really getting me down these days.

They had a purple patch (maybe Q2-Q3 2016?) but these days they just seem to be pushing sponsor merchandise & GCN branded hoohah, with the odd 'celeb bike porn' thrown in. The franchise branched out into GMBN and now the Triathlon channel, it's really all gone just a bit beige.

Plus, let's be honest, that's one boring band of boys; now with the 'tinge' of celebrity they seem to have become lost up their own collective back passage. Think the straw that broke the camel's back was the endless reminder about Dan 'used to ride for Cervelo test team' blah blah blah......too much. Matt Stevens, OK, he's still bearable, but the others are pure meh.

I know durianrider is an obnoxious A-hole, but who said cyclists needed to be liked? GCN are trying to not offend anyone & that's a fast-track to mediocrity.
«134

Comments

  • gethinceri
    gethinceri Posts: 1,665
    It's very easy not to access GCN.
  • mouth
    mouth Posts: 1,195
    What exactly is GCN?
    The only disability in life is a poor attitude.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    http://lmgtfy.com/?q=GCN+cycling
  • lincolndave
    lincolndave Posts: 9,441
    If you feel that way about them,don't watch them it's simple
  • PhilipPirrip
    PhilipPirrip Posts: 616
    Person finds something they don't like on the internet. Do they;

    A) find something else that they do like in a world of infinite possibility, or

    B) watch that thing they don't like and then moan that they don't like it seeking validation of their dislike from strangers?
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    I like them ... it's a good balance between being a bikebore that everyone tries hard to get away from at BBQs and having that "top gear"-esq 3 lads peeing about too much.

    Aiming for mid field ... ah fook it why I am even debating this ... you used to think it was purple now you think it's beige ... just stop watching it
  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    Thread is useless without a Poll
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • Orkneylad
    Orkneylad Posts: 104
    PhilipPirrip wrote:
    Person finds something they don't like on the internet. Do they;

    A) find something else that they do like in a world of infinite possibility, or

    B) watch that thing they don't like and then moan that they don't like it seeking validation of their dislike from strangers?

    hehe that's fair enough, I'm doing A but 'crossed the line' into validation-seeking . . . . my mistake!
  • Orkneylad
    Orkneylad Posts: 104
    SloppySchleckonds wrote:
    Thread is useless without a Poll

    Yeah that would be interesting.......
  • navrig2
    navrig2 Posts: 1,851
    Orkneylad wrote:
    SloppySchleckonds wrote:
    Thread is useless without a Poll

    Yeah that would be interesting.......

    Is there irony in there or are you for real?
  • haydenm
    haydenm Posts: 2,997
    Orkneylad wrote:
    Think the straw that broke the camel's back was the endless reminder about Dan 'used to ride for Cervelo test team' blah blah blah......too much.

    I think they are taking the mick out of him
  • mamil314
    mamil314 Posts: 1,103
    GCN simply covered most of topics and did guides on pretty much all aspects cycling related, so they are in a pretty tough spot other than keeping up with sparse innovations in biking industry and some bigger races.
  • burnthesheep
    burnthesheep Posts: 675
    Orkneylad wrote:
    Think the straw that broke the camel's back was the endless reminder about Dan 'used to ride for Cervelo test team' blah blah blah......

    I still watch and find it more entertaining than surfing for fail videos.

    I do find that annoying. A show or short video recently they made it a huge point to point out that the one guy still has an ftp of 90 to 95% of when he was a pro. But then wouldn't say what it actually was..... :roll:

    Ok, who cares. I took a massive poop before work today too.
  • wildpig
    wildpig Posts: 39
    As a new fella on the bike, I find the videos (mostly) interesting. I can see how some of the videos might become irritating, and the unboxing/sponsor pushing are my least favourites - unless it is something I'm keen on spending ££ on.
  • kammybear
    kammybear Posts: 500
    but it's free to subscribe!
  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    GCN is one of my favourite YouTube Channels actually.

    The whole "Dan used to ride for the Cervelo Test Team" thing is only an ongoing jokey thing, a bit like the bike that Tom Last designed himself.

    I don't know why people whinge about the paid sponsorship really, as it's that sponsorship that pays for the channel to exist. It doesn't really affect the information they provide. And all their sponsors are clearly listed under every video.

    As for the unboxings those never claim to be anything more than a showcase of a product(s) with the chance to win something. If you don't like those don't watch them.

    And I happen to like Matt.

    My 2p.
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    SloppySchleckonds wrote:
    Thread is useless without a Poll

    Here you go:

    1200px-Lech_Walesa_-_2009.jpg
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    I like it, but they should ditch that Tom guy. Brings nothing to the party.
  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    Garry H wrote:
    I like it, but they should ditch that Tom guy. Brings nothing to the party.

    He brings SUFFERING! :twisted:
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    Bungle73 wrote:
    Garry H wrote:
    I like it, but they should ditch that Tom guy. Brings nothing to the party.

    He brings SUFFERING! :twisted:

    I tried watching the Tri version. Five minuttes in and I was suffering.
  • gabriel959
    gabriel959 Posts: 4,227
    I like their how-to videos. Most of them are very good. Everything else they do is just a bit of a bore.
    x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
    Commuting / Winter rides - Jamis Renegade Expert
    Pootling / Offroad - All-City Macho Man Disc
    Fast rides Cannondale SuperSix Ultegra
  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    gabriel959 wrote:
    I like their how-to videos. Most of them are very good. Everything else they do is just a bit of a bore.

    GCN Show? Ask GCN Anything? Epic Descents?
  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    Bungle73 wrote:
    gabriel959 wrote:
    I like their how-to videos. Most of them are very good. Everything else they do is just a bit of a bore.

    GCN Show? Ask GCN Anything? Epic Descents?

    Sounds pretty dull to be fair
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    SloppySchleckonds wrote:
    Bungle73 wrote:
    gabriel959 wrote:
    I like their how-to videos. Most of them are very good. Everything else they do is just a bit of a bore.

    GCN Show? Ask GCN Anything? Epic Descents?

    Sounds pretty dull to be fair

    How is that exactly? What are you expecting from a cycling-related YouTube channel?
  • WheelMeals
    WheelMeals Posts: 86
    I enjoy it, guessing most of the other 1.1m subscribers do. Interesting to see how their videos have got slicker as they've grown in size. Finding new things for them to talk about must be a bit of a challenge.

    Think I chanced upon them few years back when searching pretty basic cycling problem, so clearly they help out few levels of cyclist.

    PS: What other bike YouTube channels would folks recommend?
  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    WheelMeals wrote:
    I enjoy it, guessing most of the other 1.1m subscribers do. Interesting to see how their videos have got slicker as they've grown in size.

    You'll find that with all the long-running and popular YT channels if you look at their early videos: as they gain experience and confidence their videos become more professional.
    PS: What other bike YouTube channels would folks recommend?

    BikeRadar of course! :D

    There's also GCN's sister channel, GMBN, if you're into mountain biking.
  • daniellloyd
    daniellloyd Posts: 4
    Orkneylad wrote:
    Don't know about you, but GCN is really getting me down these days.

    They had a purple patch (maybe Q2-Q3 2016?) but these days they just seem to be pushing sponsor merchandise & GCN branded hoohah, with the odd 'celeb bike porn' thrown in. The franchise branched out into GMBN and now the Triathlon channel, it's really all gone just a bit beige.

    Plus, let's be honest, that's one boring band of boys; now with the 'tinge' of celebrity they seem to have become lost up their own collective back passage. Think the straw that broke the camel's back was the endless reminder about Dan 'used to ride for Cervelo test team' blah blah blah......too much. Matt Stevens, OK, he's still bearable, but the others are pure meh.

    I know durianrider is an obnoxious A-hole, but who said cyclists needed to be liked? GCN are trying to not offend anyone & that's a fast-track to mediocrity.

    Hi Orkneylad.

    Sorry you feel like this. Perhaps the jokes are getting old, maybe we need to find some new ones (4 years on, haha!). I'm devastated to read that you think we're up our back passages, though - that's the one thing we've always tried to make sure we aren't.

    You are right in that we try not to offend anyone - we're trying to celebrate cycling as the fun and enjoyable past-time / sport that it is, the same sport that we fell in love with and that we're lucky enough to be working in now.

    Dan
  • leodis75
    leodis75 Posts: 184
    Awkward..
  • burnthesheep
    burnthesheep Posts: 675
    daniellloyd wrote:
    Hi Orkneylad.

    Sorry you feel like this. Perhaps the jokes are getting old, maybe we need to find some new ones (4 years on, haha!). I'm devastated to read that you think we're up our back passages, though - that's the one thing we've always tried to make sure we aren't.

    You are right in that we try not to offend anyone - we're trying to celebrate cycling as the fun and enjoyable past-time / sport that it is, the same sport that we fell in love with and that we're lucky enough to be working in now.

    Dan

    Dan, don't just tease the other hosts......if you threaten to break out naked Mario Cipollini, go ahead and break him out. :lol:

    To put a positive spin on the things going well.....you must be doing something right with enough viewers to have a MTB and triathlon component as well. :D If I dabble in triathlon I'll definitely be trying that station out.

    It's tough to fit so much into such a short video time slot. It would be neat if it was possible to have a longer episode once in a while. Do a cool episode like the season openers from Top Gear UK back in the day where they do some crazy challenge like driving a junk Soviet era car across Africa.

    It would also be neat to have a hot-lap "course" for pro/amateur guests to do and have a long running leaderboard. :mrgreen:
  • stueys
    stueys Posts: 1,332
    daniellloyd wrote:
    Hi Orkneylad.

    Sorry you feel like this. Perhaps the jokes are getting old, maybe we need to find some new ones (4 years on, haha!). I'm devastated to read that you think we're up our back passages, though - that's the one thing we've always tried to make sure we aren't.

    You are right in that we try not to offend anyone - we're trying to celebrate cycling as the fun and enjoyable past-time / sport that it is, the same sport that we fell in love with and that we're lucky enough to be working in now.

    Dan

    To be honest, I don't think you do. You all come across as a bunch of mates having fun in the vids I've seen. I think it's a good resource and a good team. My only criticism is the product placement and sponsorship isn't as overtly declared as I would like.

Categories