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I've found that Oldshovel has been a great break from the rad. Lots of great restoration project and paintwork.
Oldshovel has been a great break from the rad
The Bob Ross of bike restoration apparently!
"Paul the Punter lost me when he started crying that Scott weren’t supplying him with bikes."
I stumbled on PTP a while ago when he did a really great video with Tracey Hannah (that actually made her look like a superb presenter).
I subscribed, but not long after it became so Scott advertising heavy and rather boring. Anyone who tells me i need more bikes can basically stick it up their pipe. Consequently i missed him spit his dummy.
I think being a professional Youtuber must be horrific. It takes a huge amount of effort and time to create and edit good content, but to earn money from it you have to get sponsors and then there's pressure to get more viewers, be 'real' but also sell stuff. Brendog is likely to be heading in this direction i think.
PAUL DAVIDS!
Who is that,then?
Sorry, a guitar guy on YouTube. Friendly, happy and according to socialblade he’s getting over £200,000 pa. bet he never made that gigging.
It takes a huge amount of effort and time to create and edit good content, but to earn money from it you have to get sponsors and then there’s pressure to get more viewers
I think a lot of the "better channels I watch (not bike specific comment) the youtube is a source of income but not the main source of income so they can produce higher quality product.
Its an interesting subject and one that surprises myself quite often. The dislike for some youtubers brings out the worst in me for a brief moment, until i realise i dont have to watch them or have anything to do with these strangers. In the same way i dont watch certain TV programs as i dont like them.
PinnedTV always comes to mind, as i dont like anything they do. BCPOV and Jordan boostmasters voices kill me, as does Vancan (not sure if they are all canadian?!) But as said, i just avoid their video's.
I liked Tommy C Hype's earlier stuff, but now find it a bit samey and i dislike the e-bike content.
I come and go with Paul the Punter. Some vids are good, some arent so much. I watch some BKXC. At least he makes the effort to tell you some history about the local area he is riding.
I enjoy most of Berm Peak/Seth. I like Mahalo My Dude and the odd occasion the Singletrack Sampler posts. Biking with Bobo is a bit hit and miss, but can be entertaining enough. I like Matt Jones stuff, he seems a genuine guy.
As many have mentioned, it cant be easy to keep making exciting content. And i wonder how long it can be kept up?!
BCPOV and Jordan boostmasters voices kill me, as does Vancan (not sure if they are all canadian?!)
Canadians, eh? They can be gratingly chipper it has to be said. Imagine living with one...
I think the problem with a lot of these guys is that they're essentially a bit of a one-trick-pony, POV shots of themselves riding. Unless they have something interesting to say, it can (and does) get a bit same-y. As others have mentioned at least BKXC travels widely and has (mildly) interesting things to say, one of his best videos was a memorial to his late uncle, which was surprisingly moving. I can see why folk like Seth have widened the scope a bit, and PTP is doing more with new riders and so on. Leave the Gnarly stuff to folks who do that well, like Remi and Joann
The dislike for some youtubers brings out the worst in me for a brief moment, until i realise i dont have to watch them or have anything to do with these strangers.
+1
It would be easy to be very mean about some of those mentioned in this thread, who I find irritating and tedious, but when you consider that they're making a pittance and likely getting in debt as they take a punt on a career path which is very unlikely to be viable - it suddenly feels a bit churlish.
And it makes those free bikes look quite costly, in the end.
The dislike for some youtubers brings out the worst in me for a brief moment, until i realise i dont have to watch them or have anything to do with these strangers
The wannabe youtubers spamming every riding group on social media makes them impossible to ignore. Likewise with the impact of them advertising spots that would be best not advertised, or promoting reckless riding and digging.
The likes of GMBN, yes, I just tell youtube not to suggest the channel and forget about them.
You n me both. As I've mentioned on here before and recently in a FB group
Also blame the YTers for the explosion in cheeky digging.
Also blame the YTers for the explosion in cheeky digging.
I'm not convinced, if they aren't getting it from youtube in 2021, then they were getting it from MBUK in 1988.
Someone inspired the cheeky diggers on youtube.
The wannabe youtubers spamming every riding group on social media makes them impossible to ignore.
+1
I got booted from a group for (politely I think) suggesting the world didn't need another chest cam video of someone riding the same trails at the same average speed.
but when you consider that they’re making a pittance and likely getting in debt as they take a punt on a career path which is very unlikely to be viable – it suddenly feels a bit churlish.
See, I stick go-pros on things for a living. There is (very good) money to be made out of it as a career. The problem is a lot of them see it as a quick thing. That they can produce the next Collective DVD with a go-pro and windows movie maker. Forgetting that shooting and editing is something people go to university for 3 years to learn how to do! I didn't, that's why I get to sit at the very back of the gallery just making sure the red light doesn't stop blinking.
What will be interesting is whether the next generation of TV presenters come through the usual journalism, or acting/performing routes, or whether more get picked up straight from youtube.
What will be interesting is whether the next generation of TV presenters come through the usual journalism, or acting/performing routes, or whether more get picked up straight from youtube.
I think YouTube is a great source to get TV presenters and there are a lot of good presenters on YouTube. Being good at presenting is fairly rare and not really something you can learn as presenters tend to be likeable and relaxed or they don't
What will be interesting is whether the next generation of TV presenters come through the usual journalism, or acting/performing routes, or whether more get picked up straight from youtube.
It worked for Chris Harris.
It worked for Chris Harris.
He did the journalism thing first though didn’t he? Very similar to James May.
Worked for Maddie Moate too - a fantastic presenter from outside the "normal" path.
There is still plenty of good stuff out there - I like Nate Hills for the quality of the filming and the riding from the guys he follows (and presumably him too!) I preferred BKXC when he was newer to the sport, and a bit less bikeparky in his riding. His alpine/spanish/uk stuff was really good to watch.
TBF to him, his channel really isn’t about the sort of riding that Remi or Joann do, it’s about being a punter.
If you're going to be generous then it's not really about any sort of riding and if he's worse at anything but riding it's bike maintenance. He's had a few good video's that are nothing to do with him but whomever he got to appear and carry his lack of riding ability, charisma and knowledge about bikes (Tracy Hannah was awesome but hey she usually is, even PtP cpouldn't hide that)
His channel is about making money for him...
POAH
lol – ride a scott do you as well
nah but much as I do find him irritating I can watch his vids probably because Shimano paid for some editing or something)
If socailblade is accurate then Seth is doing very well for himself
PinnedTV always comes to mind, as i dont like anything they do
Pinned tv are based nearby and cause real problems with trails on the local hill. Amongst other things they posted a video of cutting a tree with a chainsaw (fc ban all power tools on the hill) which almost resulted in a total ban of any trailbuilding or even maintenance by the trail association. Best of all, video was deleted and then he proceeded to completely deny doing it.
Ive made myself a rule that i wont watch a YouTube video if the title has more capital letters than is grammatically correct - seems to work for avoiding most of the nobbers
I got booted from a group for (politely I think) suggesting the world didn’t need another chest cam video of someone riding the same trails at the same average speed
Yeah we do cause it makes my videos look better lol - I don't see anything wrong with people making videos and spamming them to groups they are on.
I don’t see anything wrong with people making videos and spamming them to groups they are on.
I find the people that do that aren’t interested in contributing to the group, only increasing their views. There’s rarely any follow up discussion or context, just ‘WATCH MY VIDEO!!’
Make a suggestion to the group administrator about videos being spammed.
He did the journalism thing first though didn’t he?
Harris was writing for the mags like Evo for years. He was very well respected then (albeit a bit of a Porsche fanboi)
Harris was writing for the mags like Evo for years. He was very well respected then (albeit a bit of a Porsche fanboi)
I'm not suggesting they plucked him out of thin air but when Top Gear was forced to go looking for new faces the bloke with the big YouTube presence was at the front of the queue.
It's easy to imagine it happening for other shows in other categories.
don’t see anything wrong with people making videos and spamming them to groups
If it was the odd one, maybe. But when it there's more youtube links than proper posts, less so. Especially when it's just spam promotion rather than links related to that group.
Make a suggestion to the group administrator about videos being spammed.
One owners group I use was created by one of the chief spammers
PinnedTV always comes to mind, as i dont like anything they do
Clickbait titles, stick the camera in the nervous kid's face, then drag out 30 mins worth of gopro footage - I can't believe you don't like that! I've been suckered in by the clickbait a few times. I like the concept of what they do but they're not the personalities for long edits.
If socailblade is accurate then Seth is doing very well for himself
I mean have you seen his house!? It's a mansion.
If it was the odd one, maybe. But when it there’s more youtube links than proper posts, less so.
Why not post more non video stuff yourself then? I don't have a problem with people posting videos on local MTB groups. It's social media, they're sharing social media, it's the whole point of it. Also, I like watching average people ride trails near to me or ones that I want to ride at some point (as long as the video quality is decent) because I can check out the trails before going myself and see how an average rider like me fairs with it. It's really the only reason I started uploading videos because even though it is an insanely popular trail, Verderers at FOD had no decent videos of it. The only ones I could find were terrible quality, shakey and probably 3+ years old.
I don’t see anything wrong with people making videos and spamming them to groups they are on.
You don't spam completely unrelated groups though.
If you spammed a Devon or SE group etc. that is about what trails are open/closed, parking etc. specific to riding in an area that's different. Of course many of us have a few "locals" so we see the same spam in multiple groups that the volunteer admins have to delete.
How do you fancy every local group you're in being spammed with "exciting POV of Swinley" ???
What will be interesting is whether the next generation of TV presenters come through the usual journalism, or acting/performing routes, or whether more get picked up straight from youtube.
What I find more interesting is if the "TV defined" styles we have been conditioned to accept survive.
Old Shovel is up in my fav's but would never get a TV type spot but that is for me part of the charm.
There is a car repair guy called ChrisFix who does IMHO really good video's with no face... literally. I didn't realise until he did a how to tint video and every shot where his reflection may occur was blurred out.
If you’re going to be generous then it’s not really about any sort of riding and if he’s worse at anything but riding it’s bike maintenance.
I think you misunderstand what he means when he calls himself a "Punter" and who his channel is aimed at.
I gave up on PinnedTV a while back, just got very samey, he also did a video of Llandegla Off-Piste which One-Planet took offence too and asked them to take down.
Ive more or less given up on MTB youtube videos now.
I have however graduated to watching Robbie Cumming's youtube channel about his life living on a narrow boat and travelling around the UK. A great presenter and has managed to get a couple of series through the BBC called Canal boat diaries' on BBC4.
If anyone wants some interesting, relaxing, slow paced viewing, i highly recommend it.
I think you misunderstand what he means when he calls himself a “Punter” and who his channel is aimed at.
I'm pretty sure his channel is aimed at "punters" who buy stuff because they saw some bloke on a YouTube channel recommend it.
If anyone wants some interesting, relaxing, slow paced viewing, i highly recommend it.
Sounds more like it and what I mean about the possibility to have "non-TV" style stuff we have been conditioned to see as "presenting"
I agree with most of the comments here about GMBN and the state of mtb YT channels in general.
The latest format for the Dirt Shed Show is pants. The news section is awkward. Toff and his 'Fast Show'esque trying to be gangsta presenting is bloody cringey.
PinnedTV - I've always wondered how a channel with such small subscribers (relative to the big ones) gets the sponsorship they have. Their growth is pretty slow too.
My favourite channel is McTrail Rider. No BS, just great riding in Scotland.
I agree with Mc Trail Rider. It is one of only 2 MTB channels I look forward watching as soon as the new vids are released. The other is a young lad from the South Wales valleys. It is a bit raw and focused on the kind of steep off-piste stuff I enjoy, but his camera skills and editing are getting better and better, and the fun the lads have is infectious somehow. Anyway, I think he deserves a wider audience so feel free to check out his channel
https://www.youtube.com/c/JAMESROBERTMTB/videos
What's happened to Doddy then?
He's not appeared in any GMBN Tech videos for ages I don't think.
The tech show is the only one I tend to watch now and again really.
A few people have made comments about it on the videos but I've not seen GMBN answering them.
Is the lad ok?
🤔
Did they not just announce a new host?
They do tend to repeat themselves a bit on GMBN but to be fair there's a limit to just how many 'how to' videos you can do.
They put out a lot of content so I guess it's not easy trying to come up with new ideas.
I can take them or leave them.
I do sometimes wonder who watches some of their videos and thinks, wow I never knew that??
Just how many 5 things you shouldn't do, or 5 things I wish I knew videos can you make?
Did they not just announce a new host?
Not on Tech I don't think.
That's the main channel I believe.
Yep, watched the start of the Dirt Shed Show as a one-off hoping they had snagged a female presenter for the main channel but sadly it's some youngish lad who is relatively new to the sport. Haven't watched any of their videos for a while now, strangely still watch a lot of GCN though even though I don't have a road bike! Manon's attempt to qualify for the Gravel World Champs looked properly brutal. Sort of serves her right for choosing the 'easy' non-hilly option though as it's obviously flat-out for the whole race and she just couldn't keep up.
stevextc
Old Shovel is up in my fav’s but would never get a TV type spot but that is for me part of the charm.
Cheers, really like that, like a bike version of the antique vice guy. soothing.
Haven’t watched any of their videos for a while now, strangely still watch a lot of GCN though even though I don’t have a road bike!
GCN mission statement; our aim is to make cycling massively more expensive than driving.
Given up watching most MTB YT channels now. Tend to only watch now when I'm researching what trials to ride. Hardly make any videos now either as I can't be arsed.
Only subscribed to friends channels now for MTB vids. When I was buying my road bike I found some vids useful as I knew nothing about road bikes.
Sort of serves her right for choosing the ‘easy’ non-hilly option though as it’s obviously flat-out for the whole race and she just couldn’t keep up
Yeah, a 50km lap with a lot of beach and the potential for shit weather didn't sound entirely like an easy option! I think the main issue was getting a stinking cold the day before though. Not watched the preparation videos yet, felt quite sorry for her, I'm generally a fan of the stuff she does and a video about abject failure was brutally honest.
Occasionally watch some vids, noticeable how some brands are completely absent
I usually switch off when they get on the trial and it’s immediately pulling wheelies whilst being awesome down an enduro track
I usually like to watch Matt Jones for the humour and impressive riding, the singletrack samplers, seths bike hacks when he restores old bikes and covers weird things he finds on amazon/gets sent by companies, trail finder for a good review of routes, Sam Barker for the weird bike creations and Fanatik for all the break tests they do on kit, oh and rob warner when he actually uploads things I like his collabs with olly wilkins.
GMBN though I only watch when its Rich doing mega rides or races or blake doing the bikepacking adventures, the rest of the content is pretty basic low hanging fruit "5 things your missing to improve your ride" or "5 bit of tech that could be holding you back" or "5 essential skills to improve your ride" it's all the same repackaged, basic, predictable guff with an opportunity to sell whatever their current sponsors are pushing, Canyon bikes, Smith helmets/glasses, GMBN clothing etc it's all just a bit... Crap content and the focus seems to be quantity rather than quality.
I'm not a roadie and never have been but sometimes GCN has some good stuff which I like to watch, particularly the challenges where they ride insane distances on cheap road bikes or try to go as far as possible in 24hr
GCN just has better presenters, I am afraid the current crop of GMBN presenters are a charisma free zone who mistake gurning for having a personalty.
rob warner when he actually uploads things
I think it was someone on here described his videos as being mainly "moaning in car parks" or something like that.
He deserves a higher level of planning and production in his content IMO.
Nobody knows owt about Doddy then?
I think they've bumped him off. He knew too much.
Nobody knows owt about Doddy then?
I think they’ve bumped him off. He knew too much.
Knew too much about niche anodised MTB components from the 1990s?
Nobody is safe from the anodised rasta mafia.
MSP
GCN just has better presenters, I am afraid the current crop of GMBN presenters are a charisma free zone who mistake gurning for having a personalty.
Yeah, there's a new girl doing tech stuff who i don't enjoy at all. That said, i didn't much like Doddy at first, but I got used to him.
Matt Jones for the humour
I presumed his giggling cameraman was the only person that could possibly find him funny. I'll watch the occasional video because they do cool build projects, but my god they're annoying.
Its quite common on gcn for presenters to vanish for a while then reappear
Nobody knows owt about Doddy then?
I think they’ve bumped him off. He knew too much.
Wtf has he done to his upper lip? 😲
Why have you shared a video of Ian Botham talking about MTBs?
Has he been off air as he has been trying to grow that lip slug? Has he being part of an amateur dramatic society and has had grown that for a character he was playing?
Oh Lord. He looks like a Fast Show nazi 😮
Doddys dad's digs dags dogs out. Official.
Same as above, didn't like Doddy at first, then got used to him. I didn't like Blake at first either, but got used to him too.
The problem with GMBN, and GCN too, is that it's all getting a bit samey. "Let's see if good rider on crap bike/hardtail etc can be better than average rider on super-expensive bike?" and "Can we bikepack in XXXX country?"
So Doddy has gone and been replaced with a couple of YTS lads.
Anyone know why Doddy's gone?
He's joined a bike company. Hasn't said which. To work with them developing their new bikes and I suspect doing their social media. Said it was a company he has close ties with and was too good an opportunity to turn down
I assumed he was going it alone, he could probably do better for himself as a solo act.
Didn’t he have a website before GMBN
Factory Jackson?
Who knows really who suggested or initiated it and why, can't believe anything media people and companies say.
Anna Cipullo seems to be the main face of GMBN Tech now.
I quite like GMBN, the content is a bit repetitive but the presenters are likeable and it's generally about having fun messing about riding, isn't that what MTB is meant to be about?
GMBN, or play sports, is owned by discovery so you'd think they would have massive budgets to hire presenters.
By "offer he couldn't refuse" do you think Doddy just means paid a lot more?
I like Doddy because he is a genuine bike nerd who's been in the game forever so knows everything, I don't get that feeling with most of the rest of the gmbn presenters.
By “offer he couldn’t refuse” do you think Doddy just means paid a lot more?
Either that or he's pretty keen on what the job entails. I imagine he might be quite tired after however many years of pumping out however many videos a week mostly on his own from the workshop covering samey stuff.
But again, that's what he's saying, and saying on the official channel, so it has to be the agreed line. For all we know the company might want to refresh the channel, make it less of "the Doddy show", or want to revamp their presenter lineup for whatever other reasons.
It's pretty much mbuk on line. Easy to digest aimed primarily at those getting itote sport and who have plenty of money. All the presenters seem quite sound. Content it not my cup of tea most of the time but I would be a crap target as I avoid buying stuff.
I can't be arsed with any mountain bike YT stuff.
GCN is more interesting, and more over with the app + yearly subscription get a load of races.(road mainly, but some other stuff too) - but they have quite a lot of 'films' / documentaries that float my boat a lot more. Jenny Graham's videos of her travels (inc the solo / unsupported round the world record) I find WAAAY more interesting and inspiring.
Otherwise it's
- Chris Buck (Friday Fretworks) - there's a mighty talented guitar guy who's self deprecating and hugely knowledgeable. And not trying to schill random products to make a few quid.
- Friday Freakout. ( skydiving near misses / lucky barstewards getting away without death due to some thing that is available). As an ex Dieskyver, it's very eye-opening as to the number of idiots out there with a go-pro on their helmet or wrist).
-Stonnie Dennis. If you like Labradors and their training, and can ignore the occasional Republican biased Kentucky sniping against Democrats (there's enough good stuff and is really positive and sensible, no fads, not showy etc. Just clearly votes R.)
"fewer lunchtime beers" FFS.
GMBN is generally hard going.
I like most of the GMBN presenters but think the content is a bit repetitive.
I think doddy has a lot of skills with photography and no doubt an ability to edit videos. He could make very good content and likely have a successful channel of his own. I think lots of people in the industry know him and appreciate his passion for it.
Beyond that I think Ben Cathro at pinkbike is probably the best Mtb content producer in my eyes.
I like most of the GMBN presenters but think the content is a bit repetitive.
Hard not to be with almost any subject.
You've got to please long term viewers but also repeat the same stuff for freshies.
The Tech side of things is usually by definition, new. So Doddy has a good angle there and undoubtedly knows his onions.
I like the Dirt Shed Show. Ashton, Blake are quite humourous on the quiet. And who wound'nt want a stunt mug.
Not a roadie. But the GCN show I watch every week. Si and Dan are fun pair of presenters.
How cool is that !
Every now and again they fire out a good video, but a lot of it is just the same stuff and madly madly sponsored. Which is fine but what annoys is me when they try and push out a video with a certain title but really its just an extended advert for one of their sponsors.
Their collabs are good, as are the epic rides where they will try and do an everest or a 24hr race and stuff. But most of their "stop making these 5 braking mistakes or "conquer your fear of jumps with these 5 tips" is just low hanging fruit content, but hey they're clearly targeting people new to the sport in the hopes of a + subscription and a long term viewer which is fine.
I like the gmbn tech side of things though, some of their content has helped me out numerous times
Couldn't give a toss about the dirt shed show though, not my cup of tea