Looked forward to watching it, but very quickly disappointed. I didn’t think it was a great advert for cycling. It was never going to please every keen cyclist, but should have at least attempted to inspire new cyclists to get on their bikes.

The chat section in the cafe was terrible with the background noise. Some info on Graham Obree and Gary Fisher would have been good, I can’t imagine many non-cyclists know who they are and what they have achieved. I thought Mansall was a valid guest – not a famous cyclist, but a sort of celebrity with a keen interest in the sport. Maybe they will have Alan Sugar on there next week?

Overall it seemed a bit short, with all the features lacking much depth.

Recorded here as well, just watched it. TBH I didn’t think it was *that* bad. Couple of cringeworthy moments. Anything with Gary Fisher in it for example, the guy truly is a tosser.

The Olympic road race course – relevant, mostly interesting to a lot of people. Filming in LMNH – it’s a great cafe; quirky, fun, generally pretty relaxed and it’s got a nice vibe but it’s not really an ideal filming location due to the noise and the comings and goings of customers.
Nigel Mansell – owns Team UK Youth so again, fairly relevant, I can see why they’d have him on there. Graham Obree – was he just really nervous or does he always talk like that?
And Gary Fisher – dear God, why?

A bit of explanation as to who they were/their background might have been helpful. Same with Rob Hayles – something other than “cycle show expert”.

Possibly trying a bit too much to be like Top Gear or a bit too hip and trendy but I reckon give it another couple of weeks before ripping it to pieces.

it does seem a bit ‘London-centric’

i don’t know what’s worse the fawning fixie-prick hipsters with their caps at jaunty angles drinking micro-brewery pale ale while 4 sociopaths make conversation on a sofa or dour northerners waxing lyrical about ‘this ere Ribble’s a proper bike fur the real ills we ave rund ere’

a TV program about bikes is no substitute for the real thing.

One positive though,something by chain reaction that arrived exactly on time.

One positive though,something by chain reaction that arrived exactly on time.

It would seem we’ll be sending it back for a refund.

IMO cycling is such an expansive, diverse and subjective sport/past-time that it’s gonna be pretty damn difficult to please everyone who chooses to tune in.

Didn’t connect with the presenter. Thought Mansell was actually alright – surprisingly. Obree illustrated his insanity. Fisher played the nutjob role with aplomb, but was also pretty grounded. Cafe and hangers-on – not sure about them. Hemingway slot should have been expanded upon.

With a 30 min show no doubt cut down to something like 23 mins of actual play time on a commercial channel it’s no doubt gonna be hard to cover enough ground AND be relevant.

Hopefully the next few shows will show some spark and get people off their couches and onto a saddle. Won’t happen though if it’s anything like this.

Don’t really think the problem was being ‘London-centric’, or even ‘road-centric’. They’ve got to film it somewhere, none of the guests, presenters or features were particularly london based, and obviously with the tour and olympics the first two weeks are going to have quite a lot of road, even with the Megavalanche report next week.

The real problem was just the inability to produce a remotely well-made TV programme. It was clunky, awkward and badly presented. The features managed to be both too-short and too dull, not enough explanation for those not into bikes, and not enough detail/interest for those who are. Half an hour really isn’t long enough for a magazine style programme, especially with adverts. It should either be an hour, or should only have 1 or 2 features each week. Needs better writers, and a main presenter who can ask some interesting questions and get a decent conversation going, although that was clearly hamstrung by the fact that the guests couldn’t hear each other, and the ‘interviews’ were 30 seconds long and crammed between other features. The guests weren’t helping much, but I think a better interviewer, given a few more decent questions, and a bit more time, could have got something much more interesting out of at least two of the three.

The challenge with making this type of show more ‘intelligent’, e.g. having the presenter ask ‘better’ questions, is that it’ll risk alienating the casual (non-cycle-savvy) viewer. Yet keep it as is and you do the same to those into biking.

oh dear, oh dear, oh dear……. 😥

watched it last night, not holding out much hope for the rest of the series!! I know we have a lot to thanks Garry Fisher for but i think his over exuberance may have just reinforced the sterotype of a cyclist to the non cyclist,a little bit weired also waxed moustache and a trilby WTF!!. Graham Obree top bloke, should have an hour special on him, i really felt sorry for him been talked at by Fisher though!! at least he beat him on the roller racing. Agree about the retro chique, look at me, fixie riding, expresso drinking people in the background….annoying

Don’t really think the problem was being ‘London-centric’, or even ‘road-centric’. They’ve got to film it somewhere, none of the guests, presenters or features were particularly london based, and obviously with the tour and olympics the first two weeks are going to have quite a lot of road, even with the Megavalanche report next week.

The real problem was just the inability to produce a remotely well-made TV programme. It was clunky, awkward and badly presented. The features managed to be both too-short and too dull, not enough explanation for those not into bikes, and not enough detail/interest for those who are. Half an hour really isn’t long enough for a magazine style programme, especially with adverts. It should either be an hour, or should only have 1 or 2 features each week. Needs better writers, and a main presenter who can ask some interesting questions and get a decent conversation going, although that was clearly hamstrung by the fact that the guests couldn’t hear each other, and the ‘interviews’ were 30 seconds long and crammed between other features. The guests weren’t helping much, but I think a better interviewer, given a few more decent questions, and a bit more time, could have got something much more interesting out of at least two of the three.

Agreed, I don’t take issue with the fact that they covered the most current cycling related news around the TDF/ORR first, and given the time slot and the channel it made perfect sense…

I am going to reserve my judgement for a couple of weeks, I think they need to get an eye in, and I want to see if their pieces on MTBing, Commuting and any other cycling disciplines/areas are aimed at a similar level or have a bit more depth…

My missus made me laugh, she took one lok af GF and said “Who does he think he is Willy Wonka or something?”, I did notice he managed to name drop his employers during the “Interviewing” too, good work Gary…

I really think there was an opportunity missed with Graham Obree, I would have loved to se a bit more of a proper interview, I know they had to keep it light hearted, brief and were sort of aiming for a kind of Top Gear/5th Gear/Gadget-ish type show but with bikes vibe, but to not really make any use of such a guest was in my view a proper waste, put it this way I’m a mountainbiker first and formost, and I’d much rather hear what Obree has to say than listen to Gary Fisher spouting shite…

I think Mansell was worth having on the show, he had something relevant to say, his genuine enthusiasm for the sport showed….

I’ll be interested to see who else they book in the coming weeks rustling up three articulate interesting cycling related guests each week might be a bit of a challenge, I’m sure at some stage they’ll probably need an MTBing Guest or two and if you want one with a bit of media training the obvious choice is Rob Warner, who I can see wiping the floor with that presenter TBH, that would be worth watching…

I think the Hipster cafe setting is probably just down to “Meeeja” types based in London, with a London based view of the Universe having to produce a show about bicycles, they’ll just default to what they know…
I guess the show has to have a setting/Base and at least its not a studio there’s a bit more life in there…
But identifying the show and hence cycling so directly with one little niche group sort of serves to exclude the wider majority IMO, the rest of the UKs cycling public don’t really do Rapha caps and fixies with a Machiato do we? hopefully the out and about articles will reflect that in coming weeks….

I think the show would benefit from being a bit longer too; 45 minutes to an hour just to give them time to get in to some detail and make the pieces a bit more engaging.

I stopped after one and half page. I am going to get it online ASAP but:
Presented by at least one real cyclist, who probably ride more and better than 99.9% of the people who speak sh1te on here.
Targeted audience, well people who don’t cycle. And as for not being patronising, you’ll be surprise of the number of peopl who can’t put an helmet correctly on their heads.
Classic STW, never happy always moaning. And obviously any one on here could have done better with a camcorder a tooth brush and a large bathroom.

I’m sorry but that was a cheap programme made cheaply. Almost no substance and very very poor questions asked that seemed as if they were made up on the sport.

People have mentioned above, what would a non-cyclist have made of that? Would they watch episode two? No…..

And it was London-centric and the hipster-fixe **** image that cafe put across was not ideal either. How does that entice people to cycle? Promote cycling as a way of transport?

Look as some have also said its the first episode, so i’ll give it a chance. But I’m cyclist so I make allowances for Obree (who was clearly p$ssed of on medication) and Gary Fisher (who is clearly mental/American) a non-cyclist would/will just think, this is ridiculous.

Graham Obree drew on a pair of Wiggo sideburns with marker-pen for the roller racing.

The man is a genius!

APF

Wasn’t keen on the hipster cafe

Liked Hemmingway

Initial thoughts on Obree were, this guy is odd – ended up hoping he’s going to be a regular, really warmed to him

Gary fisher has done too much brown acid

Thought the Olympic course bit was relevant and fairly interesting

Think CRC should pay a bit more so their advert doesnt look like and Internet side bar ad

It confirmed to me that cyclist are indeed geeky and not in a cool way hence although I like it, I won’t recommend watching it to non-cycling friends – they think I’m odd enough

Edit: I know Fisher has roots in road racing but was anyone else surprised to see he wasn’t a million miles behind Obree?

Not quite sure who the target audience is for this show.

Trying too hard to be ‘trendy’ with the hipster cafe setting.

Too shallow to be taken seriously by ‘proper’ cyclists.

No introduction of who Gary Fisher & Graeme Obree actually are, for the benefit of those not in the know. Not really sure why GF was there at all to be honest.

Cycling safety with Wayne Hemmingway (of all people) seemed to be just “don’t get close to a truck” and “be aware” 😕 again, too shallow to be of any real use.

We’ll see how (or if) the show develops over the series I guess.

Very much enjoyed it.

Obree is great, fisher too.

They will iron out the sound levels etc for the next show.

All the caps, I suspect they were freebees given to the crowd.

Anna nichoola is on next weeks show and she is a great embassador for cycling… She once woke up in hotel room with bikemonger stickers on her belly. She was unsure where they came from, so facebooked it, I was then Facebook tagged. It was almost nothing to do with me, but mrs bikemonger was not happy when the Facebook alerts popped up on the shop pc.

The cafe isn’t really that “hipster” if you go in there (and certainly compared to other cafes in the area). A lot of very normal people and a lot of cyclists but I’d imagine the screening of the final stage of the tour and the filming brought people out. Also, I get a feeling the caps were some sort of freebie from someone as nearly everyone was wearing the same ones.

I think the Box Hill part was definitely an opportunity missed. The loop will be interesting for more than just the climb up the zigzag and they never adequately explained where people might attack just that people might.

Response on here is so predictable, it was never going to go down well really was it.

The people in the background need to be told to shut up and take the hats off, but other than that it was ok.

Anna nichoola is on next weeks show and she is a great embassador for cycling… She once woke up in hotel room with bikemonger stickers on her belly. She was unsure where they came from, so facebooked it, I was then Facebook tagged. It was almost nothing to do with me, but mrs bikemonger was not happy when the Facebook alerts popped up on the shop pc.

LOL.
No story about Anna would surprise me!

Actually thought it was OK.

Cafe setting was good, better than some contrived studio set. Some attention to the sound mixing would have helped. Choice of guests was good til Gary Fisher appeared, not sure why he was there. Obree and Mansell had enough chat to fill the show I thought, neither got to talk in enough detail. Features were pretty good for a first outing, especially the Box Hill section, and the graphic/ident/linking bits (whatever they’re called) weren’t annoying.

It’ll never please everyone – look how hard it is to make a music show that is both popular and credible – but it could have been way worse. Not sure I’d make a point of watching it every week, but I’m happy its there and I hope it does well.

Features were pretty good for a first outing, especially the Box Hill section,

think i must have missed that. i saw an odd graphic showing only the hill secion and then a selection of contrived fake attacks, with no idea where they were or what the hell was going on, or ever mentioning that box hill wasnt both the start and finish of the race.

It really wasn’t that bad though was it? A cycling show on mainstream TV is great news I think.

Having said that I knew what the STW collective would think 😆

It really wasn’t that bad though was it?

it really was THAT bad. really. i genuinely can’t see how people are defending it.

It turned me off fairly quickly:
* Tim Lovejoy in the Ace Cafe format
* Close ups of wild eyed kids/men in hats giving it football fan
* The first 5 minutes filled with fast-cut montages – which quickly established this was going to be very light on content

So I went to do my ironing instead. Personally I think there is far, far better content to be had on the internet. Even Rapha’s slightly self frotting YouTube channel is a less disturbing watch. Maybe ITV4 should just turn it into Cycling Rude Tube, and compile it from internet clips.

Let’s see what happens I guess. Not sure the sponsors are going to be queuing up if the viewing figures aren’t there.

I think it definitely has potential if they can span the gap between keen cyclist and newbies.

I didn’t watch it.. I knew it would be shit

But think about it.. a new genre for mainstream TV.. it will have had to have been funded and pitched on a low budget.. probably begged for.. There’s not going to be a slick thoroughly well rounded and in depth programme made at that price point..

I didn’t watch it. Sun was out, so I was out on my bike in’thills

By the sounds of it, a few more people should have tried that! 😀

I thought it was OK, first episode after all and clearly no budget to work with. It was hardly ever going to be Top Gear was it.

Needed more Graeme Obree and less Nigel Mansell. Gary Fisher is a bit of a dude! Actually it just needs to be presented by Obree and Fisher, that would be pretty entertaining.

Will definitely keep watching it.

I didn’t see it but the oxymoron in the trailer “We’re going to concentrate on all forms of cycling” didn’t feel like a good start.

Here’s hoping they can work out what and who the show is for. Cycling’s a very broad church, they could end up trying to please everyone with the result they please no-one.

I thought it was alright, a bit low budget but not as bad as folk are making it out to be.

To be honest I’m not surprised that this attitude would be displayed on here, probably by the same people who were saying last week how easy wiggins rode the tour/it was boring/froome is better than wiggins, etc.

i recorded it, cant say that im bothered if i remember to record next weeks.

the live venue just didnt work, with both mansell and obree struggling to hear/talk so lots of confused looks and leaning forward
Obree and Fisher may be considered heroes of cycling, but they are just an embarrasment in front of camera. What did Obree manage to say about “face first, lying down, 83mph” it took a couple of minutes to twig that he is hoping to be involved in some land speed record, very vague and wishy washy.

the segments were ok, a look at box hill is timely and relevant and the town riding bit was ok – mostly just a relief that they were filmed with out excessive background noise.

the rollers could have done with a quick explanation and the feel of that section was very much in a teenage/the word/tizwas/kerazzy style – totally suited to a program that will only ever have ten viewers.

If they have cobbled this show together of the back of a surge in interest following the TdF then fair play to them for having a go.

It was a bit shonky, lacked a bit of clear focus – who was it aimed at? Non cyclist probably won’t be watching it in the first place so why have advice about putting your helmet on properly? It might get better, would be good to see some coverage of the Mega next week.

Do you think they’ll be able to get Rob Warner and Boris Johnson as guests on the show? Now that would be some train wreck TV but in a good way.

I didn’t think it was so bad. fisher is a businessman FFS, of course he’s going to do some promotion, american style.

A general-interest program like this is never going to please everyone, esp those who are really into biking, knowledgable and opinionated, eg those glued on here.

Rob Warner , Obree and fisher all on the same show would be a hoot …

It was almost as bad as the mtber on BBC3 last night getting shown around the course at Hadleigh Farm by Annie Last! 😉

I may be wrong but did they even have a song by “RIDE” on the Box Hill bit.

You aren’t. Brilliant song. What got me down though was working out 5 minutes later that the (oxymoronic) researcher had just typed “ride” in to spotify and also decided that The Vines “Ride” (equally good) was another suitable song. He or she will run out of ideas soon at that rate.

Good music, dire research.

It was OK, I just found the cycle cap wearing brigade “too cool”. I like the idea above about going round to different Cafes if that’s the format they want to peddle.

It will stay being filmed in LMNH so that anyone can roll on down there on a Sunday evening and see people such as Eddy Merckx being interviewed. I hope they do sort out the sound though and give a better intro on the guests.

The Megavalanche footage was filmed over the last week and should be really good, the crew were buzzing.

That was shockingly poor.

Scrap the couch interviews

One half of the program on beginner cyclists

One half on experienced cyclists.

Presenters with personality & some knowhow

Program fixed