# Cycling Active Magazine ceasing publication...



## RegG (7 Aug 2016)

Just received the latest, and apparently last, issue of Cycling Active mag for which I took out a subscription at the end of May this year. This is the last issue according to the mag but what happens to my subscription? Anyone else in a similar position?


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## vickster (7 Aug 2016)

Phone them and ask? If a direct debit, just cancel it

There's a little discussion here https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/cycling-active.187191/page-2


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## RegG (7 Aug 2016)

vickster said:


> Phone them and ask? If a direct debit, just cancel it
> 
> There's a little discussion here https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/cycling-active.187191/page-2



Direct Debit was cancelled as soon as I found out. Will be ringing them tomorrow. Just wanted to see if anyone else had noticed the magazines demise, although the latest issue isn't in the shops until the 10th I think. The announcement is made in this issue.


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## gavroche (7 Aug 2016)

I stopped reading all cycling mags a long time ago. All the same, full of adverts, full of articles reviewing stuff far too expensive, including bikes.


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## Smokin Joe (7 Aug 2016)

gavroche said:


> I stopped reading all cycling mags a long time ago. All the same, full of adverts, full of articles reviewing stuff far too expensive, including bikes.


Every time I flick through a magazine in the newsagents now I feel I'm just looking at a glossy brochure from manufacturers. Cycling magazines are now aimed at consumers rather than cyclists.


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## ColinJ (8 Aug 2016)

They closed down Cycle Sport as well. I just got a letter saying that for each lost issue of CS I will be sent 4 issues of Cycling Weekly. Since I already have a CW sub, my subscription will be extended by (4 x missing issues of CS) weeks. Contact details were provided in case of queries. I presume that if you didn't want copies of Cycling Weekly, they would refund you the cash owed.


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## Tanis8472 (8 Aug 2016)

Hardly comparable in value. Iirc cw is at least half the cost


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## User16625 (8 Aug 2016)

gavroche said:


> I stopped reading all cycling mags a long time ago. All the same, full of adverts, full of articles reviewing stuff far too expensive, including bikes.



Are there any decent mags out there? Not into all that commercial crap either, altho a few ads is expected.


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## Nigel-YZ1 (8 Aug 2016)

Ever since I read a review of my own bike I've been questioning why I subscribe. Obviously the reviewer was pissed at not being handed the latest fashion full susser with balloon tyres and wanted to make a point.


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## User32269 (8 Aug 2016)

RideLikeTheStig said:


> Are there any decent mags out there? Not into all that commercial crap either, altho a few ads is expected.


I stopped getting mags as they are just manufacturers catalogues IMO, but have seen a few copies of Urban Cyclist and they have decent articles. I like that they have reviews for £300 bikes alongside more expensive ones.


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## vickster (8 Aug 2016)

Cyclist?
Rouleur?

Condor sell a couple of posh looking mags, think it's those


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## ColinJ (8 Aug 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> Hardly comparable in value. Iirc cw is at least half the cost


4 * £2.99 instead of 1 * £4.99 (Cycle Sport price) actually sounds like a good deal to me, provided that you want to read Cycling Weekly!


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## Starchivore (8 Aug 2016)

gavroche said:


> I stopped reading all cycling mags a long time ago. All the same, full of adverts, full of articles reviewing stuff far too expensive, including bikes.



yeah me too- got a bit tired of reading a mag that was 2/3rds adverts/advertorials for things I can't afford.

I read the Cycling UK mag that members get.


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## si_c (8 Aug 2016)

I've been seriously considering a Bicycle Quarterly subscription. It's a bit expensive, but at least it seems to be targeting something closer to what I want.


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## pawl (8 Aug 2016)

ColinJ said:


> 4 * £2.99 instead of 1 * £4.99 (Cycle Sport price) actually sounds like a good deal to me, provided that you want to read Cycling Weekly!




It's more like Spotive and Road Racing Weekly.


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## shouldbeinbed (8 Aug 2016)

I buy one mag a year when there is a buff on the front of it.

I gave up on them years ago when I realised I was just paying to see adverts.


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## Tanis8472 (8 Aug 2016)

ColinJ said:


> 4 * £2.99 instead of 1 * £4.99 (Cycle Sport price) actually sounds like a good deal to me, provided that you want to read Cycling Weekly!


My bad, thought it was equal months


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## andrew_s (8 Aug 2016)

It is equal months, but Cycling Weekly is 4 times a month (the clue's in the name )
For ColinJ it's a good deal, and presumably also OK for other Cycle Sport subscribers since the subject matter is similar.

Since the company isn't going bust, you should be able to get a refund for the unused part of your Cycling Active subscription, but you may have to ask to avoid a possible automatic transfer to CW.


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## Tanis8472 (8 Aug 2016)

I really am having a thick moment lol


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## Ian193 (8 Aug 2016)

So does this mean that I will get cycling weekly every week till my subscription expires (I buy it weekly at the moment anyway)


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## smutchin (8 Aug 2016)

gavroche said:


> full of adverts



Part of the reason CA is closing is that it's not nearly as full of ads as the publishers would like.

My sympathies go out to the people losing their jobs.


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## ColinJ (8 Aug 2016)

Ian193 said:


> So does this mean that I will get cycling weekly every week till my subscription expires (I buy it weekly at the moment anyway)


Yes.

I received a letter from the publishers last week explaining this. Didn't you get one?


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## Ian193 (8 Aug 2016)

I got Septembers issue on Saturday I didn't see a letter in with it


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## Smokin Joe (8 Aug 2016)

ColinJ said:


> Yes.
> 
> I received a letter from the publishers last week explaining this. Didn't you get one?


He's on their ignore list.


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## ColinJ (8 Aug 2016)

Ian193 said:


> I got Septembers issue on Saturday I didn't see a letter in with it


My letter came separately.


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## smutchin (8 Aug 2016)

I've not had a letter either, but I think my sub was about to expire anyway.


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## Flying Dodo (8 Aug 2016)

Sadly, I'm not surprised it's closed. Prior to their revamp, they did stand out as offering something a bit different, by trying to cover more than just your typical sportive bikes, but subsequently it was near enough the same stuff as Cycling Plus. 

Although to be fair, they never bothered to copy the photo-shoots of Cycling Plus, which always seem to show very intensive young men who never smile or grimace, climbing hills, whilst gripping the very bottom of the handlebars. So not at all realistic.


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## MarkF (9 Aug 2016)

MrsF kept getting me a subscription as an Xmas present, it got pretty boring, tests of say 5 bikes that were pretty much all the same bike, plus it's regular little digs at non-helmet wearers ("no brainer") despite claiming to be impartial, drove me bonkers. It's re-vamp was stupid, focusing on tours & long ride features, really? With sites a zillion time better like crazy guy?


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## Tanis8472 (9 Aug 2016)

Tbh, I've never really read them either. Occasionally bought one if at airport for example to while away time.

I'd agree they all seem to be the same.
I find that with most mags though too. 
Funny thing is, a couple of writers used to write for motorcycle mags.


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## Smokin Joe (9 Aug 2016)

Tanis8472 said:


> Tbh, I've never really read them either. Occasionally bought one if at airport for example to while away time.
> 
> I'd agree they all seem to be the same.
> I find that with most mags though too.
> *Funny thing is, a couple of writers used to write for motorcycle mags.*



They are journalists first, cyclists second. Next week they could just as easily be writing for a computer magazine and doing the same thing, just repeating the manufacturer's PR blurb.


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## Kajjal (9 Aug 2016)

Most bike magazines are very similar and just give the impression the manufacturers want. If they gave true reviews with detail a riot would break out. Instead they just list the spec and put some general waffle in which has no real meaning and repeat.

The best example of this is the relentless magazine space devoted to plus sized mountain bikes which are useless for most people.


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## gaz71 (10 Aug 2016)

I used to get CA magazine but stopped when they revamped it.I now get Bikes etc,thats a fairly good read.


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## Brandane (10 Aug 2016)

I too stopped buying any cycling mags a long time ago. Anything you need to know about all matters cycling can be found for free on the web. LINK.


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## smutchin (11 Aug 2016)

smutchin said:


> I've not had a letter either, but I think my sub was about to expire anyway.



Just realised I did get a letter, in with my mag - it was on the back of the address label...


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## ColinJ (11 Aug 2016)

That's the letter!

I would have showed you a copy of mine but I recycled it after reading it.


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## the_mikey (11 Aug 2016)

Only cycling magazines I read these days are Cycle and Arrivée.


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## snorri (11 Aug 2016)

Smokin Joe said:


> Every time I flick through a magazine in the newsagents now .


After failing for weeks to penetrate the band of mag flickers in my newsagents I realised I was surviving quite happily without buying a cycle mag.


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## Johnsop99 (11 Aug 2016)

gaz71 said:


> I used to get CA magazine but stopped when they revamped it.I now get Bikes etc,thats a fairly good read.


Same here although I'm thinking of putting the money saved towards a zwift subscription.


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## Elybazza61 (11 Aug 2016)

Currently subscribe to Cyclist,Rouleur and Cycling plus although still getting the last few issues of my cancelled subs to Bikes etc.

Will probably always get the first two;cycling+ I got as there was a free Lezyne computer which is perfect for the other half(she just wants speed and distance)but will probably cancel when the year is up.

Did get Cycling active for a bit but seemed to grow out of it and as others have said it's just a mini cycling+ now;also had ProCycling for a while but the Inrng website and the pro cycling section on bike radar()keeps me up to date with pro stuff.


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## smutchin (17 Nov 2016)

FFS! I noticed the other day that Time Inc had debited my bank account, renewing the subscription for a now defunct magazine. Haven't had a chance to get in touch with them about it yet.

Today, a copy of Cycling Weekly arrived in the post. So it seems the mother-lovers have just switched my subscription over to a mag I don't want. Grrrr!


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## ColinJ (17 Nov 2016)

smutchin said:


> FFS! I noticed the other day that Time Inc had debited my bank account, renewing the subscription for a now defunct magazine. Haven't had a chance to get in touch with them about it yet.
> 
> Today, a copy of Cycling Weekly arrived in the post. So it seems the mother-lovers have just switched my subscription over to a mag I don't want. Grrrr!


They did say that they would send Cycling Weekly until original Cycling Active subscriptions ran out (which is itself a bit cheeky) but renewing a subscription like that is _definitely_ not on!


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## smutchin (17 Nov 2016)

ColinJ said:


> They did say that they would send Cycling Weekly until original Cycling Active subscriptions ran out (which is itself a bit cheeky) but renewing a subscription like that is _definitely_ not on!



My CA subscription lapsed around the same time as it folded, so I assumed my account would just be closed. I just gave the subs people a call and had my suspicion confirmed that they had indeed switched me over to a CW sub. Absolutely outrageous - and possibly even illegal. 

I gave the poor woman an earful... and then apologised because I know it's not her fault personally. But I'm properly hopping mad about this.


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## Rustybucket (17 Nov 2016)

I liked cycling active before it tried being like cycling plus. I currently subscribe to cyclist and pro cycling


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## Shut Up Legs (17 Nov 2016)

RideLikeTheStig said:


> Are there any decent mags out there? Not into all that commercial crap either, altho a few ads is expected.


https://www.cyclechat.net/ 
No ads, lots of useful info, nobody trying to spruik expensive products.


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## John the Monkey (17 Nov 2016)

Shut Up Legs said:


> https://www.cyclechat.net/
> No ads, lots of useful info, nobody trying to spruik expensive products.


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## Simontm (17 Nov 2016)

Looks like the move to Farnborough went well then. They were at Leon House, Croydon and had full lock-up, workshop and studio plus most cycled in. according to one of them, the move to Farnborough not only pushed most of them well out of Cycle range but (the last time I spoke to them before I left Croydon) the Farnborough site hadn't even organised a decent lock-up yet!


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## EasyPeez (20 Nov 2016)

Most cycling mags are crap. Most, but not all - 

http://boneshakermag.bigcartel.com/product/boneshaker-issue-18-pre-order


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