From the latest edition of A to B magazine

[bode]

Who can they mean?

 

[lemmy]

They've been reading my posts.

 

[Alex728]

I've not rattled any mice, its against animal cruelty laws! a local cat visits my work and might catch a few but she prefers the rabbits and approves of my Wisper 905 (she always inspects it) - I did see a fat rat running along the gutter when riding back home one night but it was not at all rattled wholly unperturbed by my presence.

I subscribed to the mag on fleccs recommendation and I'd let my subscription run out a while back, and was wondering whether to renew it now, don't think I'll bother. for the money spent it doesn't provide a fraction of the useful and info this website does.. Tip: Don't insult your paying customers..

 

[flecc]

They've been reading my posts.

Or mine!

Haven't seen it yet, but they could be on a dangerous course, especially when the rival Electric Bike magazine is near to being launched by Velovision.

Our strongly growing membership is larger after three years than their slow growing subscriber list after thirteen years. We also have a huge number of visitors, a multiple of our membership, something a magazine doesn't enjoy.

If this really is their attitude my subscription will end and the links from my websites to A to B will be removed. Ours is too small a field for internal destructive attacks to be supported
.

 

[Mussels]

I can't see it on my phone, wozzit say?

 

[lectureral]

I can't see it on my phone, wozzit say?

"... the tedious windbags on the Pedelecs forum have been rattling their mice ..."

Actually my mouse does not rattle - I think it must be solid state.

I'd be interested to know the context.

 

[bode]

I'd be interested to know the context.

It was in a rather patronising (strangely so, considering David Henshaw's very active participation there) section about the Tour de Presteigne, in which it was mentioned that the said "tedious windbags" had been rattling their mice in favour of a more central location like Bromsgrove.

As for the epithet employed, one could say, after reading an edition of A to B, that it takes one to know one...

 

[flecc]

It's a criticism of those who asked for a more central place like Bromsgrove for the Presteigne event, this apparently justifying calling them tedious windbags. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

Elsewhere in the article by "The Mole", Wisper are criticised for the 905se range claims, differences between BEBA and the Bicycle Association are emphasised, Velovisions new Electric Bike magazine has doubts expressed about it's future.

All in all a rather ill-tempered article.

N.B. Bodes post just seen.
.

 

[Cyclezee]

The article is by 'The Mole', and it is copyright, but in essence it is regarding Forum members proposing a more central location for The Tour De Prestigne..............other than Prestigne that is. Not an unreasonable suggestion in my humble opinion, but then I may be classed as a tedious windbag............one that will not be renewing his subscription to A to B

Perhaps the The Mole should be renamed The Ass

I do hope A to B's advertisers take note of this a think hard about where to spend their budget.

J hn

 

[lectureral]

Thanks - I have never read the magazine - thought about it, but that does seem to me to be a well-aimed shot through its foot. At least the windbags' comments on this forum are free!

 

[HarryB]

I gave up on A to B for two reasons. Just because I am into electric bicycles and bicycles in general doesn't mean I am anti car etc. And a comment about the journalism, when you do an indepth article about speed cameras it should be more than just regurgitating a press release/information from your local Safety Camera Partnership. In the end, because their magazine's brief is so wide, for me there wasn't enough about electric bicycles to justify the subscription (which is very reasonable by the way).

 

[jerrysimon]

I am still on my first year's subscription. I found access to the older issues great value and this months issue seems to have a little more meat on it, though the last couple before that were not so good. All personal perspective I guess.

I am still uncertain if I will renew.

Regards

Jerry

 

[bode]

Incidentally, in the same issue of A to B, there is a feature about an ebiker who, fairly conclusively, won a court case over misleading claims about the life expectancy of his bike's battery.

The retailer was not named, but since they have a branch in Richmond and used to sell and heavily promote a brand which they no longer support, one might make a guess.

The expert evidence which seemed to tip the judgement in favour of the claimant was supplied by one of the mainstays of this forum, presumably someone whom A to B would not classify as one of our tedious windbags!

 

[bode]

I have just sent the email below to the editor of A to B:

Dear Mr. Henshaw,

In view of what was said in the column by "The Mole" in the latest edition of A to B, you should probably look at this thread from the forum on pedelecs.co.uk: From the latest edition of A to B magazine .

It seems strange that, with so fragile a readership base as your own, you should risk alienating that sizeable chunk of it that also happens to be a part of the pedelecs forum.

Any forum, like society at large, will include a cross-section of all types, including, no doubt, some tedious windbags. In the case of pedelecs, it also includes a wealth of co-operation, help and support relating to all aspects of electric cycling, as well as many wider issues. It is unworthy of you to include such a smartarse cheap insult against those whom you should consider to be your allies.

As a separate matter, and, I promise you, totally unrelated, I have decided not to renew my subscription to A to B after three years. It is its rather relentless tone of self-righteousness that has finally discouraged me.

Yours constructively,

 

[jerrysimon]

Incidentally, in the same issue of A to B, there is a feature about an ebiker who, fairly conclusively, won a court case over misleading claims about the life expectancy of his bike's battery.

The expert evidence which seemed to tip the judgement in favour of the claimant was supplied by one of the mainstays of this forum, presumably someone whom A to B would not classify as one of our tedious windbags!

Don't you just love irony

Regards

Jerry

 

[DeanVeggy]

Come on folks let's maintain our sense of humour

referring to the objections in the latest A to B mag to the Mole's article “...the tedious windbags on the Pedelecs Forum have been rattling their mice...”

I've read the article and It's interesting and funny. I wouldn't want journalists hand cuffed worrying about offending anyone or not being pc. Do you want boring bland stuff instead?

I want journalists to be provocative and brave.. that's their job! They not only entertain us but provide a service digging up stuff people or organizations don't want you to know. Jumping on them when they offend is short sighted in my view although of course the right to reply should be there.

I also enjoyed the Mole's writings on the rail network controversy. And it was nice of A to B to support the new enterprise of the electric bike magazine albeit with justified questions about whether a publication funded by the advertisers will be able to give unbiased reviews. Personally i doubt it.

(Ideal reviews: unbiased, hard hitting, all revealing, fair and honest)

 

[Mussels]

Jumping on them when they offend is short sighted in my view although of course the right to reply should be there.

I haven't read the article or seen the sabre rattling on here but it seems this thread has pretty much confirmed the mole's sentiment, the comment on it's own made me laugh but I kept quiet as I haven't seen the context.

 

[flecc]

I want journalists to be provocative and brave.. that's their job!

So do I, but they should attempt to hit the right targets and not use unjustified insults to promote the hidden agenda of being anti the web.

There is very much more to this matter than meets the eye.
.

 

[Old Timer]

I am a subscriber and await my copy but (for what it`s worth) bring it on is what I say. As long as they can take it as well as dish it out it could be fun

 

[Alex728]

This is not some foreign country with less freedom of spech where journalists are at serious risk of being blacklisted or even physical violence. We have a lot of freedom in England but it should be used wisely by those speaking on behalf of a commercial enterprise.

It would be much braver for this "mole", as a paid employee, to be accountable to the his customers and advertisers publish in his real name such as for instance the environmental campaigner George Monbiot does, or even Jeremy Clarkson! Both, at completely opposite ends of the political spectrum seem to hold on to their work and not get put at too much personal risk.

Freedom of speech does still have a cost, if a journalist offends paying customers of a publication their "right of reply" is also to remove their funding from that organisation! I had already let my subscription expire long before this because their magazine simply wasn't adding value in comparison to this forum.

In practice this situation still allows a large variety of media to exist across the political views.

So do I, but they should attempt to hit the right targets and not use unjustified insults to promote the hidden agenda of being anti the web.

There is very much more to this matter than meets the eye.
.

TBH the whole thing does indeed seems like sour grapes at increasing competition in the market, and the fact this forum offers for free everything the magazine does and then some.