PEZ thoughts

by jered on Nov 13, 2007 10:44 AM EST

I don't know how these diaries work, but I figured I'd try it out...

It's that slow-ish time of year, and I'm interested in brainstorming about certain ways that PEZ can improve.

Are there certain pieces of content that you'd like to see more of, different ideas, interview requests, thoughts, suggestions?

I love PodiumCafe to death and I highly respect your opinions, so that's why I'm asking here...so any help is greatly appreciated.

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Fewer Ads Maybe?

I know you guys need to pay the rent, but 29 ads on your home page is a little much... Then again, I admit that the ads on Pez are probably the only ads I ever actually click on. Besides that, I love the history articles, the cycling travel stuff, the product reviews of all the stuff I will never, ever own...

by Jimbo... on Nov 13, 2007 12:48 PM EST reply actions

What I read on Pez

The interviews and diaries of the cyclists
The stories of riding the course ahead of the peloton.
Product reviews.

I honestly don't read much news on Pez - I read the other stuff. The ads don't bother me and I have actually clicked on one or two.

by John.. on Nov 13, 2007 1:07 PM EST reply actions

Horner

Oh yeah, how about finding out if Chris Horner really signed with Rock Racing or not and why he didn't sign with Slipstream?

by John.. on Nov 13, 2007 1:17 PM EST reply actions

Don't read it

I don't read PEZ because the Daily Distractions section is very insulting.

by NorCal on Nov 13, 2007 2:04 PM EST reply actions

The inter-bike

'distractions' ARE insulting, for me. The "real life" photos, not so much.

But the photos of those surgically-enhanced people from Las Vegas remind me of doping in some strange way.

ON the other side of the page: beef up the pelo-pics. GWatson's page has dramatically faltered in coverage and quality in the last year or so and some of the Pez photos--especially the one Federico got of Ricco and Cunego in Lombardia--are as good as they get.

I have a sort of love/hate relationship with the product love-fests. I read 'em, and I appreciate the level of detail in the photos, but there is a level of overkill that they often reach. That and I don't understand the nokon fascination . . .

Pez was really good about getting good "beyond the publicist" feature interviews from riders. Those have gone away a little bit.

The euro-trash features just ain't the same since you stopped doing 'em. You actually had an attitude and a stance towards the major issues and riders (and acquired info. from places beyond the usual sources). That attitude is missing, which means that those pieces are not "must read" segments anymore.

by R Mc on Nov 13, 2007 2:30 PM EST up reply actions

Slightly off-topic aside...

Vegas is by definitely over the top. I look at the pics for a good laugh. Like, uh, animal or vegetable? And yes, from where I'm sitting, it's exactly like doping.

The "real life" distractions are a lovely feature. It's really only fair when nearly every race report is a "daily distraction" for the girls in the audience.

Like duh, why do you think we're watching this sport?

Was that shallow? I think that might have been shallow, Gav...

by Jen See on Nov 13, 2007 6:31 PM EST up reply actions

More Cyclocross

I can't get enough cyclocross! The pictures are great, but I would love to see more articles and interviews about cross.

I too, would like to know what is up with Chris Horner. He was supposed to have made a deal by the end of last week, but that does not seem to have happened. What's up with that?

As far as the distractions go, I am not offended in any way.

by Fink44 on Nov 13, 2007 3:03 PM EST reply actions

Ditto

Would love to see more cross coverage, maybe a feature on the weekend races that's more than the Eurotrash Monday update.

"Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals ... except the weasel. "

by Drew on Nov 13, 2007 4:04 PM EST up reply actions

me three!

by Jen See on Nov 13, 2007 6:22 PM EST up reply actions

Ride reports from ordinary people

Thanks for asking -- i personally love the travelogues and ride reports -- fat old riders like me doing cool stuff (the L'Eroica piece was wonderful). Maybe expand that to a weekly column and open it up for submissions. There's great stories (and pix) here and on bikeforums that you can probably pick up.

I agree on news -- i get plenty of EuroTrash from cyclingnews and eurosport.

by samboo on Nov 13, 2007 3:32 PM EST reply actions

My two pennies.

I am fascinated by the stuff that goes on behind the scenes of professional racing...tales from mechanics, soigners, cooks, medics, photographers, etc. What are some of the things that go into race orginzation, planning, and execution? What does it cost to run a team and how is the money spent(salaries, gear, hotels, food, insurance, legal costs, etc.)?

I love the Travel and Tours section with the information on cyclosportives, gran fondos, and touring companies that cater to the avid fan and rider. I can't afford any of these trips, but it's nice to dream. Also appreciate the cycling history, interviews, and pre-race course rides.

As for the ads, I recently purchased a frame due to one of the links to VeloVie. Love the bike, and Pez was my introduction to this new outfit.

Please don't get rid of the daily distractions. No one has to click on the link if they don't want to, so why be offended?

Lastly, I would like to see some stronger opinions on things. Hey, it really doesn't matter if I agree or not, but it sure makes for more interesting reading.

Keep up the great work. You guys are part of my daily routine.

by Eric V on Nov 13, 2007 3:43 PM EST reply actions

History

More history articles would be nice as would showing the original posting date of articles that are re-run from year to year.

by liferaft on Nov 13, 2007 4:18 PM EST reply actions

Pez and Me

I appreciate the personal slant on things at Pez. A good example is the photos of the writers in a post-race bar... you guys are a nice news/fan hybrid. For me the news side is unimportant (a comment to which this site isn't immune), but I absolutely love the course previews. Also your interviews are worth reading. More rider offseason interviews would be worthwhile; more personal essays of any type; maybe even tracking down some riders (Maggie!) in winter and show how they pass the cold months.

by Chris Fontecchio on Nov 13, 2007 5:55 PM EST reply actions

Me likey the Pez

I like reading Pez because it makes bike racing sound fun. Sometimes it can get to be a pretty serious business on some of those other news sites.

I don't really go to Pez for news, although I do read the Eurotrash feature, because it's typically well-written and funny. I'm all about well-written and funny.

I'd love to see more interviews. Not to start a CN bashing session, but lately their writing/editing has taken a turn for the, well, excruciating, bordering on unreadable. (My tolerance for that sort of thing is a tad low, I confess.) Anywho, from where I'm sitting, there's space for more well-written, well-edited, English-language interviews out there on the interwebs. I get most of my interview fix by reading foreign sites. But given the choice, I'd really much rather read them in English. It's like easier and stuff.

I really enjoy the picture/narrative race coverage there at Pez. My fave feature, I think. I'd love to see those expanded with more detail. Fewer sites seem to be devoting time to writing good race reports - VN had a few really good ones last year, and Gazetta consistently nails it on the Italian races (they are Italian, they better know how to write about bike racing). Even if I've seen the race, I enjoy reading a well-written story about what happened. Especially if there are pictures. I like that you choose a series of pics that tell the story - rather than giving me everything on your hard drive. I'm not after massive quantities of information, but well-edited and stylish stories about cool races. More please!

Love the race previews. Love them. One of my fave things on the interwebs. About bike racing, that is. More please!

Another vote for some history stories, though I don't always read this kind of thing during the season. But I should, because then I wouldn't get so shelled at trivia games (sigh).

I tend not to read tech features. Maybe if I had more cash to burn ;-)

by Jen See on Nov 13, 2007 6:22 PM EST reply actions

Awesome

Thanks so much for the comments and suggestions. I love it.

I've got some responses milling about, and will get to replying a little later, but for now, I'm hungry and I just rode 5 hours. ha.

by jered on Nov 13, 2007 7:11 PM EST reply actions

Likes and dislikes

I read most of the articles. The favorites are the history, the previews (and postviews) with someone riding the course, and the features.

I like the Eurotrash to some degree, but I think it shouldn't try to be up to the minute news - that is where it fails for me. When it looks at the weeks events in some kind of perspective, then it works.

The toolbox is probably my least important thing, but now and again it really has a good thing.

There is no easy way to go back and look at old articles, that I can find. I mean all of them.

by Markk on Nov 13, 2007 9:45 PM EST reply actions

Eurotrash +, grammar -

I really look forward to the Monday & Thursday Eurotrash. It's a great way to stay up to speed with what's going on. :)

If there were a way you could tighten the screws a bit on editing & grammar, I wouldn't wince when I encounter the multiple boo-boos in most every article. :(

It may sound like I'm being picky, but correcting these regular goofs would make the presentation more professional.

Thanks for your enthusiasm!

-Greg

by gregm on Nov 14, 2007 12:09 AM EST reply actions

Thanks For Asking...

I'd like to see a little more on the domestic racing scene. Call it "Ameritrash" if you want, but something to keep us in touch with the U.S. ProTour and NRC racing scene.

With Fast Freddie, Ivan Dominguez, Chris Horner (perhaps) and even Cippo (maybe) racing coast-to-coast this year, there's bound to be some exciting races that cycling fans can actually see in person (instead of watching crappy coverage on Versus or on a computer monitor, courtesy of cycling.tv).

by Chief Commissaire on Nov 14, 2007 9:12 AM EST reply actions

I'm biased

but keep the interviews coming !
http://interview.cyclingfever.com/

by lucybears on Nov 14, 2007 9:25 AM EST reply actions

Distractions

I agree with previous commenters. "Distractions" only serves to marginalize and objectify women.

Include women pro cyclists and fans as full participants in the sport and not as roadside attractions to be ogled.

by Nancy Toby on Nov 14, 2007 10:39 AM EST reply actions

who are you targeting?

. . . unless, of course, you're trying to market to that vital demographic of 17-year-old males sniggering on the computer in their parents' basement between gaming sessions. I think that's the target audience for "Distractions", isn't it?

by Nancy Toby on Nov 14, 2007 10:57 AM EST up reply actions

One more thought...

I'd love to see some womens world cup coverage. Maybe your Italian correspondant guy could score an interview with Marta Bastianelli? That would be cool - I haven't seen much about her in English.

I liked the diary you did with, heh, who was it last year, team VAC, I think. That was cool. I'd love to see more domestic women's coverage when you can get it!

by Jen See on Nov 14, 2007 5:55 PM EST reply actions

Interview with the new Road World Champion

Marta Bastianelli: I had a moment of fright
http://interview.cyclingfever.com/index.html?_p=rider&id=16395&country=9

by lucybears on Nov 15, 2007 1:07 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks!

by Jen See on Nov 15, 2007 2:32 PM EST up reply actions

Dovetailing nicely

to Gavia's comments, if you could get an interview with Katie Compton (Spike Shooter) that would be huge. For those of you who don't know her, she's the defending world silver medalist in cross, and recently became the first American to win a WC race.....in only her 3rd attempt. She is absolutely decimating women's fields on both side of the pond and is riding away from her competitors at will.

"Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals ... except the weasel. "

by Drew on Nov 15, 2007 8:33 AM EST reply actions

And please....

While I've got your ear... WTF is this about!?
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=dds/dds07/distractions-nov07

"PEZ-Fans get the hottest babes, so let's celebrate the WOMEN WE LOVE! Send us your pics - and make 'em sexy! That means No helmets & No glasses."

OK, that defines PEZ-Fans as males right there. Women need not apply. Plus women who are actually riding need not apply, so actual female cyclists are out, unless they fix up their helmet-head and pretty up for your camera.

Do you GET IT yet?? Can you understand why this might cause actual cyclists and cycling fans who happen to be female to be offended and avoid the site? Do you think it's a sound marketing plan to offend a significant proportion of your potential viewership?

OK, off my soapbox now.

by Nancy Toby on Nov 15, 2007 10:16 AM EST reply actions