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Trialsworld 4 Months On


neonsurge
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Is anyone else a little disappointed with TrialsWorld magazine now that it's been around for 4 months or so? It seems to be almost content-less with acres of advertising and reprints of 70s brochures and the like which, while interesting, give the impression that they're only there to pad the page count. Even the "proper" articles consist of huge photos with just a few lines of text squashed into a corner of each page. The bike tests are typical TMX fare being superficial and sycophantic and the classified ads at the back are utterly pointless (as will always be the case with monthly publications).

I was looking forward to more incisive product reviews, second hand buyers' guides and riding technique masterclasses (and before I get accused of posting all criticism and no suggestions for improvement, there's three right there). Instead, all we've got is a glossy and slightly expanded version of TMX's "Trials Torque" page.

On the plus side, Dougie's column is good and I enjoy the cyclo trials stuff although like everything else this suffers from "desperate padding".

It's possible to read the whole thing in a single session on the bog (and that's not a good thing).

3/10, could and should do a lot better. Anyone else with me on this?

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Couldn't agree more neonsurge - including the single sitting comment!

At least the limited coverage in TBM still has an edge that makes it interesting. What I don't understand is that Mr Rapley seems to contribute to TBM, not the TMX Trialsworld product. Shame that TBM couldn't get their dedicated mag off the ground.

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I agree with Neonsurge I also think it should have been fullsize from the off, the pictures etc are too small to be meaningful as it is now and surely some of the stuff in there really belongs in the weekly TMX.

The main thing that really XXXXes me off with the weekly is the amount of non-related meaningless ads on the same page as an event report.

Every time I see JD at an event he has a couple of cameras and takes lots of pictures but presumably the accountants decide the papers content.

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I can only agree with the comments about Trialsworld. It is fairly well presented in terms of graphics and use of technology, but ultimately let down by superficial editorial content.

I think this applies even more to TMX, which I feel has always been produced by folk whose enthusiaism outsrips their journalistic abilities, or perhaps think that us down to earth trials types don't need or want a decent quality of writing.

If you get the chance on your next weekly browse at WH Smith's, try comparing TMX with Cycling Weekly, which while costing a little more has a small circulation and far exceeds our sport's journal in literacy, presentation and professionalism.

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Blah blah blah TW is only three months old and y'all are bitching already,seem to remember reading Sean has mapped out his plans for future issues amd welcomes feedback so contact him he's working his butt off trying to give everyone a quality read.Most of the mags we read often are fully developed and finely tuned over years take BIKE for example and still looks to improve all the time and rightly shifts a lot of product.If he builds it they will come....................goin' now.

Paul

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In comparsion to trials magazines produced in europe "Trials World" seems pretty poor, and the articles and content dont seem to suggest there is much money being spent on producing it.

Think about it!! Trials Central is not much over a year old and due to it's success Andy, is now able to give a little bit of sponsorship here and there and promote the sport of trials.

If "Trials World" had some positive thinking from the trials enthusiast then it too may one day be able to sponsor and event, series, rider, who knows, but talk about biting the hand that feeds you :wacko: positive and creative criticism is probably welcome by the producer of the magazine, but all negative crap like quoted will only serve to put punters off buying and the demise of yet another promotional tool this sport needs will be the next step.

There are very few jobs related to the trials industry, no matter what angle or part of the sport it promotes, if one or two trials enthusiasts can make a bob or two at it, the whole sport will benfit in the end.

Give the man a chance!! it's no skin off your nose.

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i think what everyone is getting at is that Lancaster and morecombe journalism is different form the competition

trialsworld vs TBM

TMX vs rest

DBR vs moto & moto X

the competition is blatantly much better written but L&M still have the sales so get away with it

IMHO Moto & TBM produce the best journalism but if i can get hold of them I'd buy them all so that doesn't give L&M the incentive to improve its journalism (which the arrival of competition has done over the past years)

trialsworld had the potential to be a good little magazine like TBM (that is highly successful, well written, etc, etc) but has IMHO fallen down and just become a TMX extension

rabie :wacko:

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There are very few jobs related to the trials industry, no matter what angle or part of the sport it promotes, if one or two trials enthusiasts can make a bob or two at it, the whole sport will benfit in the end.

Give the man a chance!! it's no skin off your nose.

The problem is, TrialsWorld isn't a particuarly good advertisement for the sport. Even people who have no interest in trials who've thumbed through a copy while 'round my gaff have make comments like "it's mostly vintage stuff" and "there's no much to read, is there?" Really.

It's not as if the publishers are new to off road sport is it? And the cynical side of me believes that it was rushed onto the market with the sole intention of killing off the opposition (TBM) with not a huge amount of thought or forward planning.

Ishy, have you seen TBM recently? Their trials supplement is everything that TrialsWorld is not. And THEY'RE the inexperienced newcomers.

Constructive criticism: More real, original content and less blatant padding. Lose the classifieds. Less reliance on apparently syndicated content (rider interviews). Regular features (riding techniques etc.) I really want TrialsWorld to succeed because the sport needs a flagship publication to focus on but it's nowhere near that at the moment.

Sorry if this sounds harsh but it's what I think - MY OPINION - and after such a long wait I believe that trials enthusiasts deserve better.

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I would have said that A4 is better than the A5 then they would have to get more things in like coverage of events and things that are pretty much interesting to read, also tech about the modern bikes rather than the old ones which only some people own. "what happened to the Futures moving on with technology?".

Edited by Lew-GasGas
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Up to the minute results and news is worldwide within a few hours on the internet.

Printed publications have no way to compete in the results and first picture of the event department, also a lot of bike news and info is out on internet before the weekly or monthly mag is available.

I have the June issue that Kinell, brought over with him, plenty of good reports and pictures in it from the Pre-65, the SSDT and world rounds with stories on Dabill, and a bit of vintage stuff.

Now if you open a YOU HAVE USED WORDS OR A PHRASE WHICH ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THIS WEBSITE. PLEASE DELETE YOUR POST/TOPIC. DO NOT TRY TO CIRCUMVENT THE FILTERS IN PLACE ON THIS WEBSITE and expect to be reading news that is new to you, I think you will have to toss the PC out the window and detach yourself from the cell phone and all other gadgets in order to do so.

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