Does Pez Suck?

[Ripper]

Hi,

First - yes this question sounds harsh. It is not meant to, in other words it is not meant to be a flame, but I just wanted to get some discussion going on the topic.

What topic? The writing over at PezCycing News sometimes is just right off the deep end. I realize this can be said for a number of articles in the sporting world, but I am focused on Pez today

An example? Well here is a quote from today:

"Allow me to explain my assertion that Alberto still had a lot to prove in 2009... Alberto won the 2007 Tour: he had attacked Michael Rasmussen on the stage to Plateau de Beille showing he was the top climber. It took Rasmussen’s ban to give Contador the lead. His Giro win in 2008 was without a great deal of effort as he came into the race unprepared and rode into form and the pink jersey. By the time he started the 2008 Vuelta he was the top rider in the peloton and dominated the Vuelta to be the only current rider to have won the BIG three". (link)

Now I realize the writer may be pro Bert and the site seems to be pro Bert, but (and keep in mind I do know what happened to the Chicken) I don't think he had proven he was the best climber. I also do not think you can say the Giro came without a "great deal of effort" or that he "dominated" the Vuelta (not that I am a huge fan of Leipheimer, but they were pretty close to one another, no?)

The above is just one example, but I find it happens time and time again when I read Pez. I just find they tend to unabashedly be biased in their reports.

Thoughts (and please, no flames)?

 

[Tom T.]

I don't care about the bias, it's the terrible writing that hurts.

 

[BikeCentric]

Pez are fanboys. That's all there is to it. They've always been this way. They take the sport at face value and celebrate the positives; they have some great photography and their "race previews" which are designed for example to explain what Paris-Roubaix is to a new American Cat 5 are well done.

All that being said they are typical of American coverage of cycling. Both Pez and VeloNews are simplistic and thin in their coverage of the sport. This is why the English speaking fans of cycling come to CyclingNews.com, because Pez and VeloNews suck.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Pez's product reviews are a veritable masturbation-fest. I think they actually take the products in the bathroom for some personal time before they write the review.

Damn. I'm such a hater sometimes.

 

[Rex Hunter]

BikeCentric,

this will be more motivation for your training this winter.

 

[BikeCentric]

BikeCentric,

this will be more motivation for your training this winter.

Uh, okay.

You are a creepy e-stalker.

 

[Ripper]

Uh, okay.

You are a creepy e-stalker.

WTF is Rex talking about?

On your earlier note, I agree - great photos (that's what keeps me coming back). That and they do celebrate the good in cycling, which is ... good

 

[Bustedknuckle]

Pez are fanboys. That's all there is to it. They've always been this way. They take the sport at face value and celebrate the positives; they have some great photography and their "race previews" which are designed for example to explain what Paris-Roubaix is to a new American Cat 5 are well done.

All that being said they are typical of American coverage of cycling. Both Pez and VeloNews are simplistic and thin in their coverage of the sport. This is why the English speaking fans of cycling come to CyclingNews.com, because Pez and VeloNews suck.

Ya think race coverage is bad at PEZ, go to

http://www.serotta.com/forum

The tester gets all sorts of free **** and won't get off his knees with regard to serotta. Amazing what a freebie $12,000 bike will do for objectivity. If they didn't have T&A, I wouldn't go there at all.

 

[Rex Hunter]

WTF is Rex talking about?

He said in another thread that what motivates him to train in the winter is "fanboys". I think he was trying to be like Armstrong getting motivated by his critics, but it didn't really make sense in that context. How can fans of someone else help motivate you to train? Weird. It's totally different to people attacking you.

 

[BikeCentric]

He said in another thread that what motivates him to train in the winter is "fanboys". I think he was trying to be like Armstrong getting motivated by his critics, but it didn't really make sense in that context. How can fans of someone else help motivate you to train? Weird. It's totally different to people attacking you.

This is really weird. I've got some random e-stalker here trying to go all "Dr. Phil" on me through my forum postings. Sketchy.

 

[Highlander]

I saw the headline and thought that it was about the candy that comes in Pez dispensers. I would wholeheartily concur that it really sucks as I've never liked that stuff.

 

[lagartija]

Pez are fanboys. That's all there is to it. They've always been this way. They take the sport at face value and celebrate the positives; they have some great photography and their "race previews" which are designed for example to explain what Paris-Roubaix is to a new American Cat 5 are well done.

All that being said they are typical of American coverage of cycling. Both Pez and VeloNews are simplistic and thin in their coverage of the sport. This is why the English speaking fans of cycling come to CyclingNews.com, because Pez and VeloNews suck.

PEZ as in charles m. is canadian, not american........and actually he has loads of pro rider access, go through the interview catalog, its FUN, they also stem their reporting from a different viewpoint, they are big on enjoying life, travel,negroni's, .............think british humor , you either get it or you dont.
and yes i agree with you .......they are fans, its obvious......whats wrong with that, .................your on a bike forum, are you not a fan ?

 

[Psalmon]

They do well with vintage stuff, old photos, stories of past classics or GTs, often in parallel with previews for the event upcoming.

It's vital for a sport to connect with it's history and legends, something cycling is rich in.

 

[James Jordan]

Why the dump on PEZ?

I have always found their writing style to be light hearted and entertaining. Sure they are more from the 'fan-boy' section of the journalistic community rather then the more 'professional' stylings of Cyclingnews. That being said I have on many occasions felt that the writing here is written more as a job then any love of the sport.

Plus their website is far easier to navigate and loads a lot faster.

 

[Sasquatch]

Daily Peloton is far superior than all those sites mentioned.

 

[Ripper]

PEZ as in charles m. is canadian, not american........and actually he has loads of pro rider access, go through the interview catalog, its FUN, they also stem their reporting from a different viewpoint, they are big on enjoying life, travel,negroni's, .............think british humor , you either get it or you dont.
and yes i agree with you .......they are fans, its obvious......whats wrong with that, .................your on a bike forum, are you not a fan ?

Thanks for pointing it out that he is Canadian Lagartija.

I would agree that there are good points to the site ... some examples are noted by Psalmon. However, I still find that when it comes about talking about current racers the writing just gets a bit silly and reaches a pretty high level of bias. Many sports writers have biases, but Pez seems to jack these up x10 and go nutters, with little attention to facts.

AFWIW - I am a fan and I love cycling. I am not flaming Pez, but rather seeking out others thoughts on the site.

 

[Ripper]

Daily Peloton is far superior than all those sites mentioned.

DP is quite entertaining. I found Girobetto/Tourbetto to be hilarious!

 

[BroDeal]

DP is quite entertaining. I found Girobetto/Tourbetto to be hilarious!

Not half as hilarious as I found ChrisH.

 

[the truth.]

PEZ ROCKS.
a great fan and backroom site.

 

[Murray]

PEZ is Great

Pez is a great site. Yes, it is more light than others, but that's OK. This is sports... it's entertainment... unbiased journalism isn't really that important. Plus, they have the Daily Distraction section....

 

[jockanese]

Pez are fanboys. That's all there is to it. They've always been this way. They take the sport at face value and celebrate the positives; they have some great photography and their "race previews" which are designed for example to explain what Paris-Roubaix is to a new American Cat 5 are well done.

All that being said they are typical of American coverage of cycling. Both Pez and VeloNews are simplistic and thin in their coverage of the sport. This is why the English speaking fans of cycling come to CyclingNews.com, because Pez and VeloNews suck.

Pez is based in Canada, but has people in Europe and they are a mix of Scottish, Oz, Italians, English, French as well as the US and Canada.
"Fanboys"? and the problem is? We are all fans, no? Or we wouldnt be here.

 

[Steel4Ever]

I am not flaming Pez, but rather seeking out others thoughts on the site.

Why? WhoTF cares?!? YOU like it or YOU don't!
Say everyone came out and said, "PEZ is AWESOME!" -- would you then just jump on their bandwagon and start to cheer, "PEZ is AWESOME!" instead of siding with your own brain?


Addendum to 'Worst Things...' List:

1. People who don't use their own freewill.


p.s. -- I'm not flaming you...

 

[Walshworld]

Pez defender

Okay, guess I'll step in as the only defender of Pez.

Cyclingnews is always my number one, simply the best coverage always. And yeah, I'm an American. Then I'll go to velonews to see if CN missed something or has another spin on the same story. And third comes Pez -- which I honestly haven't spent that much time with -- but will in the future.

Pez isn't trying to be CN and that's what is great. I think the sport is more global and there are more kinds of cycling fans now. So Pez brings a looser attitude and much needed humor.

In general cycling journalism takes itself more seriously than in other sports. I write a cycling blog that has a comedic twist so I'm biased. But I think the fun Pez approach is good for cycling and good for covering the sport.

There's room for everybody.

Twisted Spoke

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

There's room for everybody.

I agree with this 100 percent. In fact, I wrote for both Daily Peloton and Pez before settling in at CN. As I once told a journalist at a German cycling site, I consider us as colleagues rather than rivals.

Susan

 

[Anonymous]

I said I was off the Forum, but when I saw the title, I figured I had one more comment in me. I visit five cycling sites a day, usually more than once, for the current news & interviews. It's like popping into a convenience store. Pez is more like settling in for an afternoon at a Mediterranean restaurant. I know it's going to take three lengthy articles with photos for them to describe the course for a race. I know that during the Giro, they won't just cover the stage, but they'll share meals and drinks and interesting people they meet along the way. One of their writers will often hop on the bike and check out the climbs before the race gets there. It gives me a more complete picture of what things are like in a place I can't be.

Other sites are like an Interstate highway - an efficient way to get somewhere. Pez is like Route 66 in its heyday. Lots of small towns and scenery and a chance to take a good look at life around you. But it is what it is. Don't take Route 66 and complain about all the stop signs.

As for the product reviews, I think they only bother writing about stuff they like. Why spend a lot of time taking detailed photos and testing rubbish? There are other places for that.

Some people hang out in forums looking for things to insult, ideas to shoot down, and, let's face it, to fight with each other. That's fine. But not every place has to be negative. I know that I can stop by Pez and get to know riders, equipment and cycling routes a bit better, and not have anything ruin it for me.

Now I really am done. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it. And Happy New Year to everyone.