New site design

[ihatescarves]

So it's nonsense that it's important in the presentation of both tech and feature content, but you then go on to say it's the only way you can access this content from that page. So, you've kind of made the point?

No, it's nonsense that the carousel is important in presenting this information. If the information it contains is so important, why is it presented in such a way that it might be completely invisible to some visitors to the site?

Unfortunately I don't believe there's currently any plans for this.

Well that's disappointing, because it would take a developer less time to implement than it took you to type your reply, would add a total of 20 bytes to each page and the only side effect would be that a long time reader of the site would be very happy.

 

[gruppo]

RESULTS - Placing number in classifications only one digit

Website is getting much better, thanks.

On results, e.g. TdS Stage 5 General Classification. Numbering problem.

Runs 1 to 9, then
10 to 19 says only 1, not 10, 11, ..... 19
20 to 29 says only 2
etc.

Don't like having to click to get from short to long list every time move to new part. Prefer all listed without two-stage clicking.

 

[Daniel Benson]

Greg, what I liked about the 'old' news flash was when there was a news update, or a breaking update that was posted, you knew it was important. Like Armstrong to return from retirement. Whereas now, there are lots of stories which don't rate highly in terms of impact, if stories like the one mentioned would be mixed in with the countless others. Obviously you guys would put it in the flash intro, but maybe in future if something important comes along, the text would go red or something. I also agree that the text needs to be darker.

Hi Morephyous,

We aim to upload stories in an order of priority so that the cream and importance of news rises to the top. However your idea of making real, breaking news stand out is something for us to consider.

Thanks

Daniel

 

[maxlite]

Web site woe!

I can understand you guys have a hard job, but people feel so strongly about the site.

Looking at some of your other sites, there does seem to be some flexibility with layout and lack of flashing top bar!

http://www.techradar.com/

http://www.gamesradar.com/uk

http://www.musicradar.com/

http://www.dailyradar.com/

http://www.totalfilm.com/

http://www.t3.com/

Remember how easy it used to be:

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/

Problem is CN is now part of your pool of web sites.........and sinking fast,
I don't think I'll be using this site much!

 

[Bala Verde]

Don't know if it has been mentioned before (64 pages!) but can someone bring the start list back to the main page under races and results for each and every race.

If I want to look up a number of a rider/rider's name in today's tour de suisse, there is no quick method to get there and look at the team rosters.

 

[Daniel Benson]

Bala Verde,

Start lists are being worked on as we speak. As soon as they're ready to deploy we'll make an announcement on the forums.

Thanks

Daniel

 

[fourstagesinoneday]

Ok a suggestion to throw in on the "we're a news site" v "we hate spoilers" war which may be possible and please everyone.

The current live report Susan is doing for the TdS has this url:

http://live.cyclingnews.com/

I think it was a pretty similar (if not identical) url on the old site. Previously once the race was over the full live report was archived using this style of URL:

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/jun09/dauphinelibere09/?id=live/dauphinelibere097

As there were no spoilers on the front page telling you who had won a stage, website users could click directly on the link for the live report and experience it "as live". I assume a similar archived live report will be generated from now on on the new website with a url something like:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/73rd-tour-de-suisse-2009-upt/stages/stage-6/live-report

With the new content management system/coding would it possible to tag all newly archived live reports such that they would automatically be filed in chronological order on a page with a url such as:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/livereports

That way those who are desperate to avoid spoilers could just simply bookmark that page, go straight to it avoiding the front page, and pick out the report they want and read away spoiler free. After reading the report they can then return to the main front page for all the news.

This sort of system (if feasible - should be as it's a feature of most CMSs) would allow the hardcore to continue to get their "as live" fix from Cycling News spoiler free and benefit from the 24/7 rolling news and new design you've introduced. And everyone would be happy!

 

[stefan]

Ok a suggestion to throw in on the "we're a news site" v "we hate spoilers" war which may be possible and please everyone.

The current live report Susan is doing for the TdS has this url:

http://live.cyclingnews.com/

I think it was a pretty similar (if not identical) url on the old site. Previously once the race was over the full live report was archived using this style of URL:

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/jun09/dauphinelibere09/?id=live/dauphinelibere097

As there were no spoilers on the front page telling you who had won a stage, website users could click directly on the link for the live report and experience it "as live". I assume a similar archived live report will be generated from now on on the new website with a url something like:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/73rd-tour-de-suisse-2009-upt/stages/stage-6/live-report

With the new content management system/coding would it possible to tag all newly archived live reports such that they would automatically be filed in chronological order on a page with a url such as:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/livereports

That way those who are desperate to avoid spoilers could just simply bookmark that page, go straight to it avoiding the front page, and pick out the report they want and read away spoiler free. After reading the report they can then return to the main front page for all the news.

This sort of system (if feasible - should be as it's a feature of most CMSs) would allow the hardcore to continue to get their "as live" fix from Cycling News spoiler free and benefit from the 24/7 rolling news and new design you've introduced. And everyone would be happy!

A very constructive suggestion, thanks.

 

[frameforum]

I think what everyone has to remember is that change happens.

But they also need to remember the Cyclingnews they grew familiar with, with all its faults and idiosyncrasies - died last year. Cyclingnews no longer enjoys the freedom it had as an independent. CN is now a Future site and as a business, their priorities lie in other areas than simply reporting on races.

That said, the designers need to step back and consider the users a bit more. A 'bells 'n' whistles' site isn't necessarily a good thing and sometimes simple works - just ask Google. But it is possible to combine simple and stylish;
just remember to keep the webtech for the back-end.
Information overload can be a turn-off - just ask AOL.

 

[titan_90]

OK I just read about twelve hours of new posts and I find what I hear very disappointing.

My comment is to Daniel, you have no idea what made cyclingnews different than all of the other cycling news websites. The # 1 difference was that a person could come to your site and not have the drama of the race ruined for them immediately with spoilers. If you think this is a good idea go work for bikradar now, because all you have created was a clone. I predict within a year maybe 18 months the sites will be combined or cyclingnews will just be shutdown. Cyclingnews was for the real cycling fans that believe that the race its self is more important then the results, which you just don't get. The spoiler issue is going to destroy you. ALL of my cycling buddies have all stated they will not visit your site as long as there are spoilers. Do you think I am the only person posting whose friends have said this? I am ashamed to have the same first name as you.

 

[mtrejt]

There are still no stage descriptions, and the live feed does not automatically refresh, nor is there a way to refresh it manually. To update the live feed you have to close the browser, reload the website, and click on the live coverage icon. I know that this is not intended, but it needs to get fixed.

 

[krebs303]

And everyone would be happy!

You are new to the forum I see. You couldn't get evey one here to agree on the time of day! lol

 

[fourstagesinoneday]

You are new to the forum I see. You couldn't get evey one here to agree on the time of day! lol

That was meant ironically

 

[wdymtlrt]

Live report

With the first new live report finished, a short note on that:
It has more unused space than the old one (more empty lines, very big time specifications vs. small font(s)).
The changing fonts were intended? I'd prefer one without serif.

 

[sanderton]

There are still no stage descriptions, and the live feed does not automatically refresh, nor is there a way to refresh it manually. To update the live feed you have to close the browser, reload the website, and click on the live coverage icon. I know that this is not intended, but it needs to get fixed.

Pressing the refresh button in the browser worked fine for me.

 

[Wolfpengap]

Results

Why do the results have only the first number of the placing???

i.e

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
etc....

Are you kidding me? THey can't figure this out? This drives me crazier than the spoiler issue! And why are the results pages so dang hard to read?!?! What was wrong with the old font, size and color? I can barely see the type!

 

[manolo]

These are the things I liked most about CN:

ISSUES:

1. Live Coverage. Like a ton of people here I used to love reading through the Live Coverage without knowing who had won the Stage. It was unique to CN. Will it come back?

2. The Stage Tables. I loved having the maps, profiles, Live Coverage and Results all available on one easy table. There were also the links to the Previous Year Results.

SOLUTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

http://www.steephill.tv/tour-de-suisse/ has a separate page for each stage race (like you used to). You can visit that page and see information on that race only.

If you set up a Race Summary page, which would have just the table (as in http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/jun09/dauphinelibere09/?id=stages) but set up for the most current races, readers could bookmark that page, go to that page every day and just select Live Coverage and avoid the spoilers.

On the other hand, you could set up a page (or a new tab) with just the Live Coverage links and people could bookmark that page and therefore avoid the spoilers. You could offer the links to Live Coverage there, calling them, for example, http://www.cyclingnews.com/live or http://www.cyclingnews.com/livecoverage.

QUESTION
The deal is, is Live Coverage gone forever? If it isn't, you can make them all available on one single tab or page. Is Live Coverage back, will it be back or is it gone forever?

Please look into doing this. It would save CN for me. It would be easy access and we could avoid the spoilers and have the convenience we liked before. Thanks!

(I think someone posted something very similar to this!)

 

[titan_90]

All I can tell from the new site is it was designed by twits for other twits. There is a big vacum for someone to take over now.

THE KING IS DEAD

 

[cgould]

New Site Look

Please, please, please return the page to how it was. It was so much better. A change was not needed. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

 

[manolo]

Just to get it off my chest... I feel sad. For the last three days, instead of going to your main page, I've been coming to the forum to see these discussions. I've been getting my cycling fix and results from http://www.cyclingfans.com/, http://www.steephill.tv/, http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/cycling/, and http://www.grahamwatson.com/, in that order. Fantastic sites.

What I used to like about CN is not substitutable, but the pictures are prettier and the content just as good. Now this is the kicker: I even visited VeloNews after more than a year's absence and I felt ok with it! I didn't realize I was so attached to CN as it was. I literally feel a part of my life has been ruined.

...the creaking look was not an attractive proposition to advertisers, who pay for you to see it for free.

There's an honest bit of writing.

The old site is gone. Here's why (above). Long live the new site (what else can I say? Hope you fail?). Here's what I would hope you would post here (or something like this...) for those of us who feel betrayed, ignored, trampled:

"We upset your cart. We destroyed what many of you thought was a beautiful site. We took away something you loved and liked for its simplicity. We didn't realize people loved it so much or that it meant so much to them. We screwed it up. It was a very clumsy maneuver and a very clumsy rollout. We never expected such a backlash and apologize to everyone that was flustered, indignated and felt at a loss when we made the changes we made, especially by implementing it without getting your feedback first by setting up a Beta site. We realize we "screwed up" many people's favorite cycling site, completely and forever obliterating a beautiful web experience which will never come back.

Please understand us. We're trying to move forward and look modern and be able to attract advertising dollars, make money and provide jobs to the many people that work here while providing meaningul content to our readers. But we screwed up with many of you. We apologize. Please give us another chance."

Maybe it's said elsewwhere (somebody please tell me what post and its number) by the editors, but it's been such a painful heart-wrenchig experience, such a personal loss to so many of us, that, honestly, it's like your girlfriend or wife deciding to take on a completely different look, personality and attitude just because she wanted a change and then surprising you with the changes overnight. It's been shocking, in poor form and poorly handled from a PR point of view.

Of course, the site will go on. But please don't ignore the hearts you've broken, the unfairness of surprising your faithful readers with things they not only did not expect, but truly don't care for and just spew out the corporate line! Acknowledge your readership's sense of betrayal. Give us one last hurrah! Why not set a date, maybe for the Tour de France or the last few days of the Tour de Suisse and give us a 'goodbye tour'? Set up the old site one more time for just one day. Or follow the suggestion I just detailed above.

Ah, well, enough for today! But again, since I can get the race profiles elsewhere, and I haven't seen any good live tickers, are you doing Live Coverage? If you are, where the hell is it?... It may be the only reason I might get back on your site. Thanks for reading and for posting responses on these boards.

Edit; Just read a post that Susan Westermeyer did Live Coverage? Is it safe to come back?

 

[manolo]

Feedback on Live Report

The current live report Susan is doing for the TdS has this url:

http://live.cyclingnews.com/

The typeface is too stodgy and too small. Could you make it bigger and use Arial or something a little more friendly and easier to read?... Thanks!

 

[manolo]

I assume a similar archived live report will be generated from now on on the new website... would it possible to tag all newly archived live reports such that they would automatically be filed in chronological order on a page with a url such as:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/livereports

... After reading the report they can then return to the main front page for all the news.

Best suggestion ever! Please make this happen! A lot of folks would be happy! Please make it happen! Please! That would be the next best thing to going back to the old site!

 

[Mary B]

New Format

I'm glad to see that I'm not alone in thinking the 'new format' is not such a great feature. The phrase 'if it ain't broke . . .' comes to mind.

I'm not against change and, maybe once I've got used to it, some of it will seem better but please go back to the old format for results.

This new format is, in my humble opionion, awful. It takes up loads of space - you're scrolling forever to get to the end of results and why don't we have riders' finishing positions any more? I like to know where our guys/gals have finished in races.

Why do we need 2 lines for each rider - name and team - then loads of white space to the right of that info?

 

[manolo]

"It is very hard to build brand loyalty, but easy to lose it." This is especially true in online media, where your competition is but a click away. Your core audience is your bread and butter. Anyone who cares about this kind of content is already here, or will eventually hear about it from a core user. There is no "new audience"... You are so far ahead of the competition that this audience is yours to lose. You cannot dumb it down for some fictitious broader audience and expect to retain the real, lasting audience that drives your business.

Google is an amazing company for many reasons... they embark on plenty of experiments... But when they realize they have made a mistake, they do not hesitate to swallow their pride and move quickly to throw the thing in reverse and get back on track. CN can recapture equity and earn respect by responding to the overwhelming criticism and reverting to the "old site" until the criticism can be digested and, as appropriate, integrated into the new design... you have already started shedding users. You have already damaged brand loyalty by the way things have been handled on the forums. This act would be an act of deference to your audience while you sort out the next steps forward. ... Consider two of the biggest winners in the online space: Google and Craigslist. Pure utility and simplicity - which fits the medium. To me, CN used to be a Craigslist for cycling. Did you know they earn $120 million dollars with a 30 person staff? ...

You are lucky to have an audience that speaks so loudly, so quickly... That your audience would speak so loudly says a lot about the value of your content among the plethora of cycling information sites...

Please listen carefully to your audience.

What a beautifully written letter. Nice job! Thanks!

 

[manolo]

Amazing, fantastic, wonderful. Not your new design, but the over 400 posts I have just read. I had no idea I was part of a group that felt the same way.

Feel the same way.