Old Cycling Videos on DVD

[Alpe d'Huez]

Would anyone be interested in old races on DVD? I've got a pile of these I'm putting from VHS to DVD and would like to share. These are stuff from Famous Cycling, Eurosport, OLN, CBS, etc. taken from broadcast TV or VHS and put at home to DVD. Quality ranges between decent old VHS tapes, to over the air TV 25 years ago tape copied a few times.

This is one of those legal gray areas, so I'll also ask if anyone would be offended or how the folks at CN feel about such a thing before giving any sort of list or making a further post. I should make crystal clear I wouldn't be selling them for much money (about $10 to recoup costs) and would never sell anything that is currently for sale by WCP or anywhere else. We're talking old stuff here from the 80's and 90's that's long ago out of print and unavailable, stuff you can't even find on Ebay or anywhere on Google actually.

Let me know what you all think.

 

[Anonymous]

very legal grey area.... but then you have sites like ioffer that sell piles upon piles of tv footage on dvd for small values which always amazes me.. you could probably fall back on the "fair use" rules that you where offering archive footage, not available commercially on dvd, for "research or study"...

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Well, this sort of thing is rarely litigated, but that's beside the point. There's tons of stuff on YouTube as well of course. I'm just wondering on an ethical level how someone may feel. Or even if anyone is interested in watching them.

 

[cyclevelo]

I have been trying to find the Core States Race that Lance won all three events I believe. A friend of mine had it on VHS in college but I haven't been able to find it on DVD.

 

[Black Dog]

List what you have and a lot of folks will buy. These old races have the same commercial value as salt water when you are in the ocean. If you have the 87 tour I am in!

 

[marinoni]

old cycling videos

For sure, I'm interested. I got into cycling in the early 80's so I'm a big Lemond fan. I'd love to see his win in the 83 worlds or any of his other wins. Also, the 87 Tour would be great. One last thing, I was at the 03 worlds and would love to see some of that coverage.

 

[Big_Blue_Dave]

I'll be honest if the quality turns out to be of a high standard, I would be extremely interested seeing as most companies that sell DVD's and VHS tapes only do the most commercially viable ones. You would be best listing them as you complete your own transformations in order that people can see what you have to offer and also so you personally know that they work.

If it does work then I would have to say you have done a great job.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

List what you have and a lot of folks will buy.

I 2nd that. Let's see a list Alpe.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I'm in the middle of making it. Sifting through a lot of old stuff here, and am unsure on quality, so it's going to be at least another week before I am even close. But here's a quick glance:

• 1993 Giro
• 1994 Giro
• 1995 Giro
• 1997 Giro
• 1999 Giro
• 2000 Giro

As I recall the audio on the early Giros is one channel, mono. I think 1994 audio has some minor audio crackling that gets better as the video goes. Certainly listenable.

I also have about 40 minutes of mostly one stage from the 1984 Giro, in Italian. Not a very good copy. I'm working at getting the 1996 Giro, 2001 and 2002 Giros. A friend has the 1986 Giro from TV buried in his basement. Working on that too.

• 1985 Tour from CBS (quality average, old TV)
• 1986 Tour from CBS (quality same)
• 1987 Tour from CBS (quality same)
• 1988 Tour from CBS (quality same)
• 1991 Tour
• 1993 Tour
• 1989 Tour over 4 full DVDs taken from Channel 4.

Working on the 1984 Tour from CBS, and the 92, 94, 95, 96 and 97 Tours from Famous Cycling and WCP.

• 1999 Veulta.

Working on getting the 1998 Vuelta from WCP, and 2000, 2001 & 2005 Vueltas from OLN. May not be complete coverage.

• 92-94 Milan San Remo
• 1985, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1995 and 1997 World's. Have CBS coverage of 1991 Worlds, but short footage, about 30 minutes. Working on more of the old ones.
• 1998 Romandie (Festina - best doped up performance in history!)
• 1993 Flanders
• 1996, 2002 Paris-Roubaix
• 1993 Ghent
• 1996 Olympics (Eurosport, not great quality)
• 2000 Olympics (maybe 30 minutes footage)
• 1998 Grimpeurs Classic
• 1997 Italian Championships (no audio, put to music)
• 1992-1994 Giro d'Lombarida
• 1992 Tour du Pont - Unique DVD with Davis Phinney commenting on the race.

There's more than this. Mostly classics from the early 1990's Eurosport and Famous Cycling. I'm going to have to sift through them which may take a while, as some have cryptic handwriting on it.

Some of the quality is pretty good, like a good VHS tape. Others are duplicates of duplicates taken from old broadcast TV. When I get more info, I'll let you know. Or just PM me.

 

[Anonymous]

have a look at ioffer, because you can list dvd;s there, sell them and even haggle totals and then they handle the payment through paypal for you etc... but better than ebay for "research" films as ebay have more stringent copyright controls..

for me 87 giro, tour and worlds for the roche treble..
and any of sean kellys classic wins..

 

[Juan Pelota]

How long are the coverage from the Tour's in the 80's? 45 minutes or a few hours. Definitely interested.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Uh, let's see. 1985 Tour from CBS is 2:14. 1986 Tour de France CBS coverage is 2:45. 1987 Tour from CBS is 2:54, the 1988 Tour from CBS is 2:41. Greg's 1989 Tour win from Channel 4 is probably 8 hours of footage spread over four DVDs. Some of these have lots of "rehash" high lights", so it's hard to say just how much repeats.

I'll probably try iOffer, that looks like the most appropriate place. This kind of is historical research in a sense, and I'm certainly not going to make a lot of money off this.

Haven't gotten going yet, but will soon...

 

[Anonymous]

they dont even always have to be done as full dvd's (i know how long the damn things take to render/burn).. our dvd players happily plays mpg's, avi, divx.. sure a few peoples do...

on a similar note, just finished watching a sunday in hell for the first time.. taken me ages to get a copy... if people havnt got it i might find somewhere to put it.. got hell on wheels and overcoming as well..

are there any other decent cycling films that are must see's?

 

[elapid]

are there any other decent cycling films that are must see's?

"Road to Roubaix" was recently released about the 2007 Paris-Roubaix and is excellent.

Others I have personally enjoyed are two World Cycling Production DVDs: La Course en Tete (The Eddy Merckx Story) and The Greatest Show on Earth (The Story of the 1974 Giro d'Italia) (single DVD); and Stars and Water Carriers (1973 Giro d'Italia) and The Impossible Hour (Merckx & Ritter's Race for the Record Hour) (single DVD). For something a little more humourous and more about behind the scenes of the TdF rather than racing, try "Detour de France".

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Triplets of Bellvidille?! (Actually, pretty good!)

I second a vote for Greatest Show on Earth. That one is terrific and you can find it on WCP, Amazon or elsewhere.

23 Days in July is pretty good too. I think that one is sill available.

 

[quadsRme]

Interested? you qwazy???

i am interested in the Tour's in the '80's thru '90
and the Giro also.

 

[Anonymous]

I second a vote for Greatest Show on Earth. That one is terrific and you can find it on WCP, Amazon or elsewhere.

just found it elsewhere... gonna watch the bonus disc of overcoming tonight... will watch greatest show on earth before th
e giro if it arrives on time..

 

[Escarabajo]

Hi Alpe,

Here is what I want. Any high mountain stage from the 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Tour de France. I missed so much since the Colombians went into hibernation. They did not broadcast anything during this time.

Tell me the arrangements.
Thanks.

 

[tashimi76]

While legal grey area, I tend to ignore it if the copyright owners refuse to sell them on DVD themselves! That really irritates me to be honest, I'd happily pay them but they don't want to sell it to me or I have to use a DVD player that plays all regions because the market here isn't seen as big enough! I'd consider buying most of what you have listed.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Yes, I would never consider anything currently for sale, or off recent TV. Almost everything in my vault is 10-15 years old, some over 20 years old.

I've decided also that what money I do make from this, I'll spend on something at WCP, like calendars or gifts or something. Even though they won't re-master these old events on DVD, this is my way of thanking them for at least doing them to VHS in the first place, many of when they were still Famous Cycling Videos. My DVDs should be Region 0 (region free), and NTSC, which should play fine on any computer in the world, but not on many PAL DVD players.

I should have the list better solidified in the next few days and start making copies. Think I'll use iOffer to sell, and YouTube for previews. Here's a glimpse:

1994 Giro d'Italia

 

[tashimi76]

Actually NTSC should play on most PAL players for some reason they started building the decoders in as standard about 15-20 years ago to VHS and DVD players - PAL is actually a higher line rate (625 compared to 525) and from my experience usually doesn't play on NTSC players, something to do with being easier to display the lower rate although the picture quality isn't as good. Sorry to get technical, I used to be film archivist!

 

[manolo]

This would be pretty cool! Think you can get an old copy of the Lance Armstrong Tour de Suisse win? Thanks!

 

[campagchris]

I have that on dvd(armstrong's tour de suisse) I'm a collector of dvd's and have over 300 including tour de france from 1969 Giro from 1984 Vuelta from 1983and Sean Kelly's win in 1988.I also have quite a few Kelly classic wins. I trade and would be interested if anyone wishes to trade send me a pm and will mail you my list.In return for yours

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Sounds great Chris. I sent you a PM. We should team up to try to share as much as possible.

Those that already PM'd me, look for a message later today with my list and contact info. Those that didn't, feel free to let me know. My prices will be cheap, only to cover blank DVDs, packaging, transportion to and from post office, wear and tear on computer, electricity, etc. plus a little for shipping.

As I said before, only events long ago out of print. Please don't ask for copies of DVDs available on WCP, or other sites, or races recently copied off TV. I think the newest race I have is from 2003, with most of it in the 1990s and 1980s.

 

[Escarabajo]

Sounds great Chris. I sent you a PM. We should team up to try to share as much as possible.

Those that already PM'd me, look for a message later today with my list and contact info. Those that didn't, feel free to let me know. My prices will be cheap, only to cover blank DVDs, packaging, transportion to and from post office, wear and tear on computer, electricity, etc. plus a little for shipping.

As I said before, only events long ago out of print. Please don't ask for copies of DVDs available on WCP, or other sites, or races recently copied off TV. I think the newest race I have is from 2003, with most of it in the 1990s and 1980s.

Hi Alpe,

Can you explain again what would be the process again?