rip off?

"di" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have just received an offer to renew by Bicycling Magazine Subscription. Not from Bicycling
Magazine itself but rather from a Publisher

Subscription

Quoted message said:

Service. The problem is, my subscription is not due for renewal for at least another year. This
sure smells of a rip off, when reading the

fine

Quoted message said:

print on the back of the notice, it states the renewal will begin after

the

Quoted message said:

expiration date of the current subscription, which may be valid, but it

also

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states that any cancellation is subject to a $20 processing fee, Almost

50%

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of the renewal price. Looks like they are hoping you will renew and

then

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realize you still have time left, or in a year will forget you have

renewed

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and will pay the magazine also for a new subscription.

Wonder how many are getting burned with this?

How do you persevere under such terrible duress?

Bill "just throw it away" S.

"di" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have just received an offer to renew by Bicycling Magazine Subscription. Not from Bicycling
Magazine itself but rather from a Publisher

Subscription

Quoted message said:

Service. The problem is, my subscription is not due for renewal for at least another year. This
sure smells of a rip off, when reading the

fine

Quoted message said:

print on the back of the notice, it states the renewal will begin after

the

Quoted message said:

expiration date of the current subscription, which may be valid, but it

also

Quoted message said:

states that any cancellation is subject to a $20 processing fee, Almost

50%

Quoted message said:

of the renewal price. Looks like they are hoping you will renew and

then

Quoted message said:

realize you still have time left, or in a year will forget you have

renewed

Quoted message said:

and will pay the magazine also for a new subscription.

Wonder how many are getting burned with this?

This is not to start a thread of the value of "Bicycling Magazine" in any way, but rather what
looks like a very smelly proposition from a third party.

Dude! You actually *pay* for Bicycling? What a joke of a rag! I find the value of Bicycling magazine
to be less than zero, especially if I'm paying for it. Do yourself a favor and unsibscribe and ask
for a refund!

Anyone else actually *like* Bicycling magazine?

Frank

Quoted message said:

Anyone else actually *like* Bicycling magazine?

Frank

Nah, too much roadie stuff in there.

I check out "Mountain Bike," "Mountain Bike Action," "Mountain Biking," and "Dirt Rag" as well as
"Bicycle Retailer" though. Haven't paid for any of them since I started working in a shop. Just
don't get sucked into the hype-- and glean what good info you can.

-John Morgan

Quoted message said:

I have just received an offer to renew by Bicycling Magazine Subscription. Not from Bicycling
Magazine itself but rather from a Publisher Subscription Service.

There you go. Why would you need to deal with another 3rd party in order to keep up your business
relation dealing directly with the company as you are now?

Would you like to start paying your phone bill to ME from now on so that I can bring in my own rules
and added steps in dealing with your phone service? I of course would somehow be making money off of
it, as no one would do this for free.

This 3rd party is going to make money, yet the magazine wants to still get paid too. Where does the
extra money come from? Your pocket.

If you ever have a problem with a missed issue you didn't get, do you call the magazine, do they
tell you to call the other new company you are dealing with because they didn't do something, yet
they refer you back to call the magazine because it is not their responsibility?

Now you are giving them the change to place the blame on each other and no one will ever help you.

Quoted message said:

The problem is, my subscription is not due for renewal for at least another year.

So you should not be paying EITHER company anything at all then. That was easy!

Quoted message said:

This sure smells of a rip off, when reading the fine print on the back of the notice,

No need to read fine print. If there is fine print, throw the [censored] in the garbage, it is a rip off.
The whole reason for making the print small is so that you will tend not to read it. Anything they
want you to see or read they make sure to put in large bold print. Do you want to deal with a
company that is trying to hide something from you in fine print?

Quoted message said:

it states the renewal will begin after the expiration date of the current subscription, which may
be valid, but it also states that any cancellation is subject to a $20 processing fee, Almost 50%
of the renewal price.

Just after reading this part alone, it amazes me that you would have to post a question on a
newsgroup asking complete strangers if you should go ahead and sign up for this type of scam.

Come on, you are not that stupid are you? You know the answer here, it seems you are just looking
for some comments to compliment what you already know, that this is a scam.

Quoted message said:

Wonder how many are getting burned with this?

Thousands of idiots are getting burned with this, but not one single intelligent person has ever
gotten burned with this.

Quoted message said:

This is not to start a thread of the value of "Bicycling Magazine" in any way, but rather what
looks like a very smelly proposition from a third party.

You answered your own question before you even posted this. Go with your gut feelings.

Quoted message said:

Dude! You actually *pay* for Bicycling? What a joke of a rag! I find the value of Bicycling
magazine to be less than zero, especially if I'm paying for it. Do yourself a favor and
unsibscribe and ask for a refund!

Anyone else actually *like* Bicycling magazine?

All those that wear bike hats and use tiny hard bike seats do. You can tell who subscribes to the
magazine just by the colorful uniforms and hats they wear when on the trails.

Quoted message said:

"Dirt Rag" as well as "Bicycle Retailer" though. Haven't paid for any of them since I started
working in a shop. Just don't get sucked into the

Of the 4 or 5 magazines I subscribe to, none of them charge for a subscription. They have ads in
their magazines and that is where they get the money from.

Funny thing is, that some magazines that charge for subscriptions AND have just as many or more ads
in their magazines. Why is that? If other magazines can survive for decades without charging
subscriptions, one wonders what the others are doing with all that extra money.

I had one magazine actually send me an offer to subscribe and a year cost something like $200.
I sent the offer back in the postage paid reply envelope and told them to find some other
sucker to con.

To start with, I was not asking for advice. I'm fully capable of spotting a rip off. I posted all
this garbage to create some discussion on what I thought was a marketing scam, very similar to a lot
of the e-mail spam most of us get everyday. Sorry to disappoint most of you, but I'm ahead of you,
the offer was trashed before I posted the original message.

"Hosh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have just received an offer to renew by Bicycling Magazine

Subscription.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Not from Bicycling Magazine itself but rather from a Publisher

Subscription

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Service.

There you go. Why would you need to deal with another 3rd party in order

to

Quoted message said:

keep up your business relation dealing directly with the company as you

are now?

Quoted message said:

Would you like to start paying your phone bill to ME from now on so that I

can

Quoted message said:

bring in my own rules and added steps in dealing with your phone service?

I

Quoted message said:

of course would somehow be making money off of it, as no one would do this

for

Quoted message said:

free.

This 3rd party is going to make money, yet the magazine wants to still get

paid

Quoted message said:

too. Where does the extra money come from? Your pocket.

If you ever have a problem with a missed issue you didn't get, do you call

the

Quoted message said:

magazine, do they tell you to call the other new company you are dealing

with

Quoted message said:

because they didn't do something, yet they refer you back to call the

magazine

Quoted message said:

because it is not their responsibility?

Now you are giving them the change to place the blame on each other and no

one

Quoted message said:

will ever help you.

Quoted message said:

The problem is, my subscription is not due for renewal for at least another year.

So you should not be paying EITHER company anything at all then. That

was

Quoted message said:

easy!

Quoted message said:

This sure smells of a rip off, when reading the fine print on the back of the notice,

No need to read fine print. If there is fine print, throw the [censored] in

the

Quoted message said:

garbage, it is a rip off. The whole reason for making the print small

is so

Quoted message said:

that you will tend not to read it. Anything they want you to see or read

they

Quoted message said:

make sure to put in large bold print. Do you want to deal with a

company

Quoted message said:

that is trying to hide something from you in fine print?

Quoted message said:

it states the renewal will begin after the expiration date of the current subscription, which
may be valid, but it

also

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

states that any cancellation is subject to a $20 processing fee, Almost

50%

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

of the renewal price.

Just after reading this part alone, it amazes me that you would have to

post a

Quoted message said:

question on a newsgroup asking complete strangers if you should go ahead

and

Quoted message said:

sign up for this type of scam.

Come on, you are not that stupid are you? You know the answer here, it

seems

Quoted message said:

you are just looking for some comments to compliment what you already

know, that

Quoted message said:

this is a scam.

Quoted message said:

Wonder how many are getting burned with this?

Thousands of idiots are getting burned with this, but not one single

intelligent

Quoted message said:

person has ever gotten burned with this.

Quoted message said:

This is not to start a thread of the value of "Bicycling Magazine" in

any

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

way, but rather what looks like a very smelly proposition from a third party.

You answered your own question before you even posted this. Go with your

gut

Quoted message said:

feelings.

"Stephen Baker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

John Morgn says:

Quoted message said:

I check out "Mountain Bike," "Mountain Bike Action," "Mountain Biking,"

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

"Dirt Rag" as well as "Bicycle Retailer" though.

Quoted message said:

Just don't get sucked into the hype-- and glean what good info you can.

Speaking of hype and MBA, <cough, cough> I was sittingin the Research Wing this morning, erm.....

researching.....

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when i happened across the following in an issue of MBA (April this year)

under

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the heading of "Comfort Cre4ature" - basically a "what you can do to make

your

Quoted message said:

bike more comfy (they said "Take the sting out of riding a hardtail".

LOL!!):

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Anyhoo, one of the suggestions was (and I quote complete with bad

grammar):

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"Switch to a MonkeyLite Bars and Titus Titanium Stem Price $405 (bar: $110, stem: $295. Weight
Notes: This combo will save you up to 55g Advantages: Take any

hardtail

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with a flat bar/stem combo and you'll improve the ride 100% with this combination. The benefits
include: 1. A more adjustable and upright riding position 2. It's more natural to stay centred
over the bike and in a

position

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that allows more handling control 3. It is easier to get over the back of

the

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saddle for superior downhill and drop-in control 4. The ride quality of

both

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titanium and carbon is legendary. The combination gives the feel of more travel.

No prizes for spotting the deliberate mistake. ;-)

STeve

Wow! I can spend just $400 to shed a whopping 0.121 pounds from the bike? What a deal!

Actually, I ride Easton flat bars on my HT and do like how they feel but I bought them on sale for
60 bucks and I got them more for their strength (205 pound HT rider) than weight.

Michael

"John Morgan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:GGYOa.2$Bd5.0@fed1read01...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Anyone else actually *like* Bicycling magazine?

Frank

I started getting Bicycling and Mountain Bike free from a bike club membership. It's been over a
year but they keep sending it to me. it's pretty much complete [censored]. Seems they focus on
expensive unproven technologies and always give them a thumbs up and the columns are good for
newbies and that's about it. Very few articles are of any real interest. Good for bathroom
reading, that's about it.
--
Chris
________________
www.chrisgroff.com

Hosh <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Dude! You actually *pay* for Bicycling? What a joke of a rag! I find

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

value of Bicycling magazine to be less than zero, especially if I'm

paying

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

for it. Do yourself a favor and unsibscribe and ask for a refund!

Anyone else actually *like* Bicycling magazine?

All those that wear bike hats and use tiny hard bike seats do. You can

tell

Quoted message said:

who subscribes to the magazine just by the colorful uniforms and hats they

wear

Quoted message said:

when on the trails.

Shaun aRe

Shaun Rimmer thoughtfully penned:

Quoted message said:

Hosh <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Dude! You actually *pay* for Bicycling? What a joke of a rag! I find the value of Bicycling
magazine to be less than zero, especially if I'm paying for it. Do yourself a favor and
unsibscribe and ask for a refund!

Anyone else actually *like* Bicycling magazine?

All those that wear bike hats and use tiny hard bike seats do. You can tell who subscribes to the
magazine just by the colorful uniforms and hats they wear when on the trails.

Quoted message said:

Shaun aRe

Tactful aren't you??!!

;-)

"di" <[email hidden]> the top-posting e-tard wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

To start with, I was not asking for advice.

What part of "alt." are you having problems with?

Quoted message said:

I'm fully capable of spotting a rip off.

Your original message does not give that impression.

Quoted message said:

I posted all this garbage to create some discussion on what I thought was a marketing scam, very
similar to a lot of the e-mail spam most of us get everyday.

So, in addition to regular e-mail spam, we have to listen to you whine about junk mail? Why is that
worthy of discussion, again?

Quoted message said:

Sorry to disappoint most of you, but I'm ahead of you, the offer was trashed before I posted the
original message.

Heh. I've learned that USENET is full of disappointments. Mostly in the quality of the "thought"
presented.

Welcome to a.m-b. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out, OK?

Spider

(Spider) said:

Welcome to a.m-b. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out, OK?

Spider

Too bad your narrow ass head ain't in that door when it slams..

"SQUISH"

Penny S. <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Shaun Rimmer thoughtfully penned:

Quoted message said:

Hosh <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

> Dude! You actually *pay* for Bicycling? What a joke of a rag! I find the value of Bicycling
> magazine to be less than zero, especially if I'm paying for it. Do yourself a favor and
> unsibscribe and ask for a refund!
>
> Anyone else actually *like* Bicycling magazine?

All those that wear bike hats and use tiny hard bike seats do. You can tell who subscribes to
the magazine just by the colorful uniforms and hats they wear when on the trails.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Shaun aRe

Tactful aren't you??!!

;-)

Heh - yup!

Cheers P! ',;~}~

Shaun aRe

"Shaun Rimmer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>... <snip tale of woe> I feel for you. Julie and I got
married in December of 1995. Because of Christmas and all, we had to reserve everything a year ahead
of time. I proposed Christmas morning 1994. All was planned by mid-January of 1995. In July 1995 out
of the blue we recieved a note from the reception hall returning our deposit because they were going
out of business immediately. Julie literally called every hall/caterer in St. Louis and found only 3
choices. It was about 50% more than the place we had originally booked and it was not as easy to get
to, but for a week or so their I had nightmares of entertaining 250 people in our 2 bedroom
apartment. :-) Believe me though, after the big day all is good from then on.

Brad and Julie Vaughn

(Spider) said:

Dave W <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

(Spider) said:

Welcome to a.m-b. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out, OK?

Spider

[snipped post-humping]

It wouldn't be the same if you didn't defend know-it-all [censored] from the likes of me.

Dude, ain't nobody here defending YOU.

Dave W <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

(Spider) said:

Dave W <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

On 10 Jul 2003 15:56:51 -0700, [email hidden] (Spider) wrote:

>
>Welcome to a.m-b. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out, OK?
>
>Spider

[snipped post-humping]

It wouldn't be the same if you didn't defend know-it-all [censored] from the likes of me.

Dude, ain't nobody here defending YOU.

Because they know I'm a big boy, and can defend myself? Or because the truth of which I speak is
self-evident to everyone except a few clueless folks?

Hmmmm, maybe even both. Tough call.

BTW, google around a little to give yourself a clue.

Spider

(Spider) said:

Dave W <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

(Spider) said:

Dave W <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
> On 10 Jul 2003 15:56:51 -0700, [email hidden] (Spider) wrote:
>
>
> >
> >Welcome to a.m-b. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out, OK?
> >
> >Spider

[snipped post-humping]

It wouldn't be the same if you didn't defend know-it-all [censored] from the likes of me.

Dude, ain't nobody here defending YOU.

Because they know I'm a big boy, and can defend myself? Or because the truth of which I speak is
self-evident to everyone except a few clueless folks?

Hmmmm, maybe even both. Tough call.

BTW, google around a little to give yourself a clue.

Spider

Geezus Christ, you are truly a dumbass, aren't you? And you damn sure look like one too....why, it's
as plain as the nose on your face....

Dave W <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Geezus Christ, you are truly a dumbass, aren't you?

Inintended irony is one of the best parts of USENET.

Quoted message said:

And you damn sure look like one too....why, it's as plain as the nose on your face....

Uhhh, Dave? You're looking into a mirror again...

[shakes head]

Spider