I think stw should print the magazine on hemp and extol the environmental gains of doing so. Maybe feature references to other magazines that go green.

Sometimes you want a magazine with the best cycling bits, alongside some music and book reviews, new technology etc.

I’ve been considering downgrading to a digital sub for a while now, having subscribed since issue 2 or thereabouts. I enjoy the “columns” in the mag but there seem to be less of those now. I used to read everything written by Jenn even when I had no interest in it: it was always worth reading. And above all I feel I have been left behind by the mag which leans so heavily towards megabucks bike and kit reviews and the latest “Big Thing” which usually seems to be an exercise in planned obsolescence rather than something that actually benefits people who ride mtb’s. After reading Mark’s piece I’m going to hang in there in the hope it will help in some way. I don’t mean that the be patronising. I would like to see a bit more “fun” in the mag, and perhaps a reality check as to what the readership want. Maybe a reader survey?

Well it can’t help that the ad department don’t reply to emails requesting info about advertising on the site 😕

Sometimes you want a magazine with the best cycling bits, alongside some music and book reviews, new technology etc

Not this, ever, unless the extra stuff is related to bikes somehow. RiDE BMX mag did music and gig reviews for a while and it’s a crap feature. If the extra stuff isn’t to your taste it’s just filler that won’t be read and it becomes another shit, aspirational ‘lifestyle’ magazine. Not all of the mag’s readers are into that sort of thing, I couldn’t give two shiny shites about the latest and greatest ‘must-have’ technogadget or Audi-compatible bluetooth toilet paper, but I do enjoy reading about messing about with bikes. If I want to read about that other stuff I’ll buy a mag about that sort of stuff, but I don’t so I don’t. ‘Mixed’ mags don’t work, look at Grip (MX and DH MTB I think) which failed after a few issues.

We subscribed and the mag landed yesterday. I like it. It’s about bikes and people with bikes and riding bikes. I don’t care about new stuff, cos my bike is old and obsolete and I usually buy second hand anyway, but the travel bits and ride reports are nice which are the same reasons we subscribed to Cranked when it was first advertised and the reason we renewed the sub when it was due.

Thanks to the OP this prompted me to upgrade from digital to print which had been meaning to do for a while but not got round to. It also prompted me to have a browse of back issues on line and I saw an article about The Blackburn Rangers which mentioned a couple of people I rode with in the the Summer, which made me smile.

Just having a browse of issue 110 now, and enjoying it. So many thanks to the OP on both counts 😀

Utterly gutted if magazine/ forum closes.

It’s the only magazine I regularly buy at the shops and the forum is by far the best I’ve get found.
Sarcastic, funny but hugely informative too.

Create a mobile version of the site.
Create some high quality digital content (not vlogger style youtube edits)
Create content that makes you want to ride
Do a 2-3 print issues a year sell them for more money.
Focus more on MTB culture.
Be less political.
Sorry but, most of the time, the forum sucks, I don’t think it helps your brand image.
You’ve got sizeable digital audience already, this is in your favour.

Check out Meta motorcyle magazine

Embrace the change and good luck.

Personally, I think the combination of top quality magazine complemented by the website/forum is a winner; I love getting the hard copy mag (despite the annoying new ‘Premier Edition’ blaze on the front cover- yes I know it’s the premier edition because I subscribe to not have the writing all over the front) and use the app at least three times a week. The Forum is such a ridiculously amazing resource and community.

I’d happily pay a little more for my sub. Have no plans to unsubscribe.

I would like to see a bit more “fun” in the mag, and perhaps a reality check as to what the readership want. Maybe a reader survey?

Exactly.

Mark, In your opinion, what is the demographic of a typical ST reader?

I have a print sub and prefer the printed format for reading but I don’t need it to be such high quality paper if that is part of the cost issue. Move to a mobile-friendly forum would be nice sometime. Ta.

Issue 110 still doesn’t seem to be available online, either through this site or the App. I didn’t think there was usually such a delay?

I am a subscriber to the print mag and always feel pleased when the latest copy drops through my door but having said that I have recently found it a little bit same-y these days with too many “Me and my mates went biking to such-and-such fab sunny place and here are some nice photos”. It feels a world away from the pop-out-my-backdoor-for-a-quick-blast-around-the-hills riding I do. I’d be more interested if they mentioned what kit they took (bikes included – I can’t be the only person to squint at the pics and wonder what bike it is), what they didn’t take and whether they should have done?

I am actually thinking of moving to a 1x drivetrain and would love some considered opinions on the merits of that vs 2x or even 3x. A lot of us ride bikes from (ahem) 2008 or so and upgrade discussions would be great. We cant all afford the £3k+ spangly bikes that all the other mags rave about.
The old fitness articles you ran were great too – I’d love to see them come back, and I do miss Jenn’s contributions a lot.
Maybe some reviews of bike-stands or other tools would help – I don’t see them anywhere else. Advice on looking after my bike would be well received – reviews of lubes etc? Just something different from the trip-based articles really.
Or the benefits of tyre sizes? Why did we all ride 1.8″ tyres back in the late ’90s and now people are on 2.4, 2.8 or even 3″+ tyres. When tyres now cost £50+ some discussion about the merits of each would be interesting.

Just some thoughts..

Still love it though, it is my fave mag and the digital one just doesn’t smell the same as that paper mag binding… 😉

After reading this thread I’ve just signed up for monthly digital – £1.49 Bargin!!

I always find it hard to subscribe to mags when the online price is the same as the printed version!! Can’t see why you pay the same when you don’t get a hardcopy!

I have recently found it a little bit same-y these days with too many “Me and my mates went biking to such-and-such fab sunny place and here are some nice photos”. It feels a world away from the pop-out-my-backdoor-for-a-quick-blast-around-the-hills riding I do.

I do agree with this, I would rather be reading about UK riding than exotic locations I’m never going to find myself visiting with a bike.

Issue 110 still doesn’t seem to be available online, either through this site or the App. I didn’t think there was usually such a delay?

@scotroutes – there’s not a delay on the digital mag – it’s the printed mag that’s come early! The official publication date is Thursday 8th December and all formats will be available then.

😆

definitely needs a ‘readers wives’ section….

Well it can’t help that the ad department don’t reply to emails requesting info about advertising on the site

You emailed yesterday and got Ross’s first reply (sent before you posted this) this morning!

something new on this site today – i think an advert is making my laptop turn into a hairdrier when i visit this forum..

making heads turn towards me when i access the site is NOT a good move to encourage people to use it.

Canopy, Ads are 80% programmatic, which means we don’t select and place them. They are sourced from the vast ad networks that feed pretty much every ad supported website. Occasionally bad ads appear and cause issues with users devices. In the main they tend to get killed by the algorithms that run the programmatic universe within a few hours, days at most. We have category filters that stop the likes of adult, gambling and other not so nice categories, but with inventory that delivers over 25 million ad impressions/month not everything can be stopped. We do our best and we work with network providers that we have developed trust with over the years. AOL, Criteo, Google Adsense, Komoona and more recently Sortable. I get approached by several new providers every day with offers of higher rates but we have learnt to stick to the trusted few.

Someone asked about demographics and asked for my best guess. No guessing needed. I have oodles of data that tells me who our readers are. You are 95% male, high spending, above average income earners in the ABC1 demographic category. The bell curve peaks at age 37.

I’m sorry to say I cancelled my subscription this year.
I love a printed magazine and Singletrack was a joy to behold, but as someone else posted earlier, I feel like the mag has left me behind. (Or the whole MTB scene tbh.)I used to read every page, but for the last couple of years there has been less & less of interest.
For my tastes there’s way too much Gnar / Enduro / dropper post / flat pedal content now – the lack of which previously was what made ST different to the other mags.
It’s a shame to end my support, but I’m wasting my money if I don’t read it.

On the plus side – I’m still buying & enjoying Grit.Cx in paper format.

Well I love it (magazine and online). I like the even handedness of the reviews – pick up a traditional MTB magazine and if the bars aren’t 900mm or the head angle 60 degrees they slate it, whereas typically STW will highlight some niggles but explain who the bike might suit (as we all have different tastes).

I’m a few years off that bell curve age, and probably a few thousand pounds off the spending, but like most features. The foreign trips I will never replicate but they are inspiring in motivating me to ride the more mundane stuff from the doorstep.

Just to mention to samey feel to the articles, they always start with some crisis with the guide/shop owner that’s spoon feeding the participants round loop.
I have just cancelled my direct debit a couple of months ago.
To many gnarly dudes, flat peddles, knee pads, and skidding.
Any one want 110 issues……..

rOcKeTdOg – Member
Well it can’t help that the ad department don’t reply to emails requesting info about advertising on the site

Mark – Resident Grumpy
You emailed yesterday and got Ross’s first reply (sent before you posted this) this morning!

This is stw, you need to answer questions before they’re even asked to keep users happy.

Has it ended yet?

Hope so.. I might be able to get on with some work.

Someone asked about demographics and asked for my best guess. No guessing needed. I have oodles of data that tells me who our readers are. You are 95% male, high spending, above average income earners in the ABC1 demographic category. The bell curve peaks at age 37.

Why do advertisers not like us then?

Someone asked about demographics and asked for my best guess. No guessing needed. I have oodles of data that tells me who our readers are. You are 95% male, high spending, above average income earners in the ABC1 demographic category. The bell curve peaks at age 37

Hmm …

95% male – about right (I do get a bit blubby watching sad films sometimes)
high spending – I wish
above average income earners – see above
The bell curve peaks at age 37 – I am well past my, and STW’s, peak then. Bugger.

When does the bell end curve peak?

Personally, I think the combination of top quality magazine complemented by the website/forum is a winner

This. And I agree wholeheartedly with what Cullen says on Chipps’ thread:

The printed magazine is the jewel in your brand’s crown. It should be a showcase for your very best content. The better the content the more valuable it is to the brand, the company, the readers and the advertisers.

Reduce the frequency to four or six issues a year and be utterly ruthless with the quality of the content. Over time you should see the production costs come down a little as you price less surplus and yield per page go up as advertisers see greater value.

I’d go so far as to remove reviews from the paper mag and make them digital only, even if there’s then a payment to read them for – say – six months. There’s too many other portals for getting quick (if not completely reliable) reviews already out there; having it on paper every other month doesn’t add much value, whereas I’d pay to read STW ‘first touch’ reviews as I do find them valuable, especially when considering new-to-the-market kit (a recent example being 650b+ tyres).

Going back to paper, as said before a few times, the Rouleur model is the one I’d consider; possible once quarterly and concentrating on quality, lifestyle stories and images: stories that have a shelf life, as opposed to disposable content. I like Bike for this reason (the reviews are shocking and not worth reading, but the rest of the mag is toilet reading and travel inspiration for years). It could even be argued interviews fall into this category – they were certainly one of the reasons I’d pay for The Albion, despite not having ridden BMX for a long time. I’m also aware this would tread almost directly on Cranked’s toes and that Privateer went under, but from my point of view it’s where print is going, in the same vein as vinyl music and axes for bearded men. Paper quality would have to be good as well, but the lower production run should help balance out a rise in subs.

Anyhoo – my two penn’th. Whatever happens, best of luck!

You are 95% male, high spending, above average income earners in the ABC1 demographic category. The bell curve peaks at age 37.

I’m pretty close to that, yet I’m finding the kit reviews less and less relevant. The latest mag is full of £900 suspension forks and £3k bikes. As others have said the “lovely trip somewhere abroad with nice photos” pieces are becoming very repetitive – it would be interesting to hear how well the kit they chose worked but it never seems to get a mention.

Mark – Resident Grumpy
You emailed yesterday and got Ross’s first reply (sent before you posted this) this morning!

24 hours to reply isn’t exactly speedy though is it?

Yes it is.

Come on Mark, at least have the decency to hack the timestamps in the database so it doesn’t look like you took 40 minutes zomg to reply to that post.

😉

Yeah.. being a bit slack. Like not pointing out it was actually 22 hours and not 24.

How many of which overlapped with the working day? 😉

Anyhoo….I get more entertainment from this forum than any other. I’ve just subscribed (out of guilt really) and look forward to seeing my first ever copy of the mag. ST Towers always sound like great people whenever they’re prodded into life; and everything around Jenn really moved me. Meant to do it ages ago.
Good luck and crack on.

We are developing new revenue streams as I talked about in the front page story but the print hike costs mean that the urgency to get those online quickly just intensified

The only urgent part i can see from this thread is to piss off potential customers, one that I’ll admit is small fry compared to some but from acorns etc.

Maybe we should start over? You have the business email

Font size is still an issue for me as I take it to dimly lit pubs to read! 🙂
Enjoyed this months mag though I rarely read the bike/fork tests
Get Lee Craigee on board for endurance bike packing features

Personally I’d vote for dropping the frequency of the print edition but given the shift to digital I think STW’s biggest opportunity is to raise the price of a digital sub.

If I compare the quality of STW to other cycling mags I’d say that it’s as good if not better than Cycling Plus.

A sub to the latter is twice as much so I’m wondering why STW is only £15 a year – this seems a little low for the investment of time and effort that undoubtedly goes into it – and the fact that it also gives us this forum.