I know many folk on here have been in it since the start, bought the first mag etc so thought it would be interesting to see how folk on here, new and old, think the mag and site have changed over the years. Good or bad, underground or mainstream, independent or corporate/ sponsorship led etc.,

This isn’t a secret dig or anything and I’m not trying to lead the thread anywhere. I’ve been stw buying and foruming for perhaps 6 years now and see many differences; some great, some not so. What do you all reckon?

I think I’ll go for a ride.

Ageing rather than evolving. Today it’s road bikes, in 20 years it’ll be mobility scooters.

I don’t think there has been much of an evolution but i do think stuff has evolved around them.

when premier came out I was expecting something like wideopen. a proper Online magazine and content but it just seems a bit half hearted.

as for the forum, its more like a bitch fest every day.

as for the forum, its more like a bitch fest every day

It keeps me smiling while I’m at work.

What do you all reckon?

I stopped buying the mag years ago and the number of asshats on this forum increases daily.

Not been on here long and the first post i received on a thread was negative with plenty since that. Some people need to cheer up a bit, its a bike forum… bikes = fun = happy!!! 😀 😀 😀

That said, i’m not going anywhere else! 😉

there is only so much that can be written about bikes, whatever the type.
i think the mag does a good job in keeping me interested, but i think they should do more stuff on offroad touring.

the forum is fun most of the time, but not always.

I rarely flick through STW mag now in WHSmiths let alone buy it. I always saw DIRT mag as ‘for reace fans’ and too stylised graphically then I got hooked proper about a year ago. Some issues are ad-heavy whilst for the main the one page articles etc etc are bang on the money. Its not age-pidgeonholeable whereas STW mag to me smacks of niche stories and products with the odd ungradeable review that you can pin down a serious positive conclusion either way. I’m wrong in some aspects of course as sometimes it is good.

They need a new injection of rider journo’s with a different age demographic as a mix is great. I know STW mag appeals to a certain reader profile but its lost its appeal now.

Peace though 🙂

as for the forum, its more like a bitch fest every day.

Nothing a couple of permanent bans wouldn’t sort out.

I like the mag, been buying it for yonks, it’s still good quality and informative – particularly like the travel articles and the slightly leftfield content.

I’ve met some very nice people through the forum and even entered a couple of races, something I never thought I’d do.
Shame it’s populated by a couple of selfish, arrogant nonentities who seem to actively enjoy upsetting others.

I like the fact that they play on bigger travel bikes as much as niche type stuff these days. I used to like the bits at the back of the mag about the forum and the list of little nich brands and dealers that I’d have never found otherwise.

Forum-wise I think it got more and more friendly for a while but seems a bit hostile lately. The long-standing jokes seem to upset long-standing members which is weird.

There seems to be a lot more censorship too- bans, closed threads, pulled threads. Is this a reflection of the site users, the mods, corporate pressure? I dunno…

haven’t bought the mag for a few months..

when I first stumbled upon the forum I was a bit horrified by the jeering and bullying.. later explained to me as banter.. but later still it became obvious that there is a baying pack.. sometimes amusing and sometimes cringeworthy..
I persevered though through curiosity and can now enjoy the banter.. filter out the baying (most of the time).. enjoy reading some of the more prolongued debates.. meet up with good folks for a ride and have a natter about any subject on the planet pretty much any time I feel like it..

It’s a lot like a local pub.. there’s even a handful of belligerent old drunks.. whom I deeply suspect are actually belligerent old drunks..

It’s a lot like a local pub..

Ah you’re drinking a pint too? Cheers!

I’m actually doing the washing up.. but cheers anyway..!

I think the mag has evolved along with bikes evolving. But there is only so much you can write about – kit, bikes and places to ride them etc.

However there are articals on things like fitness, cheeky riding and other stuff each month. So long as there is something related to mtb’ing its good.

The quality of writing and pictures are very good.

If you want more from it write an artical and see if it get published.

in the many years i have been on the forum i know it ebbs and flows.
i haven’t read a mtb mag in months.
i read thealbion bmx mag the other week. seems ok

I used to come to the forum as a break from the stresses of work. It had a great sense of sharing and dry sense of humour (Picolax anyone?)
That spirit is still there but less dominant.
I still like the mag – better writing IMO than MBR and WMB.
I think the mood on here is reflective of the national mood, not STW specific. On the plus side, there are lots of people pointing out the bitchyness and trying to make it go away and Mark seems to be paying more attention to the bad threads so I guess in time it will go away
I’ve learnt a lot from STW – not just about bikes but getting the benefit about all kinds of stuff from people with very different opinions. It’s still a great place IMO, just going through a rough patch…

The forum is just like real life where some deem politically correctness a serious law that should always be obeyed, with no deviation for a sence of humour.

Like somebody said above, theres only so much you can say about wheels, and a few bent tubes,so its nice to learn and see pictures of others work, especially the new bus thread, and to hear others experiences of their day to day life.

Oh and the forum is a place you can ask a question on anything and get a good responce of answers, some off people who havent any idea, but also a few who have experience, and the relevant knowledge.

Oh and you have a laugh along the way.

yeah, they publish any old crap on the main site now, just check out the latest access rant.

privateer and ride journal do it for me on the articles.

I also post on lfgss and its much friendlier, plus they don’t feel the need to slag off other types of cyclist off in every other thread.

plus I’ve had comments deleted from here because they “looked like a personal attack” but nothing happened when I was personally attacked on the forum. then I see photos of STW hanging out with the attacker.

I don’t like the mag at all, never have.

There seems to be a lot more censorship too- bans, closed threads, pulled threads. Is this a reflection of the site users, the mods, corporate pressure? I dunno…

Management! IMO.
Been on here for what seems like forever and TBH I find the argueing between users and actual content has become very tame these days and censorship has gone mad, the old skool self-policing (act like a **** and you’ll be told so) is what I always liked most about this forum (although some users certainly couldn’t handle that). Heavy handed moderation was rarely ever needed (still not convinced it is now). 🙁

I like the bike forum. My favourite kinds of threads are:

* Pics/videos/reviews of people’s rides, no matter how amateur
* Pics and reviews of people’s bikes
* Maintenance and upgrade tips
* Forum rides

On the chat forum, I dip into the socio/politco/techno threads a bit.

I’ve only been around about 6 years, and I don’t see much change to the mag or forum in that time.

EDIT: waffling

the old skool self-policing (act like a **** and you’ll be told so) is what I always liked most about this forum

that sounds sensible.. another local pub parallel..

Yeah what happened to all that stuff they used to have at the back of the mag about the forum – regular posters, a look at the topics being discussed and stuff?

I find it a bit angsty now tbh.

Pook the lapsed subscriber

Whatever we think about this forum, we all keep coming back. I love it here, and a recent thread has shown me just how supportive and brilliant this place is. We might all occasionally take a pop at each other – I know I certainly have – but the bottom line is, when there is a serious issue or genuine concern shown by one of us…we are there for each other.

It’s like any family or group of mates. Lot’s of banter, lots of petty squabbles but ultimately we’re all mates.

As for the mag – I buy it to support the forum. I dip in and out, but appreciate it’s hard to write about bikes and keep it fresh.

I’ve read ST for 3 years (cycling on MTB for 15 though). I was sick to death of MBUK because I was growing up & I’m not a ‘dude’ any more.

Personally, I think that ST saved my passion & gave me something to read on the toilet, save from DIRT all the time…

I think that the on line content is simply not enough. The forum is the first I’ve been a member of (so I have no real right to try & compare/comment) but most seem unfriendly, sad to say.

Lastly, ED Oxley seems a real great guy & chips, I always have time for you too.

Expand the on line content & I will sign up.

The forum is just like real life where some deem politically correctness a serious law that should always be obeyed, with no deviation for a sence of humour.

I think some folk like to get on a soap box. When PC gets trotted our by someone it is usually because they cant use ghey or say Gypo and dont like being challenged. It is rarely over an obvious joke and more often abiut bigotry
The other side of this is banter -some see that as banter ,some of the arguers see what they do as banter some see it as bitching.

I think you just get a cross section of society with the obvious friction that causes.
At its best it is superb for humour,information and knowledge.At its worst it is argumentative, intolerant and ranty with personal attacks.
Re the pub comparison Mark said it is the difference between telling your friends a story/joke and standing up at the bar and telling the whole pub the story. The forum is the later.
I like the moderation as a whole I think they have a tricky job to balance all this out fairly and whatever they do some forumites will disapprove.
I still like it on the whole
Met some good people from here.

+1

I’ve met no girls on here or had consequence free sex with them.

I bet Fatsimon has (after all he is the Juan Sheet of the mountainbike world).

I buy the magazine occasionally, particularly if there is a Wales feature. I also bought Dirt for the first time this month and like both the layout and editorial. MBUK ran out of steam some time ago.

I guess I’ve been hanging around the forum for a few years now, but it’s not one I participate in greatly. It’s not so much the insider banter, but the “heard it all before” ironic tone to many posts. For forums to work they need a turnover of new members who haven’t engaged in the same topics umpteenth times. Topical threads on non-biking issues also seem to collapse quite quickly under the pressure of unimaginative trolling. This is a shame, particularly as there are clever people on here. My favourite threads are:

– pics of people’s rides
– bike pics
– discussion of important issues to biking (e.g. path access)
– newbies getting their first bike thrills

Compared to bikeradar and bikemagic (actually I dunno if that still exists) this forum is fantastic.

Whatever we think about this forum, we all keep coming back. I love it here, and a recent thread has shown me just how supportive and brilliant this place is. We might all occasionally take a pop at each other – I know I certainly have – but the bottom line is, when there is a serious issue or genuine concern shown by one of us…we are there for each other.

It’s like any family or group of mates. Lot’s of banter, lots of petty squabbles but ultimately we’re all mates.
+1
Unfortunately one or two appear to bear grudges and can’t get over the spats, grow up, please.
A few that dish it out, but can’t take it. Bless ’em.