[Closed] Latest MBR (september) - just not a good mag

I haven't seen that issue, but don't you just get the feeling that we're being resold marketing material (ST excluded of course!).

August What MTB being a prime example of journalists paying Specialized back for their hospitality

I'm starting to make a conscious effort to avoid bikes from manufacturers who have a 'model year'. Its a shame you can't avoid it with the component makers....

....recalls first campag record group set

nah, you're right, it's pish.

Although it's about time for 2010 Specialized to get reviewed if it's not been already, so you can look forward to some gushing 11 out of 10 reviews.

(I should point out I have an Enduro, but don't rave incessantly about it like they do. I'm not paid to do so).

Buying MBR because you hope it will be better? Is that not akin to repeatedly punching yourself in the face in the hope it'll cease to hurt and become enjoyable.

MBR and MBUK are without a doubt the biggest piles of dross printed today. Hell, the Daily Mail is a more informative read.

Most definately "style" (rad! man! yo! gnar! Tilt every picture at 45 degrees for extra "shred"-ness) over substance, although TBH there's so little of the latter, it can't be anything else but.

MBR?

Uninspiring! Looking out my window makes me want to go out and ride more.... has done from the first ever copy.

Zone

MBR and MBUK are without a doubt the biggest piles of dross printed today.

I disagree. Dirt read like it was written by children unable to spell or correctly form sentences. At least the two above manage that successfully (ignoring the huck/rail/gnarly language of MBUK)

In town there's a magazine shop with back copies of magazines for a quid each. I picked up APril MBR there today. Their 'star letter' features the following short sentence, "I had half a day in work, and was home in time to smash some kid's snowman up to make a kicker." So, given that 'Star Letters' are presumed to somehow encapsulate the ethos of the mag and character of their readers, what does that say about MBR and their readers? Total ****s I'd guess.

I find MBUK marginally more varied (and therefore more interesting for 'dipping into') than WhatMTB. Dirt looks great but sometimes the writing is a bit iffy. I used to read Dirt Rag but then realised I was kidding myself that US mountain biking was at all relevant to me. Which leaves, um, ST: sailing on without a map. Hats off!

Edit: I'd like to point out that the ***** was *unts. No other word seemed to do 'em justice on the strength of their 'star letter'.

AlasdairMc

Dirt read like it was written by children unable to spell or correctly form sentences.

That's nice. Dirt is a great read imo. They are passionate about riding and that comes through. I've never read mbr as far as I know, but according to some posts on here I read too much of it. Perhaps it's because I use words to describe things. If mbr is worse than stw then the mind boggles.

I quite like MBR to be honest- it seems to have got its act together with the new editor and layout. The ride guides are genuinely inspiring (I like the Ben Lomond and Peaks guides recently).

I love dirt, it makes me want to ride my bike lots.

ST I don't read much- there's not a great deal in it, it seems all filler no killer these days.

I gave up with MBUK long ago; it seemed to be aimed at children, which is fair enough, just not what I wanted to read. I've heard it's got better. MBR, on the other hand continues to amaze me with the total self-opinonated rubbish it prints. That snowman comment left me bemused really; but each month there are is plethora of tripe; they test the same old bikes with new paint jobs, seem to be in Spec's pocket (I am sure they are great bikes, but no bikes are that good; apart from a 5 Spot, obvioulsy) and seem to have some massive chip on their shoulders re roadies. My favourite gems were the reviews of the Golden Willow, which they did not seem to understand, the Crank Bros Cobalt wheelset, where £1000 wheelsets are, aparently, common, and the classic Leatherman tool review where we were told we must not step outside without one; if I want pliers I'll buy some pliers, not £70 on pliers with extra tools, which I have. I think they need some new blood; or just to stop altogether. Um, that's better, pretty self-opinionated myself I guess.

I stopped buying bike mags a long time ago. It seemed that I was reading stuff in a magazine which I'd seen on the internet weeks before. Not only that I've been biking since '93 and mags seem to be repeating the same stuff every couple of years.....

I find MBUK intolerable. It's always been the same I think. MBR is too cliquey and I find it more of a style over substance lifestyle magazine. Some of the phraseology makes me retch.

STW is the better of them all. Not keen on the Ferrentino column though.

That's reminds me I need to renew my subscription!

disagree. Dirt read like it was written by children unable to spell or correctly form sentences. At least the two above manage that successfully (ignoring the huck/rail/gnarly language of MBUK)

Too true.

Dirt is not a great read anymore, it was alot better 5 or 6 years ago. Maybe they do have a passion for riding but its a very poor magazine and become alot too 'mainstream' and far too many adverts, reviews that don't make sense etc etc.

In the mid 90's i used to love mbuk and mbi (remember that :-)) but i was in my mid teens! mbuk hasn't moved on since then tho, and is too focused on being cool and rad, man. again far too many adverts.

And back to the op's point, the last time i bought mbr i was dissapointed too, i did get a free helmet lock tho 😕 , how useful.

🙂

Oh will you all "just get out and ride" please.. 😉 🙄

I used to buy MBI. Good memories.

Not keen on the Ferrentino column though.

Yeah, it's funny that. I used to enjoy the column he wrote for, um, I forget the name of it, was it [i]Mountain Bike[/i]? The article he wrote for ST about being an American being introduced to UK (Calderdale?) trails was superb but his current ones are like the downward spiral of a man increasingly loathing something he used to love. Actually, that makes it sound as if it's some kind of deep and tragic experience which would elevate it far above the cynical whingefest that it now is.

I have recently started reading Dirt - I quite like it, I find it quite inspiing as I am not really a downhilling freeriding dirt jumping type - I can always dream though. Although the latest issue about Bristol really pi**ed me off (admittedy I was on a plane and airports do have the habit of making me easily annoyed), well just one article about Bristol bravely stating how they'd nick bikes off all-the-gear-no-idea riders and punch people. Hopefully it was toungue in cheek but even so - what a dik.

I liked MTB Pro

FWIW I think ST fills a nice void that exists in the Magz, but seems a bit too ha;f-arsed / worthy at times.

For instance they'll get out and do the adventure stuff which is inspiring, however their bike tests leave lot to be desired. The recent Ti bike test being a prime example. They tested 4 bikes, 2 of which came from the same stable. When a Ti test comes round I'd like to see more of the mainstream names in there, like the Cove Hummer, Rock Lobster Team Ti, a Merlin as well just so we can get an idea of what they're like.

Alsot the long-term test bikes feature is pants - Very MBR. It seems each month we get an update on their respective bikes - Ichanged the grips, I changed the tyres, I rode it around....

I have noticed a change recently but as one of the posters said, once you've been reading magazines long enough they begin to go round in circles.

Did they have cut and paste 15 years ago 😉

I've seen word for word brochure text in a review, even text mistakes repeated...

I know..cos I've sent stuff in....to MBR

I was a bit annoyed, so i sent a letter in as if I was a member of the public pointing out the mistake as if I was unaware of it's origin...They made it letter of the week under the title of "Get a Life" 😀 ( If original, it was a bit of a techy spot) and sent me a prize 😯 . Then the thought crossed my mind back then... What an arrogant bunch of ****s.
We had 8 great team riders back then, all ages,all standards... they all thought the mag was crap apart from one... but he got his picture in a few times!

Mtb Pro at the time spotted it before print, used their own text and spotted the chinks in our armour... but gave it 98% out of a hundred, got it totally 😀
We had no advertising budget for mags back then... at all. We where in production and design .
I wish there had been STW back then.. 😀

Im sick of the conflicting reviews from this publisher (same- must be?).

The ti hardtail test where they all achieved the same score yet one was evidently marked down in the main text on so many areas that it should have been a 7. I'm talking about reading and taking all into context. The others in comparison had '8's if you went by the test text and the winner Whyte should have been marked down due to its cost/value .v. performance in isolation. Do the writers read their reviews before jumping on the numerical scoring/summary?

i agree septembers issue was alittle boring but may-august issues were rather interesting with Doddy appearing alot in the mag.
next month im going to buy 'singletrack' magazine as i live in this very hometown of singletrack !

My uncle got his letter published (the monkey one) highlighting one of their many mistakes!

The Ride Journal is about the only mag worth getting any more.

I gave up by loosing interest on magazines years ago, ST has been the only one to restore it mostly due to the rootsy photography making your own back yard look somewhere exotic. I had a run in many years ago with one of the main players who produced an article on a ride that not only was not on rights of way, it went right through land belonging to a landowner who provided part of it as a popular course for the National Points Series and was somewhat pissed off nobody had even spoken to him. The resulting conversation with the rather juvenile publisher showed they did not care all about mountain biking they were bothered with was circulation and content that would achieve that, that was until WH Smith took every copy off the shelf after they got wind of a potential injunction from the landowners which caused the publisher to contact me ranting that nobody should do that to them and what right had we to do that. They agreed to print a retraction but the promised ' we got it wrong signs' never materialised to be posted on site.

I personally feel sorry for the magazines most of the staffers I have met are really nice people with the luck to have a job that funds the hobby and keen to promote it as much as enjoying the lifestyle. The problem for al lof them is that their readership is not a fixed niche that allows the entire content to mature in line with ( ST is an exception which is why I like it) the riders own appetite. They all need to attract new readers which for most means picking up beginners who will stay with the magazine for 2 or 3 bike upgrades until they eventually decide they know better, no longer need the reviews, know where to ride and leave, the only constant is that new riders will come along and need beginners advice, the longer term readers have life style changes or discover more niche mags better suit their needs.

If you can't get along with what the mags are printing your option is really only to stop buying them, they will either get along the same with new readership and without you or have to change to regain lost readers

I don't think that MBUK has changed much - I've just grown out of it. MBR has always been rubbish, now it's recycled rubbish. What MTB is useful for knowing what kit's in the marketplace, but that's about it.

I bought MBR recently for a long train journey, first issue I've bought in years. The one with the "Climbing Jacob's Ladder" article in it which was basically an exact rehash of something that I'd been involved in with WhatMTB a couple of years earlier. The only difference was the riders accompanying Nick Craig.

The rest of the mag lasted a total of about an hour and even then I had to put it down a couple of times to clear my head of the glaring errors or self-promoting tone.

I know for definite that (many years ago), MBR promised a certain bike manufacturer that they'd give the bike 5/5 and a cover shot if they were given the "UK first exclusive" test ride on it. The company concerned accepted the offer (they'd have been daft not to!)

To be fair to MBR i thought it was a very good read when I'd 're-discovered' MTBing after a long sabbatical. That was about 8 years ago and I found it very informative, inspiring and helpful as a relative noob to the sport. It kind of brought me up to date with all the bike developments of I'd been unaware of in the last 5 years I was out of the sport.

crazy-legs, I agree with your first paragraph. I darent acknowledge the last paragraph as I was battered last time I raised such a subject on STW 😉

Do the riders of the test bikes right the copy or does a paid staff member take down notes from the riders then type up?

Gotta be worth a quick thumbs up for this month's Dirt. Out yesterday and I must admit that when I saw the 'lets shave another millisecond off' race stylee cover I almost bought MBUK instead 🙄 . . . but I'm glad I didn't. Fantastic read, in fact I still haven't finished it - I reckon it has a lot more in common with STW than the other mags, albeit with a d/h slant.

Well i'm glad it's not just me who thinks this months is very poor indeed. I couldn't find a single article i was remotely interested in reading. Usually there are a few at least. What MTB is far better but still not exactly a great read.

I only subscribe to them to get the free gifts, then cancel after a year then resubscribe to get the next free gift.

They are still both way better than MTB UK though......

I like 'bike', the American magazine. Sometimes it's a tad dull, but there's almost always something glittery and shiny and inspirational lurking in the corners if you can find it. And the new issue, with its focus on women riders, is fantastic. I can't imagine any of the UK mags doing that, they're mostly scared even to feature a woman rider on the cover ffs.

As far as mags rehashing stories goes, that's how it is. There's some stat about the turnover in magazine readership and a very high proportion of readers only buy a mag for, say, two years, then move on to be replaced by fresh readers. And the new readers haven't read the 'how to climb Jacob's / replace a HT2 BB / ride Slickrock' etc feature before.

[i]Do the riders of the test bikes right the copy or does a paid staff member take down notes from the riders then type up? [/i]

Depends on the mag but usually the former. Several riders will test the bike in various conditions/terrain and their comments will then be written into some sort of coherent form by the Editor.

Or alternatively (what a certain well known mag did a few years ago), the bike failed to turn up on time for test so they wrote the test article anyway and slagged it off based entirely on it's spec. Understandably the bike company was furious and refused to deal with the mag for about 3 years after that.

I like 'bike', the American magazine.

Maybe that was the one Ferrentino used to write for/edit? A few years ago I got a two year subscription for pennies and it was pretty good.

Maximum Mountain Bike was good.

I, erm.........subscribe to MBR, but I do agree that it is getting a little pony.

I think that once I get my new bike sorted I'll be cancelling my membership - not sure why once I get my new bike, but it just seems like a good idea.

I started getting fed up of it when I read a mud tyre review the other yr where they said the Continental Edge was a great winter tyre that you can leave on from October to April - 9/10. I went out & got some (as i needed some winter tyres) and to be honest I think they are good. But, the next month, they tested a bike with the Conti Edges fitted as standard & the first thing they write about was getting rid of the stock tyres as they were no good.

I don't agree with the whole thing about loving Specialized. It's been quite a while since Specialized won a test outright - there's been a few joint firsts recently, but can't remember the last time Spesh won a test. I find it's Cannondale tests that get my goat in MBR - they tested one a while back & moaned about almost everything - then it won the test. One of the other bikes was great apart from (something like) narrow bars & rubbish tyres and got marked down hugely.

I work at IPC and I wouldn't even pick up a free copy of MBR. A terrible, terrible magazine. I think most mtb mags are pretty crappy, but mbr is definitely bottom of the pile for me, or joint last with dirt anyway

I like Dirt. My only problem with it is Steve Jones' writing style in reviews, who attempts to make sentences for too complicated and far too abstract. Tell me about the bike, not how it relates to a fighter pilot mowing grass while dreaming about carving lazy berms through orchards of apple trees. Or something.

MBUK and MBR look too much like comics, and read too much like them as well. MBUK is for the younger generation IMO, and that's fine with me.

Buying MBR in the hope that it will improve? That's the definition of being an eternal optimist!

MBUK is actually pretty good now, IMO. Often has more interesting feature ideas than ST, for example, and a broader scope.

I'm sure What MTB used to be a better read, but now sends me to sleep.

Maybe the editorial team at ST feel the same about Ferrentino's whingeathon as us readers do, but don't want to axe him. Often happens with columnists.

Agree with lcj.... Dirt is the only one worth reading really, although Jones can really write some flannel when he wants!!!
Seems to be the only UK mag that isn't biased towards the big manufacturers. I find the product reviews more honest, and their travel reviews excellent. I think it's the general lack of XC mincing and specialized / on-one worship i find refreshing. Can't stant the way MBR / MBUK just repeat what the other says. I will admit to buying ST too, but the general look & design of the mag can sometimes look very cheap / amateurish!!!

Imagine what it's like for the poor sods every month, having to write something "new" and "interesting" about mountain biking. It must be awful.

There isn't anything new, really, except racing (which their readers aren't interested in because that's for thin people and queers) and new bits and pieces, which most rational people think are much like last year's bits and pieces. But that doesn't sell magazines, so you just have to re-print the press release from the manufacturer saying the new one is 18% lighter and has better torsional compliance.

Or you can do what The Ride and ST do and print a load of rambling pieces trying to capture the mythical soul of the experience of riding a bike, or yet another tiring essay about how the author always freaks out on a particular damp corner because of his demons.

Or you can adopt the MBUK approach and have an entire article dedicated to what a woman looks like without a shirt on. This phenoenon is called "Mission Creep".

It must be a huge relief to the poor blighters to be able to say to themselves "that's it, I've filled 5 whole pages and the rest can be adverts". 🙂

If you want a terrible magazine, have a flick through Mountain Bike (the US one) some time. It's so thin it's practically a pamphlet, awful "toast your buddies" type fitness articles, mawkish human interest stories and shallow reviews. Dan Koeppel's column was good but that's about it.

Pretty much all MTB magazines are a bit repetitive - it comes with the territory. MBR know their demographic and cater to it, just like ST, Dirt and MBUK.

I think all magazines about everything may be terrible.

My wife reads a thing for people who quite like decorating their homes in a country cottage style and sometimes go outside to look at lambs and bunnies. It basically appears to come in 12 seasonal versions, but January 2009 is the same as January 2008 was.

Anyone fancy pasting a link to this thread on the mbr forum Interwebsite? Might be amusing.

i think mbr has been pants for a while .the routes are unreliable and the reviews seem to favour certain brands like specialized .when they did the trail bile of the year reviews they decided on their own definition of a trail which then excluded a lot of good bikes from consideration if they were over or under the travel .
also the " old blokes who should no better " pics have gone from amusing bruises on arses which we can all chuckle at, tp severed fingeres and general mutilation which make me want to chuck.

MBR is terrible, I haven't read MBUK for years. ST takes all of half an hour to read and is generally utter garbage these days, and I'm a subscriber!