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I have followed ST from the begining and I still think it is one of the best bike mags out there but its strength is its weakness!
What I mean is that the same crew of guys have run it all along and it is sometimes almost a personal blog for them to tell us about there world!
Which I sometimes like but every month it can become bland.
St needs more contribution from a bigger field of bike journos or people with something else to say other than bivvy's or riding round Hebden.
I haven't read all the previous posts and I dare say I won't so I hope I haven't repeated whats been said.
Why doesn't it try having guest editors and dare I say having lived in other parts of the colonies some contributions from OZ and NZ. There are alot of readers from those places who would like to share whats happening.
At the end of the day it is only mountain bikes and there is so much one person can say all the time, so spread it out and see what happens.
Long live ST but less navels more horizons!
Interesting thread.
Something good has come out of it for me at least. I've always thought the mag was a great read and I'd buy it maybe three or four times a year. The rest of the time I've been a skinflint and read other peoples cast-offs...just getting through the December '09 one atm, which has an article that got me completely lost in a dream somewhere in the USA a few evenings ago. Absolutely great piece and that article alone would've been worth the cover price for me.
This thread, particularly Marks outburst (for which I can't blame him - I'd prolly have done the same, and then kicked myself for doing so) has reminded me that there are real people behind the mag, passionate for what they do, and lucky enough to have been able to make it their career.
So now I'm gonna stop being a skinflint and subscribe. Doubt I'll be the only one to do so. 🙂
I ignored this thread because I thought it was yet another thread about lightweight gear...
I'm amazed at the unusually low ad:copy ratio (though I wouldn't mind more ads if it just makes the magazine thicker and more profitable), I'm generally very impressed by the standard of writing (so many niche magazines are appallingly low-brow and lazily edited) and I think the £35 all-singing-all-dancing subscription with downloads of dozens of back issues is fantastic value for someone that's new to the magazine. It'll be months before I've read them all.
My only gripes with this issue is that the review of the Lupine Tesla felt like a regurgitated press release and the bit about Gisburn felt like no-one had bothered to ride the routes. But minor ripples in a sea of enthusiasm and competence! I'm all too aware that magazines fundamentally exist to make you spend money on gear (and thus make money from related advertising) so it's rare to see a small magazine which dares to frequently publish articles suggesting you stop shopping and start riding. Long may it continue.
Just on the ads...I had the misfortune to be in the DRs surgery today, and was flicking through the March 2010 issue of GQ magazine, P. 61 before anything that wasn't an advert or the contents page.
I subscribe to help pay for the website. If the mag is good, it's a bonus. STW is well worth £30 quid a year.
Chipps editorial, good subject, never though about a bike wheel vs binbag fight though!!
Interesting, but a "once in a lifetime" trip for most of usboxelder - Member
Jamaica article - only skimmed so far, but looks interesting and plenty long enough.
Or a prolonged advert for hotels in the NW of England promoting themselves as bike friendly - love to know what security or drying facilities they have.Gisburn/hotel - original musings (from a soft bugger)
Agree, good article, some hidden advertising no doubtMinx Girl - Always interesting to read baout the folk behind small bikey firms - girl too - bonus.
Could have run for longerUP - article on climbs - a wee bit lightweight, but more interesting than Mbr's 10 best climbs (predictable)
Agree, the bike test mentioned a lot about getting the set-up right, but then didn't really mention how to get the set up rightAdjustable bike test - OK, a bit more detail would be good.
Good variety of products tested
Nice gallery
Possibly the best article in the mag this monthFerrentino - always worth £1 to my mind
WTF?? Look at me, I can play Jazz 7 ride a bike.....Jazz improvisation.........nice......
apt content for an MTB magazineHandlebars test - can't accuse anyone of going light there - yawn
obviously couldn't drop the number of lights featured so we "suffer" Two light tests in two months, as Boxelder says too late in the winter season to be of much benefitLights test - 4 months too late
Liked this, this was almost a true "local knowledge" type articleHalifax ride guide - shortest route ever, but interesting.
Mat Joked a couple of months ago about getting told by the editor he was being too technical, this months article was again slightly lightweight, Mat, write what you want to, some of us can understand big words.Mat Hart - best training advice in any bike mag.
Quantocks ride - real folk by the looks
Agree, more riding info.More ride guides might attract some - recycle them like the other mags?
Agree, isn't this what the forum is for?Letters page - errr, no thanks
Hats off to mark for his apology, but world of difference between thinking such a statement & commititng to the written word. Nice to knwo where magazine subscribers and forum users sit in the scheme of things.
If I'd not been in hospital for the last few days I'd probably have rung subs on Monday and cancelled, but have decided to defer for a month, hopefuly next month will see delivery on time and normal content resumed.
My 10 cents to this is I sat down in the shop the other day and tried to read an old copy of Dirt Magazine...and I actually couldn't. I couldn't work out where the ads stopped and the articles started!! So I ended up just flicking through it and looking at the pictures...I prefer a lightweight mag I can read than that!
My 2p worth... I'm a subscriber and think the mag is great. As far as I'm concerned it's high quality in terms of the print, has some really excellent photography and is clearly written by enthusiasts rather than those with a commercial interest. Might not be perfect every issue but it certainly ticks a lot of boxes.
march is top notch.
magna via is exellent worth the money on its own. i love the content & is a mile away from the glossy shite i got bought a years subscription off at crimbo .
plus they ride/test & reside in some of the best riding to be found.
I think the mag is great - online and in hard copy. It's different to every other publication and the advertising ratio is very balanced. I'd suggest everyone that isn't happy with the niche filled by STW should start their own magazine forthwith. However,
Mark - I don't think your apology was required at all and it wasn't really[i] a rant. Fair comment if nothing else - no need to apologise for that. I'd be a tad less polite in your shoes......
Chipps - fair play for giving out your direct number - but again the content has been great and the magazine is still a success and a great read. Keep up the good work!