MegaSack DRAW - 6pm Christmas Eve - LIVE on our YouTube Channel
You may remember my thread about the quality of the mag of late
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/persuade-me-not-to-cancel-my-subscription-to-singletrack
Latest issue landed the other day. Big Scottish mountains, bigger Icelandic mountains, and near-to home Lakes and Dales riding (what's the route by the way?)
All is forgiven. 🙂
Sad farewell to Mr Ferentino. You're clearly mad, but I like that.
Looking forward to heavier paper and better pictures.
Just read read mike ferentino last column agree that it is sad to see him go. Hopefully how will get his life balance back, good luck!
Hmmm it's a tough one, wasn't going to renew my subs but based on the Scottish write up.... I might just do that, it was one of the best for ages and made me want to get in the car for a weekend in Scotland.
Question is, is it a one off and are we going back to Journosfreeholidaytospaintrack?
and a Matt Hart, stop answering made up questions, just tell us how to do stuff that we can ignore but pretend to do like you used to.
I too feel compelled to say that - so far - the current mag is better than some recent ones to the extent that I will pretend there was no review on degreasers (really??!). Chipps', Jen's and the French dude's articles were definitely inspirational. I can't wait to see what the new format brings.
stop answering made up questions
I thought that as well...also where is the bonus material promised in the last issue at [url= http://singletrackworld.com/bonus/ ]http://singletrackworld.com/bonus/[/url] ? not that I even know what sort of thing was supposed to be posted there.
Its worth getting the mag just for the quality of the photography this month. The Iceland photo's in particular. Utterly breath-taking. Which bodes well for where 'they' are taking the magazine.
Its a shame to see Mike go. I loved his pieces. Understandable though. Good luck to him! His first article about riding over here was fantastic. One of the best ever in ST.
is it in the shops yet?
Notice, just as everyone's giving it praise... next month, the big change! What do they have in store??
I've only had chance to flick through and look at the pictures which look great - I just hope the new format has a few more pages, rather than just thicker paper to make it [i]seem[/i] like there are more pages!
Good feedback peoples. The bonus material was a 36 page Editors Choice supplement (to Issue 70) and can be found here:
[url= http://singletrackworld.com/magarchive/editors-choice-2011/ ]http://singletrackworld.com/magarchive/editors-choice-2011/[/url]
Our oversight on /bonus URL and we'll get it fixed asap. Apologies.
On the delivery front, we always try to get our copies to subscribers first and our loyal LBS stockists, before the high street. On that note, high street is scheduled from 2nd February. Again, thanks for feedback.
Just read the Editorial and wanted to add my support to 'Chipps and the gang' for flying in the face of doom and offering us bigger-better-more when most people are trying to give less and get more.. looking forward to the next issue arriving already!
Ooooh, looking forward to perusing my digital copy tonight. Thanks!
Its a shame to see Mike go.
Not Ferrentino? That would be a BIG loss, I'm loving the follow the dog book. ST will have to look hard to find someone as interesting/bonkers to replace him.
It's bittersweet. Like a poo lolly.
Pat on the back for everyone at STW..this is much more like it,Iceland photos simply superb....just want to go and ride now.
Degreaser?..useful to some but can these sort of tests be compressed a bit?...and Matt Hart is past his sell-by date too....
Bugger about Mike F. His article was always the very first I read in every issue.
Degreaser test was a nice idea but the end result was so inconclusive/non-committal that it deserved to be compressed.
Iceland/Scotland articles were lovely but this issue was quite "thin". I was finished in one session. I find the tone overall a little mellow. Would be nice to balance the feel-good articles with some more provocative and though provoking content.
Iceland photos are like proper wikkid.
I just had time to look at the cover, worth it for that shot alone.
What do they have in store??
Loads, by the sounds of it....
🙂
And its all good..
Seems you have to have a P next to your name to be on this thread. No Hitters then.
Does anyone know which issue Mike Ferentino's first column appeared in?
Does anyone know which issue Mike Ferentino's first column appeared in?
The latest one that arrived yesterday..
Have to admit I saw it and first thoughts where 'is that it, if it gets any thinner there won't be any room for the spine tag line'
Then I opened it flicked though and stopped on the Iceland waterfall pic and realised its not quantity but quality (we have this forum for low quality high quantity ;))
Great issue
Best issue for quite a while. Same comments as everyone else, basically.
Stonking photos from the Iceland article.
Sad to see the back of Ferrentino's column, though it's understandable. He seemed to get a bit of a kicking on here quite often, but I really enjoyed his writing.
Another couple of nice write-ups from Jenn.
I liked the 'Year in Pictures' bit as well- it looks like everyone on the mag had a pretty fine year, Chipps especially so. 🙂
Last issue before the Big Change - hopefully things will continue in the same vein.
Just reassure....
The next issue will be packed with more pages, not just thicker ones. January issues of most mags are always slimmer in pages due mostly to a reduction in the number of ads booked in it.
Picked up the mag and flicked straight to Blame the Dog, was quite sad by the end. Sorry to see Mike finish his writing, was always the first article I turned to.
I agree with the Ferentino article being sad, I was well depressed at the end of the article. I have just read a US mag called Switchback (Fuel for the trails, bought from WHS) and it was very interesting. Good article on some pioneer mtb guy (not the usual crowd) who has some rare brain tumour but still insists on riding, and a good article about a female endurance rider that I have never heard of. The last Privateer had some interesting articles abroad, the guides in the South American countries was a unique and different slant on the sport of mtb'ing. I'm glad that ST is making some changes, as they initially shook up the established MTB mags (MBR & MBUK) when they first arrived. They have of late been shook up by other mags (mentioned above) and I for one am not that keen when they go all out for long travel bikes that you cannot pedal uphill. More articles like this month for fantastic photo's and inspiration I say.
Had a 1/2 hour flick through, in between coughing & sneezing.
Agree about the ride/picture bits 😀
Got as far as the Degreaser bit (not bothered about that as I think its a bike killer)
The Mike Ferentino column has been a bit hit & miss for me, though the one he did about riding round Tod area with the ST group was one of the best I have ever read in the mag.
Look forward to the new direction, on a selfish note please can we have less of the riding abroad in places I'm never going to get to 🙁
please can we have less of the riding abroad in place I'm never going to get to
This is exactly what I DO want to read about, regardless of whether I'm going to get there. It's the reason I started buying Singletrack.
you can please some of the people some of the time... 😆
This is exactly what I DO want to read about
+1.
LESS Todmorden! More all around the UK and abroad please.
Weird, had a dream I was riding in Iceland, and I don't mean down the aisles.
Great issue.
please can we have less of the riding abroad in place I'm never going to get to
funny one this, I think Epic days out and nice photos are the winner, more UK than far flung but I like Iceland 🙂
You can't please everybody all of the time
I haven't bought a bike magazine in ages, gave up on Singletrack 3 years ago. However, I was in Stirling yesterday and got 3 magazines, Singletrack, Dirt and Switchback. I had never heard of Switchback but enjoyed it (only issue 2). Dirt I liked a lot, never thought I would read an article about 29ers in it. Singletrack was as deadly dull as when I last read it, no sense of excitement or interest, and the only good photos were in the Destination X article and they were not taken by ST staff I presume.
[i]stop answering made up questions[/i]
The q about stretching for the over 40's in the last issue was mine so I know they're not [i]all[/i] made up...
one he did about riding round Tod area with the ST group was one of the best I have ever read in the mag.
Anyone know which issue this was?
the only good photos were in the Destination X article
I don't know if you got this very latest issue but I was blown away with the photos in this issue, especially Iceland and Scotland.
what does it matter?not taken by ST staff
I got mine last night and flicked through. Couldn't be bothered to go upstairs to get my glasses so couldn't read anything so put it down for later consumption. Having now read this thread I have just read Chipps Editorial and Mike F's last article. For Mike F - all the best fella generally speaking I have long been impressed by your stuff both in Bike and STW. In fact for a while after Bike became totally uninteresting I kept buying it for Mike's column. A bit like Mint Sauce and MBUK (Take that how you like).
Nice piece by Chipps and agree with his stance. It has re-invigorated me TBH. I was considering letting the sub drop at next renewal, though being me had a dilemma in that for me it is important to give the guys some income while I am happy to use the website. As said though, that's just me and my world view.
No doubt someone will tell me I'm an idiot, they all drive Bentleys, drink champers in their Camelbaks (other hydration systems are available) from advertising revenue.
To be honest the reason I have considered dropping the sub is just that I am loosing my interest in mags. Keep buying them and they just get put to one side rather than read.
Anyway - re-vamp - very interesting and looking forward to seeing the new mag. All the best guys and I hope the plan can keep you rolling for another 10 years (or as long as you feel you want to keep knocking out bike mags).
Only flicked through last night but loved the Iceland photos and the inclusion of a trail I really like with a name to giggle about Breasthigh Road in Jen's article about the merging of the two national parks.
On the less positive side its not got a lot of bike porn in it. I'm not after What Bike levels of bike details but more than 4 would be nice.
Another praise for the photography, the Icelandic stuff is just stunning.
Mike's articles are often interesting, but I've always found him a disppointment after his first article on riding over here, which was the most perfect endorsement of all that is right with UK rides and riders.
Loving some of the pictures in this months mag even though I find travel storys rather dull to read.
Also sorry to see Mike Ferentino go. I don't always like his column but it has always been one of the first I check in the hope it's a goodun. I will miss it for sure 🙁
Already looking forward to the next mag to see what the changes are, maybe a sheep based cartoon 😉
Agree that this mag is much better than of recent. Iceland, nice. The Dales, Gods country. Not really sure how interesting it is to know that chips and his mates get pissed, eat black pudding, have lots of coffee and can't be arsed, same repetative twaddle to pad out what could have been a pretty good article (MBUK comes to mind). I supose it was an advatorial for a holiday cottage company. Perhaps as I get old and grumpy reading about wasting time gets a bit irritating. Kinloch Rannoch, you could have given us a decent ride feature from there.
Iceland water fall pic is great - I even pointed it out to the wife who is generally not bothered by such things. She was impressed.
Just like to add my best wishes to Mike and say I've always gone straight to his column too. Thought this last one was thought provoking, poignant and slightly inspirational.
Interested to see how the revamp turns out.
Haven't brought the last few issues as got a bit bored of it but might give this one ago again. Interested in this months bike test of privateer racers.
I never really took to the Mike Ferentino page.
Awesome issue back to old form it's the only MTB mag I get this reminds me why. Gutted about blame the dog always my first read. Thanks for all the articles Mike, best of luck in the future.
This is the first time in ages that I've actually "read" the mag rather than dipped in and out. Two sittings, both in the bath after a run/ride. Really enjoyed it, especially Sim's Marlborough Downs write up. Having walked in the area I can see how it'd make a "nice" day out without being especially interesting riding.
Roll on the next issue 🙂
I am not buying this months as I have decided that I disagree with the moderation policy, so I'm putting the mag on a two issue ban, I shan't be clicking any ads during this period either. 😀
I wasn't impressed.
Mike Ferrentino - I honestly can't see why some middle-aged navel gazing is gathering so much praise. Sure, his father's ill. Yes, he has to make a choice between earning or riding, and agreed, we're all a long time dead. But there wasn't anything in that article that once made me marvel at its profundity, nor made me yearn to do as Mike has done.
The rest of it was pretty meh - same sorts of (nicely-taken) pictures, a fairly usual article written by someone whose mother tongue is clearly not English ("Then we finished our journey to Landmannalaugar to install our camp base." - do a decent translation FFS), and some half-arsed product reviews. The 'we went to Scotland and rode a bit' article was very weak, unless you like to trot out the stereotype that mountain bikers are hard-livin', hard-ridin', hard-drinkin' types who eat food that's bad for you, drink loads of whisky and are still somehow riding gods.
As for the GBRS article - I struggled to get to the end. Surprise!! - Louise tells us that GPS isn't needed, that maps are better, and hey, getting lost is better than knowing where you are......it reminds me of those zealots who tell you that steel is real, that singlespeeds are purer, and that trail centres are just the McDonalds of mountainbiking.
"We arrived home battered, muddied, bruised and bloodied, but righteous." Really? [i]Righteous??[/i]
Ironically, I should agree wholeheartedly with Louise's article. I ride a British steel singlespeed, have never used GPS, and couldn't give a toss about being lost or not. I'll always get home. But I don't feel [i]righteous[/i] about it. As with anything else, it's just riding a bike. The way I do it is no better or worse than anyone else's way, and certainly nothing to get excited about.
As usual, I wondered why I'd subscribed. And the reality is that I only do so to ensure that the forum stays open.
If the mag disappears any further up its own backside with the relaunch - basically, if it becomes Rouleur or Privateer - then I'm off.
No more Ferrentino is great news- I'm sure he can write, if he can be bothered, but most of his pieces recently have been terrible. Toilets FFS. Whatever he was being paid was too much.
I see Matt Hart restrained himself to actual advice rather than trying to be funny, this can only be progress.
I'll miss Mr Ferrentino's view on life and mountain biking; written well and often provoking an insight or take on a subject I hadn't thought about before. It's a shame that some of the comments on here are not composed with the same lucidity, balance and perspective.
Let's try some constructive criticism- just a thought.
not in the WH SMITHS library yet.
Reading this thread has made me wonder if I get different articles to everyone else. I just went back to issue 70 to have a look, and discovered that he'd written an article almost entirely about not writing an article. "Where, precisely, was my column", he says? Good question.
"We arrived home battered, muddied, bruised and bloodied, but righteous." Really? Righteous??
Yes, we did.
(-:
It is a good issue and I'd miss Mr Ferrentino's columns but I'm unsubscribing after two years - much as I'd like to go on epic trips, in reality I spend 99% of my riding razzing round the same old trails trying to go quicker, bigger or badder, so I appear to have diverged from the target readership. Seeing two people pushing their bikes over some nice techy rocks was almost the final straw! 😉 It's a shame because Dirt's grasp of language is puzzling (though fine as a less regular read) and the rest, well... Still, better to have a magazine do one thing well than try to be all things to all men.
We've been enjoying this thread in the office this morning, keep the criticism (constructive or otherwise) coming please.
chiefgrooveguru - If you're referring to the picture on page 62, the 'nice techy rocks' are actually a bastard hard climb. We'll let you know next time we're down there, you'd be most welcome to come along and show us how it's done... 😉
Jenn, as you've asked for more feedback....seriously, why not do a decent translation of articles which were either written in English by a non-native speaker, or have been translated poorly. It really grates when I see lines written in pidgin Euringlish - "Despite the cold nights in the tent, we really enjoyed our journey [i]and took away with us plenty of good memories for sure."[/i]
It lets down the author and the magazine. It's a relatively interesting article, if you like that sort of thing, there's some great photos, and the author is 99% of the way there. Many times with the text some help would be great, for sure.
We've been enjoying this thread in the office this morning
Pleasure to have started it 🙂
Ref this month's Big Change: cover price will be £5.95!
Euringlish - "Despite the cold nights in the tent, we really enjoyed our journey and took away with us plenty of good memories for sure."
I quite like the euringlish, but then I associate it with good times riding with euros who sprout such things 🙂
I don't think it's a bad translation - I think it's english written as a foreign language, and probably in character of how the author would speak, so shouldn't be changed.
I have to confess that I'm not a regular buyer of STW, but Mike Ferrentino's column in [i]Bike[/i] has long been a fixture for me. Top writer.
Like others on here, Mike Ferrentino's column has always been the first one I read. This month's wasn't exactly the most thrilling read - but i feel dirty even criticising it given the context. I really enjoyed his article about not writing an article though - I think you're missing the point, Northwind (which is fair enough - not everybody has the same tastes).
The Iceland words were supplied in English, written by a native French speaker (and it should be noted that we've received plenty of copy written by native English speakers which made *much* less sense...). We put hours into tidying them up, but it's a fine line between grammatical correctness and killing an author's tone/personality stone dead. We don't translate Ferrentino's work to British English from American, or Matt's from Matt-speak; that's one of the things which differentiates our content from other magazines, and it's something that we're proud of.
The Euro-style "for shure!" should always be accompanied by the hand thing, though. Maybe we need some new page furniture...
Well...I'm late as usual...just posted another thread asking if Ferrentino is actually going for good... without first searching on here
I know Mike was an industry apologist...as in....so what if it cost you two grand and it broke, you should just be grateful the product was potentially better than the old product that had the good manners not to break but was much heavier, wider, bulkier, whateverier etc etc...but the man wrote well and I'm with the other posters here who went to his article first and would happily follow it to the end even if I was not minded to go along with his conclusions.
Sad loss but things move on....Thanks to Mike though...I enjoyed his contribution.
And maybe I'm not critical enough.... but I thought it was a good issue guys.
If Jenn is still monitoring....Sometimes I loose a Jenn article...in that I know what tangent she's tacking out on but she doesn't manage to incorporate the location she's been to that has invoked her train of thought...and I'm sat there thinking that looks like an interesting bit of countryside, want to go there, that looks very familiar, but where is it???? etc...but this time I thought it jelled ok. We all need to ride out under a night sky at least once a month, the remoter the better..less light pollution.
I always try to...and I was quite touched recently when my neighbour who is in the Mountain Rescue told me that he was going to initiate a Rescue Practice for the recovery of a supposed injured mountain biker on my regular night route across the local fells. That's service for you....he did also say, if you get into trouble don't bother phoning until the morning.
You can't have everything!
Back to more practical matters the route guide mentioned riding Croft trail but the routes go nowhere near it. Shame as Ladder lane is the best descent in the area. And the opportunity to ride in the woods behind Nationwide was clearly lost. The Epic loop seems a bit pissed to me by missing out Smeathes ridge and riding several bits twice. But very glad to see our lowly ara of the country mentioned in such high places.
I have to say I have just seen the mag. And yes, those Iceland photos are amazing. Who would have thought it ay? Some amazing singletrack and scenery. Well done chaps.
