MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
...read a copy of Singletrack magazine. I picked it out the rack whilst sitting on the bog at a mate's house...
The overwhelming impression was of how self-absorbed, self-referential and self-satisfied most of the writing was. There was an editorial where the editor wrote about some first world problems he'd faced. There was an article where Singletrack staff interviewed other Singletrack staff about their pet hates in biking. There were some pictures of staff and hangers on pulling funny faces at some sort of event with few bikes in evidence.
There were some lovely pictures of awesome looking riding but instead of captioning them with useful info like where it was they seemed to feel that every pic was a caption competition that needed some sort of vapid comment.
Did I just pick up a bad one or is that what it's like all the time?
insular kind of?
i stopped buying it or getting it once my P ran out, because I think it is shyte.
There's a mag? #whodathunkit
Around but half past 8?
Lol @ Ton
insular kind of?
That's another word. I got the impression it was a bunch of amateurs messing about and having fun then suddenly sitting up and going 'Shit! We need to write some stuff, I'll interview you if you interview me and that kills two birds with one stone.'
Nowt wrong with messing about and having fun but I for one don't want to read the results.
Hard to know the point of starting such a dickheadish thread on the website of the people you’re slagging off. If I was them I’d call you a dickhead and kick you off the site.
But I think they are much nicer than me. And you.
come on Dez. you cant stop freedom to speak.
It's constructive criticism Dez. Open minded individuals and organisations welcome it.
I got the impression it was a bunch of amateurs messing about and having fun then suddenly sitting up and going ‘Shit! We need to write some stuff, I’ll interview you if you interview me and that kills two birds with one stone.’
I take it was actually the first time you've read the magazine.
Certainly the first time in ages Drac which is why I asked if it's always like that. Quite happy to accept I just got a bad one.
you cant stop freedom to speak.
They don’t have to give you a platform though.
It’s constructive criticism Dez.
well, it's criticism fo'shure, whether it's at all constructive is probably debatable
2 minutes quicker than i expected Tomhoward.
[i]come on Dez. you cant stop freedom to speak.[/i]
Well, I didn't say that, I'm just saying what is the ****ing point.
I'll log sign up to a website of a product I think is shit and tell the owners it's shit shall I?
Well, no because I'm not the sort of moronic "Internet user" who thinks my dopey opinions on [i]everything[/i] are of any value. Seriously can't see the point in it. Apart from being a knob, hiding behind a keyboard.
They don’t have to give you a platform though.
I'm only here for the adverts. 😉
I don't know what you were expecting. What can a MTB mag cover other than new kit, retro kit, local routes, distant routes and personalities - and how much of that is just regurgitated? That's not something specific to STW, it affects the whole industry. Think of that Atherton Bikes launch we just had; pre internet you'd have read about that a couple of months after the launch. Now it's online and streamed.
who thinks my dopey opinions
bloody heck mate, bit harsh...... i am not that bad, am i? ;o)
I’ll log sign up to a website of a product I think is shit and tell the owners it’s shit shall I?
Never go on TripAdvisor, it'll melt your head.
I thought much the same for you ton, why do you keep coming back? You always say every part of the operation (mag, forum, it’s posters, classifieds, whatever else) is ‘shyte’, yet here you are, telling everyone how shit you think everything is. What do you gain from it?
self satisfaction tomhoward...... no more no less.
Today I was both shocked and disappointed to find I'm the typical STW reader. I've only bookmarked one article in the last year. The one about 12 speed Sunrace. Then I read this:
What can a MTB mag cover other than new kit, retro kit, local routes, distant routes and personalities
I think my point was that there were great swathes of the issue I read that didn't even do that stuff.
scotroutes nails it for me.
Personally I subscribe because I like to support the website and forum. I view the magazine as a nice extra. I agree that some of the articles can be a bit self-absorbed but for most part I enjoy reading it.
Definitely isn't 'shyte' from my perspective 🙂
I've bought a few issues over the years but my most disappointing Xmas present ever was a subscription from my BIL (who had the best intentions).
'Waffle', is the best definition I can come up with.
To make matters worse, he got me another bloody subscription the year after.
Like Ton said, It's shyte.
Shyte, or not shyte. It would be boring itself were all the same!
Never go on TripAdvisor, it’ll melt your head.
I've been on TripAdvisor. But I haven't told the Tripadvisor employees they're doing a shit job on there. My head's intact.
I’ve been on TripAdvisor.
Before it became popular obviously.
What can a MTB mag cover other than new kit, retro kit, local routes, distant routes and personalities
I think my point was that there were great swathes of the issue I read that didn’t even do that stuff.
It must be hard trying to come up with something else to fill the space between ads though. A bit of humour isn't necessarily a bad thing but it has to be inclusive and not just relevant to a self-referential clique.
I didn't say they were doing a shit job. You said that. I identified a couple of things I didn't like about the writing / content and asked if it was normally like that.
I used to have a look at TripAdvisor then realising that reviews didn't correspond to experiences checked out a few places I know well, dear me, what load of superlatives, hype and lies.
I don't think STW has been invaded by the professional false review writer yet so I'll keep reading.
I agree with you scotroutes, there must be lots of rehashing in a mag like that. I wonder if lots of folks get it for a year or 2 then stop when they realise they've seen stuff before?
The only mag I subscribe to is New Scientist and it has the obvious advantage of always having new stuff to write about.
Well I don't buy the mag anymore after subscribing for a couple of years but got a complimentary copy when I bought a t shirt at Xmas.I enjoyed the jokey self referential stuff, was annoyed when/if they didn't tell you exactly where the fabulous pics were taken but conversely enjoyed trying to identify the pics of local areas shown on the bike review features.My main criticism is the price of a lot of the gear they review,I much prefer the new online bargain feature 😉
I didn’t say they were doing a shit job. I identified a couple of things I didn’t like about the writing / content and asked if it was normally like that.
(Looks up 'constructive criticism')
Was there anything you liked and would like to see more of?
just to add, i have bought the mag from day one. until about 6 month ago.
lot of cash that. not wasted either, i used to look forward to getting it.
falling out of love with things happens i suppose.
I agree with you scotroutes, there must be lots of rehashing in a mag like that. I wonder if lots of folks get it for a year or 2 then stop when they realise they’ve seen stuff before?
It's the same story with many hobby mags. Always has been.
The last copy of New Scientist I read was the most disappointing I'd ever picked up. I was a subscriber when I worked in environmentak science decades back and was shocked at how lightweight, superficial and lacking in critical spirit it has now become.
🙂
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/premier-other-than-ad-removal-is-it-worth-it/
Just in case anyone is running short of lines/material