I would miss it, a lot. Even though I don't agree with everything written in the forum I am very happy that a lot of the more challenging stuff is genuine rather than trolling. On the magazine I'm not interested in a lot of it but there are articles that really work and given that I don't look at any other cycling press any more that's not bad going. I took a look at the merch but it seems like nothing ships to Belgium any more which I sort of understand given how painful it is even though I really like some of the clothing at the moment
Forum Yes
Magazine No
I learn stuff, get advise or a sense check if you like on things that you may ask your other half about.
I subscribed but tbh the last issue is pretty much unread. Its not relevant to the riding i do, and im never going to bike pack across the Antarctic or Race enduro, wear goggles, buy a £200 jacket or a £180 lid.
It would be a great shame to lose STW but no point agonising over it because if you want STW to survive you need to help solve the problem.
Yes, I am a free member and used to buy the magazine from WH Smith for several years. Then one day I stopped but I don't know why.
I was speaking to Chinese supermarket owner friend this afternoon and he said the hard time would get harder soon; and most businesses would be affected.
The question is how can STW sustain themselves with a "captured" market?
What can STW do to generate income? Yes, need income.
The way I see it the magazine, membership subscription and selling few "knick-knack" are not going to cut it in the near future.
My view is that STW is a community (at least the forum is) and community needs "things" and "services" but the question is what; and willing to pay for it?
Forum yes, magazine no.
I've subscribed for a longtime and ealky like the people here. I sympathise with Mark. I have 3 local newspapers and our paper costs trajectory is horrific.
The support and advice I've had on here has been amazing. I was lucky to work on a similar 'hobby lifestyle' magazine group back in the days when advertising money and freebies seemed endless.
These days are gone now.
I think we are approaching the YouTube channels "1000 devoted fans model" whereby it is all about getting 1000 fans who generate £100 a year for a one person business.
I can't see this continuing any more than I can see our newspapers continuing.
And I am sad about that.
I certainly would. I’ve been visiting nearly every day since the GoFar years. It’s a way of life. I had to go digital-only a few years ago because of my own reduced circumstances but I always thought digital subs were laughably low and I would pay more.
Thread hijack to say that I just drooled over Binners massive black pudding
I beg your pardon?
It would be like losing a local. I've been around since well before the hack, and whilst I don't post as much nowadays I read pretty much every thread. There is nowhere else like this place on the web...we have some weirdos but they're our weirdos, all we all know that when shit gets real the forum takes on a life of its own and wraps its arms around whoever needs it - it was me once and I have never forgotten the support I got.
Like others, years back I would have all the t shirts, the beanies, the hoodies, the printed mag and was 100% brought into the STW cult. It's been a while since I read the mag (print or Digi) but I do click the features now they appear as threads in the forum.
I remember saying to an old mate years ago when he asked why STW was my home page...it's like Simon & Garfunkel's Only Living Boy in New York:
"I get the news I need from the weather report forum overview"
I'd definitely miss both the magazine and website - but that's why I subscribe and buy stuff on occasion.
'take what you want but pay for it'
I'm also a bit of a petrolhead and have just been reading the recent edition of Octane - another great magazine but wow - it has a HUGE number of ads!!! About a 1/3 of the mag is ads. I like that Singletrack isn't.
I think I'd miss it. Digital-only sub here (plus the Grauniad) for what it's worth.
I would enjoy the extra time it gave me. Can we get rid of Twitter and ebay aswell please?
and chess.com
Might get some work done!
Whilst I don't always agree with some threads or posts, there's a hell of a lot of knowledge and information at your fingertips here.
So yes is the answer.
I don't do FB, insta or anything else other than forum discussions, this place being one of the ones I frequent most.
I consider my Singletrack and my Guardian subscriptions as a sort of moral obligation as I’d miss them both enormously if they weren’t there, as I suspect would said freeloaders, despite not being prepared to put their hands in their pockets.
You would put it like that wouldn't you.....put my Guardian sub on hold in the pandemic when my role was put under threat of redundancy. And now you are guilting me into thinking I need to sort it out and go again. I wish there were levels of give a toss and I could chip in a bit less which would be better than nothing at all but I wouldn't get maximum smugness of a full sub.
Yeah in a sense I would. I’ve been here since pretty much day 1. I’ve made many friends across the uk and in the industry thanks to here. I’ve also become very good friends with the owners. This place can be a fantastic source of entertainment and support to others. Not to mention that any subject can be answered. Even about bad cat aids.
I would. I don’t post lots but I visit most days and have had loads of amazing advice and help here. I try to reciprocate when I can.
When the mag was struggling at the start of covid and there was a similar rally cry I took out a subscription. I enjoy the mag but the forum makes it for me. It is well worth the fee for me.
Give STW some ideas since are many business owners on the forum who are highly experience and can help them out during the tough time.
Ideas?
p/s: I think I have been here since 2001.
Once a long ago, I used to spend an extraordinary amount of money on bike magazines every month, MBUK, Bike, Singletrack, MBA, and several others. Then I stopped riding and stopped buying magazines, but I’ve never stopped coming here, it’s been a place that’s given me lots of laughs and information over the years, and it’s helped me with recent events. I got a subscription a while back, and it just renews, I don’t think about it.
Honestly, I think I’d struggle to cope without it, it’s a comforting place to spend time, a bit like a favourite pub where there’s a bunch of like-minded regulars to talk to and argue with, and I’ve actually spent slightly less than a third of my life here! Next year will be twenty years since I first discovered the forum, 2003, iirc, before the Big Hack, which is a sobering thought.
Give STW some ideas since are many business owners on the forum who are highly experience and can help them out during the tough time.
Ideas?
Most people in this thread already pay. What would encourage you to pay for the years of sport you’ve had/would continue to haveout of the place?
What would encourage you to pay for the years of sport you’ve had out of the place?
I don't know because what I wanted was already in the past.
Forum absolutely yes. I don't post too much but I've had a read of the forum almost daily since 2003.
The magazine I wouldn't miss at all as I don't mountain bike anymore, so I don't really reflect the target readership.
I couldn't actually say when I last read a magazine in any format.
Ah, been coming here since about 2000 or something like that, i used to subscribe, then when the mag was in shops, my local used to have it and keep it aside for me, then that stopped and started subscribing again, would i miss the mag, not really, but that's because i don't miss any mag, i have my ST Mags sat in a pile, last one can stay unopened for weeks, then i'll have a read, the ST Mags don't seem to be time barred like most, so you could pick one up from 3 years ago and it's still pretty much a current read, whereas others focus on the present kit, so are dated quite fast.
The website again has been here for a long time, and of course it's not the greatest compared to bells and whistle sites, but it does what we need, i.e. has a good forum with a good amount of members from all backgrounds, abilities, etc, has some nice content on it, but yes, the classifieds went a bit downhill after the removal of the classifieds forum and the present thing replacing it, and of course the search function that pushes you to use google with "site:singletrackworld.com" as it just easier 😂
I don’t mountain bike anymore, so I don’t really reflect the target readership.
Troll 🙂
Most of those who are free members will, if they've read this thread, almost certainly have responded with a 'sod that'.
There's little in the online shop for me - other than bum butter - so I'll make a further donation.
I’d definitely miss the forum and I enjoy reading some articles. Not enough to warrant a physical copy sub though. I pay a digital sub, would happily pay more for it and buy merch from the store when I can. I highly recommend the innertube belt and the Club Ride shirts for anyone that is looking.
This place has helped me through some dark times. Provided knowledge, insight and expertise when needed. Made me laugh, made me angry and it’s the only place online that I’ve ever been issued with a warning from. More than once too!
@leffeboy if you want something from the store you can ship to me and I will send on if you like, just let me know.
Most of those who are free members will, if they’ve read this thread, almost certainly have responded with a ‘sod that’.
Maybe, maybe not. I’ve never been a full member until today because I’ve not seen enough value over and above what you get as a free member, but I’d hate to see this place disappear so if paying subs helps a little then so be it. I’m sure there are many others who have done or will do the same.
Full digitaland print member here, for some years. I seldom read the mag in either format but always enjoy it. New glasses would make a huge difference to me, the STW type is just so small (and they probably have an ageing readership, so things are not going to get better for them). I use the forum daily although comment less so than previously due to the toxicity that was so apparant in some threads. That is another discussion that has been had but is relevant.
What I should do I think is to reduce my subscription to a digital one and spend the difference in the Merch shop.
Would I miss it? Very much so, it would be a massively missed resource. It is informative, witty and intelligent. It is a mix of all kinds of esoteric nonsense that I'm more than happy to support.
it has a HUGE number of ads!!! About a 1/3 of the mag is ads. I like that Singletrack isn’t.
And that is the problem.
How much will you pay to avoid Singletrack going down?
'Cos if the advertisers don't ante up then its down to us.
tonyd - it would interesting if Mark provided an update in, say, a month's time covering how many free members have converted to paying subscribers and whether there has been an increase in turnover through the online shop since his post today.
I don't share your optimism but would love to be proved wrong.
Maybe, maybe not. I’ve never been a full member until today because I’ve not seen enough value over and above what you get as a free member, but I’d hate to see this place disappear so if paying subs helps a little then so be it.
Ditto, and just bought stuff from the shop.
Career lurker on here for 20+ years pretty much daily
Chipps, Onza, Tomac, Dekerf, MTB Pro etc
The prospect of us being punted out into the regular cesspit internet is sobering - (re)subscribed
Thanks to those who have signed up and signed back up. It will mean a lot to the guys as at the end of the day they employ people.
Absolutely. Massive amount of collective experience, problem solvers, tuning tips and buying advice.
Chat forum is more entertaining than Bruce Forsyth
it would interesting if Mark provided an update in, say, a month’s time covering how many free members have converted to paying subscribers
Really Frank 😕 ,And would you like the email addresses of those who dont so you can send them hate mail ?.
I'm on here pretty regularly and would most definitely miss it if it went.
That's why I subscribe as well as enjoying the magazine.
dyna-ti, just to help you understand -
it would be interesting and relevant to know the quantfiable results of Mark's post.
If there's a meaningful increase in paying subscribers, tell us.
Same for the shop.
If not, that should be a clear message to Mark which, I think, should also be shared.
I have no interest in your email address or that of any other free members or paying subscriber.
Do you make a financial contribution to STW?
For all I know you might be dressed in STW branded clothes, drinking STW coffee from a branded mug.
This isn't the first time Mark has posted about generating more revenue but this time he's been explicitly clear.
I had TJ stay with us a couple of weeks ago on his tour. The Monday Night Pub Ride crew came to meet up
If it wasn’t for this forum, neither the last ten years of MNPR or meeting TJ and following his travels would never happened. That and many many many other things
I don’t want to live in that world. I want to live in a world where people appreciate the value of a couple of quid a month to support something that’s really worth supporting, which can be totally life affirming
If this goes, you’ll miss it
Treasure the true value in things and support the people who’ve enabled this. We owe them a hell of a lot
They made a lot of things possible
Stop fannying around and get a bloody subscription!
This shit is actually important!
You’ll miss it when it’s gone and all that’s left is the cesspit of Twitter
dyna-ti, just to help you understand
I understand you perfectly Frank, you're like a broken record.
What you are doing is hounding people.So please refrain.
I'm aware it might sound a little sad but this place means an awful lot to me and I've said as much before.
I usually migrate towards the biking forum in the summer months and chat forum in the winter though that can change just as life and biking can change.
I'd be really upset to see the end of the forum and mag. The forum is in all honesty the most important to me these days but without the mag STW would be without it's soul in my opinion.
I've been on and off since it was go-far, and all this was fields, with mad cows in.
The algorithms brought me here ... and now they won't let me go.
So, yeah I guess i'd miss it.
with mad cows in.
They're still here, in fact they've been breeding 😯
Instead of mag subscription why not coffee or tea subscription? Outsource the roasting to others and take a cut from there? Have this been tried before?
A bit like this STUPIDLY STRONG GROUND COFFEE
Yes, this is a good coffee and one of my favourite and I only buy them from TK Maxx when they are available rather than order online.
Ideas anyone?
@tonyd - thanks for the offer, very much appreciated. Your post made me realise that my wife is across in UK in 5 weeks time so if I time it right all should be good. More shirts time
I would miss the quality of arguing on here. Sometimes it's just the usual but often people are carefully trying to have a difficult discussions using the most impossible mediums to do that on. I have had my eyes opened on a few topics
Would I miss it? Definitely. If it wasn't for the posts, info and sillines on here over the last few years I doubt I'd still be alive! It's why I have a digital sub, rarely read the mag but do if there's something that interests me.
Will look at the merch on payday, annoyingly I've just bought some more chamois cream and forgot it's sold via here.
What you are doing is hounding people.So please refrain.
🤔 Eh? I don't know Frank but taking his post at face value I really don't see that? I simply see someone wondering if the stats will show that Mark's plea has had an effect on revenue in a few weeks time?
Some great posts here, and dare I say it a consensus (on STW? Are you sure...)? That by and large people value this place and would definitely miss it if it were gone.
