What would you like in a mag?

More manufacture based articles would be good, enjoyed reading them in the past, the recent Hope,Brooks and Shimano ones you did were great, but I guess they cost a bit to do.

Another guest writers page, like the one you used to do with Samuri, with random babbling.

How about sponsoring a a rider and follow his or her year racing at well known events.

Finally there must be a budding bike based cartoonist out there, that could do a STW monthly comic strip 😉

I don’t really care as I have just cancelled my subscription having read every issue since issue 1. The recent editions have been much to dull. The final straw was when the bike tests are all full suspension talk, about frame angle front centres etc.
The magazine has just lost it.

Less foreign riding articles.
More Grinder.
(Bike) porn.
Manufacturer articles.
Less poorly written filler – the four riders and their bikes from different areas of the UK sticks in the memory.
Reader routes.

I’m in agreement with several posters above.

ourmaninthenorth: +1

MrGreedy’s first line –“the thing ST’s routes do better than any of the other mags is to nail the atmosphere and feel of a ride and the area”
This is what I like the best and, for me, most sets ST apart from the crowded shelves.

While I’m more into UK rides than exotic locations, I can’t help but love good photography in scenic spots wherever they are. For me the view is a big part of the reason for the ride and the photos are a big part of ST.

I’m a tyres-on-the-ground rider, jumps and drops aren’t my bag. A bit of XC racing is fine e.g. the recent DIY24.

“The Grinder” – these are how reviews are meant to be done, instead of a 10 minute tootle and some plundering of the thesaurus. Honest opinion on relevant products likely to interest the target audience that are tested thoroughly can’t fail. Can it?

However, on one subject I’m in a tiny minority. I am uninterested in bike and component reviews in general, but especially bikes. If I’m shopping for a new bike (a rare event), comparing four in the mag won’t help me choose. Similarly, drivetrain comparisons etc leave me snoring. Tyres are a little different, though after reading tyre tests I often feel no wiser than before I started. I know lots of people (blokes) get excited about gear but I’m not normal like that.

Memorable features are those like the Yorkshire one with the Union Jack in red/white/green; the euroadtrip (41); Farewell Summer and John Pitchers (31); lightweight camping (43). The ‘jobs in the industry’ interviews were enlightening. People and places, stuff to do more than stuff to buy. And definitely no titty ‘burds on bikes’. I’ll get a taller person to reach the top shelf in the newsagent for me (or the knuckledragging chopper mags) if I want that kind of stuff.

More pages so it took longer to read would be good. I’d happly pay more for that. I like the galley pages but I miss the forum top ten poster chart of years gone buy. Maybe a few more local articles(southwest).

reviews are a waste of time, to give a proper test takes months, by which time it is no longer available. Photos, lots of photos an attempt to catch the idea. route articles, do it properly or don’t bother. I am perplexed as to why MBR did a Cwm Carn to Afan route but didn’t bother with anything useful like the route. If the article is about an area fine talk about it, if it is about a route then at least give enough detail that it can be recreated.

Over the years i have gotten very cynical about tests, advertising basically.

good writing like photos, trying to capture the reason for riding and inspiring to go out and ride.

Huge whaps. Preferrably wet.

I think that ST has the best balance and it feels like it is written by real poeple rather than just being regurgitated marketing drivel.

I also like the the sound of the rides with readers idea and am sad enough to appreciate more technical articles.