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I’ve met him he is nice bloke but that doesn’t mean people can’t laugh at some of his articles
Yes. The mtb world would be a bit more boring without Guy Kesteven.
And yes - his dog is fast.
(But the dog doesn't write reviews ... yet)
I still have my original On One C456. I was under the impression (first hand from Joe R possibly) that one or both of the Rafferty Brothers tested the frame and gave feedback to Guy. So any ridicule in that particular case should maybe be directed at them, they are both fantastic bike riders BTW. I remember on the day (Stainburn Car Park), many tears ago, handing my beloved c456 over to Joe and saying TYG WTF (I'd just fallen off it in front of him)
But the dog doesn’t write reviews … yet
Geex is his dog is he not?
I bought a bike, then I saw his review and he was correct, coherent and succinct.
He's not very consistent but maybe that's because I'm biased.
He reviewed my bike, a Merida one forty 1b and slated it. I agree with the fork comments. Loads better with a yari on it, definitely too expense at rrp and the "all mountain" graphics are cringy.
He then reviews a lesser spec version a few months later and raves about how much of a good bike it is. Maybe because the price point, but then he raves about how the 5b does it all, on all terrain and does it well, how it's a brilliant bike. While in the 1b review he calls it "sketchy" "dull" and more xc than a do it all bike. Maybe it's me being butt hurt but after that I ignore his opinions.
a Merida one forty 1b and slated it.
He then reviews a lesser spec version a few months later and raves about how much of a good bike it
They were published pretty close together as well. ha. I think there are different expectations at different pricepoints as they're probably also picking up different sorts of riders. the Fox 32 at 150mm was never a great fork once you start pushing it more.
However, the review "too heavy for XC and not hardcore enough for all-mountain" sounds like the very definition of a "trail bike" (which is how they describe the positively reviewed cheaper model).
Geex is his dog is he not?
haha. (Bit mean so)
But for sure - both, Guy and geex add fun to the mtb circus.
And I really hop Guy Kesteven continues with his crazy reviews. With or without dog.
Sorry Olly, that's pretty hard to defend. The bike with the Sektor on rode a lot better and was cheaper though and there was precious little difference between XT and Deore back then in terms of on trail performance so that's why the scores were so different. Things like describing one 730mm bar as basically OK and slamming the other plus the other discrepancies in there are just dumb though whatever the price.
As for the whole review honesty thing all I can say is how or where I'm paid really doesn't make a difference and ask you to believe that. I'm pretty confident that you could ring up most people in the industry and they'd tell you I've pissed them off at some point. By definition only one bike or bit of gear can win a group test so I've written far more critical reviews than rave ones over the years too. Things are certainly getting a lot closer now than when I started but nothing is perfect. I've always tried to ride and test every relevant competitor in any category or like you say there's no context and no basis for a broader ranking call. For example that Bossnut video review someone mentioned is based on riding all three versions of Bossnut as well as the Boardman, the Norco, the Sonder, the Decathlon and the Vitus in that price bracket.
There's no point apologising for being a word **** gobshite though as that's just the way I am. I like playing with words and I've always tried to bring bikes alive with the enthusiasm and excitement that I've felt while riding them. Perhaps inevitably that means I often get carried away but there's always a trigger of truth at the heart of what I'm ranting on about. I'm glad some of you have enjoyed that along the way and appreciate you saying so on this thread. If you don't/didn't the good news is that you won't have to endure any more shite from me if you don't want to as I finally hit peak 'bikejourno' for my penultimate issue on MBUK. Continual budget and word count cuts means I just can't make a living from magazines anymore but at least I went out on a high/low.
I'll still be reviewing bikes on my 'GUYKESTV' YouTube channel though (what kind of ****t names a channel after themselves eh!), so if any of you want some bicycle flavoured stream of consciousness live from the trail while I'm trying to dodge trees and decipher suspension kinematics without being dropped by Tilly the spaniel then that's where you'll find me.
Unless they do another series of Crystal Maze or The Fast Show obviously.....
Cheers
Guy
****t
5 letter word ending in t. Donut?
*Barks*
translated = "BRILLIANT!"
Mint!
I've read Geex article too - can I share?
As I said last page, I like STW reviews and Guy's reviews, and I like geex's.
Maybe I just like riding bikes and reading about them in a geeky way to much?
I'm no bike journalist and my grammar is awful, so I'm just going to put it all down to character.
What I'm glad I'm not reading is content that's all based on fashion or a particular 'has to be this way'.
There are still some reviewers who make odd statements - I watched a video last night of someone riding steep woods Down south somewhere saying it would be near impossible on a hardtail, and they wouldn't recommend it! Hold my beer....
I’m a bit sad to hear up there that Guy is leaving the mag review business. Maybe STW could employ him for bikes tests / FGF?
bring bikes alive
With peak STW comments like that you’d be very welcome here Guy... 😀
P.S. I too want to read a Geex review - linky?
I have no idea about his MTB reviews but I read a review of a road bike that I own by Guy and it was absolute bobbins “punishingly stiff by steel standards”
WTF? A pegoretti duende has to be one of the the most comfortable road bikes I have swung a leg over. Was wavering over the purchase and was actually convinced to buy it by another bike journalist (now road bike brand owner) who said to me “you have no idea how nice that will be to ride”.
I know I would take anything Guy writes about road bikes with a pinch of salt and a look of bemusement.
Hmmm. Not sure he can claim other people's reviews are poor. Needs an editor.
Needs an editor.
And a photographer.
I guess this reviewing lark is, by its nature, going to be pretty subjective. I do find some of the bikejourno speak a bit er...'eh, WTF are they on about?!' sometimes, but with Guy's review of the Mavic wheels, I could relate to some of his comments, as I've previously owned some carbon wheels that behaved in a similar way to how he describes the Mavic wheels (hence my original wheel question thread). I've also owned a couple of bikes that Guy gave rave reviews to (one after I'd bought the bike after a couple of demos), and I could really relate to his reviews of the bikes.
I do find Guy's video channel quite entertaining, as his full on bonkers enthusiasm definitely comes across - anyone seen the one where he's following Cy down the descent on Cotics test loop? I know that descent, and how he can keep talking while flying down there is quite impressive!
Sorry Olly, that’s pretty hard to defend.
@GuyKesteven:
keep on having fun with mtb biking!
This low budget reviewing stuff never is easy. You added humor to the whole circus and guess you helped people getting into mtb biking.
And that's most important.
bike forum: fun as well. An there it's fun to add noise and fight a bit.
Pretty much nails it Andrea.
I’m no bike journalist and my grammar is awful, so I’m just going to put it all down to character.
I'm no journalist at all and spent more time suspended/excluded/expelled from skool than I did in any English classes. So yeah a lot of how I write is down to my character. Like I said to you by PM. Grateful for all feedback, Your honest critcism and opinion appreciated and will be taken on board.
Bigrich. As above. Do me a favour and PM me your thoughts?
Drac, What do you want a professional photograph of? The mudguard or the Box components stuff? Didn't realise you still even rode mountainbikes nevermind eebs 😉
Drac, What do you want a professional photograph of? The mudguard or the Box components stuff? Didn’t realise you still even rode mountainbikes nevermind eebs 😉
Better quality photos and maybe in focus rather a bike dropped on the ground. I don't not for awhile and only played with E bike.
Pairing their 11-50T cassette with a 34T chainring gives a 454.5% gear range. But what does this percentage number actually mean and why is it important? No longer are we using gear inches (The traditional and far more useful measurement used for decades by road riders) to bore our friends senseless explaining our gearing to our friends in the café or god forbid during the ride (you know who you are) now the bike industry has seen fit to throw percentage figures at us to refer to the gear range of our cassettes.
To work out this new nerdy stat they’ve simply devised a basic calculation involving dividing your the largest sprocket by the smallest and then multiplying this by a hundred. So in this case (50÷11 = 4.545 x 100 = 454.5%).
Using the same formula the Shimano SLX 11-42 cassette I removed to fit the Box cassette equates to 381.8% so 72.7% less. Sounds a lot doesn’t it? But in reality there is just 3.8 gear inches difference between the two which is not a whole lot (I won’t go too deeply into this but gear inches is basically a measurement of distance travelled by the tyre per full 360deg revolution of the crank) in laymans terms those 3.8 gear inches would equate to roughly around the difference in effort required to turn a 29″ wheel compared with a 26″ wheel.
Too geeky? TL:DR? Yeah. Percentage range is an absolute bobbins measurement.
Hmm. I think there's some confusion between gear inches (size of a hypothetical penny farthing wheel) and Meters of development.
Percentage range is much more useful as it doesn't matter if I fit the gears to a fatbike, road bike, plus bike or 29er. The values stay the same.
With the two cassettes referenced you could go from a 34 to a 40 something (if the derailleur could handle it) and still have the same granny and a monster high gear.
I agree. it was just to get the point across. I'd already strayed into far too nerdy teritory for a groupset review.
Better quality photos and maybe in focus rather a bike dropped on the ground
haha. That's probably one of the best photos I've ever taken. I've never had a camera and can't take a pic to save my life. I'm fairly well known for it.
Genuinely interested, how much does this really matter to folk?
If loads. I do know folk who can.
haha. That’s probably one of the best photos I’ve ever taken.
😂
Genuinely interested, how much does this really matter to folk?
If loads. I do know folk who can.
When it comes to showing a product I'd say it's fairly important but it's also just one of those things that bothers me. You've written a very detailed review and then taken some quick snapshots with your phone.
I ordered on of those RRP guards after geex raved about it now I find out he was given his. I feel so used☹
Lovin Guy's response. Makes me want to sign up to his Yootoob channel. Good man.
haha. That’s probably one of the best photos I’ve ever taken. I’ve never had a camera and can’t take a pic to save my life. I’m fairly well known for it.
Genuinely interested, how much does this really matter to folk?
If loads. I do know folk who can.
There's kind of two elements to the photographic side of online publishing, maybe three, or four, but let's start with two. One is simply to show the product clearly so you can make out what it looks like, how it works, any weird features that distinguish it from similar stuff etc.
The second bit's more subtle and depends on what you're trying to project. Slapdash and amateur is fine and maybe even 'authentic' if you're trying hard to be grassroots and 'real'. Beyond that there's the point where it reflects on your professionalism and makes you look like an amateur. Sometimes that's okay and even a plus, other times it's not.
There's a third bit as well, where the brand has spent thousands of quid working on its product and you've chucked, say, a crumpled jacket on the floor and taken a blurry snap of it. Most brands would prefer you to at least show the thing being used in the environment it's supposed to be used in.
Like it said, sometimes it matters. Sometimes it doesn't. If you're writing for a website or magazine with professional pretensions, it probably does. If you're trying to be determinedly amateourish / authentic, then arguably it doesn't.
And on top of that, everyone's different. Some people throw a tantrum if everything isn't pin-sharp, others don't really give a stuff.
You can apply the same criteria to copy. The problem with writing without a decent sub-editor, is that it's hard to see your own mistakes, stuff tends to read as it was when it formed in your head and you just miss stuff. Does it matter? I'd argue it does if it comes between the reader and what you're trying to tell them, but most specialist journos are pretty bad because they're enthusiasts first and writers second. It's why people like Guy and Steve Worland are special, because they can do both.
So... yes, but no.
go from a 34 to a 40 something (if the derailleur could handle it)
Assuming you're meaning chainring size. The derailleur isn't the problem. 38T is max (34t min) on a Shimano E8000 motor. Shimano themselves only make a 34 OR 38t E8000 chainring. 36T is the max chainring that will clear the chainstay/swingarm on my particular frame and what I use.
The other issue being an Ebike is the firmware will not drive too low a gear. Even more of an issue if anyone has chipped the motor.
@Rubber Buccaneer The RRP guard reviewed is my own. bought with my own money. I thought it so good I reviewed it.
If you liked the feeling (you did didn't you?) I can still make you feel used if you'd like though 😉
I seriously can't read that ebike review site. It's a bleedin mess (pics and text far too big) and the reviews are far too long.
Maybe cos I'm not interested every single intimate detail of an ebike. But I can't imagine there's many with that much of an attention span.
then taken some quick snapshots with your phone.
I didn't do it quickly. trust me. I'm that bad at using phone's/cameras 😀
you look like an amateur
Thanks @Badlywireddog that's more than I've ever aspired to and a compliment. Genuinely. Thanks for taking the time to explain your thoughts. It helps more than you can imagine.
I didn’t do it quickly. trust me. I’m that bad at using phone’s/cameras 😀
At least you're honest.
You've warned me enough about it I thought you'd figured that out 😉
DezB PM'n you
Hats off to Guy for his reply ..nice one ..sorry to hear that your magazine duties are coming to an end
I've also enjoyed your sister Gloria's music over the years ...😉
I have always enjoyed Guys reviews. As has been said, enthusiasm and a love of the sport. Fantastic. I work with and meet so many ***l ends it's refreshing to see someone who still loves what he does and would like to continue to do so.
Far too much negativity in this world.
We don't have to buy products and a reviewer's opinion should not be the only thing that decided upon a person's decision to buy a product.
Thanks for the years of reviews guy!!!!
Gloria’s music over the years
*Groans*
Cheers Matt ..I thought it was worthy of more than one groan ..( sorry Guy)
“*Groans*”
I actually laughed!
Guy's recent video reviews on the Calibre Triple B were enough to swing me to handing over the cash for one. Yes, it was clearly a subsidised review, but then I just got to thinking - "if I got three times better as a rider, I'd probably still only be half as fast as Guy on that bike, so yeah it'll more than take whatever I can throw at it..."
Thanks Guy
Just to say I thought Geex’s review was very good, but then I’m a boring roadie and only part time mountain biker, us roadie’s like our detail!! I’m not a wordsmith and tend to do what Geex has done, describing the detail in my opinion is what reviews miss.
The layout on my iPhone seemed to work ok. Better photos would obviously help.
Geex has a decent writing style, his voice and enthusiasm comes through well - a bit like Guy's I suppose.
Yes he could benefit from a sub-editor to tidy things up a bit, but he's more readable than some professional bike journos that I won't mention (because that would be mean).
Turning a review of a drive train into engaging copy is harder than you might think. Plenty of reviews of exciting bikes are dull as dishwater.
reviews of exciting bikes are dull as dishwater.
i dont see how a review of a bike can be made exciting. i also cant see how someone saying a bike is good/bad would make someone decide to buy the bike.
surely as someone who as chosen cycling as our sport/pastime/transport, we must have some idea ot the type of bike we want.
even myself, as a one time serial bike swapper, had a idea of the bike i was buying each time.
as a heavy rider my 1st thoughts to buying a bike, were is it going to be strong enough for me. and are the components on the spec list up to the job.
reading a review written by a bloke weighing nearly 10 stone lighter than myself would and still is a pointless exercise.
i dont believe that we are that blinkered that we buy bikes because of reviews in magazines.
i dont see how a review of a bike can be made exciting.
I'd think in this new era of youtube, written reviews are on short time.
I'd never actually heard of GK before I see him on mctrail riders videos, his video reviews are good. I'd imagine my next bike purchase will be more informed with video reviews rather than written ones, they just give you a better sense I think.
So I dunno if peak bikejourno has been achieved yet, there's a lot of room for experimentation with format into new media still to go in the years to come, they can definitely be made more exciting.. Seems to me that the video bike journo is in it's nascent era.
Mind you that fast show thingy is bang on the money! (a good thing btw!
😆 some of the bike channels are still extremely wooden, so a bit of character doesn't go a miss at all!)
Guy's post... F***ing Brilliant!
To those who try to piss on everyone else's chips on this forum, try to take the romance and the enjoyment from choosing a new bike, to return it to a game of spec sheet top trumps etc, ... Have a poke in the eye with a sharp stick from me!
Riding bikes is fun. Or at least it should be! That Guy is so enthusiastic about riding them day in day out after such a long time doing it for a living is not only commendable, it's enviable!
And let's be fair, I don't know anybody who hasn't at some point got a little over enthusiastic with something at some point and spat out a cliche or two that they may later have regretted, or to have mildly contradicted themselves in the past... We're all human! I have far more respect for those that acknowledge their mortality and move on from it than for those who think they're above it all!
It's guys like Guy Kesteven, Steve Worland, Chipps, hell even Brant before he sold his soul, that make the Bike Industry an Industry... Without their enthusiasm, their reviews, the magazines, the grouptests... Well there would be no industry, Bikes would just become another white good! Something to serve a purpose, something to be forgotten the moment it is replaced... No thanks!
Sorry to hear that the traditional methods aren't paying the bills any more Guy, glad to hear you're keeping up the good work with your YouTube channel and on social media though!
Hats off to Guy for his response.
Classy response Guy.
I’m an analytical type so find inconsistencies and errors in bike reviews annoying. But I’ve usually enjoyed Guy’s reviews. I just take them as a guy who loves riding bikes (and who is much better at it than me) trying to put into words how he feels about a particular bike on a particular day. I find myself calling bollocks from time to time, but I suspect he does too if/when he listens to them again. They’re just a bit of fun and what’s wrong with a bit of fun?
And...Guy Kesteven puts his complete name tag onto his reviews.
We in the forum: we are able to rant without risk.
Guy Kesteven risks his reputation.
Very positive: is always going "low budget". Using local trails - not the fancy one which you only reach by airplane (and with deep pockets).
And yes - he always is a bit like a young pubby. In my opinion fun. Like that.
i dont see how a review of a bike can be made exciting
Slight misquote there Ton.
Bike reviews should always aim to be engaging, and that should be easier when they're about exciting or interesting bikes.
Some of the funsponges on here would rather they be devoid of fanciful prose, just sticking to the facts (ma'am). But I can think of one reviewer who does that (at some length) and it's makes his copy very hard going. You have to wade through acres of tech spec and product backstory before you get to how the thing actually rides.
Thanks chakaping and wOOdster
As has been said, enthusiasm and a love of the sport. Fantastic. I work with and meet so many ***l ends it’s refreshing to see someone who still loves what he does and would like to continue to do so.
I've been doing my job as a 'professional' for twenty years too, and I've ended up a cynical old basrard with nary a good word to say about anything. Chapeau to Guy for keeping the enthusiasm...and good luck for the future.
Personally I think he’s alright, to have such enthusiasm after so long is a credit to him. There are only a certain number of ways of describing two wheeled machines.
The other thing is that he can ride pretty well from what I’ve seen, so I think he can comment with some decent experience and knowledge. Being great on a bike doesn’t mean you’re good at describing them, but does mean you stand a chance of finding out its strengths and weaknesses.
I think it’s easy to criticise but as reviewers go I think he’s decent.
I dont believe that we are that blinkered that we buy bikes because of reviews in magazines.
It's all more information though, isn't it? I don't have the time or money to go and test ride every bike I would be considering, I have to rely on a combination of word of mouth, reviews and some looking at the specs myself. That gets it to a shortlist which I can then work from.
Similarly, I'm not going to take as gospel what one person thinks, but if several different reviewers all start pointing out something then it's probably worth paying attention to.
Where it gets interesting is once you start to get an idea of what some reviewers like and don't like and how it relates to what you like. Jenn Hill at one point seemed to be consistently giving good ratings to the kit I'd bought and liked, so after that I paid more attention to her reviews. I have a highball primarily off the back of her giving it a good review- not the sole reason, but a significant part of it.
I’ve been doing my job as a ‘professional’ for twenty years too, and I’ve ended up a cynical old basrard with nary a good word to say about anything. Chapeau to Guy for keeping the enthusiasm…and good luck for the future.
Haha. That's a good one.
Best medicine against that: doing stuff together with some pals. Like ... biking! Having fun together, drinking beer together and forget the work (as long as possible).