[Closed] What bike magazines do you buy?

Singletrack - posted to Oz, I considered dirt but generally it's just a picture book

I buy Singletrack as a thank you for this web site really. There's not really a huge amount to read in there for me.
Totally given up on the other comics. I now buy Classic Bike and Classic Bike Guide. Tons of reading and last me a couple of days.
There was a guy who built his own V Twin Norton who had a picture and a few lines written about him.
In Singletrack we had about 4 pages devoted to a bloke with a beard who filed some metal off his pedals

Singletrack brought by Mr postie!

Singletrack but rarely read more than half the articles these days. I an nit sure what it is but it's not grabbing me so much lately.

I occasionally by The Cyclist but half of it takes itself a bit seriously for my tastes. Nice photography though.

Sometimes buy cycling weekly if I have an hour on the train and no work to do.

Singletrack delivered by the postie here plus an occasional (ie once / twice a year) MBR

which ever ones trick me into subscriptions with shiny things...

Singletrack sub and the annual TdF guide, plus random occasional MTB or road mags.

Cycling Weekly, Procycling (or Cycle Sport). Occasional mtb magazine including STW, and I have perused Dirt (when bought by Son1). And sadly no longer Privateer.

ST sub otherwise only buy other mags if I have a long train journey

occasionally MBR & WMTB, Rarely Singletrack & MBUK if WHS / Tesco have none of the others when Im buying

Dirt and Singletrack for me, wont be renewing my singletrack subscription though, not grabbing me at all these days, I don't feel like the I'm the target audience. A few people have left who I felt I could relate to such as Jon the designer, Sim, Matt and Ed Oxley no longer contributes - I valued their opinions and they produced some good stuff between them. Ed's original pass storming article was a stand out one for me and his kit reviews were always good. Seems a bit more niche to me now and up its own arse. Barely read it these days. Shame, looks good on the coffee table though I suppose. Dirt isn't much better but at least you get the odd good issue when Steve jones isn't ramming 29ers down people's throats and banging on about how important it is that companies make bikes that fit him personally!

None at the moment. Only one I've ever subscribed to was Singletrack and that was really just as a way of supporting the forum. As mentioned elsewhere, I prefer to read folks blogs these days. I can find stuff that interests me, they are usually succinct and there's less of the "industry" talking to itself.

At the moment Dirt, Singletrack and Privateer. Was going to ditch one of ST or Dirt, however Privateer has just given one of them a stay of execution. Noticed recently that Privateer and Singletrack had started to despoil their spines again, I really liked the clean look of the previous issues...

Steve Jones' 29er conversion convinced me about long travel wagon wheels and I'm fully on board now. Though I do like my skill compensators.

Single track didgital, I don't buy paper mags anymore.

MBUK, Dirt and occasionally MBR. Singletrack has got a bit too bridleway/into the wild/bivvi biking for my tastes of late, kind of coffee table material.

Singletrack and Cyclist on sub.

Occasionally pick up the US mags Peloton and Switchback.

Last mag I bought was Privateer, prompted by the rather excellent Burry Stander tribute/obituary.

I used to religiously buy MBR and Mountain Bike Action (US) but just don't bother now. I do, on occasion, pick up a copy of MBA in Salisbury and go to the back pages for the delight of seeing stuff I saw first time round being presented as "Wow, look at all this weird retro stuff, crazy huh?". 🙂

None at the moment.

Dirt, subscribed for the sign-up gifts and they have the odd good article. Won a ST digital sub when they were doing those codes so perusing that too.

I only buy ST just in case rOcKeTdOg is in it again.

ST on sub but had a real 1st world quandary about renewing this year. Like several people here, I feel it isn't what it used to be but then what is? It could well be my tastes in 2 wheeled things changing or that I don't have as much money these days to indulge the sorts of nichery found in the mag. This could well be the last sub year but I won't buy anything else , the others are dentist waiting room material.

very rarely buy anything, if there is an article that catches my eye or a freebee that happens to be what i want then i might. Very rarely happens though. As for actually reading a whole mag, never happens.

Maybe it is me, but i have very little interest in anything that appears in any bike mag. Bikes are for riding, and the crap that the industry and the mags keep on going on about is a major turn off for me. Not interested in whether 650 or 29 are better, WTF is better anyway! Not interested in reviews that i have little faith in and are often too short term. To give an idea, i have a couple of pairs of assos shorts, that are on their last legs, but are 7-8 years old, telling me a pair of shorts is comfortable after a reviewer has worn them for a few days/weeks doesn't really help me when i want to know how they will be after a few months/years of abuse.

Singletrack but rarely read more than half the articles these days. I an nit sure what it is but it's not grabbing me so much lately.

WhatMTB?
MBR - about to cancel subs
Performance Bikes

None. Haven't done since I let my ST subscription lapse about a year ago when the format changed and it disappeared even further up its own bum.
Dirt I've not bought for a long while but last time I did I kept on having to turn the page to get the paragraphs level and/or finding a magnifying glass to read the shit/tiny/'arty' fonts used.
MBR I often hear people joke about but I bought a copy on holiday in August just for something to read but I just couldn't do it - absolutely awful.
MBUK - is that still going? Suppose 13 year olds need something to read.

Is there anything else? I personally find that various blogs/forums etc bring me more than enough bike content to read for absolutely nothing so why bother buying paper magazines to read a few times, migrate onto the office shelves/bog windowsill and then into the recycling?

I just like to read about 'normal' riding bikes. I don't want to read about:
riding across Alaska on a fat bike
riding across Mexico on a tourer
downhill racing
enduro racing
xc racing
any racing
cross (its not mountain biking - I wouldn't buy an F1 magazine and expect to find articles about rallying in it)
whole articles about naming trails
whole articles written by 'friends of the magazine' (aka, rambling about nothing and wasting paper)
other stuff

I used to like magazines... before the internet. People who buy magazines - you're wasting your money.

Havn't brought a mag for years but have recently subscribed to DirtRag from the good ole USofA, awaiting my first copy.

I find that although I ride MTB's 70% of the time over road, I prefer the road mags, they seem to actually have some content, best of which is Cyclist, great newish magazine.

But I do subscribe to Cycling Plus, Cyclist, Singletrack and Privateer.

I think Dirt actually tackles the kind of bikes and racing that people want to read about but often manage to write unreadable articles.

Subs for MBUK and STW here

I always read sportive weekly, I mean cycling weekly. As the mrs is carefully selecting her celeb gossip dribble mag I always stand and read the comic while I wait. Then just put it back when she is ready to go and pay. I read Dr Hutch's page and skim the other bits to see if there is anything regarding TTing in.

I buy dirt from time to time and really like that.

Since I am a BMX racer at heart I buy 20/24 mag quite a bit and buy Dig or Ride a couple of times a year.

I bought cyclist magazine once or twice and enjoyed. The issue with the article from RST coaching on training using HRM has formed the basis of my training plan most of this year.

I dont buy any every month.

Oh and i do like buying motorsport magazine a couple of times a year. Excellent read and pictures

None at the moment really. Used to buy ST and Dirt regularly, but haven't for a while.

Picked up a couple of copies of Cyclist recently. Quite enjoyed it.

Singletrack, but have to qualify that by saying I only buy it dependant on contact, which is most issues and I don't subscribe.

Rouleur, have don for years now but they are stacking up unread at present.

Privateer, bought a good number but again dependant on content, which meant I bought more ST's...

ProCycling, bought this for years but God it got soooo sanctimonius so I stopped about 2 years ago.

CycleSport, bought this for the humour, but it lost that so I stopped again about 2 years ago.

I get all by cycling related news/views/opinions from here now.. 😉

Singletrack on sub, but I've not managed to read the last 2 issues so think I'll probably stop and save the money.

None regularly, the odd Rouleur, Privateer or Cyclist. I currently have a copy Cycling Active and in parts it's OK, other bits are hard to tell articles from adverts. I struggle to see the point of most mags now, online reviews are much better as people pay for the product and use it a long time, so more in depth and objective than mags. The only mags worth bothering with IMO are ones that bring something new and not found on the internet like Rouleur.

Performance Bikes sometimes and Practical PB too.

Singletrack is the only subscription. I still enjoy reading it and, for me, it has a good balance of articles that makes it worth the sub. The editorial is not quite as good as when I first "discovered" it, but that could just be rose-tinted spectacles.

As someone said above, Cyclist is good. They have a superb balance of articles and strike a nice balance between disposable toilet reading and "quality" publication, without going up their own backside.

As for the others, I must confess I think MBR has got a lot better recently and have bought it two months running. Privateer, Dirt, MBUK and WMB occasionally get a look - WMB being the worst by far - but I do enjoy having a read in the bath and don't like to run out of magazines to read 🙂

Singletrack but rarely read more than half the articles these days. I an not sure what it is but it's not grabbing me so much lately.

This. I've actually cancelled my subscription though. It's gone way too beardy-weirdy lentil-munching tree-hugging sandal-wearing bleeding-heart lefty-liberal alternative technology for me lately.

It's gone way too beardy-weirdy lentil-munching tree-hugging sandal-wearing bleeding-heart lefty-liberal alternative technology for me lately

😆

Interesting. I really don't see it that way and despite having a singlespeed in my quiver 😉 , I certainly wouldn't describe myself with any of those hyphenated adjectives. A quick flick through the last issue and I still can't see what you mean. Examples?

What mb, just rehashes of whats written in their other titles, to many adverts and pictures,

MBR, good pictures but to many of them, thinner than an anorexic budgie and about as intresting, there is only so much youread about a new tyre, or handlebar.

MBUK as above,i dont really need to know every issue how you test a bike.

Singletrack, not in tesco or morrisons, and rarely in wh smiths, lots of great pictures, fewer adverts, but long drawn out boring scripts.

What mtb only, read it for years, good reviews and features, few too many adverts now though.
Used to get singletrack but all got a bit long winded, pictures good though 😀

used to religiously buy MBR, What MTB, Singletrack and MBUK. Gradually stopped buying MBUK as it was full of rubbish with no actual content. stopped buying MBR for a bit and then when i went back to have a look at it again in WH Smiths i couldn't believe how rubbish it was. the number of adverts had gone through the roof, the layout was rubbish too and i realised that they were basically rehashing/updating old articles. haven't brought it since and that was about 7/8 years ago. gave up on What MTB, just got bored of it. Singletrack is ok. i still occasionally buy it but not very often. i think the format change that they did earlier this year has improved it no end but its expensive so don't bother that often. i do occasionally but Cyclist. quite like that.

I tend to pick up a mag when at the supermarket... depends what they have in really.... The other day this was the only one left on the shelf which i could see....

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Then put it back down at the till.

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Only very occasionally buy them now, used to buy loads. Got a 6 month sub to Dirt at the Cycle Show for half nothing as I read it occasionally. Bit too "Dude" for my taste but readable.

Echo Singletrack comments. Used to be a no-brainer as it was the best by a country mile. Pull it back a bit and it will regain the heights, not all bad you understand still read it and buy it occasionally. Got a free sub in the recent giveaway which tbh has renewed my interest substantially. There you've bought me!

MBUK/WhatMTB are ridiculous. Review kit by the same person but give them different reviews. Stopped buying it years ago. Also wayyy behind the web for new gear.

MBR lacks consistency and a trail review from where I regularly ride was the final nail in the coffin. Written remotely without ever riding the trail in my opinion.

I subscribe to Outside mag from the States which has really good features, kind of what I used to love about Singletrack.

Singletrack, Cyclist (my favourite of the moment), Cycle Sport and the Comic. Thoroughly enjoy them all in their own ways.

Then put it back down at the till.

were you so outraged that you also took photos of it at the till just before you put it down? 🙂

Singletrack
The Ride Journal
The Comic

Albion BMX mag, through the post. Worth it for the lengthy articles and no corporate overlords to please, so opinions are thoroughly expressed.

Surprised no one has mentioned The Albion yet. Oh wait, it's free [re-checks thread title]

Singletrack.subs and agree with some of the comments re Ed O/Matt but enjoyed Jenns articles especially cairngorns, does get a bit pals and all but still the best by a mile, Steve Worland reminds me of the reprobate days and he can be hit or miss. But still the best read but maybe a bit more variety on the stories and personal views.

DIrt as and when different quirky annoying

Cycle now and then to see the roadies world

Internet Bike/Bike Velo/Cass Gilbert blog so many out there.

Privateer imho was a rehash of old MBUK stories and mates from yore.

EDIT indeed Albion good mag

peterfile - Member

Then put it back down at the till.

were you so outraged that you also took photos of it at the till just before you put it down?

Yeah... but it was to send the photo over on whats'app to a mate of mine who I was talking to a few days before about the costs of mags these days... !

Subscribe to Singletrack

Get The Ride whenever it comes out

Have developed an addiction to Cyclist, might ask Santa for a sub to that one

And I get Cycle and Arrivee due to CTC/AUK membership

Singletrack but then I am biased!

Dirt Rag is always good for a read too.

The Ride Journal

Rouleur

I used to get Procycling on Subs but lost interest post the Lance fiasco. I still love the Tour but road racing has lost something for me.

I occasionally buy Boneshaker as it is just that little bit different

I always borrow Trail from my Dad as it's pretty good and I think I'll resubscribe to TGO.

For those who think Singletrack isn't what it used to be, what would you change to return it to what it was as you perceive it?

Cheers

Sanny

For me some of the personal articles that connected

ED O boy to man linked to myself and mine growing up

Storm passing just good informative and inspiring

Jenn H Great Divide one of the best travelogues

Mike Ferrintino visiting and riding out of the vale

Sim going back to Cumbria

Some of the 100 pound challenges

Roly Lamberts ramblings make me smile

Reviews,,I got the impression that Matt was a similar rider to me so tended to listen to those. Same with Daves, just seemed to be a real practical view.

The last mag with Linconshire was slightly soulless and lacklustre could have been MTBR.

Articles like.....

This month cut your bars down by an inch, the bike will handle better. Six months later ....Get wider bars your bike will handle better.

I don't buy any now.

Wideopen. It's free online. And they do a print version now.

http://wideopenmag.co.uk/

For those who think Singletrack isn't what it used to be, what would you change to return it to what it was as you perceive it?

Reduce the price, actually get some shops/libraries to stock the mag, more free gifts, less waffle,and its not big clever or funny to see pictures of dirty kit in the product tests.It doesnt actually prove youve tested the stuff just because its dirty in hot summer.

Subs :

Singletrack
MBR
What MTB
Cycling Plus
Cycling Active

That's probably a waste of money when I think about it.... I agree with others that road mags are better than MTB ones.

This month cut your bars down by an inch, the bike will handle better. Six months later ....Get wider bars your bike will handle better.

I've read it for a few years and don't remember talk of cutting bars down, other than those mahoosively oversized ones that come with cut marks anyway.

Reduce the price

actually get some shops/libraries to stock the mag

more free gifts

less waffle

and its not big clever or funny to see pictures of dirty kit in the product tests

WhatMTB on sub - but only cos I've not got round to cancelling it - give it a cursory flick through usually when it arrives.

Never really 'got' Singletrack - always found it a bit pretentious, however - got issue 84 sat next to me, as I wanted something/anything MTB related to read the other day. I've only read 4 articles, but thought they weren't bad at all - will certainly pick up the next issue to glance at in the newsagents and decide if I want to buy.

I was subscribing to Privateer and Singletrack.
My Privateer sub had just ran out with the last issue and was about to be renewed, my Singletrack sub won't be getting renewed as I can't remember the last time I read an issue of it. I normally have a quick flick through and see if anything catches my eye but I can't remember the last article that did 🙁

Last one I bought was MBR in 1998 as it had a review of the Marin East Peak which I went on to buy. I still have the bike and the mag. I can't see why I'd ever buy one again, I can get all the info I need and want off the internet.

I used to subscribe to MBR with Tesco clubcard vouchers. I've got board of it now as it's the same thing every month. I've just bought my first ever Singletrack which seems pretty good. And I've bought the last three issues of Urban Cyclist. I really like this one as there is a good focus on frame builders. Plus a healthy dose of ridiculously expensive bikes. This month a bike that, for an extra €230 you can have with a rust finish!

I pick up a copy of Singletrack from a bike shop or newsagent occasionally, but that's all.
There was a point in time at which it grabbed me, with content like "Pass Storming" and the other good stuff that Vondally mentioned up there^^^.
... but it's not doing it for me at the moment.

no longer buy any bike mags (privateer was the last)

used to buy Singletrack but i think it's lost it's way - last straw for me was 'travel articles' off the back of a product launch - ok, so you get expenses paid trip to somewhere interesting, and ok so it makes financial sense to wrap it up with an article, not ok that the article reads like a few pages of filler that tells me nothing of interest

Had a re read of issue 84 I liked the BC race article interesting informative and good pics. Linconshire article not very interesting very MBR/generic piece, Nidderdale was middling 'forgot tyre ended up with Santa Cruz bike....@

Contrasting to Benji and ED O overnight experience in bothy and the tribulations of change of plan and Ed O long johns expoilts with a real review of kit used....ED O wool wet AND cold, yeah agree with that and so on.
The recent Santa Cruz Junket was not good either.

Still is the go to magazine for me but internet has a wider range of subjects.....personally would like to see the mag be

[b]earthy/personal[/b] as it was in the early and middle years with thought provoking articles that felt like some were written by folks I knew or shared a view, Matts personal view and honesty of trans provance
[b]articulate[/b]/Mike Ferrintino has written some of the best articles on MTB and life, death of his dog was a tremendous article. Steve Worland as the reprobate in the day was refreshing as was his article in 84 about marketing
[b]intriguing[/b]/ enthuse me or the reader to do something in this age of austerity.. ED O video keep it local brilliant/Train from Hebden to York Dales and riding home brilliant
[b]Community[/b] different bikes different views and thoughts, womens perspective and this is what STW is really good at in all honesty, I like reading about cyclo cross and three peaks so what about bmx/dh
[b]Contentious and critcial[/b]all fairness to Dirt and Steve Jones honesty about 29er and online review of a Lidl bike mechanics stand, in all honesty what most people would consider, same with gear more low (?) end prices not always Assos

Still a subscriber 😀