Would you miss STW if we lost it?

Yep, I'd miss it.
I've said this a few time, this place has helped me in so many ways, from mental health to holidays, from bikes to buying houses. The people on here, with the odd exception, are a wonderful bunch.
I'd miss it hugely if it went.

Time and again, the forum proves to be a massive wealth of knowledge and support and laughter.
I'd miss it a lot.
It's the only bike press I look at.

Yup,I would miss it.
I like the mix in this fruitcake.

I would.

Ok, lots of "I would miss it".
Hands in pockets if you are able.
APF

I would definitely miss the sartorial advice. Also, it's nice to have a fantasy world to visit where mountain bikers are overweight middle-aged office workers who collect bicycles instead of riding them.

Without STW I’d have more money in the bank, fewer forks, shoes & coats and I’d get a lot more work done.

(And hell yeah I’d miss it).

As I've said previously; I wouldn't miss the "magazine" side of things at all. I'm happy to pay my subs in order to keep the forum alive though (even though that means I'm subsidising bits I don't read).

Maybe a forum-only mermbership for folk like me would be an attractive income generator ?

IIRC Mark has also said that he'd bail out STW was reduced to only being a forum. It's not what he has in mind as his own objective and would mean letting go many of the staff.

I would miss the forum.

Have recently cancelled the print subscription (because I really can't be arsed with the magazine - it just bores me) but will resubscribe to the web version because I enjoy the premium articles

Of the crowd I ride with - all probably peak STWers - I suspect only a few subscribe. The rest either don't care, or get their fix from Instagram.

I wouldn’t miss the magazine as I never read it. I can access them through my sub but I find them to be incredibly dull in the most part.

I’m sure many of us would miss this place if it shut up shop but other forums/Facebook groups etc would soon fill the gap and normal service would resume.

I’m not sure. The magazine no, it doesn’t really contain much for me these days. The forum I think I would miss. I’m not as totally hooked as I used to be but I check in whenever I have spare time.

My lifetime membership was certainly bought because I loved the forum with the mag as a bonus extra.

I would - even when I felt fine.

I like the mix in this fruitcake.

An excellent way of putting it! 🤣

Just re signed up after my last membership had lapsed a few months ago, god it's good not to have adverts again!

Browsing the Merch as I type.. Yes I'd miss it and am happy to pay for it. I haven't read uk.re.cycling in many years 😉

It saddens me that some people don't like the mag, but more for them than the mag creators. I find it equal measures of inspiration, motivation and a warm comfy blanket. To be read with a dram or a coffee depending on time of day. Much of what I aspire to be or do is espoused by the mag.

Conversely, despite being a regular contributor, much of the forum content is what I am but wish I wasn't! The materialism (yes I know there are some reviews for silly money bikes in the mag, but they are I feel the outlier to the overall direction of the remainder), the bickering and point scoring, the ranting/obsession on the irrelevant we all fill it with. The Victor Meldrew doom and gloom.

I think I might be a better person without my multi-day visits to the forum. I might be more like the mag!

I'd start by making a certain gang of tight-arsed freeloaders, who are eternally banging on about their supposed socialist principles, start contributing to the platform they use to constantly gob off on with their endless moral pontificating 😉

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.

I bet they all dodge their rounds in the pub too. 😀

Oh... and I love the mag too. I keep it unopened until I get a suitable moment to sit and have a leisurely read. This was this Saturday morning, ticking a lot of boxes

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It seems like I'm unusual in this regard, but I really like the paper magazine.  It's streets ahead of any of the more prominent mtb mags. Less adverts, more in depth articles and generally a more quality feel. Any special interest magazine soon runs out of new things to write about without a bit of journalistic recycling but STW does better than most. But ultimately yes, its the forum and community of people on here that keeps me coming back.

I'd miss it for sure. I went through a period of not having the paper mag subscription but reactivated that 5 or 6 years ago. I'd only cancelled as young kids resulted in a growing pile of unopened magazines (STW and 1 other).

Of the crowd I ride with – all probably peak STWers – I suspect only a few subscribe

*waves*

I would miss the forum.

Not seen a hard copy of the mag for years and years.

Occasionally glanced at the digital version when I had it.

However, not being in the UK means a lot of the articles and merch offered are irrelevant to me. Having said that I just picked up my new UK debit card and will sign up when I've got a reliable signal/WiFi...

Would be a shame for it not to be around any more. Have been on here for the best part of 18 years.

Tight arsed freeloader here <waves>. First time in 12 years I’ve seen a compelling reason to become a member and/or buy merch. I hope the new paper options are recycled, otherwise I’ve just needlessly killed a bunch of trees.

That fry up looks good binners.

Certainly. Where else could I find such excellent pieces on world affairs, beer, pies, etc?

Yeah absolutely. I've said before but at this point I only buy the mag because of the forum. I don't hate the mag, it's just that I want to support the website and that makes the mag cheap.

Used to be, you could say there'd be another forum. THIS is already another forum, people moved here from all over. But now, forums are the past and I hate that. If this dies there might be a fb group or a discord some such bollocks that'll achieve 1/10th of the community and useful pool of ideas. We're at the end of this whole means of communication which, as it turns out, despite being born out of necessity and technological limitation is actually really good, and does things others don't.

I hate the death of print and I hate the death of forums and I think this one in particular is cheap at the price. What else am I going to waste hours on, pinkbike?

(aside, it looks like we just lost yet another great niche print mag, Practical Performance Cars, which was profitable right up til the pandemic but lost just enough passing supermarket trade that it's now on the cusp- which would be OK except that every mag that folds makes it harder for every other mag as printing costs and logistics costs increase, and so the other mags which folded are probably going to drag it down. There's no such thing as an online magazine.)

Oooh you cheeky monkey, convinced me to spend money on something I can enjoy perfectly well for free!
But Mark's piece is very compelling, and I do occasionally get miffed on missing out on the reviews etc. Done.

absolutely would miss it, despite no longer mountain biking much I do enjoy the forum

have just upgraded to a print subscription 🙂

I would miss the forum which inspires and infuriates in just about the right proportion. Not so keen on the mag which is much more hit and miss ironically. There are two things I can say about the mag
1 Even the articles I don't like are obviously done to a high standard.
2 The deadline blend coffee that comes with the mag every so often is very good.

Lot of existing full members commenting. Personally it would leave a hole for me. Don't read the mag any more and tend to live in the chat forum but more than happy for my digital subscription to double for that alone and if it keeps the mag going and people in work then bonus.

£20 a year is peanuts for the use I get and compared to most other other subscription services very cheap, I bet the cost per hour using STW compared to the cost per hour for Sky, Disney +, Netflix is tiny.

Right, I've put my money where my mouth is a donated the equivalent of my annual subscription.

I also don’t read the mag as I tend to road a little more due to a move. I’d miss the forum as I don’t use Facebook or twitter.
Be good if the mag opened up to maybe road, commuting, gravel, clowns on a mono wheel.

I'd miss it - I've had advice and assistance worth way more than the £20 a digital subscription costs and I use STW as an amalgamation of news/world views/politics.

I don't generally read magazines nowadays hence I've not bothered with the print option.

Oh yeah on a slightly more negative side, like I say I'm basically buying the mag to subsidise the forum. If it comes to the point of paying purely for the forum, I'd like it to be a little... bit... better. It's stable enough and good enough for a "thing I can persuade myself is free with the mag" but not so much for "premium forum I pay for outright"

I consider my Singletrack and my Guardian subscriptions as a sort of moral obligation

Came here to say the same. I buy the coffee and mag subs every year and buy the occasional Tee/sweat shirt. If we don't then Independent journalism dies. It's as simple as that.

I love the forum, and the magazine is essential bathroom reading for me. Have been a subscriber since I don't know when, my subscriber number is 666 which makes me smile. I have never considered cancelling even though it is two years or so since I last rode an MTB (I ride an audax bike or tandem with my wife these days). I would miss it.

My world would be a much poorer place without you lot. Yes, even you!

I'll have to have a rummage in the shop....

Great, but not surprising to see it means so much to so many people.  'You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone', lets hope that never happens!

IIRC Mark has also said that he’d bail out STW was reduced to only being a forum. It’s not what he has in mind as his own objective and would mean letting go many of the staff.

And there is the problem. It doesnt need so many Staff. A rail magazine I subscribe to , which has a circulation of around 15000, has 3 permanent members of Staff. There are Contributors who , no doubt, get a fee, and loads of Readers Photos, which are, frankly, paid a pittance. but it is still a good magazine. The last time I looked at the STW Staff list, I was astounded. I wouldnt be surprised if a daily regional paper have less Staff on the books.

Paid up. Digital only. In the top 4 or 5 places I check in most days. None of which have the STW ability to have someone who knows something useful pop up no matter how niche the subject.

Mostly paid from my first months cancellation of Netflix anyway. I spend more time here than I ever did on Netflix.

I’d miss it, definitely. I use it for all sorts. Despite the everyday pettiness it’s a great community at heart.

The last time I looked at the STW Staff list, I was astounded

Eleven folk shown in Marks update. I don't know if that's what you were expecting.

I would definitely miss it.....

Oh 100% I’d miss it

Tend not to comment a great deal, but certainly gain lots from the biking and non-biking discussions, plus a few useful PSAs.

Might have to convince myself I like coffee enough for an aeropress.

I too would miss it, I’m on the forum too much and find it to be a huge source of knowledge but I struggle to make the effort to read the digital mag

I'd get so much more done...

Would I enjoy it as much as browsing on here.

Nope

Which is why my subscription was auto renewed last week....

Thread hijack to say that I just drooled over Binners massive black pudding

Oh, yes. love STW as well.

Definitely. Twenty years for me.

The PSAs alone have cost me an arm and a leg

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

@binners No beans? You animal.

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