Is MBUK value for for money?

13»

Comments

  • MrWizard
    MrWizard Posts: 25
    I've given up on MBUK, had bought a few over the past couple of years but never felt I was getting value for money. WMB and MBR are much more appealing to me, but then maybe I'm too old for MBUK as it always struck me that it was aimed primarily at (young) teenagers.

    I susbscribe to a couple of (non bike related) magazines, and the quality of writing in them is night-and-day better than that in MBUK.

    Sorry, just my 2p...
  • artillerydave
    artillerydave Posts: 715
    Agree with all the above, it has gone down the pan, I cancelled my subscription a while ago and stick to the more interesting MBR and Singletrack now.
  • _Ferret_
    _Ferret_ Posts: 660
    WOW - MBUK haters alert.

    Please Please Please don't buy this magazine! you all hate it! Get something else, well written, less photos and written to a more specific audience - we call it a BOOK!

    Is it value for money? in my opinion yes, I've bought it for so long now I can't even remember not being without it. However there are problems with it. There are photos all over the place, adverts thicken out the whole mag, some of the articles are way too short and more of an overview than complete in detail review and the spelling and punctuation is in places, laughable.

    BUT

    I like how it's written - I don't want to read a physics book in my spare time, I have enough serious sh*t to deal with at work and like to relax with something easy and chilled out to read.
    The adverts are for things I might want to buy - I like SEEING them and not reading a description of how abrasive the outer material is.
    The photos are sometimes a bit exagerated - so? I have seen this in almost all extreme sports mags, it's not new, most phots are rotated for more effect.
    The articles are short - sometimes no more than a few paragraphs, but there are sometimes also web addresses for more info if you want to know more.

    The reviews have always been correct - I have made most of my purchases based on what MBUK has recommended and it has always proved reliable, yes you have to take it with a tiny pinch of salt: good = not good, great = fair and excellent = worth buying. Can you imagine how many manufacturers would send parts in for review if they got "bad" reviews - come on people, wake up!
    The small stories are also nice and relaxed to read - no, it's not a military report with a pull out map, but again, I want to relax with a magazine, not be interrogated by it. If you want a map then buy...a map! besides the ones that come free with mags only last one ride...
    The guys who work and write for the mag do look a bit unkept... so? I have to be honest, I don't buy a bike mag to oogle at the fit guys on the bikes - I look at the bikes (I'm not aware of a gay biking mag but maybe there is a market for it... :wink: )

    Finally- some of you say that MBUK should review more things and that parts are missing from the grouptests. Firstly it is a month between copies, I'm impressed that they review as much as they do in that time alone. Secondly, there isn't always every different make of one component available all at once, it's sometimes not possible to review everything at the same time.

    I find MBUK a breath of fresh air. I also read the German bike mags - which I think would suit some of you people down to the ground. Extensive laboratory tests on all components, tests to destruction on new carbon frames with stress and strain graphs. Detailed maps on the latest trail routes with GPS co-ordinates of each checkmarker. Trust me it gets boring real quick.

    It seems MBUK is not aimed at you, so buy something else, or even better, begin publishing your own...
    Not really active

Categories