mountain bike magazines

woodenman

looking to start a mountain bike magazine subscription, which is the best mag out there?
opinions welcome...
thanks

supersonic

I would say What Mountain Bike - it is more beginner friendly than the rest with some good articles and advice for the budget rider, not just those that have a lot of money.

MBUK is a great, more 'entertaining' read that covers more disciplines, but still has top quality testing and features.

woodenman

cheers super, i bought this months mbr and as i am relatively new to scene found it a little baffling at times. Will have a look at said mags tx.

from my previous post about which bike boardman voodoo and fury, i had a feel for fury and sat on it found it ok, ride height seemed good but i dint like handlebars on it felt a little too wide for me. also spoke to assistant and he said go for fury if not looking for top speed and good all rounder, which has best fork too.

Also tried a different store and after a good chat the other assistant said go for the boardman as it was a better frame and parts were all round better quality, asked about the fork he said i would be ok with rock shox dart 3. Also the boardman has 3 year warranty too!

Still unsure which to go for now, although i am leaning to boardman as assistant said they sell really well too and they hardly ever come back with problems. help!!!

supersonic

Whatever feels best! You can get narrower bars.

The fork on the fury is quite a bit better.

PS you may see me writing for WMB from time to time lol, so I am a bit biased!

woodenman

Oh right, ok cheers supersonic will try what mountain bike out see how it reads!

nonnac85

i bought mbr and mbuk when i started mtbing. Have stuck with mbuk for the wide range of areas covered and i found it easier as a beginner to understand.

Northwind

Singletrack Though MBUK and WMB are decent too. For me, MBUK is about bikes, Singletrack is about riding.

Captain Turok

WMB for me every time, I get a few of the others but not as regularly as WMB. Its got the best balance of bits for me.

Eranu

WMB for me too, then MBR. MBUK is too...I don't know, I just don't get on with it.

.blitz

woodenman wrote:

looking to start a mountain bike magazine subscription, which is the best mag out there?

I wouldn't subscribe to any of them. Maybe flick through them when they come out and then decide but subscribe? No way.

supersonic

Some good offers on subs - big reductions, free gifts.

aberfeldyweather

WMB is best for newer riders and regular trail riders and bikes below £1000

MBUK is more jumping, competitive stuff and bikes above £1000

MBR is a mix and the best looking and has the best trail stuff

Singletrack is lovely to look at but somewhat unachievable

I still think there is a gap for another mag - like MTB+ perhaps?

CycloRos

I prefer WMB and that's what I subscribe too, but that's probably cos I'm gettin on a bit

WMB tends to focus more on bikes and kit and has lots of good reviews and advice for the majorty of trail mountain bikers from beginners to experienced riders.

MBUK for me is more about the "cool" scene and the latest things that are up and coming. They also have good kit features too. It does a good job of bigging up the scene and keeping things interesting

MBR is just pants, I just don't find it an enjoyable read and I find their reviews to be a bit dodgy

Singletrack is a slick publication and an enjoyable read

llamafarmer

I tend to chop and change, bought MBUK for a while, then MBR, then got WMB a month or so ago. Don't really have a favourite as they're all good for different reasons.

Maybe try them all and then pick the one you like for a subscription.

.blitz

Nobody likes Dirt? I don't understand some of it and the font is really small but it has the edge. Last month's DH report from PMB was a great read.

And MBA is really good for insomniacs.

supersonic

Depends what you want to read - about riding, or kit (or both, or other things).
Different mags for different people.

ExeterSimon

MBR for me.

I don't read reviews of anything in any mag...it's just one person's opinion. What's good for them may be cack for me.

MBR has the best routes and maps. And that's all I need from a bike mag.

stumpyjon

aberfeldyweather wrote:

Singletrack is lovely to look at but somewhat unachievable

??

Live in Calderdale (1/2 mile off anyway). - tick
Have lots of expensive bikes. - tick
Be middle aged. - tick
Prefer wheels on the ground riding. - tick
See riding as lifestyle statement. - tick
Ride Mountain Mayhem. - tick

See, easily achieveable

dave_hill

MBR and Dirt

MBR for the routes and news, Dirt for its artistic merits and less than mainstream approach.

Chaz.Harding

Dirt, Singletrack, and MBUK, but I only just got a subscrition to dirt (£3 = 3 issues!! ). Don't have a subscription with any others.

I like MBUK for shiny bits, fashion (and laughing when they just look like dicks ). Dirt for the (mostly...) well written articles and fine photography, and Singletrack, cause yeah, it's a bit hippy-like - mountain-bike-lifestyle etc, but I like it. So there!

8)

supersonic

Tis the WMB 100th anniversary issue in a couple of months!

I'd buy it. It's a good one ;-)

Anonymous

i tried to like singletrack as it suits the general bike riding which i do but it is so hippyish and i find it a bit fruity, also i like my reviews to come with a mark out of 10 (not out of five either bikeradar) so i avoid it at all costs.

i openly admit to be interested in kit which is why i like wmb and mbuk.

it is also because i like kit that i dont like mbr, how can any bike or product get a 10/10 with a caveat about changing spec straight after purchase?

mind you, i do look at all of the front pages and see if there is anything which i fancy reading about so might well end up with any of the mags except for ingletrack and dirt (i like my blocks of text to be in an orderly fashion)

woodywmb

Think we get the message Supersonic. WMB's the best. The reader's champion is the best there is too! You'll be doing their PR next.

hoochylala

Been reading both MBR and Singletrack for a while now, but find myself enjoying Singletrack a lot more, it just seems to have a more personal feel to it?

Don't get me wrong though, MBR has been great for route guides and made me learn quite a good bit about biking when I first started off.

Looks like I should give WMB a try though!

elPedro666

Subscribe to WMB as I like the kit too. Like to feel I know what's happening in the industry and the testers seem a fairly consistent bunch, although they do seem to test against an imagined ideal of their own. So long as you're aware of that then I think they're mostly very good.

I did subscribe to MBUK for years, but they just seem to have lost the plot for all-round riding, in my humble. If you're into DH & jumping then you should like it.

Singletrack is just gorgeous - some of the photography is breathetaking, buy it as a treat!

MBR's route guides are bloody awful to try and follow; you'd be better off just buying an OS map and winging it!

joshtp

nonnac85 wrote:

i bought mbr and mbuk when i started mtbing. Have stuck with mbuk for the wide range of areas covered and i found it easier as a beginner to understand.

+1
mbuk gets my vote

ads4

MBUK, WMB & MBR.

GHill

I currently have subscriptions to Dirt, Decline and Bike.

Back in the UK I used to read WMB on the regular, but they're having a laugh with the subscription cost out here.

Northwind

I like Dirt, it doesn't have much relevance to my riding mind but it's a well made mag, lots of reading in it, some great articles... Doesn't matter that I don't do DH, it's still worth the read (I buy Practical Performance Car and I can't drive for the same reason )

woodenman

Thanks for the feedback guys, sounds from all the posts the 'general' opinion seems to be WMB seems to be the most popular. Although MBUK and singletrack seem popular, i have looked at mbr and didnt enjoy the read found it a bit 'flat'. have flicked through MBUK seems a bit glossy and aimed at the extreme high end of mountain biking.

Looks like its WMB for me as i am still a beginner and gettin to grips with it all, seems more accessible to beginners and sub £1000 riders.

cheers guys.

edberwick

.blitz wrote:

Nobody likes Dirt? I don't understand some of it and the font is really small but it has the edge. Last month's DH report from PMB was a great read.

And MBA is really good for insomniacs.

I've bought DIRT sonce issue 1 and it's awesome... MBUK is the FHM of MTB mags, the biggest and most colourful but the best ? not sure.. Singletrack is a more adult magazine, the GQ to the MBUK's Nuts.