Impartial information on best buys

gobigordontgoatall

How can you say that the best buys that you are showing every week are in fact the best buys out there, when the just happen to come from you biggest advertisers?

And how is that impartial advice? I think you need to rethink what goes on your front page and rename it so it is clear that these things are advertisements and not advice. Don't you think that would be a lot fairer or do you not care about what people buy so long as you make money? Would be interested to hear what the magazine editors have to say about this. I already don't read MBR for this reason and the impartial advice which almost always holds Specialised at the top of their tests even when the bike suspension doesn't work!

supersonic

The reviews are not advertisements, far from it. All the testing at MBUK and WMB is 100% impartial and not influenced in any way or form by advertisers in the mag. I cannot speak for other mags.

The buyers guide in the rear of WMB, which lists current best buys, covers at least 30 different brands, some that don't advertise at all in the mag.

jamescw

Hi,

We don't say anywhere that our Deals of the Week are "the best buys out there". It clearly states in the introductory paragraph that this is a round-up of deals from our recommended retailers.

No advice, impartial or otherwise, is given in these lists. In contrast, our reviews are completely impartial, and regularly prompt calls from advertisers who are unhappy at the score their product has been given.

I hope this clears the situation up.

James

mroli

James - I've added a couple of comments on that page - basically, the Wiggle offer for the Kona doesn't exist - the link shows that they have NO bikes available at that price. The Giant from Winstanleys is only available in a 46.5, the Vitus from CRC in a 51 and it is only the Scott that is available in a 52, 54 and 56. Do you not think that this is so niche and so contrary to what the majority of your readers are interested in (unless the majority of your readers are under 5ft 3?) that this page becomes almost worthless?

jamescw

Hi mroli,

Not sure what happened with the Focus - sorry.

As for the other bikes, I take your point but most bike shops have sold off their older stock now to make room for 2010 models, so the '09 bikes that are still available do tend to be the less popular sizes.

J

mroli

James - noted, but the Winstanley bike that is on offer is actually a 2008 bike in a teeny tiny size. There are plenty of bikes on the Winstanley sale page of their site that have as big a discount, if not bigger and are far more appropriate in sizing (or have a choice of sizes) - and are "newer" old stock.

And just looking at the Wiggle site - they have a load of old stock on at bigger discount and available - the Felt z45 at 35% off in a 54/56/61 and a Raleigh Avanti at 40% off in a 56/any number of the FOcus bikes...

Do these companies tell you what bikes they want you to put up, or do you research it yourself?