WMB Awards Special anyone else disagree - Supersonic?

TowerRider

I received my copy of What Mountain Bike yesterday and while flicking through the mag I noticed the awards article. I am not an expert but from weekly visits to this forum (where Supersonic is regular) I can see a few awards are not worthy.
Supersonic, did you have any input? I presume not, could you tell those (I see list on p45) that gave the awards that they do not reflect the usual findings on here.

I can't comment on many of the awards because I do not have any or enough knowledge but...
Best Value sadle - thought this was Charge Spoon.
Best Tyre/value Maxxis High Roller?
Gloves?
Helmet?
Best Gadget Runner Up given to IPhone - come on, you would have to be a numpty to use (not in backpack) that while mountain biking re moisture sensors and damage if uninsured like many. Only need to look at forum to see iphone users get ripped into.
Pedals, best flats goes to DMR V8 - everyone knows that Wellgo Mg1's win this cateogory and to add to that you buy them from Highonbikes....

This led me to wonder if the awards are given based on where you can buy them, why is that info added? adds no benefit to the user.

Now I am not sure of the other awards and realise alot may be personal preferance but these awards seem totally pointless.

endrick

All awards and reviews in magazines wether for MTB'ing or fishing are revenue driven. Therefore you will tend to find reviewers suprisingly always tend to favour products sold by shops / manufacturers that pay for advetisment in their magazine.

Anyone who believes different is very very mis-guided.

toasty

Well, just to add a counter arguement to that, having read something on the internet doesn't mean it's always true. Take every suggestion you hear on here with a pinch of salt and make your own mind up.

None of the suggestions in the magazine seem outrageous to be honest. They're written by people who have tried both, and made their mind up, not by people who have browsed feature lists on the internet.

I prefered my V8s to my Wellgos, maybe not for value, the little grease port was a godsend though. To be honest I wouldn't buy either though, due to both being too small, much prefered the Superstar Nanos!

Anonymous

you know how many people who use this forum? its less than people who ride mountain bikes in the UK, by miles i would have thought.

also, reviews of product by people who have bought them are not a very reliable place to get your opinion, people who pay for their kit will swear black is blue that the thing they have paid for is the best you can buy at that price point so they dont look websters for buying the wrong thing.

people on bike radar, have ridden a couple bikes with a few components on them, even the most fickle bike owners here have owned less than 30 bikes. magazine bike testers have ridden thousands of bikes and more components.

i know who i would trust.

Anonymous

Sheeps is right, endrick is wrong.
I have spoken. Now run off and carry on playing for a bit. Tea won't be ready for another 30 mintues.

supersonic

I did not have any direct input on the end results in the mag (I am not a full timer lol), but I chat often with Matt about kit, and my pieces frequently reflect my views on budget items which I will then recommend. I am not paid or swayed in anyway to say anything but what I personally think, and that goes for all who work and contribute to this magazine. I cannot say the same for other publications.

Also worth noting that all products are reviewed at RRP where applicable. It is often the case that our favourite budget items are heavily reduced.

Anonymous

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Sheeps is right, endrick is wrong.
I have spoken. Now run off and carry on playing for a bit. Tea won't be ready for another 30 mintues.

yeehaa is of course correct.

Dick Scruttock

My friend writes for a large magazine based on a specific none MTB hobby. Like 99% of magazines is paid for in the majority via advertisement the chances of a large contributer to there budget getting a shit review was and still is slim to none.

Anonymous

Sorry, but I refuse to believe your conspiracy theories.

Anonymous

unlike this

hyperman

sheepsteeth wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Sheeps is right, endrick is wrong.
I have spoken. Now run off and carry on playing for a bit. Tea won't be ready for another 30 mintues.

yeehaa is of course a tw@t.

i agree

supersonic

Rick Draper wrote:

My friend writes for a large magazine based on a specific none MTB hobby. Like 99% of magazines is paid for in the majority via advertisement the chances of a large contributer to there budget getting a shoot review was and still is slim to none.

While advertisements do make revenue, it does not influence reviews in any way in this mag.

Dick Scruttock

supersonic wrote:

Rick Draper wrote:

My friend writes for a large magazine based on a specific none MTB hobby. Like 99% of magazines is paid for in the majority via advertisement the chances of a large contributer to there budget getting a shoot review was and still is slim to none.

While advertisements do make revenue, it does not influence reviews in any way in this mag.

LOL your not going to admit it has any influence now are you.

supersonic

I am telling the truth.

Anonymous

Ah, the preserve of the insane, and conspiracy theorists (often the same thing).

So, you won't believe anyone who DOESN'T work for magazines, since...

endrick wrote:

Anyone who believes different is very very mis-guided

BUT, on the other hand, you won't believe anyone who works for a magazine since they're

Rick Draper wrote:

not going to admit it has any influence now are [they]

Impressive. That kind of thinking must use up a lot of tinfoil for all the hats.

What you've basically done is to invent a scenario, then refuse to believe anyone else on the matter.

supersonic

Anyway, does anyone have any ideas for upcoming features in the mag? Anything you'd like to see?

nicklouse

supersonic wrote:

Anyway, does anyone have any ideas for upcoming features in the mag? Anything you'd like to see?

a few less errors would be a start

supersonic

Lol. Just as well you don't work for us ;-)

nicklouse

supersonic wrote:

Lol. Just as well you don't work for us ;-)

but i dont have a proof reader :P

supersonic

hehe

Anonymous

Christ almighty I need a proof reader. Been having a serious case of backfiring brain recently

hyperman

how about budget winter clothing reviews? you know the type, aldi, lidl clothing etc..

Anonymous

How about an article on anodising, and all the things that make it more convenient, or increase the chances of a succesful job?
That would be handy

Or, an article on what winter tyres are best.
Or what lights you'd recommend.
etc etc

nicklouse

supersonic
back on a more serious note.
in the trail tested reviews there are some given dimensions at the end.
the angles etc.....

what are they? are they measured? if so what condition? unloaded loaded etc...

and stand over, that can change for every given user. a stand over for a given measurement would help.

If the measurements used are the makers then it should say so.

supersonic

Makers I guess, but I will check with matt.

Anonymous

you should do profiles of the most legendary forumites.

bike-a-swan

I'd be interested in seeing a few ride guides from some less well known places around the country- hidden gems, or something a little quirky, reader contributed perhaps. Not massive articles, maybe just a side or two to compliment the main rides.

Anonymous

bike-a-swan, you mean like the recent series in MBUK?

bike-a-swan

Hmmm, how recent? I only buy it occasionally. July was the last one I've got and I think that was still the wrecking crew going round the big places.

angry_bird

After my baby cousin started eating a copy of my WMB instead of his baby biscuit I've concluded WMB must be one of the best things around, possibly not the best, I wasn't stupid enough to let him near my MBUK but I hadn't read it yet. Anyway the point is that he approves of it and as he's too stupid to be biased then people should stop critisising the magazines for doing good stuff

Anonymous

Oh yeah! MBUK has been such a staple part of my reading, on and off, for so long it never crossed my mind you might not have it

It was running until fairly recently I think, where they had rides around where people lived. It started off with a loop that Martyn Ashton does, but I think it later developed into a reader's trails kind of thing.