12 Issues That Mountain Bike Magazines Want To Cease Doing
The response to our ‘Ten things the bike industry needs to stop doing’ characteristic a few years in the past has been superb, with readers outraged and in settlement in equal measures. So, simply because we like giving the hornets’ nest a prod each on occasion, we thought we’d reply to one of many feedback on there from cynic_al who instructed we have to do a ‘Ten issues magazines have to cease doing’. On condition that his article by no means appeared, we’ve taken it on ourselves to get the ‘Mirror of Reality’ out and see if we are able to admit to a couple failings right here and amongst our friends. We hope you get pleasure from it…
Quantity One: It’s 2020
Harping on in regards to the Glory Retro Years. With a purpose to keep in mind the glory days of Tinker and Tomac and chainstay-mounted U-brakes, you should be a minimum of 45 years previous, which makes you a little bit of a has-been already. These had been the times of cantilever brakes that didn’t work, tyres manufactured from onerous plastic and pudding bowl helmets. Get with it, grandad! There’s significantly better stuff occurring proper now.
Quantity Two: Deifying Riders.
It’s not all about Peaty, Peron and MacAskill you recognize? Simply because they’re the quickest this week, or they’ve the very best #shredits doesn’t imply you need to characteristic them Each Single Function. It’s not that there aren’t a load of different nice personalities and bike riders, racers and bike individuals on the market. The place’s the John Peel fanzine model to the Top40 of the shiny magazines?
Quantity Three: The Mouthpiece
Being the mouthpiece of the bike corporations. Seeing everybody come out with the identical press launch with the identical data on the identical day is getting a bit boring. Don’t you do any correct journalism any extra? The place are the scoops and the trade insider leaks?
Quantity 4: Not Everybody Has A Bike Journo Shed
Assuming everybody has a motorcycle shed stuffed with high shelf spares to play with. It’s all very nicely so that you can discuss in regards to the deserves of various 12 velocity chains, or to play with three completely different widths of carbon bars. Most of us are using round on ten velocity Deore. And the following time somebody says ‘Oh, I simply reached into the large field of free tyres and swapped treads on my carbon rims…’
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Quantity 5: The place Are The Girls?
Ignoring ladies. There are many feminine mountain bikers on the market, so why aren’t there any in your pages and employees rosters? If half of the mountain bikes are being purchased by ladies, they don’t need to see sweaty blokes on each web page. And don’t get us began by noticing how white everyone seems to be…
Quantity Six: Too A lot Glamour
At all times focussing on the unique areas. No, we’re not all off to Whistler this summer time like you’re. We’re going tenting in Wales. Having magazines stuffed with unique sunsets over locations we’re by no means going to go to isn’t inspiring, it’s miserable!
Quantity Seven: Not Sufficient Glamour
At all times that includes some boring woods or a quarry in England. The place’s the shiny journal inspiration? We don’t need to see the identical Surrey corners or Lee Quarry drops. We wish unique sunsets in Whistler to encourage us! There’s sufficient boring using to be seen out the window.
Quantity Eight: Going With The Requirements
Ignoring the value of issues. Nobody buys a brand new bike yearly. How will you evaluate six completely different SuperBoost wheelsets after we’re all on 142mm (that you simply instructed us then was the very best wheel commonplace on this planet…) Do extra £500 bike assessments and overlook the £500 handlebars and GPS models…
Quantity 9: What a waste
Ignoring the environmental impression of our sport. Sure, we’re using push bikes, however what in regards to the uncooked supplies used, the carbon fibre we are able to’t recycle and the limitless journeys within the firm VW T6 up and down the M4 to do all of these shoots at BikePark Wales? To not point out flying off to California and the Alps a number of instances a yr to get that one shot…
Quantity Ten: You Print Magazines On Paper?
Printing magazines on paper. Don’t you recognize that the world’s gone on-line? Why are you continue to chopping down bushes to print stuff months after we might have simply learn it on an iPad display whereas concurrently watching Superstar Bake-off?
Quantity Eleven: Catch My Drift, Moto-Bro?
Speaking such as you’re from California/the Pacific Northwest/14 years previous. ‘We’re stoked to see the gnarly trails being shredded by the sick cool dudes, man. Steeze’. You’re from Kent, you numbskull.
Quantity Twelve: Cease Making Lists!
Cease making lists of ten, twelve, twenty issues that annoy us. You already know that we by no means learn this type of factor…
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