General Cycling Discussion - Cycling magazines.

Which ones do you read and/or subscribe to? Or get for free from your LBS?

I read Bicycling, and a mag. called RECUMBETN & TANDEM RIDER MAGAZINE, or RTR..

I currently have a subscription to Bicycling that when it runs out I will not be renewing it. I figure if I want to continue to read it I'd rather see what is in it first, (been disappointed lately at some of the content), then if I don't want to read it I don't have to buy it. Yes it is more expensive to buy it off the newstand.

RTR I get for free from my LBS because they get it for free form the publisher. It is a great mag. for reading about 'bents and tandems.

I have also read from time to time a mag. called Fitness Cycling, I think it is called as well as Velo News.

What are your favorite cycling mags.? Are there others I can possibly read that I don't know about yet? Please share.

I have a sub to Bicycling. Don't think I'll renew. Information that I need I can easily get here or elsewhere on the internet. In my view, Bicycling is a bit short on substance and too repetitive.

I have never bought a Bicycling subscription, but have bought a couple of singles as time has gone by. I find they they try to hype stuff on the cover to try and get you to buy it ( which might work) but I find I am disappointed when I do get it home and read the entire issue. Frequently, I find myself reading it at the library now. (which would still be an option for you, pretty much every library near me has a subscription to bicycling).

I have worked in the actions sports media for years and found that I have very little interest in curent "cycling" mags. Thats why I have launched a new publication. It really doesn't compete with current magazines as the content is really different. It is for cyclists who READ. It is full of road trip stories, intervoews, fictional stories about riding, and art related to cycling. check out www.iheartbikes.com issue #1 is out now.

Originally posted by N_C
Which ones do you read and/or subscribe to?
Only the magazines/newsletters from the two cycling organizations I belong to - Southern Bicycle League Free Wheelin' (http://www.bikesbl.org/fw/free.html) and Atlanta Bicycle Campaign (http://www.atlantabike.org/home.htm).

I buy VeloNews, Cycling Plus (so I can check up on the Brits <j/k> ), and a few other magazines when I see an article(s) I want to read.
Sometimes I get desparate and buy Bicycling.
Did I really admit doing that?? :eek: :rolleyes:

Originally posted by Spire
I have never bought a Bicycling subscription, but have bought a couple of singles as time has gone by. I find they they try to hype stuff on the cover to try and get you to buy it ( which might work) but I find I am disappointed when I do get it home and read the entire issue. Frequently, I find myself reading it at the library now. (which would still be an option for you, pretty much every library near me has a subscription to bicycling).

I have in the past subscribed to Winning and VeloNews, (been about 8 yrs.) but have to agree with everything Spire has said regarding the bias advertising the various publications put out. I view the articles as very slanted in their views, and enjoy word of mouth from other Rodie's or various Web site posts...

I subscribe to Bicycling and VeloNews. Like others, I am not particularly impressed with Bicycling. It is a little better since they switched from the "short attention span short on substance" format. At least the articles are longer than 50 words. I am still not sure who their target audience is. Bicycling does do a decent bike maintenance issue from time to time, and they occasionally have an interesting article. If I don't see improvement by the end of my subscription I will probably let it lapse and spend the money on a subscription to Cycle Sport. I purchase Cycle Sport
and Pro Cycling on a regular basis. I enjoy reading their profiles of pros and their race results and news. Both are excellent British publications.

Always buy:

Cycling + (UK)

What Mountain Bike (UK)

Generally buy:

Mountain Bike Rider/MBR (UK)

Have bought and am unlikely to buy again unless desperate for a read on a long train journey... :

Dirt (UK)

Mountain Biking UK (UK ;) )

Buy when I occasionally see it:

Mountain Bike Action


Regularly read neighbours copies/buy occasionally:

Cycle Sport (UK)

Pro-cycling (UK?)

Cycle Weekly

Bicycling


Richard

I currently subscribe to Bicycling and VeloNews.
The Bicycling is the result of a christmas present,
I don't think I'd pay for it myself, its too limited in
articles. I like Velonews since I am beginning to
seriously follow pro cycling. I do occaisionally read
Pro Cycling and Cycle Sport.
What I'd like to see is VeloNews with more reviews
of bikes/frames. I like Zinn's write ups on components,
he's rather thorough and unbiased (and I get the idea
that he doesn't care what the manufacturer thinks).
What I really want is for someone to revive
Bicycle Guide, now that was a magazine worth reading.

Marty

I only get Bike mag. But I'll read anything! The only mags I say don't subscribe to are Mountain Bike and Bicycling. They really have nothing to offer, plus they have a really annoying editor named Zap. I hear Dirt and Flow are supposed to be great MTB mags, and Cyclesport and Procycling are great roadie mags by far.

I subscribe to:

Bicycling
VeloNews
Mountain Bike Action
Mountain Bike

I also get/read USA Cycling's publication as a result of my membership.

I try to pick up Cycle Sport at the newstand, when they have it.

Mountain Bike Action is one of my fav's. People say they advertise too much, but don't see it. I don't know how they got a bad rep, but I really enjoy MBA.

Subscribe to: Dirt Rag and Mountain Bike

Pick up every so often: Bike, Mountain Bike Action, Bicycling

Would recommend to others: Dirt Rag hands down.

Bicycling is a great magazine, short articles and useless info are perfect while sitting on the can. However; I think this forum will be my new source of info.

I get Australian Cyclist for free with my Bicycle Queensland membership. Apart from that, I don't bother with cycling magazines. I'm not terribly keen to see some poser "testing" (i.e. rehashing a press release) some $5,000 bike that nobody in the real world can afford, nor am I keen to read that same "training article" that has been run 20 times since 1983, or for that matter flick through pages and pages of advertising.

I do most of my cycling-based reading on the WWW.

Dirt Rag (http://www.dirtragmag.com/home.php), and Velo News is necessary. Mountain bike action is fun, but Cunningham is as annoying as Zap - well, almost. And I agree, the European bike mags are good if you can find them.

Well I just subscribed to iheartbikes. I had a look at the website as posted by nwonespeed. The upcoming articles in the first issue looked quite interesting and intrigued me. So I subscribed.

I also subscribe to Pedal and Canadian Cyclist.

I had considered Bicycling but I am not pleased with the content. I like to see more detailed articles on maintenance, riding techs, fitness, etc. as well as longer articles/stories on actual bike people around North America and even around the world. I do like the product reviews and so on. I just pick up the mag every now and then at a newstand.

;)

I get the mainstream UK mags (the better ones anyway), and I particularly like the US "Bike" mag. That's well written. I also get the US "Mountain Bike" as well. Another good mag.

The UK also has an 'upmarket' mag called Singletrack. It's only available on subscription. I picked up a couple at a bike show in London recently, and it is a very nice mag. My only criticism is that it is too 'arty' in the sense that they will print an article over several pages and one page will have yellow letters on a green background, then the next will have red letters on a fading pink background. Almost like they are trying to blend text on photos on top of each other. Not so nice.