gugie 

+1 on B.Q. I did exactly as you suggested about a year ago. My initial reaction was this Jan Heine guy is really opinionated, but I had recently graduated to low trail and fat tires and liked it, so I bought in some. Then I tried going without rain jackets on rainy days and just layered on more wool. That worked well too. Now I've got some RAID brakes on a bike, and looking to get the upgrade kit. The guy has something to say, and I'm listening.

I'm off to the un-meeting in Cle Elum at the end of the month.

ShaneHanchey

I got a couple issues of that magazine after sending in a little advertisment that came with an order from either Voler or Performance. Seemed to cover all ends of the spectrum. Lots of folks don't seem to like reading about or seeing pics of the expensive bikes, but the dreaming about all the nice bikes I'll never own is just part of the appeal of the hobby to me.

obed7

I get it, not really sure why... I don't remember signing up or it and I don't pay for it...
it takes about 2 minutes to read what little bit of actual cycling information is in it... the rest is advertisements...
I would not pick it up if it were in a stand free at my LBS, but it comes to my door... so what can you do?

RonH

I've had a subscription to Cycling Fitness magazine for 2 years. Just got the fall 2015 issue last week. It is published quarterly in the U.K. and has lots of practical information and articles for cyclists of all abilities and ages (I'm 70 y/o). Lots of cycling related health news that is 6-12 months ahead of the U.S. Loaded with recipes (my wife loves them and tears them out when I finish with the magazine) and exercises (yoga for cyclists, stretching, weight training, etc). Well worth the money for a yearly subscription.
If you want to see it before ordering you can find it on the magazine rack at places like Barnes & Noble and Books-a-million. A yearly subscription is much cheaper than the cost at B&N.

rydabent

Back in the 80s I was subscribed. I really looked forward to each issue comming. It was full if information, instruction, and bike reports.

But then---------------like so many magazines it became a jumbled picture book with drive by quickie articles of no substance for the low IQ reader. I dropped it years ago.

Marcus_Ti

As a relative of someone who was recently a victim...

Be careful just reading the damned magazine...My brother got screwed out of thousands of dollars by a magazine subscriber who added stuff "free" unless you specifically told them to screw off...then the "free" stuff became not-free...and when you tried to unsubscribe they wouldn't. The scheisters changed names and address a few times along the way as well. Their final 2 mailing address had them in empty parking lots in Florida and Pennsylvania IIRC (I looked on Google Earth). It took complaining about deceptive business practices to the State Atty General and threatening sue to get them to buzz off.

indyfabz

Boes "Bicycling" still feature Style Guy? He was the last best thing about the rag.

Leebo

I would recommend Bicycle Times and it's sister publication, Dirt Rag. BT focuses on your every day rider, commuters, touring and such. Articles and reviews are good as well. DR is more for your mountain biker and more recently, bikepacking.

jsjcat

I posted twice in this thread about things I don't like about this magazine and after thinking about it I could say generally about the same things about all of the magazines I get. There might be one or two at the most articles I'm interested in or a good tip or two. The folks that say just stand at a magazine rack and page through the magazines have the best idea. How many have gone to a bookstore and thumbed through magazine after magazine without buying any because you would just be buying fancy pictures. Paper magazines might be going away like newspapers.

Daniel4

I know that wool keeps you warm when wet but still you'll be all wet. Tell me more and I'll give it a try.

Daniel4

Don't you wish that bicycle magazines would be more like these discussion forums which have something for everybody - not just racers. Yesterday I was at a bike shop waiting for the mechanic to do some work. The pile of magazines and books were all about racing.

njkayaker

A lot of these sorts of magazines tend to recycle topics. That means, they might be OK for people new to the topic but not something you keep subscribing to.

fietsbob

I scan "Bicycling Magazine" in the grocery store , then put it back on the rack .. they do fitness for riding faster than your friends stories

and review products that probably also buy advertising & really expensive stuff . because why not,?

you get paid to write about things that are too expensive to buy on a freelance writer's income..

jsjcat

It's a nice gig for the editors, writers, staff, etc. They get to play with all of the new stuff. Good for them. Exp. Here's some free 8-10k bikes. Ride them and tell everyone how much you love them. Never see a thumbs down on anything.

Retro Grouch 

Bicycling Magazine has evolved over the years and it's still evolving. How can somebody who says they haven't read the magazine in 20 years offer a valid opinion on the current issue?

In addition to the ultra high end bike tests and the various product tests (all of which Bicycling likes), the most current version of the magazine has articles about a variety of people who have some connection with bicycling. Most of these folks neither ride super expensive bikes nor race. I personally enjoy this current version of Bicycling more than I thought I would.

Corben

As mentioned Bicycle Times is geared more the the casual rider. They have a good site too. Check out BicycleLife. Com too. And may I suggest a good read by Grant Petersen, Just Ride.

gugie 

The theory is that even the best rain jackets make you sweat, you can perspire faster than moisture flows through Goretex and other fabrics. Wool, however is porous enough for the vapor to pass through, and it wicks water quite well. Here's the BQ article. Out take:

"...even the most breathable shell tends to disrupt the moisture transfer. The heat transfer from my body outward keeps the inner layers dry. (I have to add that I use fenders that keep all spray off my body, and a handlebar bag that shields my legs from the rain.) However, if it rains so much that more moisture comes down than goes outward from my body, I use a shell to keep myself (marginally) drier.

During winter rides, I layer up in wool. I often wear three or even four layers, starting with a short-sleeve undershirt, then a long-sleeve base layer, followed by a long-sleeve jersey, and, if it is really cold, a thicker wool jersey on top. For my legs, wool usually tights suffice. If I add shells to this, I tend to get clammy, because the brisk pace not only generates heat, but also transpiration."

I've been using thin wool t-shirts as a first layer for over 30 years once I found that most bike racers at the time were doing the same. I liked the wicking qualities of wool. I used to wear a synthetic jersey over the wool, nowadays I just use a nylon button up shirt, like these. In cooler weather, I switch to long sleeve on both. On really cold days I use an older merino wool sweater, on that is snug fitting.

I decided to try this out on a commute over a year ago, on an especially rainy day. It was really pouring, and the merino wool sweater soaked up a lot of water on the way, but less than I would have thought. When I pulled off sweater after the hour commute, I felt that I was as damp as I normally was from commuting, but not soaked as I would have been without the sweater, but with the rain jacket. I was sold.

On cold and rainy days (the definition of cold will vary from person to person, I've found) I'll add the rain jacket. Going downhill when it's cold, I'll use the rain jacket. For just tooling along, laying wool works well for me. The rain jacket method makes me clammy (wetter), and when I take the jacket off when it stops raining I tend to get cold as all that water evaporates.

Pick a day to ride when it's raining, but not too cold. Try the layered wool approach, see if it works for you.

cb400bill

I enjoy the current Bicycling magazine. It's a good general interest mag. They do reviews where they like pretty much everything they review. Well, that is likely because today's non BSO bike frames aren't cheaply made, the components used on them tend to work just fine, and most cycling accessories do what they are supposed to do.

Much of what they write about is bicycle lifestyle oriented. The recent articles that they did about Strava, touring Trempealeau County in Wisconsin, and about a tour that a troubled teen group did, have been wonderfully written pieces.

Bicycling is not be the nuts and bolts, DIY how to magazine that it may have been in the past. I like it just fine the way it is.

indyfabz

I know you didn't write it, but Wut? How does a bag that hangs off the front of one's handlebars shield one's legs from rain?

In any event, I agree that any rain jacket capable of keeping rain out is going to make you clammy inside unless you are putting out minimal effort. In this very forum someone started a thread looking for a rain jacket for temps 70 and above. My advice: Why bother. You are going to get wet anyway.

MMLC

I used to get that, I think the tire issue was the first one I got. It was like a folded up stapled pamphlet.

DBrown9383

.. LOL.. I did and I do. Didn't realize it was crime to ask for an opinion here.

gugie 

Yeah, sometimes Jan oversells...but it does make some sense. First, he rides a classic Berthoud handlebar bag, which sits on a rack right on top of the front fender. And, it's a very tall bag. Take a look.


You're riding into the rain, so it's not coming straight down - to you. Looking at the picture, you can see that it's not improbable that his handlebar bag blocks a good deal of rain from his legs.

And for me, cold starts at 55.

HauntedMyst

If you want a good magazine for casual cycling, pick up Momentum magazine. It's generally excellent for your average bike rider. Bicycle Times used to be for every day cyclists but has gone the way of spandex riders and carbon fiber super bikes. Its too bad they lost their way.

Stucky

I've seen a few issues of Bicycling- It appears to be nothing more than a tool used by the bicycling industry to make you want the "latest & greatest" expensive products.

biker222

I had life subscriptions to Bike World and Runners World late 70s which was owned by Rodale Press.
Rodale Press purchased Bicycling Mag around 1980 and honored life subscriptions. I have been getting both ever since.
I also use to get Mtn Bike Mag free then it was combined into Bicycling Mag.
There is a lot of repeat articles/fluff and advertising than older issues.