Magazine

[AlastairS]

Although I have cycled now and again throughout my life, I have never bought a cycling magazine.
I'm looking for one with : news, interesting articles, perhaps DIY snippets, classifieds (used cycles and parts), preferably the writing would be straightforward no nonsense as it is style stories , advice.

Sorry if this has been asked alot.
Alastair

[snibgo]

You mean, exactly like this forum?

[[XAP]Bob]

Or the magazine which is produced by the CTC, and provided "free" to members

[AlastairS]

I've never been a member before though I am seriously thinking of joining the CTC esp. if I commute more frequently. I had a look at their prices and read about £40 for a single adult. I must be out of touch. I expected it to be about £25 to £30. Seems a bit pricey, but maybe it's fair.

Back to my post, are there only mainly Cycling Plus, Cycling Active, Cycyling Weekly to choose between ? Perhaps, there are other good mags out there that you like and perhaps subscribe to that you would recommend ?

Alastair

[stewartpratt]

news, interesting articles, perhaps DIY snippets, classifieds (used cycles and parts)

IMO three of those four are served far better by the web: ie editorial content, forums and classifieds on sites such as Singletrackworld.com, Road.cc, Bikeradar.com, eBay etc. More up-to-date than tree-based stuff, arguably more readily accessible, and free.

Magazines can be good for interesting articles, though. I'd have a browse of a few in WHSmith's and see which grabs you. Cycling Plus is probably a reasonable starting point for a broad view of all things cycling (as is the CTC's mag Cycle, though it's smaller and arguably a bit less glossy). If you want inspiration and nothing else then grab a copy of The Ride, if you can.

Re the membership costs, personally I pay it purely for the insurance and consider the mag a bonus; I don't think I've ever reaped any other benefit from it.

[AlastairS]

Thanks for your replies. The Ride looks good and I might consider buying it.
I'll look at some of the web links suggested and also probably buy Cycling Plus to see how I like it.

Alastair

[JohnChell]

We've just taken out a subscription for the first time after spotting "Cycling Active" on the shelf in WH Smiths and buying a couple of issues, I'm not sure how long this publication has been around as I had not heard of it before, but it does seem to cover a realistic range of cycles and cycling abilities. Both I and my partner find things in it we enjoy to read, and our cycling abilities /interests are very different.

[stevew]

Or for a really eclectic range of "bikey" things try VeloVision.

[g00se]

Hi,

I think Cycling Active is a fairly recent addition. The price range of reviews and target audience are more 'realistic' than a lot of the others - which seem to be more and more concerned with high-end performance bike-porn

[alldownhill]

CTC membership, with six issues of a decent mag thrown, in costs less than a years subscription to Cycling Active. Makes the CTC subs look good value, especially when you consider all the benefits.

[sirmy]

City Cycling is worth a look for general interest stuff, and Madam Raven's quite fun

http://www.citycycling.co.uk/

[The Mechanic]

This is only my opinion but the CTC mag is garbage. It is just as well that it is free with membership. I would not pay for it. There is too much MTB stuff in it, the reviews are generally written by amateurs and it is generally not well edited. As I said, just my opinion.

For what it is worth, the Technical Editor of C+ used to be the art editor. Don't believe all you read in the bike mags.

[squeaker]

Or for a really eclectic range of "bikey" things try VeloVision.

+1, but 'practical' might also apply

[pedalsheep]

I used to like Cycling Plus but most of the features now are on ridiculously expensive products. They also used to mention a few women's clothing items along with their reviews of mens kit but that has disappeared too. They did have a short review of womens shorts and jerseys this month but for the last few issues you wouldn't know women cyclists exist! I'm moving towards Cycle Active which does have good coverage of women's bikes/kit and even has women cyclists on the front cover - pictures of women are usually only found in the adverts in Cycling Plus!

[ross980]

I get Cycling Active, it's only on it's 8th edition (I think) so hasn't been around that long (though it's by the same people as Cycling Weekly). I started getting it 4 months ago after they had a half price subscription offer which made it £2/month delivered (bargain IMHO). If you're interested it's worth looking online or in the magazine itself as they're always pushing a subscription offers (2 years for price of 1 or 1 year full price with free panniers have been recent ones)

I like it because it's a 'general' cycling magazine and doesn't take itself too seriously (unlike specific mtb/road biking magazines I've read). It has lots of good kit reviews (i.e. useful stuff you'd actually buy, not just overpriced bling), interesting stories, a wide range of bike reviews (£300 commuters up to £3000 road bikes) and useful training tips