[email protected] wrote:
> Long time OUT of bicycling
>
> Want to get back in to it and
> on top of new products,
Bicycling Magazine would be fairly good at this. They "test" and
"review" more or less most of the new stuff reasonably soon after its
introduction. Within a year or two anyway. So you would have their
"opinion" of new products fairly soon. Advertisements abound in the
magazine and always have the latest and greatest new products, sort of.
So you would keep on top of new products by looking at the
advertisements. I say sort of because Bicycling Magazine does not have
the really high end stuff in their advertisements. No SRM or Power Tap
power meter hubs. No Lightweight or ADA wheels. None of those German
specialty parts makers advertise in Bicycling. Its advertisements are
geared more towards the Trek bike shop crowd, so to speak. Not those
who follow what the European peloton is using.
> etc
>
> Should I sub to Bicycling Mag or is it just all fluff
> and ads now days?
>
> If no on it..... any other rags to consider?
More or less all of the magazines in the US are geared towards
advertisements and showing the wonderful new latest and greatest stuff.
Some concentrate more towards the European peloton stuff and some more
towards the Trek bike shop stuff. But for the most part I think that
is what US bicyclists want to see. After all diamond frame bicycles
have been around for about 100 or so years. Not really a lot of
changes. And for the most part everything works pretty well on new
bikes. So testing and reviewing it does not really produce meaningful
stories. "It works OK." Won't sell many magazines with truthful
review after review like that. I suppose there is a difference in
accessories such as clothes and shoes and lights, etc. But probably
not a lot. And some would like one and others another. Very
subjective reviews. So we are given and like lots of pictures and
write ups of all the new wonderful bike parts we need to go fast, etc.
As long as you are smart enough to know this is almost 100% nonsense,
its fine and fun. In the woodworking magazine world the tool reviews
are always the most enjoyable and wanted by amateur woodworkers.
Reviews or articles that say use hand tools to develop your skills and
after 5-10-15-20 years you will be good, are not what people want to
read. They want the newest wonder tool to do everything with no skill
input from the woodworker. About like biking. We want a bike,
accessories that will make biking more fun, fast, etc. Nothing wrong
with that.
