Strengths: most of it, listing at back is good, esp. with contact numbers of manufacturers
Weaknesses: few and far between, just needs more pages filled with words...not adverts.
Overall: Impartial reviews that dont mock the cheaper bikes around £300,400,500... informative about kit and useful tips through out. this bike mag is aimed at kit and reviewing it seriously, and its good to see its developed from its 4 issues a year start and made room for some trail riding info too, good stuff. down side is the price going up to match competitors!
Strengths: it is made of paper, it burns on cold winter nights to keep me warm, the adverts for products are informative.
Weaknesses: how long is a piece of string? lots. self opinionated occasionaly, utterly stupid some of the time and not always informative
Overall: back in 'the good old days' when there weren't loads of mountain biking mags around this was it, good quality reading...then something happened, its like changing the cast of Simpsons, it just went weird. reviews hardly told you anything you didnt already know 'this is a suspension fork, it stopped us feeling loads of bumps' - yeah? and? so back in 1995 when I started reading it I stopped by 1998. then I recently got one again, hoping things were better, nope, worse. shame really. I'm glad bikemagic is here :)
Strengths: quite a bit is covered and appears aimed at the more mature rider. good trail guides, lots of areas covered towards 'proper' mtb-ing, like going out on your bike ALL DAY...good stuff
Weaknesses: as mentioned, many adverts take up too many pages. their reviews are often prejudgemental and they hate anything less than about £1500. If its more they strangely love it. if only they took a bike at face value and got ast their ideals it would be fine.
Overall: in all not a bag mag but there are better out there. and expensive, probably because they use bigger paper?
Overall: is it me or do these wear down extremely rapidly with use? i'm on my 3rd/4th set in less than 3 months!...there are better and more durable pads out there than these.
