Submitted by
Stan
a Cross Country Rider
from Wichita Kansas
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2005
Strengths: This is a review for "MOUNTAINSMITH" The only thing good about this bike is the Rock Shock Judy. The rest of the bike should be MELTED.
Weaknesses: The crank is junk x 100,000. How could I have been so stupid. Got a Gary Fisher Wahoo for about $50 more and it is 10 times better.
Bottom Line:
DO NOT BUY THIS BIKE. YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE EATING YOUR MONEY IF YOU SPEND A CENT ON THIS BIKE OR ANYTHING ELSE "MOUNTAINSMITH" MANUFACTURES. I WILL NEVER BUY ANYTHING WITH THE "MOUNTAINSMITH" NAME ON IT. THE HANDLEBARS ON THIS BIKE DON'T FEEL AS GOOD AS THE Trek or the GF EITHER.
Similar Products Used: Trek 4300 and Diamondback. The Trek was good should have kept it. The steering geometry is better on the Wahoo though and so is the frame geometry.
Bike Setup: Stcok. Hey other people said the crank was crap, but I still bought this bike. I must have been on stupid pills that day. Buying this piece of crap Mountainsmith makes me really appreciate the Gary Fisher Wahoo though.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Justine
a Weekend Warrior
from New York, NY USA
Date Reviewed: September 3, 2003
Strengths: Made an interesting fashion statement as a disposable dress. Also can be used for insulation, wrapping, etc.
Weaknesses: If someone were to take imprints of the tire marks on your favorite trail and pubish them, they'd have more literary, educational and ethical value than what appears in this magazine. I'm as fashion-conscious as the next girl, but I don't think a bike should be shown merely as an accessory/status symbol.
Bottom Line:
No issue of this magazine should be tossed aside lightly. It should be flung violently from the peak of your highest climb. Then again, why would you waaste another 2.53 joules of energy to carry a copy of this magazine with you?
Submitted by
Joe Mamma
a Downhiller
from Boston/Seattle/Salt lake/Breck
Date Reviewed: July 20, 2003
Strengths: Some cool pics, some cool articles.
Weaknesses: The REVIEWS! Even more so than other major Mtn. Bike mags, these guys are shameless at promoting/advertising for manufacturers by way of their reviews. There is no honest feedback given in their reviews they are merely advertisements for the products they are testing. I also think this mag is in cahootz with the mail order companies that are listed in the back of their mag. Did you ever notice that the products the mail order companies are promoting are often what the mags are reviewing that month? Coincedence? I think NOT!
Bottom Line:
If your cool with shameless promotion, and skewed feedback a.k.a. LIES, this is the mag for you.
Strengths: I'm sorry...I don't understand the context.
Weaknesses: Insipid, pandering reviews and meaningless articles.
Bottom Line:
I bought this magazine at the airport to kill time on a business trip. My conclusion: the mountain bike version of "Cosmopolitan." I felt cheated after going through an entire magazine so quickly because it had so few articles and they had so little substance. Good thing it was on my expense account. Get Dirt Rag and Bike. Opposite ends of the spectrum, but both good.
Strengths: You can start fires with it, or use it to wipe your ass if you run out of toilet paper, or roll it up for use in self defense if you get attacked by mountain lions...
Weaknesses: Lousy, lousy magazine. I was dumb enough to subscribe a few months ago because like Uncle knobby, but then they axed him. Some of the columns are decent but the articles are terrible. A couple of things that really pissed me off–the Gemini review a couple issues ago that contained about three lines worth of useful information, and the Lust issue thing...a disgrace to our sport.
Bike Setup: Kona Caldera with antigravity warp drive
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Kazman
a Cross Country Rider
from USA
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2002
Strengths: Lots of tips...kind of. Has cool pictures, and new cool gear to look at.
Weaknesses: There are a lot of advertisements, but...its stuff that you want to look at.
Bottom Line:
If you already have a subscription to another magazine keep it, but if you wanna get another mag, get this one. But, again...dont quit your other mag. subs. Its worth the money, and here and there you see and read some really cool stuff.
Submitted by
Ziggy Stardust
a Cross Country Rider
from USA
Date Reviewed: February 24, 2002
Strengths: Pretty pictures
Weaknesses: Each issue is just a big 100+ page advertisement.
Bottom Line:
This magazine is pure propaganda. If you think its an unbiased and informative source of information about mountain bikes, think again. It's merely fluffed up ads with attractive models wearing all of the latest fashions. The writers appear to be the same people who are responsible for the Muzak you hear in elevators and department stores.
Dont waste your hard earned clams on this piece of s-h-i-t. You can get the same thing for free at the bike store (i.e. the brochures)...get Dirt Rag or Mountain Bike Action if you actually want to learn something.
Similar Products Used: brochures in bike stores (except they are free)
Bike Setup: GT Zaskar team, XT/XTR, Mavic 517/XT hubs, Sid SL, CateEye Stadium III light
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Green Iggy
a Weekend Warrior
from Pinole, CA
Date Reviewed: December 11, 2001
Strengths: A good interview in the issue, and pictures!
Weaknesses: Lame writing, short articles, editorial brainpower seems rather low, do they really ride the bikes?
Bottom Line:
I kept wanting to smack the writers upside the head for saying something stupid while reading it. The reviews were way too short and not informative. They had almost nothing bad to say about anything. Reviews sound like sales pitches.
Submitted by
broken arm
a Weekend Warrior
from calgary canada
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2001
Strengths: good advertising
Weaknesses: The worst reviews I have ever seen, I thought the point of a review was to point out stregnths and weaknesses in products, this sh*t@ss magazine must be collectively owned by bike companies as it says nothing except for "fantasic" or "great value". I didnt read even 1 piece of negative criticism, or recommendations on how to improve the bike. The reviews were basically just extra ads.
Bottom Line:
I wouldn't use this magazine as toilet paper, much less buy it again, I'd rather read anything else,even mountain bike action
Similar Products Used: BIKE, Mountain Bike magazine
Bike Setup: 98 kona, xt/lx z1 bam alps 5r
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
smokey strodtman
a Cross Country Rider
from gilliam, MO USA
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2001
Strengths: it's about mountain bikes.
Weaknesses: OVERPRICED! poor quality paper and photos. poorly written articles. reviews sound like product press releases.
Bottom Line:
first of all, this is not a review of mountain bike(the one with zap). quite frankly, i was shocked at the poor quality of this magazine. the real kicker was the price, a subscription is much higher priced than any of the magazines listed above and they all would rate higher than this one. i only bought one issue, but checked others on the newsstand to see if i hit a bad month. nope, they were all just as bad. dirt rag remains my favorite mountain bike magazine. some of the british magazines are also pretty good, but hard to come by around here(central missouri).
Weaknesses: Where to start. Universities should use this magazine as an example of how NOT to publish a magazine in their communication classes. Product reviews are weak, and obviously paid for by sponsors. Editorials..nonexistent. News, nope....just one overpriced very lame catalog that happens to be published once a month. Does NORBA pay them for the butt kissing? I have to quit buying this one. It costs $4.50, making it the highest priced domestic MB mag. I'd much rather pay $7 for MBR from England.
Bottom Line:
Glance at it in the store, but don't buy this product catalog unless your at the airport, and need something to read while waiting for takeoff. It takes about 10 minutes to read cover to cover. I give it one flamer because 0 is not available.
Submitted by
bigbon
a Weekend Warrior
from Riverside, AL
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2001
Strengths: none
Weaknesses: too short
Bottom Line:
It only takes me about 10 minutes to look through this at a book store. They have terrible editing and way too short product reviews. That about covers it for this piece of garbage.
Submitted by
kowit sanandang
a Weekend Warrior
from bangkok, thailand
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2000
Strengths: Don't know much about the magazine and you'll know why. Because I never got it. I subscribed from Thailand for 1999 year (12 months). I never got a single copy of the magazine from the US despite the fact that the company charged through my visa card the subscription fee. I have asked my friend to call them when he was in the US about the problem. I sent a few letters and I emialed them but to no avail. Worst still, early 2000, the company sent me a renewal letter! I do not know what to do as this simply is a cheating.
Bottom Line:
I was cheated by Mountain Biking and asking here for help.
Strengths: It has pictures and articles relating to Mountain Biking
Weaknesses: If you compare the articles and pictures from this magazine they look suspiciously like the articles and pictures out of another unnamed mt. bike mag. I think the publishers put out two mags under different names just to make free money. Maybe that is why it is printed so cheaply, and why nothing really stands out in this mag.
Bottom Line:
I must confess that sometimes when I am desperate for mt. bike stuff I buy this mag. Usually I just thumb through it at the mag rack, but if I need a fix and they are all thats available then I just hope there are'nt any other riders by the cashier when I check out...embarasing
Strengths: I suppose tensile strength is decent for a magazine.
Weaknesses: This is some serious hardcore crap. I'm an English major and the half-wits that vomit this tripe onto the page should be out of jobs.
Bottom Line:
I cannot believe that they publish this with a straight face. Do not ever buy this magazine. A person born with only a brain stem would be insulted by the level of writing.
Went to the Dillon Borders book store, took a copy of MBUK to the cashier... what the ****. Some slinky, belly crawling, puss oozing, nose picking, scum sucking, grit eating,slim Read More »
I am looking to subscribe to a mountain biking magazine (UK)
and was wondering what other readers thought was the best out of "Mountain Biking UK" or "What Mountain Bike"
Thanks Read More »
Hey all,
So I currently don't receive any mountain biking magazines, but I'd like to get a subscription. Thought I'd start a thread here so people could offer me some suggestio Read More »
Hey all. Jonesing for last minute gift ideas. My 11yo is a chip off the old block and loves mtbing, skiing, hiking, good food and sarcastic humor.;) Anyway, he just got a new bike Read More »
Picked up a copy of this [URL="http://www.trailswag.ca/blog/2011/8/17/trailswag-newsstand-mountain-biking-skills-magazine.html"]useful magazine[/URL] at Chapters this week, it's pr Read More »
