Author Topic: Ride BMX Mag Offski (Read 1180 times)

Dannywhac · « **on:** March 27, 2015, 02:17 PM »

Just seen Stogy's post that Ride BMX Mag will no longer be publishing any mags.

Although on a personal level I thought the mags content had hit the shit at around 1999 (although that's a generalisation), be a shame to see it go as it provided a lot of content for me throughout the 90's (reviews, rider interviews, jams and whacking material).

What's got me all bothered though, is are we going to hit another slump with BMX - over the last couple of years there's been a lot of shop closures/shops struggling to make ends meet, DIG's gone and a couple more mags.

Chris made a good point to me the other day; that despite the money that's been made over the last few years within BMX we've still not got any solid 'sport' recognition (other than the Olympics). He's helping organise the UKVert thang - if you ain't seen it have a look here:

https://www.facebook.com/zakflip

This isn't an 'OMG - teh BMX is fooked' post as I did quite like the last slump (90's) ; more of a what are your thoughts on the state of play nowadays with BMX. Even if you think all New School stuff looks the same and you have no interest in it, it'll still indirectly affect you when you rock up to your LBS shop to buy some innertubes or rim strips and they've closed down.

bobbbbsy · « **Reply #1 on:** March 27, 2015, 02:42 PM »

Ride bmx became too much of a business it seemed. Lost the grass roots kinda feel/ became kinda distant. I know a lot of real headz who hate ridebmx in general for this reason but we need corporate bmx entities to push bmx into the mainstream more But obviously being mainstream has its setbacks. I unfollowed them online as they do post some right crap. they did well to last this long if you look at the demise of max power / revs / fast car etc . A loose comparison I know.

fugazi · « **Reply #2 on:** March 27, 2015, 03:53 PM »

I would say it's the internet that has killed off the printed medium, in my eyes ride mag has been gash for years so no big deal to me really, but on a deeper level the bmx market looks to have been shrinking for some time now, and I think we'll see more companies & shops go down before long .....
Bmx seems very cyclic sometimes, and it doesn't do any good when everyone & their dog jumps on when things are good & most jump off again when things hit a bit of a slump.
There will always be riders/companies/shops keeping things going as after the money has gone there's still the love......ride on.

rodriguez · « **Reply #3 on:** March 27, 2015, 04:23 PM »

Sign of the times, happening with most papers and magazines ask any newsagent they'll tell you, I personally haven't bought a paper or magazine for about 14 years.

Whether or not it reflects a decline in BMX it might.

If BMX is in decline it's because of scooters, in the village were they are everywhere, there are a few kids who have BMXs but not many.

BMXs cost a fortune in comparison to scooters so the parents are happy enough to go along with it.

bobbbbsy · « **Reply #4 on:** March 27, 2015, 04:52 PM »

some of them scooters cost 300 f ing quid

you can buy a decent part cro mo complete bmx for that . good enough for a kid.

Dannywhac · « **Reply #5 on:** March 27, 2015, 05:09 PM »

It's scooters at the mo that are keeping some LBS's going. Gives you something to aim at the park though.

john4130 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 27, 2015, 05:34 PM »

i got a letter from ride mag a couple of weeks ago about my subscription, saying they were going from 12 issues a year down to 8.

rodriguez · « **Reply #7 on:** March 27, 2015, 05:51 PM »

Quote from: bobbbbsy on March 27, 2015, 04:52 PM

some of them scooters cost 300 f ing quid you can buy a decent part cro mo complete bmx for that . good enough for a kid.

You're right a lot of the scooters cost quite a bit of dosh but I'd reckon that most kids scooters cost around £40-60 a £100 max.

I put together a BMX for a wee fella a few years back it got pinched and now he's got a scooter, no way he's getting a bike that costs £300 last one he had cost £59 out of Tescos.

Gary72 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 27, 2015, 09:15 PM »

I think printed material is declining in general. At least I bought a load of mags from Christhejob the other week. My youngest is all into skateboards at the moment. They ain't that cheap either. He has a set up that is £150 quids worth and another that is closer to £200. My eldest was all into scooters a few years back. He's last set up that is sitting in the cupboard cost £400.
But to put that into perspective my NS frame retails at £400.

QUADROPHENIA · « **Reply #9 on:** March 27, 2015, 09:35 PM »

It ain't good at the minute

bmxmatt1974 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 27, 2015, 10:00 PM »

Shame they won't make it to issue 200. I have every issue and yeah it has gone downhill but I still enjoyed having it delivered as I much prefer to look at a mag than trawl through web pages.

bobbbbsy · « **Reply #11 on:** March 27, 2015, 10:18 PM »

Quote from: rodriguez on March 27, 2015, 05:51 PM

Quote from: bobbbbsy on March 27, 2015, 04:52 PM
some of them scooters cost 300 f ing quid you can buy a decent part cro mo complete bmx for that . good enough for a kid.

You're right a lot of the scooters cost quite a bit of dosh but I'd reckon that most kids scooters cost around £40-60 a £100 max.

I put together a BMX for a wee fella a few years back it got pinched and now he's got a scooter, no way he's getting a bike that costs £300 last one he had cost £59 out of Tescos.

supermarkets and bike shops should not be allowed to sell unbranded awful poo. i see a guy pulling one off the shelf at asda and felt like going and talking to him but you just cant . let them carry on unaware.

gary4130 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 28, 2015, 06:51 AM »

not bought it for a few years now,last issue was 120ish,got fed up with the content,no flatland stuff never did any contest reports from x games etc.seamed to be all about roadtrips-should have changed title to 'roadtrip mag'

Betty · « **Reply #13 on:** March 28, 2015, 12:47 PM »

It's in a real slump at the mo, my LBS is struggling

I hardly ever ride anymore, maybe a couple of times a year, all the local indoor parks are quiet it makes the lock ins look crowded $:-\$

Devilock · « **Reply #14 on:** March 28, 2015, 01:45 PM »

As previously mentioned by one of you shitbags, BMX needs, indeed should have TV coverage...street & race.
FMX is shown on TV fairly regularly & I would presume street would be far more popular than FMX.

Gary72 · « **Reply #15 on:** March 28, 2015, 08:27 PM »

It is on Extreme every so often and sometimes on Eurosport. They cover Dew tour and X Games. They also did the documentry on some guys quest to do a backflip. And followed a race team around for a series.
My LBS has virtually stopped stocking BMX and scooter stuff.
The internet has a lot to answer for. Call me old fashioned, But when I'm spending money I like to physically see/feel the product.
My kids would buy everything of eBay and Online stores. I work in the motor trade and it outstands me that people will buy cars without road testing them or seeing them first. We are based in Essex and have delivered cars as far as Scotland for customers that have been bought over the phone/online.
The smell/feel of a mag is so much better than swiping/scrolling a screen.
Maybe they should look into blurb. Where books are printed to order. It's where my copy of 'You won't 100 pools ridden' came from. Think it's the only place you can get it.
http://www.blurb.co.uk/b/3894209-you-won-t
Dont think my wife paid that much for it, But it was a couple of years ago.
I did subscribe to The Albion because I thought it was worth the money, But obviously I was in the minority.

Dark Diggler · « **Reply #16 on:** March 28, 2015, 10:49 PM »

The whole jobs fucked, when it's cheaper for a shop to buy from big internet retailers than it is from the UK sole distributors then you have to question the whole process......
To be fair, BMX is suffering a different pain to the rest of the cycling trade, where rider numbers are up and prices are being battered down using bulk, direct ordering and tax avoidance to be blunt, the big internet sellers are not that interested in diminishing sectors of the industry, bmx's main problem isn't the internet, it's rapidly falling numbers of customers but it would just as bolloxed if numbers were up because then, the big tax avoiding coonts would be all over it properly, just like they are with the rest of the cycle trade.

Dark Diggler · « **Reply #17 on:** March 28, 2015, 10:53 PM »

But hey, think of all the bargains to be had

rodriguez · « **Reply #18 on:** March 29, 2015, 12:31 AM »

If street/park is on the decline racing seems to be bucking the trend though, is it because the BCF and Cycling Ireland now recognise BMX as a proper discipline? The knock on effect of BMX in the Olympics in practice $:-\$

In N Ireland there's 4 clubs AFAIK and there isn't even a proper track yet, the track in Belfast is still under construction, as BMX racing is an all Ireland sport the clubs use the tracks in the ROI. There seems to be good enthusiasm and a whole lot of it has to do with people who were involved with BMX racing 30 years ago championing the cause.

QUADROPHENIA · « **Reply #19 on:** March 29, 2015, 09:27 AM »

Bmx distributors can't afford shit, drinks company's start pulling out it all disappears