VinnyBrooklyn

I just got my first issues of Bicycling magazines and I am very disappointed. It has way to much racing stuff in it and I am guessing it is aimed at Lance Armstrong types. (Sorry if I offend, not my intention).

Is there a good bicycling magazine aimed at 40 year olds that are just getting back into cycling? I want to have maintenance tips and maybe show some road trips with cool landscapes and places to stay for rides? Is there a magazine like this? If not there should be.

Can someone point me in the right direction.

dpeters11

Two that come to mind as possibilities. Unfortunately they are not monthly.

Bicycle Times, they are more geared to the casual rider/commuter. From the publisher of Dirt Rag. https://www.bicycletimesmag.com/
Paved, from the Bike publishers. This has especially good photography. https://www.pavedmag.com/featured/paved-intro/
I've also been meaning to look into Cycling Plus, which I've seen recommended, but it's British and crazy expensive in the states. it is monthly at least, but ends up being about $40 I think.

BlazingPedals

I've never found a good mag. Buycycling was always marginal and slid further around 2000 when they fired all the old editors and writers and hired kids. I'm sure the kids worked cheaper, though... Assuming you can put up with the writing, a Buycycling subscription is only useful for about a year; after all how many different articles can you write on how to ride longer, faster, stronger, lose weight by racing season, and ride your first century. You are right, it is geared for the Lance-wannabees, and is about 80% ad content. Even the product reviews must be taken with a grain of salt, since they all read as if they were written by the products' sales reps.

dpeters11

The only reason I still get Bicycling Magazine is that it comes with my LAB membership.

Flying Merkel

That explains why the magazine reads like it's written for 21 year bros. That style gets old after 1 article. Got tired of reports of sponsored junkets to places I never go, riding bikes few can afford. Reading about the tribulations and suffering of racers makes me wonder why they don't just chuck it and go to cosmetology school. The reviews are suspect. You need to buy at least 1 new bike and gear every year because the old stuff is crarp. Got the point. Subscription lapsed, no need to renew.

Yo Spiff

Those are my two faves as well. One of my goals is to get a photo printed in Paved. I think I need to get a disk sent off to them if I actually want it to happen. If I do get one published, you can be sure I'll be bragging about it here.

Some of the English magazines are pretty good as well. Barnes & Noble carries them. They can be a bit pricey on this side of the pond, however.

pdlamb

Two magazines I have liked, and still subscribe to, are Adventure Cycling and Bicycle Quarterly.

AC is almost worth the price just for Willie Weir's contributions. If you've ever dreamed of taking off for a month or more for a bike ride, grab a copy. (They'll usually send you one issue for free.) Lately, however, they've concentrated more on third world expeditions than first world rambles, so I don't enjoy them as much.

BQ makes for interesting reading if you're into brevets or the history of French bicycles. The editor is getting into hardware production (quasi-replicas of old French bike parts), so I'm losing interest, but I think I've got another year on my subscription.

Bicycle Times is another contender. I haven't quite figured out what their target audience is, unless it's people who've decided their ecological ethos requires them to learn how to ride a bike to save the planet. Unlike the other two, you can often find it at large news stands (such as Barnes and Nobles bookstores).

I'd suggest you get a copy of each of the above, and see how you like them. Maybe two of the BQ, since its focus changes monthly. You may like one, or another. I can't tell you what you'll like any better than I can tell you what your favorite dessert is by knowing what mine is.

SuncoastChad

I really like Bicycle Times. I just found them a few months ago - kind of the "Mother Earth News" of bicycle mags!! Their demographic is still developing - I do wish I had the bucks to afford the stuff they test and review!! Sorry, but $30 for a leather "Brooks" "trouser strap" is just a little out of my league!! They do cover the gamut of bicycles not used by the racing crowd!!

Condorita

Another Bicycle Times suggestion.

Debusama

Seriously, Lance Armstrong types? Why is everyone who participates in the sport cycling a “lance Armstrong Wannabe?” Do you call everyone who ever plays basketball a Michael Jordan wannabe? I expect that kind of thing from the fat redneck in the old pick-up who yells something ignorant about Lance Armstrong as they pass because they aren’t aware that there are other professional cyclists, but not on a cycling discussion forum. Honestly I don’t know what you mean when you say “way to much racing stuff in it and I am guessing it is aimed at Lance Armstrong types” Does “Lance Armstrong type” refer to racers, road cyclists, or something more specific? Are you looking for a magazine with more off-road stuff, or touring/commuting/utility stuff.
The thing that bugs me about cycling is that it’s 80% ads and of the 20% that isn’t ads, most are glowing reviews of products from one of their sponsors. I prefer the more region-specific magazines. I used to read Bike Monkey I lived in Northern California, now I read a free community news paper about outdoor activities that generally has articles about local events, routs, trail advocacy and whatnot. I’m sure there are some in the New York area.

fietsbob

I read them off the rack, in the big box store, then put them back,
skipping over the stuff that doesn't interest me, saves a lot of time.

Wake

Momentum magazine: https://www.momentumplanet.com/. Focused on commuting, style, etc., they eschew spandex.

AlmostGreenGuy

Easy there!!!! Non-sport cyclists only know of one sport cyclist, and his name is Lance Armstrong. When we see somebody on a road bike, clad in spandex, Lance is our only frame of reference. And yes, I could almost as easily say the same thing about Michael Jordan. Definitely Wayne Gretzky. Don't take it personally.

AlmostGreenGuy

Definitely Momentum and Bicycle Times. I can find them both at Barnes and Noble.

SlimRider

With the advent of the INTERNET and electronic media stuff, print publications are quickly swirling downwards.

Newspapers, magazines, and journals are all taking a big hit!

Therefore, the future outlook for a good bicycle magazine that caters to any segment of the bicycling community is going to be slim to none. Even if one did appear, it most probably wouldn't last for two major reasons. First of all, most people have become accustomed to "free" electronic media access via the Internet. Also, with the economy tanking, as it is, not too many people have enough disposable income to "splurge" on the luxury of a printed magazine.

AlmostGreenGuy

Another interesting read is a magazine called BikeMonkey, sold at Barnes and Noble. It's very nicely made, and the writing is quite intelligent. Not much how-to or what-to-buy, but lots of good writing.

https://www.bikemonkey.net/

dpeters11

Available at some B&Ns. I just looked, and if their spreadsheet is current, it's sold at a total of 8 of the 46 B&Ns in the state of NY. Looks like they'll have a digital version, expected with the next issue.

gpsblake

Another vote for Bicycling Times. I think they will have to gets more sponsors those to stick around, seems the high end bike companies won't advertise with them.

Giacomo 1 

Forget the magazines. Your best bet is right here at BikeForums.

There are sub-forums here that should be helpful for any kind of rider, new or experienced, young or old, fat or skinny. The stuff you get here is better than any magazine out there. You've got the best heads in the cycling game right here at BF, and they post alot of pretty pictures of every type of bike known to mankind!

So take your time and look around!

recumbenttoad

I buy Bicycle Times as well. I liked them better the first year, though. They are slowly starting to slip carbon bikes in and I don't have any interest in those at all. For me I hope they stick with steel and aluminum bikes, and if they have to cover bikes that I cannot afford I hope they are from the NAHBS. Those are at least fun to look at.

TurbineBlade

Consider this:

If you don't read Bicycling magazine, you won't know how to "get faster in 60 minutes" when raising a family of four and working 80 hours a week...show me an issue in the last 3 years that doesn't have something like this.

Bicycling is really a crappy magazine for a number of reasons, to me the worst is that they're so heavily paid by EVERYONE that I challenge you to read a "review" that actually paints any product as negative. They have no credibility in providing an honest opinion whatsoever. Everything they review "spins up surprisingly fast" or "they thought was a gimmick, but then realized that they couldn't live without it" (like an $80 carbon fiber water bottle holder). Even the "commuter" bikes they review are high-end, sometimes not even realy commuter bikes so much as sports-racing type bikes (like frames that will run 700C X 25m vs. 700c X 23m tires).

Read stuff on the internet -- there are honest opinions there from people who aren't being paid to talk.

Looigi

Bicycling Times sounds like it'd be right up your alley. I got it for a year but don't care for it as I'm more a roadie than a commuter or utility cyclist, and prefer Velo, Road, etc... but then I'm also not 40 years old...I'm 60.

VinnyBrooklyn

Thank you all for your suggestions. It is much appreciated! Like I said in my initial post, I said Lance Armstrong "types" not wannabes. I have no plans to put on spandex anytime soon or get one of those bikes that cost more than my house. Been there and done that. Now I guess you could say I am a city cyclist that is looking for good routes around the city. How to repair and some honest reviews on components from time to time. Last week I went to three bike stores before I picked out a new seat for my Fuji to replace the original one.

I love reading about guys that have taken a month off and traveled, that would interest me also. Thinks to put on the bucket list type stuff. You guys have really given me good suggestions and it is much appreciated. I am really surprised that there is no magazine for my type but I will pick up a few of the ones suggested and maybe one will appeal to me.

Rodimus_Prime

who wants to read a magazine about riding 10mph?

TurbineBlade

tortoise racers.