steve-in-kville 

I had just received a sample copy of their magazine. It looks pretty down-to-earth. A lot less hype than other bicycle rags I've read. But its $40/year for only 8 issues. Is there more to this than I am seeing?

adamrice 

If you're an ACA member, you get a discount on their route maps. With the Southern Tier map set (for example), I think you wind up getting about $20 off the non-member price. If you're going to do a lot of touring in a year, you could come out ahead. Even if not, you could look at it as supporting a worthwhile organization.

I think of the magazine as a membership perq, rather than a thing unto itself.

dorkypants

I don't look at it as a magazine subscription, I look at it as membership in a worthwhile bicycle advocacy organization. The magazine is a nice perk you get with your membership, and the content is generally higher quality than the endlessly repetitive beginner articles, the pop-psychology "biking improves your sex life" nonsense and the frothy, breathless bike/equipment "reviews" which only feature companies that advertise in the magazine that you get in commercial publications.

screenwasher

https://www.adventurecycling.org/holidaygift

John Nelson

Does anyone subscribe? Well, nobody subscribes because they don't sell subscriptions, but 44,500 members receive the magazine.

bktourer1

+1 for dorkypants. the ACA doesnt tell me I gotta shave my legs and get a 3K bike

rtool

I have been a member for several years now and have used their route maps on several different occasions and they are great. I have also purchased a few items from their on-line store and have been extremely happy with them. I really enjoy their magazine, I get it and read it within a day or two, it is one of those you just have a hard time putting down. Join and enjoy.

John N

I have been a member since about 1980 when the magazine was printed on newspaper type paper. I still wish they would do it that way but you didn't get color. The dues also support the route development.

mulveyr 

Well, after reading their magazine, I literally cannot stand to read any other bike mags like Bicycling. :-) The Adventure Cycling articles are almost invariably interesting, practical, and relavent, as opposed to the ad-laden pap in the other ones.

That being said - most of the point of the ACA is to be an advocacy and support organization for touring cyclists. They do a very good job at it. So even if I didn't like their magazine, I'd still happily be a member.

safariofthemind

Another happy subscriber.

Just could not take all the ads and hype for 6K racing bikes in Bicycling magazine any more. It has become a sales brochure, plain and simple.

AsanaCycles

I am an Adventure Cyclist

jdom

+1 thats all that needs said.

staehpj1

Adventure Cycling is a great organization, that I am happy to support.

VT_Speed_TR

Been an ACA member for 6 years because of the work they do in supporting bicycling. The great magazine is just a bonus for being a member, a great benefit it is. My only issue with the ACA magazine is that I wish it came more often :-)

safariofthemind

This magazine along with Bicycle Quarterly are the journals I enjoy reading the most, along with a couple of blogs. Having limited time, I appreciate the high content per hour reading ratios. The forums are wonderful for the social aspect, but for sheer information journals still have their place.

tcs

Adventure Cycling (well, Bikecentennial!) member since 1975.

There's been many a cold, wet winter's night I walked over to the bookshelves and pulled out a 7 or 18 year old copy of Adventure Cyclist (or BikeReport!) and vicariously relived a tour with one of the old contributors.

BigBlueToe

My biggest complaint with the magazines is that they're too short! I get my new copy and have it read in an hour. I think it's the best bicycling magazine. I think Bicycling is trash. Road Bike Action is better, but for the type of riding I do, Adventure Cyclist is the best. I also like supporting the organization for what they do, and I like getting a discount on their maps. Incidentally, if you like reading about bike touring, you may like buying a set of ACA maps for a route you're considering. I have a couple of sets for routes I have yet to take, and they're fun to pore over and dream.

Pscyclepath

Damn straight... ACA supports and encourages "travel by bicycle," whether you're going to work or the corner store, across the country, or pedaling around the world. It's worth the annual dues just to get the magazine.

ClemY

I also recently discovered Bicycle Quarterly. It is first rate. I have been a member of Adventure Cycling for 16 or 17 years. I have gotten a bunch of maps from them and really enjoy the magazine. The other magazine that I find useful for camping articles and equipment reviews for bicycle camping is Backpacking. They have great articles on light camping gear.

badger_biker 

I haven't been a steady member over that period but I too will review old issues of both magazine versions when I'm on a stationary trainer in the winter....and dream. It is the one magazine I keep and try to read in little chunks and savor during the long wait unil the next one comes in the mail. A good organization and part of the $40 is tax deductable I believe.

+1 on ClemY's suggestion of Backpacker magazine - especially their annual gear guide.

indyfabz

+1
+1
+1

Just got a free issue of "Bicycling," glanced through it for a minute or two and put it in the reycling bin. They could at least bring back Style Guy. He was the only consistently enjoyable part of the publication.

And what everyone else said, too. I joined in '99 when I did their NT tour. Have been a member since and am happy to support the organization.

rperks

If you consider yourself even slightly in the adventure cyclist catagory they are the only thing out there that I know of working as an advocacy group for our lifestyle. The membership helps to support the organization, the routes they develop and the spread of our culture. The magazine is just a bonus to the membership. As a member I have been getting the magazine for a while. Yes it lags the web in content and time, but it is the best in your hand tool for getting friends, coworkers, etc. to see and possibly test the waters.

PomPilot

I, too am a member. Thanks to a gift membership from one of their long-time volunteers. And if I can afford it, I'll do the same for another cyclist after I get (and pay) my renewal notice.

Kurious Oranj

Agree. These are the only two cycling magazines I get and they are well worth it.

steve-in-kville 

Thanks for the replies. I've been a subscriber of Bicycling for a few years but it came up for renewal about a month back.... haven't paid for it yet although they keep mailing me notices.

After reading the above I just may drop Bicycling and go with ACA.