Does anybody read this? I bought the last couple of issues at B&N and decided to stop with the Jan. issue. Well, I decided to give them another chance with the Feb. issue. Waste. Of. Time. This has to be the worst Tri mag, if not the worst fitness related magazine I have seen yet. (worse than Men’s Health)
-kb
Actually as someone that is fairly new to tri I find American Tri to be a pretty good read. It’s not aimed at elites but at age groupers and there are plenty of those around. Most tri mags are all about the top pros and competitions and have 3 times as many ads, American Tri offers an alternative mag that has some basic training plans for beginers and mid-packers.
I currently have a subscription but will not renew it. They are trying to hard to be clever, even at times comparing themselves to Men’s Health and Men’s Fitness. I think triathlete and inside triathlon are better magazines even though every issue seems to be a repeat of the one before with a different cover.
I’ve seen a couple of issues. I won’t get a subscription because of people I know that have them that always have problems with them getting delivered on time (i.e. one friend of mine got his issue with the 2-page holiday gift guide well after the holidays).
Also, I’ve heard less than desireable things about Kyle du Ford, the editor in chief, from local people that I know and trust. AmericanTRI magazine just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
i signed up for a 2 year subscription.
i’ve received 5 issues.
4 of the 5 have been more than a month late.
i haven’t received anything in the past 6 months…i’ve called them 3x and e-mailed them once. no reply from ANYONE. i’m DEFINITELY going to cancel and try and get some $$$ back.
what terrible customer service!!!
here is an odd thing. look at triathlon forums. lively, full of debate, insightful, broad ranging topics, etc.
look at tri mags. utter garbage, all of them.
weird, eh? shoot, all they have to do is cruise the forum threads, pick a couple issues, throw a little time and in depth research into them, and presto a killer mag would write itself.
why then, are all tri-mags complete rubbish ??
but, the poster is correct - american tri is so bad it borders on being a mockery of itself.
My observation is they are riding the tri wave, just like the Ironman folks. You ask “What are you talking about?”
IM finds its huge success in newbies. The few IMNA races Ive participated in are at least 50% Iron-virgins…Im sure the number is higher than that. Tri magazines are currently doing the same. I personally do not think they appeal to the seasoned triathlete. There are the occassional pro interviews but for the most part Im just checking out pics you cant see elsewhere. This is why my Inside Tri and Triathlete subscriptions will not be renewed next month. Although, if I had to pick the lesser of two lame reads I’d pick Inside Tri.
“why then, are all tri-mags complete rubbish ??”
Because the bulk of journalists – no matter where they are, who they write for, or what topic they cover – are more interested in writing stories that sell than in taking the time to report on real life. Part of it’s about money, but a big part of it is because they’re just so damn lazy. They’ve latched on to a formula they can repeat over and over again and rest assured that their pubs keep selling. It’s probably greatly aided by the fact that more and more new people are coming into triathlon, subscribe to these rags and gobble that stuff right up. About 12 months later they realize they’re reading a story for the third time in the last year and finally start to catch on.
Then, I guess, they end up here. 
Though I’ve found some of the content in one of the most tired of all fitness lifestyle pubs – Runners World – to be delightfully refreshing lately. Interesting story about the late Ethiopian marathoner Malmo Wolde in the most recent issue. Really had nothing to do with running, but it at least kept my interest enough that I spent more time in the bathroom than I really needed to that morning. RW is sort of like my security blanket – no matter how bad it gets I just keep renewing. I was going to finally cut the cord (how much of “the Penguin” can one take?), but perhaps they’re trying to turn over a new leaf.
So what mags do you guys recommend? I’ll keep Inside Tri, but what about Velo? Runner’s World?
So what mags do you guys recommend? I’ll keep Inside Tri, but what about Velo? Runner’s World?<<
I get Inside Tri and Triathlete. Mostly to look at the pictures are read the race results. I’m subscribed to American Tri, but like others, it comes late or whenever.
Dropped Runners World in a fit of cutting back, but I did read the Wold story. Very glad I did.
Velo News: Dropped it a long time ago since it was too much mountain biking.
The two magazines that are like crack for pro cycling fans: Cycle Sport and Procycling! I LOVE those magazine!!! Who cares how much they cost! And there is a new Aussie import that looks pretty good–RIDE.
Agree with you on Cyclesport and Procycling. Also Cycling Weekly, which has brilliant race coverage.
I’ve only ever seen 2 issues of RIDE, but that was quite good also.
So what mags do you guys recommend? I’ll keep Inside Tri, but what about Velo? Runner’s World?<
I gave up on Runner’s World a couple of years ago and let my subscriptions to IT and Triathlete go in the past year. The latter two seem to be real hit and miss to me.
I really hoped AT would turn into something by now. I was willing to accept the growing pains of a small staff and budget, but the content seems to be getting worse and as another poster stated, they seem to be trying to be too cute.
220’s pricey in the states, but I’ve blown more money on more foolish things.
scott
Cycle Sport is great. I don’t subscribe and have only bought a few times, but even just grabbing it off the rack when I visit Borders and looking at the photos for a few minutes is a delight.
I prefer Inside Tri slightly to Triathlete. But neither satisfies me. I only read the frst two issues of American Tri (back in '02, I think). I think a magazine targeted towards the age grouper is a noble idea, but I’ve heard too many negative things about the magazine to pick it up again.
Runners World still sticks in my mind as the shining example of what’s just so wrong with fitness mags. Most of the articles are about training, motivation, or nutrition. Helpful to a beginner, yes. But what about those things changes from month to month? Not much. Do I really need to read another list of Liz Applegate PhD’s “Secret Power Foods”? More of Jeff Galloway telling me to train in moderation? I like some of the regular columns, such as the “On the Road,” which gives the low-down on running in various cities, though that seems like it might be better suited as an online resource for those of us who travel. I like some of Don Kardong’s articles (tends to report on unusual races, etc.), but even he subscribes to a pretty well-worn formula.
IN any magazine, I think I’d like to see more good, in-depth interviews with pro athletes, including the legends. I want to know what makes them tick as human beings, not just athletes. Would like to read more stories like the one on Malmo Wolde. That was an example of a writer who was on the inside – the author raced against Wolde and Abebe Bikila in the '68 Olympic Marathon – breaking through a modern-day myth to get at a terrific human story. That’s the kind of reading that motivates me. I’d like to read more about races in exotic places. I want to know what kind of bikes I’ll be riding and shoes I’ll be wearing not in 2004, but in 2024! I want great photography and no more of those subscription cards that fall out.
Hi Cathy,
agree with you on the procycling.
Great to see the aussie mag RIDE getting some coverage over there.
i have found the tri mags in Australia quite repetitive and recently subscribed to RIDE after several years being a casual reader and I would place it above procycling even.
They have columns from some aussie pros in euro teams as well as good product reviews.
Only drawback is it is only published 4 times a year but you get a good 140 pages at least generally, so worth the wait.
Grab a RIDE guys, you won’t be disappointed.
I’ve been extremel happy with my subscription to National Geographic Adventure. Their book reviews have had some real gems and I’ve enjoyed all of the titles I read from their suggested lists. Also, some very in depth writing that really peels the onion more than flashy mags that shove tits and ass in your face and call themselves a he man magazine.
Although I must admit to spending a ridiculous amount of money every month buying 220, I think it is possibly the worst tri magazine so far as content. The pictures are OK, so far as race coverage goes, but many are re-used in different issues. The articles are complete rubbish, anyone could write some of the stuff they discuss, and most information is too elementary. I buy it for the pict… I buy it for the artic… I buy… I buy it because I have a triathlon addiction and can’t pass up a shiny magazine to feed my habit! If you want the best content, get Australian Triathlete. They have articles that are actually very insightful and great pictures, and the best part is that since the Aussie summer is the US winter, their mag actually comes with exciting race coverage, etc. in the middle of winter when I for one really like reading and looking at pictures of racing cause I can’t do it! Helps get me in my tights and shoe covers and gloves and out the door for that 4 hour ride in wet, 35 degree weather. Anyway, I think most people like the mags cause they feel more like a part of the triathlon community when they read them, though isn’t that true of many magazines?