New magazine...Watt bike,inside Twist and Go.

[Kudoscycles]

There is a new electric bike magazine,named Watt Bike.
The publisher has cleverly inserted it inside the magazine Twist and Go. I say cleverly because he has avoided the high cost of paying for Smiths shelf space by getting 2 mags in the place of one.
I have avoided advertising in previous e-bike titles because I just couldn't see how the circulation could be achieved and these have not been viable and soon died.
But this mag is different,the first copy is on the shelves,don't forget to look for Twist and Go. We are advertising the K16 in the second copy,it is bi-monthly.
I have no commercial interest in the mag but can see that a successful national title can only benefit the e-bike industry as a whole.
KudosDave

 

[EddiePJ]

I begrudge paying a fiver plus for pretty much any magazine, given that 85% of the pages are either adverts, or double page photos to pad out the remaining 15% of written info. I'd certainly not ever buy an ebike magazine. I own one, and that is enough for me. Anything else can be found on here, or elsewhere at a click of a button. Personally I don't see that there is a market for a paper copy ebike magazine.

I do have two exceptions though, but again, the content could be found at a click of a button.

The first being Cyclist which I don't pay for, is still slightly padded out with adverts and photos, but the written content is often very informative, and is a magazine that you can keep going back to for referral. Ihttp://cyclistmag.co.uk/subscriptions/?ppcad=true&gclid=COvF1qiN68wCFRG3GwodiccOwQ

The second is Singletrack. In my opinion the best quality magazine that is out there. Proportionally a very low amount of adverts, superb articles, an outstanding level and quality of photography, and a lack of bias towards any particular brand or product. I find it quite an inspiring read. http://singletrackworld.com/

 

[RoadieRoger]

I have subscribed/purchased` Twist and Go` since it started at Weston Super Mare quite a few years ago . It was subsequently taken over by the Morton Group and moved to Lincolnshire . For the first few years it continued as before solely catering for Automatic Scooters, but over the last few years has included Motorcycles and too much space devoted to Clothing and Riding Techniques .
I was pleasantly surprised to see the Watt Bike Supplement in the current Issue as I have 2 Scooters , a Motorcycle and the Batribike Folder .
They seem to want to increase the circulation by widening the content , as it used to be a Monthly . The Motor Cycling Articles must be shared with Morton`s other Publications , thereby spreading costs . A long time Contributor is Pete Henshaw who has connections with A to B Mag I believe .
Still a very good effort and it should bring benefits to the Ebike Industry here .

 

[flecc]

A long time Contributor is Pete Henshaw who has connections with A to B Mag I believe .

Yes, Peter Henshaw is the uncle of David Henshaw, editor of A to B Magazine. He's done a number of tests for A to B and arranged some engineering work for them.
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[LEBC Tom]

The publishers of twist and go were printing for the publishers of the ebike magazine who failed to provide content when needed and quite rightly saw an opportunity to launch their own title once they realised there was no competiton to worry about. Twist and go has a decent circulation for the market it serves and should help spread the word of the ebike world, but it will need a fair number of readers and advertisers to enable it to stand on its own two feet. What does surprise me though is that a moped magazine is willing to showcase ebikes to its readers. I was under the impression that the moped industry saw ebikes as a threat to their market, it's a bit of risk in that they could upset their advertisers and readership.

 

[Yamdude]

Interest specific mags have always been a bit of a rip off, high percentage of ads to very little substance.
I used to buy a lot of different motorcycle mags, but mags were all we once had for info....... now with the internet, magazines have become pointless to me.
The only time i look at one now, is when i'm in WHSmiths and skim though one from the shelf, while thinking to myself, i used to spend a fortune on this shyte.

 

[LEBC Tom]

Interest specific mags have always been a bit of a rip off, high percentage of ads to very little substance.
I used to buy a lot of different motorcycle mags, but mags were all we once had for info....... now with the internet, magazines have become pointless to me.
The only time i look at one now, is when i'm in WHSmiths and skim though one from the shelf, while thinking to myself, i used to spend a fortune on this shyte.

Not sure what magazines you're reading but thats very unusual to have such a high percentage of ads compared to actual content. Being a publisher myself and having worked in the industry for over 18 years the norm is around 30% ads to 70% editorial.

The internet offers another source of content but that content is very rarely researched and factual.

 

[Yamdude]

Not sure what magazines you're reading but thats very unusual to have such a high percentage of ads compared to actual content. Being a publisher myself and having worked in the industry for over 18 years the norm is around 30% ads to 70% editorial.

The internet offers another source of content but that content is very rarely researched and factual.

When motorcycle mags were all i had and a new bike was out, i only had the journo in that mags view of it..... now on the net, i have numerous reviews of it and far more pictures and info to make more of an informed decision about it. There's also on the net, owners reviews on products and real life reports on how those products have performed.
The internet can give me far more info on any product i want over a magazine.
And as for magazine journo's always being factual..... well thats laughable...... Motorcycle news has become a bit of a joke with their inaccuracies and biased reporting depending on how much ad revenue they get from certain companies. I'm sure that applies equally to other mags as well.

 

[flecc]

And as for magazine journo's always being factual..... well thats laughable...... Motorcycle news has become a bit of a joke with their inaccuracies and biased reporting depending on how much ad revenue they get from certain companies. I'm sure that applies equally to other mags as well.

Very true. Many years ago I was able to prove beyond any doubt that a magazine reviewer of a Hi-Fi product hadn't even unpacked it out from it's box, despite extensively writing of it's various sonic qualities.

I did get a profuse apology from the magazine and had the satisfaction of the reviewer getting the sack. Unfortunately the magazine didn't publish the apology later, leaving all other readers in the dark.
.

 

[electrickery]

Being a burgman rider I just bought the "twist and go " mag for the first time in years because of the op mention. Definitely worth a look. love the bultaco brico. Road legal (moped) version out soon .. could be fun if you fancy spending 4k.
Surely you don't pay for space on wh smith shelf?. Where I work mags are sor.
Twist and go is not just about mopeds but mostly 125 cc bikes and bigger twist and go's so I don' t see a conflict for advertisers.
Bottom line though I think "twist and go" and "watt bike" fit well together. Gives the magazine a broad dimension.
Regards

 

[Kudoscycles]

Being a burgman rider I just bought the "twist and go " mag for the first time in years because of the op mention. Definitely worth a look. love the bultaco brico. Road legal (moped) version out soon .. could be fun if you fancy spending 4k.
Surely you don't pay for space on wh smith shelf?. Where I work mags are sor.
Twist and go is not just about mopeds but mostly 125 cc bikes and bigger twist and go's so I don' t see a conflict for advertisers.
Bottom line though I think "twist and go" and "watt bike" fit well together. Gives the magazine a broad dimension.
Regards

WH Smith charge considerable sums for a magazine to appear on their shelves,they have different rates according to the location...airports or high street etc.
It is probably the second biggest cost after printing to most publishers.
If the mag sells WH Smith make a profit from the shelf rent plus the mag profit,if it doesnt sell the publisher still pays the shelf rent.
The power of a big business.
KudosDave

 

[trex]

they also charge you to dispose off the unsold copies. Years ago, I tried to pubish a magazine on CDs. I was apalled at their charges.

 

[flecc]

If the mag sells WH Smith make a profit from the shelf rent plus the mag profit,if it doesnt sell the publisher still pays the shelf rent.
The power of a big business.
KudosDave

W H Smith are a near monopoly in the news and magazine business, controlling much of the distribution of newspapers etc through their Smith News plc company, taking a rake-off for that activity.

They are also trialling W H Smith Local, an attempt to take over the local newsagents business nationally, and have post offices in over 100 branches.

The power of big business indeed, in my opinion abused in this case.
.

 

[Croxden]

With full support from the government I suppose.