Feature, Issue #019 - April 2, 2016

The Results of the ENDURO Readers’ Survey 2015

Surprising, baffling, super-positive, shocking, constructive, and at times damn funny – 12,215 mountain bikers duly completed our readers’ survey, providing answers to a bucket load of questions. And in return for your hard work, we gave up our evenings to analyse 2.4 million Excel boxes and pull out some highlights. We’ve narrowed it down to the most interesting facts, and this article will reveal…

The results of the readers’ survey and our response to your feedback, including the question: what makes a good magazine?
What are the most popular brands in the industry? We’ve taken your word for it; here are the results.

The readers’ survey ran for 64 days throughout June, July, and August 2015. 12,215 participants from 84 nations took part, with an average response time of 24 minutes to answer the 80 questions. The total response time of all the readers amounted to 204 days, and their responses filled in 2.4 million Excel boxes.

Ask the right questions

Of course, there are dumb questions, but we know that asking the right ones will make life (and work) easier, help us to progress, and do the right things. So on that note, the most important questions are as follows:

1. What do I want?

No sh*t! During our annual meeting in South Tirol, we pooled our eighteen-strong core team from the UK, the USA, Germany, and Italy to make sure we were all definite about our aim for the future: namely to produce unique content at an even higher quality, and build on the unbeatable relationship with you guys, our readers! Consequently, we decided this article should not only be about your feedback, but also our plans – you see, it’s all about mutual trust. If there’s one thing we’re certain of, it’s that hard work is vital if you want to become an international point of reference, and that honesty and transparency can get you there. #OpinionLeader isn’t just the theme for this issue, it’s also our core principle and is set to have a massive impact over the coming weeks, months, and years.

2. What can I do?

Desire is all well and good, but ability is even better. The reality check: back when we were still musing over the idea of this magazine, we realized early on that we’d have no chance taking the obvious, more traditional route. First off we had no budget, but we did have a vision, the right background, the network, and a burning desire for bikes, racing, travel, beer, good food, and the media. And that is still the foundation of our work: a passionate, creative team with a clear direction. For us, it’s about daring to try something new in order to create something new, about taking the unconventional route and inspiring.
Instead of hiring podium finishers and overly clued-up university grads, we were looking for those who are different – of course, we still wanted the clever ones, the ones who do what they do best with a passion that’s unrivalled. We wanted the ones who were striving to achieve something and take pride in their work. If they didn’t have that, they could jog on.

One by one we reeled them in, bringing new skills to the team and creating an even bigger group that gives us the capacity to improve our ways, to question the old ways and take on new routes. It’s crucial that there’s trust and confidence in our working environment, one which inspires and pushes us to improve. So while there’s internal feedback virtually every day, your feedback is just as valid. Thank you!

3. What do I need?

You’ll only achieve long-term success by really understanding your market. New trends to follow, new media formats to get to grips with, new demands and new desires – the world of media is going through an equally disruptive evolution, just like the bike world. (And it’s your fault if you won’t admit it.) The cycles of innovation are getting tighter, and even you readers should have a think about how and where you are getting your information from.

So that’s why the question of “What makes a good magazine?” is more important than ever – and that’s why we posed the question both to ourselves and to you guys in the readers’ survey. Here are the most important points and principles to consider:

“Everything is good – but that’s just bullshit.” You’ll lose your authenticity (and your readers) if you claim everything is good. A good magazine takes an objective look before taking their stance, which won’t be swayed – critical, reflective, honest. This is why we rely on group tests, long-term tests, and the experience of our many test riders, a diverse bunch ranging from rookies to World Cup racers from across the globe.

But we’re still not quite where we want to be. The super-positive feedback from the readers’ survey tells us (kindly) that we’re on the right way, but we are fully aware that we cannot please everyone (such as those who’d prefer to see reviews longer than a novel).

But we’ll put our hands up and be the first to agree with the large number of you who claim that we’re testing (overly) expensive bikes. The best of the best tend to feature the latest technology, but the actual day-to-day rideability of new products – and their weaknesses – tend to be discovered in the lower price segments. So here’s our promise, we’ll take your feedback on board, and you’ll soon see ‘the people’s group test.’

„Content is King.“

We’ve actually been accused of being too open towards new trends and new technology, which leads us to wonder what sort of a world we’re living in? If the pioneers of the industrial revolution hadn’t seen any potential in their inventions, then we’d still be living in feudal societies with knights and the like, watching our cattle graze on the fields as we send out the latest pigeon post. It might sound romantic and whimsical, but it’d be pretty rubbish in real life. Just think about the invention of the internet, smartphones, and social media – would you wish these away?

As with any new development there might be some teething troubles, but it’s our role to help steer the progress and the innovations. After all, shutting our eyes and pleading ignorance to new challenges isn’t going to help anyone – and think how much potential could be wasted.

And the same goes for our own development:

A good magazine doesn’t just focus on unique content, but also on the subsequent cross-media methods of sharing. Having the best article is worthless if it’s wrongly displayed, shown in the wrong medium, or simply unread. This is why our editorial plans (magazine, website, social media) and content are individually tuned for each channel. We also continually develop our strategies and formats for each channel.

Initially, we set out wanting it all, but you’ve got to have balls to admit that certain things have had their day: When issue #020 was released in January 2016, the online viewer and the Android app were scrapped – not due to a lack of readers, but purely because they don’t live up to the quality that we’re striving for. However, we will now publish the articles from the magazine much earlier on our website, free to read for everyone!

We’re currently putting all of our efforts into new ventures. And you’d be surprised to hear what goes into a global magazine: software development in Barcelona, designers in Berlin, art direction in Stuttgart, and editors in the UK, the USA, and, of course, Germany. Having a team spread around the world is both a challenge and a chance….

“Internationalists – the global generation”

A good magazine looks outside the box, further than its own garden fence – and beyond the reader’s too. As a magazine with a specific focus (such as ours on riding), we’d never see the bigger picture if we kept within the boundaries of the sport. That’s why we don’t just look to cars, fashion, and other outdoor and lifestyle movements, but to other continents as well. This could be why certain stories strike you as strange; think of the times we’ve been shooting in California, eating onion pies in Germany, taking helicopters in Romania, or racing enduro in the Philippines and in the desert of Dubai. But don’t let these put you off – instead, be inspired. We all live for mountain biking, but we each have our own interpretation of it too; this is exactly what makes it so exciting for our open-minded readers, as we (and you guys) are inspired to try new things.

The same applies to our team….

Do articles, themes, and news stories really have to be repeated?

A good magazine excites, informs, and surprises its readers.
This is why we collaborate with the best of the best, relying on a broad network of contributors. We ensure that our dynamic team have unbridled access to all the necessary means that allow them to develop their own ideas and live creatively, essentially to create unique content. Such unique content doesn’t just make the magazine stand out from the competition, but it is also more fun for us. Our love for details makes a decisive difference. And so too do our collaborations with artists, creatives, and those from outside the world of cycling.

„In the thick of it & not on the sidelines!“

Of course, conventional race and event reports are important, but they’re not the be-all and end-all. A good magazine doesn’t just report, it creates and actively takes part too. We won’t just feed you information, but we’ll be an Opinion Leader too – but only if and when that’s a relevant role to play. This is why our editorial team spends time exhaustively going through the various viewpoints, and unites on a clear position on current and future topics. We each have our own convictions, and we’re always ready to fight for them. That’s why we focus our media partnerships on races and events that we believe in – after all, we don’t want to bullshit our readers about events that aren’t worth recommending.

And now we’ve reached the next point: your opinions, your wishes, and your attitudes. And because this is important to us, we’re already taking your feedback on board.

Your opinion

Let’s start with that recognizable term: What does enduro mean? Enduro represents ‘only’ racing to just 6 % of you. The majority (read: everyone else) sees enduro as a synonym for mountain biking and a lifestyle!

Which, fortunately, just so happens to be exactly how you responded to a separate question: What does ENDURO Mountainbike Magazine stand for? 89 % of the survey participants responded with: “ENDURO Magazine is about mountain biking: being outside and having fun with your mates. Then there’s a bit of racing too. And first-rate test reviews and cool lifestyle stories.”

This fundamental attitude is set to alter the products we test and the criteria we’re testing them against. After all, what use is a group test looking for the ultimate race-ready bike when just 6% of our readers plan on using their bike for racing? Most of you are looking for a bike to perform on your local trails, which leads us to our next question…

More Fun, less Fiddling!

The readers’ survey doesn’t lie: the acceptance of new trends and technology is rapidly growing. And while it’s just a few who still reject E-MTBs, they’re a loud bunch. And despite the growing acceptance across the board, only a small number of traditional mountain bikers want to buy an E-MTB.

Plus-size tyres are experiencing the same initial hesitation from riders. Just 12% of readers want more stability in the future (which could come from plus-size tyres). Only 5% want plus-size tyres on their next bike. Of course, that’s fine, we’re not going to argue – but we can predict huge progress in the near future, which could change your mind.

In general you can sum up one thing (regardless of your own personal opinion on new trends): cyclists are their own biggest enemies. Check out issue #018’s “Make Love, Not War” article if you don’t get it. It’s not hard to show respect to one another. And it’s not the bike that should define the cyclist in you: it’s the fact that you’re out having fun. No one can dictate how and where you should have fun.

“Brand new bike!” was the most common answer to the question of which parts are you planning to upgrade in the next twelve months. Forget tyres, grips or pedals – you guys are after a whole new bike!

Reader’s Choice – the best brands

We’re aware that our questions on the brands were on the long side, but the fact is that we can’t give every single bike and component brand coverage in every test. So the ones who did well in the readers’ survey also have the best chances of being selected in one of our group tests. After all, that’s what you want to see.

No one plays God. So as you see, feedback is never dull. At times it might be daunting and frustrating, but if you approach it in the right way you’ll only seen gains and no losses. Once you know where you are, it’s easier to see which direction to take towards your dreams. The best brands, the best magazine, and the best principles – FTW… For the Win!

A good magazine has to be able to criticize itself and show a willingness to learn. A good magazine embarks on concepts that others aren’t doing, observes goings-on from other angles, and is able to revise certain perspectives. That’s why we listen without complaint: no matter how good you might be, you can always be better. And on that note, here’s a massive thanks for your feedback!

Back to ENDURO Mountainbike Magazine