I saw a while ago that bikepacking.com were hoping to find a way to fund their operation longterm and it seems their answer is the 'Collective' ... here's a link

https://www.bikepacking.com/join/

The good news for anyone who appreciates printed matter is that as part of the membership deal you'll receive 2 copies each year of the Bikepacking Jouranal which is being produced with those lovely folk at Bunyan Velo.

Interesting.

I don't know how many visits they get to their site but it's the main US side bikepacking site, bikepacking.net seems mainly about the forums and bikepackersmagazine.com doesn't appear to have been updated since January. Servers cost money and that cost depends on the number of visitors and what they look at, somewhere along the line it's got to be paid for.

I'm not sure what's going on with bikepackersmagazine, it's run by Neil Beltchenko, possibly a change in his circumstances means he no longer has time to devote to the web site. The last piece I saw from him was a report on the Iditarod 350 which appeared on bikepacking.com!

I thought Neil said that he was merging with them?

I thought Neil said that he was merging with them?

That's right. The two are now one.

Very good web site and no doubt the magazine will be equally as good but would you pay for it ?

but would you pay for it ?

I would and I have. It's not a small amount of money, but for the amount of information and inspiration I've got from that site (and Bunyan Velo) over the years I'm happy to pay. Unfortunately, like they say, running a site like that costs money which they either have to get through advertising or other means.

costs money which they either have to get through advertising or other means.

Or you could just do it for the love of it

Is what I expect they are hoping for.

Chicken Legs wrote:Very good web site and no doubt the magazine will be equally as good but would you pay for it ?

£50 for two magazines, I’m out!

Do like that site and loved Bunyan Velo since issue one, but £50...

Saying that, their t-shirt is ace

Tricky one, I do like the website, the route guides and the tales so feel I should chip in. Preferable to all those horrendous click bait adds that seem to proliferate every website going these days and has made the cycling weekly website un-readable (yes I know but I need something to do on a lunchtime ). It is a bit much though but I suspect I'll stump up given the promise of a nice rag to scan through twice a year... T shirt looks pretty cool too

Seeing as how this thread has now reached the point of money / cost / value and whether £50 represents a good investment or simply a self-imposed moral obligation, I do wonder how many have ever considered supporting this place with a fiver? I'm not saying you should, I just wonder.

Bearbonesnorm wrote:"Jouranal".

Is this a reflection on the contents by any chance, .

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Seeing as how this thread has now reached the point of money / cost / value and whether £50 represents a good investment or simply a self-imposed moral obligation, I do wonder how many have ever considered supporting this place with a fiver? I'm not saying you should, I just wonder.

Was actually thinking yesterday after seeing the feature on bikepacking.com that I should feed the bear. Hadn't decided how much it would be.

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Seeing as how this thread has now reached the point of money / cost / value and whether £50 represents a good investment or simply a self-imposed moral obligation, I do wonder how many have ever considered supporting this place with a fiver? I'm not saying you should, I just wonder.

Guilty I’ll wang some money over this week

I'm not saying that anyone should feed the bear. It was really just an observation on my part after reading the thread.

Bearbonesnorm wrote:I'm not saying that anyone should feed the bear. It was really just an observation on my part after reading the thread.

The first thing I thought of when this thread popped up was "I need to ask Stu about contributions".

Subliminal messages are a key marketing tool, well done Stu!

I know Stu probably doesn't want to go down this route but a subscription per year for the newsletter and reviews wouldn't be a miss , I know it's a labour of love but it must be one of the few "jobs" where the labour doesn't get charged , to be honest I've never clicked on the feed the bear link ,plus the new stoves ect need a bit of r&d which if they don't sell comes out of his pocket
Just a thought ,I think Stu knows how I feel about people being out of pocket over a order what the postman lost
Edit - personally I'd rather have a subs basis for certain content than give donations ,A never sure how much to give ,B not remembering to give ,C how often to give

A motorcycle forum I use has ad's and a limited PM functionality. Subscribe with a tenner a year, the ad's vanish and you get a decent amount of PM's allowed. You can see who's a subscriber by the "supporter" logo under their user name. As a subscriber the forum I see is very different to the one that you'll see.

https://www.therevcounter.co.uk/forum/

"how many have ever considered supporting this place with a fiver" - yep, pair of cockles every Crimbo. Hungry bears are dangerous, daren't risk it .

Pirahna wrote:A motorcycle forum I use has ad's and a limited PM functionality. Subscribe with a tenner a year, the ad's vanish and you get a decent amount of PM's allowed. You can see who's a subscriber by the "supporter" logo under their user name. As a subscriber the forum I see is very different to the one that you'll see.

https://www.therevcounter.co.uk/forum/

Same as STW I think it used to cost me £1.50 a month for premium content ,I admit I let it lapse as there's way too many eejits on there and my horns start to pop out of my head with a lot of the stupidity what comes out of some people's key boards

I know Stu probably doesn't want to go down this route but a subscription per year for the newsletter and reviews wouldn't be a miss

I suppose it's similar to what bikepacking.com have launched but you're right, it wouldn't sit easy with me. Right or wrong, I'd feel that doing something along those lines would prevent me from being one of you ... I wouldn't like that.

A lovely thought... we love you too Stu..... <sob> <blows very loudly into hankie in futile attempt to cover up emotional moment>

Bearbonesnorm wrote:

I know Stu probably doesn't want to go down this route but a subscription per year for the newsletter and reviews wouldn't be a miss

I suppose it's similar to what bikepacking.com have launched but you're right, it wouldn't sit easy with me. Right or wrong, I'd feel that doing something along those lines would prevent me from being one of you ... I wouldn't like that.

To be fair mate that's bollox just cause BB takes a small fee for everything what gets done for us doesn't change who you are or what we think of you (good or bad)
Edit - as I told a gaffer who didn't like paying for o/t the only thing what gets up in the morning for free is the sun

Subliminal messages are a key marketing tool, well done Stu!

No, not clever marketing, I think that award goes to the title sponsors of this thread ... given that they're going to charge people for the privilege of buying something from them, that is clever