On The Pedals

By Jason Giacchino

Will that be paper or pixels today?

In its infancy, the internet was predicted to eventually completely replaced the need for print publications. Data, it was figured, could be stored in cyberspace and accessed wherever, whenever, by whomever. The logic holds true and I am a big supporter in the wealth of information the Internet puts at anyone with a connection’s finger tips. We now realize, of course, that claiming the net will completely obsolete hard copy literature isn’t at all likely. It turns out that there are instances where we, as human beings, wish to snuggle up with a good book in our favorite chairs, or flip through a magazine while waiting for an appointment. One unknown source perhaps summarized it best: “So long as there are toilets, there will be books.”

I have been spending a lot of time pondering these realities as Editor of Mountain Bike Tales because every so often I’m presented with the ideal of turning MBT into a print rag. It’s easy to get swept up into the majesty of turning out a monthly periodical that is simply lacking in a web-only format like we are currently limited to. Then, like always, after a few weeks of fantasizing it comes time to do some number crunching and the expenses involved in publishing a magazine from the ground up becomes stifling enough to snap me back to reality.

It is in these moments of humble realism that I begin to remember why Mountain Bike Tales was designed to be a web magazine in the first place. The key word is community. The print realm is often distanced from its readership in that there is no way to immediately react or respond to the content within. Sure most mags have corresponding web sites but there is always the requisite issue of delay that makes the print mags feel like they’re caught in a time warp. Think back to how often news rifled across the internet months before it appeared in print mags. There is no denying that the web certainly increased the speed in which information could be shared!

Aside from the ability to interact, there were a few other things we appreciated from the get-go. Namely the fact that back issues would always be available at the click of a button. We have kept an up to date archive section from day one and plan to continue this tradition. Every article, test, column, and interview is on file and readily accessible saving the time consuming task of digging through stacks of old magazines. Another benefit to the digital era is that we can be accessed anywhere in the world, 24/7. There is never a need to worry about packing back issues when traveling, or hoping the airport newsstand carries MBT; we’re anywhere a connection exists.

Price is another benefit often overlooked. Not having to run printing presses, purchase paper and ink, or pay to ship a periodical all results in our ability to bring the goods for free. Digital magazines not only cut down on publication expenses, but waste and deforestation as well. Finally if all that weren’t enough, we are only a click away from on the print tab for those who insist on having a hard copy handy. We receive dozens of emails each year from readers who print each bike test and keep them in a binder for reference sake when it comes time to buy a new rig.

Once reacquainted with all of the benefits of being a digital mag, it becomes painfully clear that joining the print realm would pose no real advantages as far as the reader is concerned. Sure advertisers take print publications a lot more seriously despite the fact that websites have exponentially greater potential reach but hey if we were doing this to get rich we would have focused our efforts on pushing worthless internet stock rather than writing about mountain bikes. We’ve been happily plugging along for three years already and plan to make 2007 as momentous as ever. Does this mean you should believe we’ll replace the print magazines as was predicted so many years ago? If you believe that, perhaps we can interest you in some bogus internet stocks…