Mountain Bike Action’s Manfred Strnad on the popularity of mountain biking in the Czech Republic
In this week’s Czech Life, we talk to Manfred Strnad, the editor-in-chief of the Czech edition of Mountain Bike Action (MBA). Discussed in our interview is the decades-old debate on the best frame material, if and how to get your child started in competitive cycling, and some of the best spots to ride in the Czech Republic.
“If you live in Prague, the closest mountains are just an hour and a half, at most away, so many people load up their bikes and head out at the weekends. It is very different from something like America: for us one hour-and-a-half is a long trip while in the States a day by car is a long trip. So it’s easy to get away. I personally try and get away at weekends with a group of friends and we often spend our time on trials, practicing our skills and so on.”
The magazine often highlights great rides around the world, including in the US: how would you describe the kind of quintessential Czech mountain biking experience? Is there a lot of singletrack available now?
“I would say there is quite a lot, some sections can be very technical. The area I know best is in north Bohemia, Nové Město pod Smrkem, Singltrek pod Smrkem. That is a very nice area near Libverda Spa, and it is definitely good for a very nice weekend and some excellent riding. Some parts are technical but there are also parts which are quite flat.”
The Czech edition of Mountain Bike Action was first launched in 2013 and experienced a significant crisis in the first year when it appeared it would shut down after only a handful or so of issues; the crisis was averted and the magazine did not fold. How did it survive that critical junction?
“If you live in Prague, the closest mountains are just an hour and a half away, so many people load up their bikes and head out at the weekends.”
“I don’t know all of the details of what came before, I wasn’t the editor-in-chief then, but the key thing is that the magazine came under a new publisher. But I wasn’t a part of the first era.”
Is it difficult to attract enough advertising revenue? I imagine that must have been part of the problem, to expand the readership and to get enough advertising… We are living in a time when many people online have gotten used to, or feel entitled, to free information, so it must be difficult in general to publish a hard copy magazine…
“Of course, it isn’t easy. Our situation though has improved considerably. Judging from our last issue, we have seen a 40 percent rise in the readership compared to the same period last year. So my feeling is that things have improved and will continue to do so, although it is always a struggle.”
A lot of enthusiasts are familiar with Mountain Bike Action: what kind of a brand is it? Or how does it compare to other cycling magazines?
“The brand is important of course but more important is what the readers find inside. The first time you buy it may be because of the brand but what keeps readers coming back is what is inside. We combine material from the American edition with original content. It is the same, for example, for the Italian edition.”
What percentage is original Czech content?
That includes interviews, profiles, event coverage, trends… what about tests? Are those translated from English or do you also do your own?
“We also do our own. But a large part of the focus is on local interviews and profiles of riders or people in the bike business here. It was not the case in previous years: the content was too concentrated on technical articles. There is no point in reproducing catalogues full of technical specs which you can pick up free in bike shops. There has to be more than that in what is a fairly expensive magazine.”
To what degree does the magazine follow the racing scene and do you have a presence at events?
“We do cover the scene of course and we are a presence. We will usually have a tent up or a stand. Some of my colleagues or contributors also compete – I compete at the veteran level, albeit in road racing, not mountain biking, so we are present at the races.”
What age would you consider ideal for a child or young person to become more deeply involved in cycling, competitively? I ask, because the general trend these days seems to be, more and more towards specialization and to start as early as possible in whatever sport: football, gymnastics, dance…
“I think that if a child specializes in a single sport too early, it is a mistake and generations of trainers know it.”
“It is highly individual but I would say it is important for kids to try as many different sports as possible, long before they settle on any one thing. Parents should be able to see what they are interested in, what is right for them, maybe from the age of ten. I think that if a child specializes too much, it is a mistake and generations of trainers know it. It’s a mistake. Somebody may be a ‘star’ at the age of 15 and at 25 nobody remembers who they were. It happens very often. So, I’d say it is important to do more different sports.”
As a parent I agree with you: not to be overly critical but it happens that you run across parents who want their child to be the next Messi, the next Indurain, the next Jágr, and frankly, it sometimes feels lie they are trying to make up for their own unrealized opportunities and the expectations can be unrealistic.
“The next Roger Federer… yes, I agree.”
In terms of competition, does MBA have a lot in the Czech Republic?
“There are some of course: every magazine has to find its own path.”
To what degree are issues themed? Would you have, for example, devoted to just adventure cycling?
“Every issue has an overriding theme. The season is just beginning so the latest issue coming out is largely, but not just, focused on helmets.”
If we come back to the sort of technical aspects: when mountain biking and mountain bike design were newer, I am thinking the early ’90s, all the rage was endless debate over what was the best material. It was always a debate whether steel, aluminium, carbon or a mix. Is that debate still alive and well today?
“Steel still has its many fans, especially in road cycling: there are some races in northern Italy, for example, where ONLY steel frames are allowed.”
“It still comes down to preferable preference but from my perspective the material of choice, if not the most affordable, is carbon fibre. That said, aluminium frames are not ‘dead’. And steel, steel is a material of the past. But steel still has its many fans, especially in road cycling: there are some road races in northern Italy, for example, where ONLY steel frames are allowed. For me though, carbon is the material of today.”
A final question: to what degree is it important for a magazine like this one to have an online presence? I guess it’s important to promote the ‘experience’ if you can’t be there yourself?
“Of course, and to that end we feature videos, for example, as a kind of centerpiece.”
