Behind the Cover of the Beta Spring ’22 Issue
Steve Vanderhoek by Dave Smith
The first issue of Beta’s second volume is out now—and, at 132 pages, it’s meatier than before, packed with columns, profiles, feature stories, and a huge section devoted to the craft of trailbuilding. Leading it all off is longtime North Vancouver-based photographer Dave Smith, with his image of North Shore mainstay rider Steve Vanderhoek, a photo that may seem unconventional for the cover, but one that perfectly captures the spirit of the issue: “In Good Company.”
 | How can things change so much and yet remain the same? The question of permanence is something that is imbued into the trails and the mountain biking community in North Vancouver. Every day, newer and more aggressive trails are built over the mossy remains of once-famous artifacts. Or old trails are rerouted to find faster lines. But the dark, brooding nature of the Shore remains. Carried forward by improvements in bike technology and inspired by history, riders like Steve Vanderhoek—who grew up riding the North Shore’s rough and tumble trails—are now speeding in a new age of mountain biking. While I document these riders, I’m often reminded that the defining features of the trails may change, but they’re still just as challenging as they’ve ever been. As if to underscore that sentiment, tattooed onto the digits of Steve’s right hand are the lucky charms he carries with him while riding every white-knuckle chute and monstrous rock feature that he’s punched into the landscape. To him, these simple lines of ink are personal reminders of his passion for mountain biking. And for us, at this ever-changing intersection, they serve to remind that the North Shore is forever the Shore. Shrouded in mist, the trails continue to leave a permanent mark on those that ride these mountains. |
Beta is available on newsstands in the U.S. and Canada at Barnes & Noble, Raley’s and Indigo. The quarterly print issue is available for U.S. residents who have a Beta Pass or Outside+ membership. There's an international print option in the works, and details will be announced in the coming days, but in the meantime, all members have access to a digital version of the magazine as well as the full archive from 2021. More details on membership subscriptions here.
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@lkubica we have options for international print shipping being announced in the next week or two.
Also, the filter doesn't seem to work past the first page or so, if you're going back to check out what articles one might've missed.
I would hazard to guess the people who went all the way out of their way to find the (relatively) hard to find profile option to filter out a newsfeed for Beta stuff are the same people who actually don't like Beta content in general. I mean... When you think of the prices and what not you have to presume there's a bigger reason. We are in a community where people are paying 5k for aluminum bikes or 15k for carbon electric bikes. It's gotta be more than a money issue. It's the content itself.
And the reality is the same people who say "if you dont like beta content just dont click on it and/or ignore it" are offering no more valid advice or criticism then the people who say "i dont like the beta content and I wish for my pinkbike experience to be clean and void of it".
My issue is more a logical thing. I thought the filter was for any Beta posts. So, to then see a Beta post after going out of my way to filter it out I feel like the filter setting had a problem. Like I had just presumed it was incorrectly tagged on accident and 'slipped through'.
The Beta posts are still going to get to a LARGE portion of PB users because the LARGE majority don't care, and then there's the sadomasochistic community who refuse to filter it out but actively want to bring it up in the comments as much as possible cuz it makes them feel good inside. Me personally, I just want website functions to work as I assumed they intended. (Former web designer sounds intensify)
HI mate. Just saw your mention of international print shipping? I am hoping it includes Australia as, if so, I will be the first Outside+ Aussie member to sign up for it! Cheers, JW
@brianpark there's nothing wrong with beta content, I was a bit against the changes early but beta has good stuff. I dont subscribe but I see value in it and I definately see value in a free print version with 132 pages of MTB content.
I cant see what the problem is here - the two media (one free and paid for wholly by advertising, and the other paid for advertising and subscribers) occupy different places in the media world — they offer different content, different types of stories, and a different experience (one looking at a screen, the other a physical item held in your hand).
We are at a point where making a living as a freelance contributor (you know, we people that have filled the mtb media with interesting stories for decades) is almost impossible thanks to the low rates offered by online media (due to ad spend being spread too thinly across hundreds of online media), and the fact that the world now expects endless free content. But we have to ask who pays for that content to be produced in any quality way, or do we just settle for brand-backed content that is shared across every platform?
I for one am super chuffed (or 'stoked') to be working with Beta - they have given over serious space in this latest issue to my story that could never go into such depth online on a site like PB.
We are what we make, so we need to be careful about the beast we are creating by our choices. In years to come, I wonder if we will be lamenting the absence of deeper, thoughtful, inspiring stories after insisting that we want everything for free.