How well known is cyclechat outside of the cyclechat community?

[FishFright]

he claimed to have not heard of it!

Chuckle

 

[Blue Hills]

They didn't really went- they had a (mini) mass exodus also (following the 2008 smiley wars) to an alternative site hosted by a couple of the members. 5000-ish members and I still post there when I want DIY advice or when I've seen an interesting or unusual boat. Also to post pictures of my cat.

Don't know about the smiley wars but the another cycling forum place got wierd. I found it very nice and educational but got kicked off twice for the apparently terrible crime of not posting enough. Its successor got very poisonous - I well remember the notorious Victoria Pendleton thread of hypocrisy/black comedy where the offendor was one of the mods! After that I pretty much departed to the land of sanity but like you post for DIY tips, where folk are very helpful. And there are some nice helpful folk on tech and gps issues. Avoid the politics bit if you don't want to be sucked into the tiny tiny vortex.

 

[Drago]

I'm not on any other cycling forums. I'm a CUK member but don't frequent theirs - their forum makes our politics forum seem like nuns cuddling puppies and orphans in comparison.

 

[fatjel]

I was a member of a club when I lived in Kent , entirely for social fun rides as I knew nobody when I moved there.
Out of 50 or 60 I rode with regularly only one ever posted here and he seems not to these days
The club forum was just not used.
So maybe the two rarely mix..

Perhaps its cos I am a computer nerd who cycles

I thought BC was for racers and discounts

 

[Levo-Lon]

I discovered Cycle Chat via an mtb forum.
One of the members kept copy pasting odd threads where he'd had arguments with some members.
Politics ect ... He left CC as most do after they realize its very left biased..and nasty, though compared to some forums its tame.

If you google cycling forums there's a few comments relating to CC being a troll forum.
I'm not sure this is the case so much now but i think it used to be.

I've never seen a CC jersey while out and about ?
I dont have any interest in a cycling club ,so a forum works for me if i need any help with cycling needs.

 

[Blue Hills]

I think you are having your perceptions proved meta.

It has got better, far better, despite the efforts of some, of late though.

I think I discovered cyclechat through a top sported by the blue one and have stuck around despite some undoubted nastiness and, yes, trolling at times, because it is genuinely useful and there are some nice helpful folk.

I do find that most folk are unaware of it, or other forums, even folk who are clearly very keen cyclists.

Re the top which brought me here, I'm not usually one for "branded" tops but must say that I don"t really like the design of the top. Time for a classier more subtle redesign?

So i stick with cyclechat. May it continue to prosper and be healthy so that I can recommend it to folk without worrying that I am sending them to the quicksand/cesspit.

Declaration - am a liberal leftie but old enough to know how that can be misused.

 

[I like Skol]

……. and getting back on topic. What all/some of this excursion shows is that cyclechat is discussed outside of cyclechat and people are not just led here by google.

Unless I am mistaken, British Cycling is at an advantage as it is, at least partly, a government funded and endorsed body and linked to the UK Olympic and national cycling sport teams. They are the 'official' face of UK cycling? Surely they are failing their remit (if it is indeed part of their reasons for existence) to increase cycling participation if they fail to engage with modern/current forms of cycling communication & discussion but instead cling stubbornly to a dated and rigid club framework that goes back many decades but actually alienates and discourages many would be cyclists from getting involved or having a go?

 

[TVC]

I discovered Cycle Chat via an mtb forum.
One of the members kept copy pasting odd threads where he'd had arguments with some members.
Politics ect ... He left CC as most do after they realize its very left biased..and nasty, though compared to some forums its tame.

If you google cycling forums there's a few comments relating to CC being a troll forum.
I'm not sure this is the case so much now but i think it used to be.

I've never seen a CC jersey while out and about ?
I dont have any interest in a cycling club ,so a forum works for me if i need any help with cycling needs.

Any examples?

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I've been here since 2007 when I was laid up after a crash, and have been here since, I've done some forum rides and met some members. I'm also an ex club rider, a member of YACF, and on facebook, I joined YACF just after I joined here. This place has mellowed over the years. But as others have found, I've noticed this place isn't well known out in the wide world.

 

[Drago]

I used to be a lurker on YACF, but not A member. Last year I watched as a new member signed up, and in their introductory post unfortunately mentioned they were a member of CUK. Cue Phlip Bedstead, who let forth a tirade at the poor feller over CUK. The blokes second and final post was to tell him to Foxtrot Oscar, and ask that his newly created account be deleted. That put me off even lurking there, so CC is now my only online cycling presence.

 

[I like Skol]

That put me off even lurking there, so CC is now my only online cycling presence.

I remember when we nearly got shut of you but some muppet called you back Beetlejuice style @Drago @Drago @Drago! I hope whoever it was are proud of themselves for that.....

 

[ianrauk]

I think I discovered cyclechat through a top sported by the blue one
Re the top which brought me here, I'm not usually one for "branded" tops but must say that I don"t really like the design of the top. Time for a classier more subtle redesign?

There's been 3 Cycle Chat Jersey designs.
The first one was blue with a black variation (such fine figures of men here)

The second one was a darker blue

The third (latest) more blue

I still have one of each the original blue and black ones. They are my main commuting tops.

 

[I like Skol]

I discovered Cycle Chat via an mtb forum.
One of the members kept copy pasting odd threads where he'd had arguments with some members.
Politics ect ... He left CC as most do after they realize its very left biased..and nasty, though compared to some forums its tame.

If you google cycling forums there's a few comments relating to CC being a troll forum.
I'm not sure this is the case so much now but i think it used to be.

I've never seen a CC jersey while out and about ?
I dont have any interest in a cycling club ,so a forum works for me if i need any help with cycling needs.

Any examples?

I couldn't resist....

https://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?32836-Cycling-forums which suggests trying the other hit from google - www.londoncyclist.co.uk/10-best-cycling-forums which strangely fails to list cyclechat in its 'top 10' but this is corrected in the comments following the list, including recent comments from current cyclechat members....

Most of the forums receive praise and criticism so it is unfair to mention cyclechat as being singularly mentioned as a troll, abusive or disagreeable environment.

 

[Drago]

I remember when we nearly got shut of you but some muppet called you back Beetlejuice style @Drago @Drago @Drago! I hope whoever it was are proud of themselves for that.....

I cannot tell a lie. It was my old buddy User.

 

[smutchin]

Most of the forums receive praise and criticism so it is unfair to mention cyclechat as being singularly mentioned as a troll, abusive or disagreeable environment.

The comments on that coffee forum suggest CC is perceived somewhat differently by outsiders than how certain CC members imagine.