The future of this forum

[chris42]

I think this forum will be a success because it is being made according to the members' instincts and there's no advertising. I've got nothing against BR now that I'm away from it. It is just that it is looking increasingly irrelevant.

A good point well put

 

[Shaun]

Shaun et al,

This is not a war and if it was this site would not win (victory goes to the big battalions - sad but how it works).

BR are in a mess just now but realistically they are going to get the site sorted soon and then they will have the flow of beginners from the mags and Google to build a new community.

To be honest the negative feel of threads like this is inclining me to go back to BR and try to get it working again. Weird given the circumstances but true.

Oldlegs,

It isn't a war, you're right, and I'm not trying to start one or whip anyone else up into feeling/thinking negatively about BikeRadar.

I've said very little against BR and it will no doubt turn into a good cycling resource, and more than likely recover from the premature merger of the forums.

I've benefitted - my small, quiet, unknown really - forums have suddenly come to life and whilst there may be many who go back to BR once they sort out the forums, I'm hopeful some will stay here - or even keep a foot in both camps.

What struck me though, was the timing and speed of the merger - I feel it was rushed into place to coincide with the TDF - and of course, the ad-money that can be earned from the increased exposure to cycling that the TDF brings.

That made me feel angry and used and that's really why I posted what I did - I felt that Future were trying to cash-in on the forums [and us].

So far though it appears that the BR admin has yet to take action on my request so I may find I'll be staying at BR too anyway! :?:

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[Yorkshireman]

Shaun,
It`s an ill wind etc :?: ...

 

[Arch]

Hang on, hang on, I ain't an Auntie just yet - about 2 weeks to go... The pool just happened to be delivered while I was there (unlike the baby!) Sis and her BF have been to lots of classes, done a lot of research, so they are pretty clued up on what to expect etc.

Very exciting though. First time and all that. I may have to start another thread to ask you parents stuff.

 

[Shaun]

I'm sorry to bitch and moan, it's not something I do very often.

I do think it's time to just get on with it; let BR sort their stuff out [I really wouldn't want to be an admin over there right now!], and we'll sort this place out and I'm sure it'll all settle down just nicely.

Ultimately both sites offer us cyclists somewhere to exchange views and help each other out, and that has definiately got to be a good thing :?:

So ... no more BR bashing, and lets concentrate on making CycleChat the friendly, happy place we all want it to be. :?:

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[chris42]

well said

 

[Andy in Sig]

[quote name='Arch]Hang on' date=' hang on, I ain't an Auntie just yet - about 2 weeks to go... The pool just happened to be delivered while I was there (unlike the baby!) [b']Sis and her BF have been to lots of classes, done a lot of research, so they are pretty clued up on what to expect etc[/b].

Very exciting though. First time and all that. I may have to start another thread to ask you parents stuff.[/quote]

I love the modern world. Humans have been having babies since the first lady H Sapiens paid the price for a night out with too much fermented Yak milk (or similar) and we still feel the need to do the above!

 

[alecstilleyedye]

You'd be surprised at how little some new parents know.

after two kids we thought we knew it all. the third one has shown us otherwise :?:

 

[Unkraut]

[quote name='alecstilleyedye][QUOTE]You'd be surprised at how little some new parents know.[/quote']after two kids we thought we knew it all. the third one has shown us otherwise [/quote]

:?: :?:

 

[Arch]

[quote name='Andy in Sig][quote=Arch]Hang on' date=' hang on, I ain't an Auntie just yet - about 2 weeks to go... The pool just happened to be delivered while I was there (unlike the baby!) [b']Sis and her BF have been to lots of classes, done a lot of research, so they are pretty clued up on what to expect etc[/b].

Very exciting though. First time and all that. I may have to start another thread to ask you parents stuff.[/quote]

I love the modern world. Humans have been having babies since the first lady H Sapiens paid the price for a night out with too much fermented Yak milk (or similar) and we still feel the need to do the above![/quote]

I know. Still, she's having it at home because as she pointed out, hospitals are for sick people, and being pregnant isn't an illness...

I think a lot of the stuff is to do with what's offered - apparently our Mum had pethidin (sp?), which can affect the ability to breastfeed - neither of us were breastfed. The connection is something my sister has learned about, but my Mum never knew (I guess they didn't know back then). So as more and more intervention is possible and offered, a mum-to-be maybe needs to know more in order to make the right, natural decision. Conversely, the natural way becomes 'wrong', as we start to think we know better... Our natural instincts have been somewhat dulled I think.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I'll be learning to be an uncle in a few weeks too, my brother and his wife are having their first. I'm just pleased I'm not going to be the godfather - apparently my job is to show him how to roll his first spliff when he's about sixteen.

 

[frog]

My copy of C+ landed on the mat yesterday and despite the fact I've only thumbed through the first half of it there is an awful lot of push behind the launch BR site. I don't think the launch was timed just for the tour, a mag issue takes about 3 months fom planning to hitting the magazine racks. So, if all that prep had gone into the paper side they were pretty much committed to the week before their mags went on sale.

There must be a few red faces over there but I can't poke fun at them because they're catering for cyclists in their own particular way. It's just their way isn't mine and I feel more comfortable over here.

For my part I say 'Good Luck' to them. A lot of the people I came over with I've been gossipping with , complaining with, supported (both with and by), listening to, etc for the past two years (as frog, and earlier in another guise) so I've come to like them and respect their slant on life.

Perhaps I'm just Villiage People at heart . .

(cue Y M C A it's fun to stay at the . . . ) :?:

 

[Cab]

I gave them a chance, then they managed to turn what I thought was a fairly inocuous complaint into such an issue with their attitude that I'm having nothing further to do with 'em. See:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12536556&start=15

 

[Tim Bennet.]

I think BikeRadar will be a huge success. It's got a broad base of potential customers with plenty of people constantly fed in from the associated website and magazine. I don't think their future is anything to worry about. And what they did to C+ is now history.

However for those not attracted to their offering, we should be more concerned with thinking of ways we can make this alternative succeed and thrive.

One of the criticism of ACF after the previous schism was it was too cliquey and insular leading to a degree of navel gazing. One of the things I liked about C+ was the constant arrival of new people to augment the continuity afforded by the regulars. Are we going to be able to attract a steady supply of new people here or are we too going to become a cozy, if slightly moribund, old folks home?

That's the challenge as I see it in the longer term. But one that seems worth tackling as the structure and management of site does seem quite attractive. Well, at least there doesn't appear to be a requirement to constantly fellate the proprietor's ego as there is on that other cycling forum.

 

[Jaded]

Over 90,000 members of BR have posted fewer than 5 times. Any on-line stats should be taken with a pinch of salt, as should barbed comments from bruised egos.