Who Still Takes A Peek At BR?

[Oldlegs]

I am still going back for the race (TdF) threads.

 

[Yorkshireman]

I have a pedal in both camps as there is no axe to grind. (How about that for a cycling mixed metaphor?)

Be friends. Life is too short to be upset about a web forum.
(Ok - so we will not be visiting that iffy MTB section but...)

Same here, it's a forum for cyclists (as is this one, acf, CTC and one or two others I visit). I like a bit of variety (also known as being a 'Forum Tart'). Different places - Different flavours .

 

[Arch]

However, right now they have 114 users on line and there are less than 20 here. This often seems to be the case ie approaching 10:1.

I know there's more to stats than just stats ( ) but this kind of numbers disparity suggests to me that maybe those of us who think this is a better forum need to work a bit harder to keep critical mass.

Yeah, but 114 yoofs going on about "radical" MTBs as opposed to 20 erudite raconteurs talking about... oh... girls in lycra...

I'm not worried about the numbers. This place will continue to grow now, perhaps a little more slowly than in the last week or so, but I'm confident that it will keep turning over nicely...

I went back to have a look at BR yesterday, looked at a couple of threads, but haven't posted, and probably won't again. I really only want one forum, and this is it. Apart from Velovision that is. So two forums. But that's it!

 

[Paulus]

Iv'e been back once but only to look. I still didn't like what i saw and probably won't be going back again.

 

[gbyers]

However, right now they have 114 users on line and there are less than 20 here. This often seems to be the case ie approaching 10:1.

I know there's more to stats than just stats ( ) but this kind of numbers disparity suggests to me that maybe those of us who think this is a better forum need to work a bit harder to keep critical mass.

Yeah, but 114 yoofs going on about "radical" MTBs as opposed to 20 erudite raconteurs talking about... oh... girls in lycra...

I'm not worried about the numbers. This place will continue to grow now, perhaps a little more slowly than in the last week or so, but I'm confident that it will keep turning over nicely...

I went back to have a look at BR yesterday, looked at a couple of threads, but haven't posted, and probably won't again. I really only want one forum, and this is it. Apart from Velovision that is. So two forums. But that's it!

The yoofs probably think erudite is a strong adhesive

You're right, quality wins over quantity.

 

[barq]

My prediction for BR would be that the more dominant groups (rad MTBers*) will become even more dominant with time and that many more of the C+ lot will leave for elsewhere. I think people like to be in online communities where there are clear accepted norms. That's all up in the air at the moment because C+ and WMB (for example) were very different beasts.

Now I've got that out the way, I have noticed instances of extremely good technical debate on BR. Someone asked a fairly basic question about what makes a wheel strong and suddenly people pitched in with the most informed discussion of spoke tension I've seen outside of Jobst Brandt's book! Now a few more threads like that could see me popping back. From the social perspective there isn't much to keep me there now I've found this place.

 

[Fnaar]

I've given up on it. This forum provides me with my cycling/innuendo needs!
In fact you could say that it helps me fettle my bottom bracket!

 

[Yorkshireman]

My prediction for BR would be that the more dominant groups (rad MTBers*) will become even more dominant with time and that many more of the C+ lot will leave for elsewhere. I think people like to be in online communities where there are clear accepted norms. That's all up in the air at the moment because C+ and WMB (for example) were very different beasts.

Now I've got that out the way, I have noticed instances of extremely good technical debate on BR. Someone asked a fairly basic question about what makes a wheel strong and suddenly people pitched in with the most informed discussion of spoke tension I've seen outside of Jobst Brandt's book! Now a few more threads like that could see me popping back. From the social perspective there isn't much to keep me there now I've found this place.

Plenty of information (a bit 'forthright' at times) on such topics on rec.bicycles.tech (on Newsgroups) including Jobst himself.

 

[ajevans]

I occasionally have a look, but most of the road sections seem pretty dead.
The place is infested with annoying MTB'ers with an axe to grind against roadiers, and even one of their moderators (Nick Louse) comes across more like a troll.

 

[Steve Austin]

I keep looking, but its deserted. I rather not chat with the same folk who decided to close the forum anyway.
Way too many new folk posting for my liking and i don't want to be a part of spoof threads

 

[mosschops2]

I post there - once a day tops.

Mainly as this place is still pretty quiet too....

I'm spending about 30 mins a day between here and there max - probably a quarter of the time I spent at C+.....

 

[Yorkshireman]

I occasionally have a look, but most of the road sections seem pretty dead.
The place is infested with annoying MTB'ers with an axe to grind against roadiers, and even one of their moderators (Nick Louse) comes across more like a troll.

Well of course it's pretty dead ... A lot of C+ are posting here and not there. The MTB lot seem to be mostly sticking to their bit now the novelty has worn off a bit (I think Patrick goes there a bit with a 'pointy stick' ), and NickLouse is just a bit grumpy at times (he will have a laugh at times though :-
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12536765&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 , TT, Mr Paul, myself and a few others keep posting the odd bit there, so ... .

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

I occasionally have a look, but most of the road sections seem pretty dead.
The place is infested with annoying MTB'ers with an axe to grind against roadiers, and even one of their moderators (Nick Louse) comes across more like a troll.

I think someone took him up on his signature re creating trails and he's been a bit twitchy since.

 

[barq]

Plenty of information (a bit 'forthright' at times) on such topics on rec.bicycles.tech (on Newsgroups) including Jobst himself.

Yep, a great resource and yes the great wheel-man and I have conversed there. I remember the first time he replied to me was within about seven minutes with the absolutely definitive answer Anyway I don't mind it being forthright, but then again I don't use it socially so perhaps that aspect doesn't matter so much. To be honest I probably will pop back to BR for very specific mechanical advice - that said some of the mechanical gurus are also present here so time will tell...

[edit] most of the road sections seem pretty dead.
The place is infested with annoying MTB'ers with an axe to grind against roadiers, and even one of their moderators (Nick Louse) comes across more like a troll.

I'm an MTB'er, but what you have described is pretty much the reason I left a certain MTB forum in favour of a now greatly missed roadie forum. I may ride full-suspension, 26", knobbly tyres, etc... but frankly I have more in common with roadies. Besides, what with cycling to trail heads and commuting, most of my riding is road based.

 

[Chuffy]

The place is infested with annoying MTB'ers with an axe to grind against roadiers, and even one of their moderators (Nick Louse) comes across more like a troll.

That's why I don't even look over there any more. I got fed up with any criticism of the layout being met, eventually, with a barrage of 'you roadie/c+ lot are all snobs and think you're better than us' etc. Not to mention the FHM/lad mag tendencies of a number of the MBUK crew. One of them mistook me for a lesbian. I poked him with a pointy stick and let him wallow in his crass assumptions. I got a barrage of abuse in return, 'you fat middle-aged lesbo' being one that sticks in the mind. According to his mates on there he's a really nice bloke, honestly. Hurling homophobic and sexist abuse at a complete stranger? Yeah, what a lovely bloke.
God forbid that anyone should comment on Nicklouse's chronic lack of charm either.
Like barq says, it looks as if the MBUK lot will eventually dominate the entire board by sheer weight of numbers. Quite a few of them seem to have a real anti-roadie chip on their shoulders which was never reciprocated by the C+ crowd. C+ was a roadie forum but attracted loads of people who rode other styles too. I suspect that the predominant group on the MBUK forum was people who rode bikes, sure, but never on the road and to the exclusion of any other style.