Decline in Forum usage?

[Ben@Forest]

Look at the thousands who have joined and not stayed very long, many of them never even posting, something in this forum didn't meet their expectations. With a growing number making their way here from Cycling UKs other resources I believe it is time to look at what this forum is and how it can appeal to more people.

Thousands coming on and making one post is not a sign that they are discouraged. I only joined the old forum because I had questions about a long-ish tour I was going to make in 2005. I nearly never posted on it again. I have joined several fora to ask just one or two questions and again, have never gone back. And remember a huge number of people buy bikes and one summer later the bike is at the back of the shed - the number of questions they asked is related to how long they pursued their new hobby.

[Psamathe]

I don't think this issue has ever been “put to bed” It was discussed , no consensus was reached , and business returned to normal.

horizon wrote:
Of the current 20 new posts that come up, 16 are directly related to cycling, two to travel and accommodation and just two to non-cycling subjects (one is Brexit). Although it varies I think that is a fair average....

Three quarters of new posts may well be cycling related but most of them wont go on for 144 pages.


One of the reason that the helmet forum was established was because of the constant recycling of the same arguments, A pretty accurate description of the political threads in the Tea Shop at the moment I'd say.

There's an added dimension with some of the politics. It's not so much concerning opinions, internet forums are meant for the exchange of opinions, but more the subject matter. It's a difficult call and one I'm glad not to make. On the one hand the Tea Shop is for non cycling related subjects but lets not forget, that although it may be run at arms length, it's Cycling UK that pay the rent for this forum. Should it really be a platform for some of the subjects that are aired on here?

I think if people had been interested in and followed the e.g. Brexit thread they would find it actually covers a wide range of subjects - all merged into one thread so that those who are not interested in current affairs can easily ignore it (i.e. not swamp the forum) - informally done as the general request of those who are unable to ignore threads that they are not interested in. (No reason they should be interested in it and no reason why they should follow it - just page count does not mean it is a single subject being discussed).

The difficulty is that there are no "hard lines" in society. From Cycling UK's Articles of Association includes.

1.7 The objects for which the Club is established (the Objects) are to:
...
........1.7.4 promote the conservation and protection of the environment.

And things like our membership of the EU is a significant aspect to that - e.g. consider another (cycling related) thread with a lot of pages about Diesel fumes and air pollution and it is only the EU that seems to be working to improve air quality in the UK (the UK government seems to be strongly resisting actually doing anything about the problems). So should a Cycling orgaisation really be including "promote the conservation and protection of the environment" in its Articles of Association and if it should do people think that it is not Current Affairs related or does not even get Political ... Personally I think it is a reasonable thing for the organisation to include.

The nature of what I feel Cycling UK has evolved into is significantly political - a significant aspect of the aims involve campaigning to politicians for changes of policy and/or using money from politicians (government) to implement policy. That is political - probably %age wise more political than this forum.

Ian

[thirdcrank]

It isn't about how easy it is for me to avoid your posts, or you mine, it's about how this forum appeals to those coming into it.
Look at the thousands who have joined and not stayed very long, many of them never even posting, something in this forum didn't meet their expectations. With a growing number making their way here from Cycling UKs other resources I believe it is time to look at what this forum is and how it can appeal to more people.

I agree with Ben@Forest about people who don't post much. I think there are also people who have only used the forum for something like the sale of a bike, which would previously have been a classified ad in the CTC mag. There are also people, probably not a huge number who just join to let off steam about cyclists spoiling their drive to the coast by not riding single file, as well as the occasional one-time posters who want legal advice about some unlikely event. (Are spammers taken off the members list or simply blocked? Their numbers are much greater than many realise, through the largely unsung efforts of the forum staff/ volunteers to eradicate them before they have the chance to irritate the rest of us. Keep that up, folks. )

As for your last point, the active forum membership is as it is, not what somebody might prefer it to be. I could well imagine that the new-look charity would be better served by a much more youthful demographic on its forum, but experience isn't gained overnight.

[PH]

I agree with Ben@Forest about people who don't post much. I think there are also people who have only used the forum for something like the sale of a bike, which would previously have been a classified ad in the CTC mag. There are also people, probably not a huge number who just join to let off steam about cyclists spoiling their drive to the coast by not riding single file, as well as the occasional one-time posters who want legal advice about some unlikely event.

Well I've met quite a few CTC members who have come and gone, not liking what they've seen. I wouldn't like to guess how many of the thousands that is, it'd be foolish to suggest it's all of them, IMO just as foolish to suggest none or that it doesn't matter.

[thirdcrank]

PH

Even if it's accepted that we've got it wrong - and Burns' To a louse comes to mind - it needs some mechanism for change. [cliché] a shot in the arm, injection of fresh blood, turn over of new leaf, winds of change [/cliché]

What's your plan? Not necessarily on the back of an envelope.

PS I was thinking of this bit:-

O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion:
What airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us,
An' ev'n devotion!

PPS I think my earlier reply to the OP a fellow septuagenarian suggests that some of the more traditional membership has already gone, so one pre-requisite is underway.

[mercalia]

PH

Even if it's accepted that we've got it wrong - and Burns' To a louse comes to mind - it needs some mechanism for change. [cliché] a shot in the arm, injection of fresh blood, turn over of new leaf, winds of change [/cliché]

What's your plan? Not necessarily on the back of an envelope.

PS I was thinking of this bit:-

O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion:
What airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us,
An' ev'n devotion!

PPS I think my earlier reply to the OP a fellow septuagenarian suggests that some of the more traditional membership has already gone, so one pre-requisite is underway.

translation pls of that foreign language

[thirdcrank]

translation pls of that foreign language

Just for you:-

O would some power give us the gift of seeing ourselves as others see us. It would free us from many a blunder and foolish notion. What airs in dress and gait would leave us, and even devotion.

[hondated]

Interesting discussion and I still enjoying coming on here. In the main I think we are all polite to each other even when we disagree. I would like to think that if any of us live near enough to help another forum member we would. So that makes us friends doesn't it !
I thought the analogy of us being like R4 was a good one as I feel Cyclechat is like R2.
The difference being to me is that CC is more " fluffy " and by that I mean more light hearted and far less intense. Perhaps another analogy called be this forum is a broad sheet where you can get all the facts rather than a redtop which are mostly full of innuendoes and gossip which of cause can be very entertaining. Ok one more analogy for us old ones Eagle or Beano and for the ladies Bunty or Jackie.
A good example of the difference is CC café section they have numerous contributions on where did you ride today section ( that's as near as I can remember what it is called ) full of details and photographs of their rides. To me that makes very interesting reading as does CGOAB which to me is worth even paying a modest subscription to as Neil needs to make a living from it.
What I also like about CC is that a number of its members actually get to ride out together. Sadly one of its members suddenly died " Pieman" Vernon and members met in a local park to remember him shortly after. Some tribute indeed.
By what I understand after contacting one of its creators I think many of the members live in the same vicinity so that of cause helps but perhaps just these couple of facts give an indication to the OP question and it is there are friendlier and more entertaining cycling forums.
Perhaps someone could also tell me when we too have paid tribute to a former forum member !

[thirdcrank]

Vernon used to be a member on here and he was particularly encouraging if somebody with a weight problem posted for advice.

I also remember one of the recurring threads about taking care descending from Greenhow Hill into Pateley Bridge and IIRC, he recounted pulling so hard on his brakes he dislodged his handlebars.

Here's a thread about vernon, including a note from his neighbour notifying us of his death.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=15851

Here's the Greenhow post, although it was hitting a bump that dislodged his bars. It's a typical post about climbing for those built for comfort rather than speed

viewtopic.php?p=85527#p85527

[hamish]

I expect forum usage has declined as the diversity of media types has increased - like dedicated special interest websites, social media, etc.

I still find this forum really useful and informative. It's quality is dependent on the quality of the posters and luckily we have some really good contributors - more than on many forums. But maybe it would only take the loss of a few of them to impact on the overall quality of the information.

I also use the seakayakguidebook forum for my sea kayaking interests and that is very similar- excellent quality and lots of useful info. I use it less these days as my interests have changed but it is still excellent. It is interesting to bump into one of the main posters from that forum when camped on a remote island.... Both that and this forum have shaped the way in which the respective activities have developed in the UK. In other words you can almost tell by looking at the way a kayak or bike is set up that the owner reads the forum!

I don't post that much myself - mainly because I guess I am not sure my posts are that interesting and my touring interests are a bit off road orientated at the moment ..... on my beloved Pugsley. But if everyone stays as a lurker the forum will die. So maybe I should make more of an effort.

I find the Tea room a bit stressful so don't go there that often.

[speedsixdave]

I think this is a cracking forum and I would hope that its quality is not measured solely by the number of active posters at any given time. As a resource for information (especially technical) I think it must rank close behind the sainted Sheldon Brown.

I'd consider myself an active user of this forum but I've posted just less than 600 posts in ten years, which is 60 a year or five per month. I have no idea whether that is statistically above or below average for the forum. Clearly it is few compared to MickF or Brucey or TC or Reohn but I feel fully engaged and part of the community.

Perception is mostly perception!

Here's to the next ten years,

Dave

[Mistik-ka]

Not having been here during The Good Old Days (whenever that was), I have no observation on a decline in the fora of what Mrs. M-k and I stubbornly refer to as "the CTC website".

We stumbled on the site five years ago when doing research for our first trans-Atlantic tandem tour of Darkest England, and we found it a useful source for both specific and general information. We also found a generally jovial and frequently very knowledgeable bunch of people with an interest in cycling … and many other topics. I came for the information and stayed for the company.

Three years later we planned another British tour and got a lot of personal suggestions from the forum. Although it's likely to be two or three years between our British adventures I visit the fora daily for at least a quick look at what's being discussed. I'm a grown-up, and quite capable of slipping away from any conversation in which I have no interest. I post when I've got something to contribute, which may not be that often. I only discovered The Tea Shop last year; sometimes the topics don't have much interest for me in far-off Canada, but often I learn a lot about life in Britain, or just life (And when the topic turned to snow shovels, I was on home turf!)

For me these fora are an opportunity to drop in at 'the local' for a pint and a bit of crack with chums. I'm glad to see that The Local is still in business, and I'm grateful to those chums for keeping the place open and a fire burning in the grate.

[Airsporter1st]

I'm a relatively new member and an infrequent poster - mainly because I'm a relatively new returnee to cycling and so don't have a lot to offer.

However, I am a member of another forum on air guns and believe me, cyclinguk is a far nicer place to frequent. You would think that with the sport under threat as a result of heightened awareness of all forms of gun misuse, that the members would all pull together, but I have never encountered such a fractious bunch.

It is a pleasant relief to browse cyclinguk's pages. Long may it continue.

[hondated]

Vernon used to be a member on here and he was particularly encouraging if somebody with a weight problem posted for advice.

I also remember one of the recurring threads about taking care descending from Greenhow Hill into Pateley Bridge and IIRC, he recounted pulling so hard on his brakes he dislodged his handlebars.

Here's a thread about vernon, including a note from his neighbour notifying us of his death.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=15851

Here's the Greenhow post, although it was hitting a bump that dislodged his bars. It's a typical post about climbing for those built for comfort rather than speed

viewtopic.php?p=85527#p85527

Thanks TC Vernon seems to have been quite a character and he I am sure has left his mark on those he met or taught.

[ambodach]

I have been lurking around this forum for some time now and sometimes post if there is anything useful I can contribute. Posts that have no relevance to me directly can be useful sometimes but I mostly ignore the political and religious themes unless I feel there are misconceptions regarding say Scottish politics. Since Thirdcrank seems able to understand Burns language there is no reason for others of a foreign persuasion to do so. Perhaps we should have a translation for Englishspeak when it appears. This also applies to those who confuse Britain and England.
On the whole being generally fairly easy going I have no real complaints about the forum as it is. Inevitably it will change as the older generation die off. Not going to bother me!