Mountain Biking - Whats wrong with the forum?

Anyone else noticed a significant down turn in activity in this forum recently? Not only do we have a reduced number of threads, but the ones that are popping up are repetative and frankly, hardly worth the read most of the time. Concurrently I've noticed reduced participation from some of the more knowledgable members of the forum. In thier place I've noticed many posters that although know some stuff, are hardly the oracles of wisdom they are passing themselves off as.

Im tired of people that really dont know one way or another, but just regurgitate what they have heard from someone that does know. I get sick of people giving advice on components and bikes that they have never used or ridden. Classic example is gastros juicy 5 thread. "My mate said he knew a guy that had this problem" does not constitute first hand knowledge.

I hope this is just a temporary lull. Maybe everyone is just out riding, but if this current trend continues we are going to lose more and more members to the point where this forum is but a shadow of its former self.

no..............................i just joined, seems great!

I took about a year hiatus, because I got tired of "what bike should I get" threads. I'm still on sporatically, but it's still about the same, just my tolerance is better.

yeah, i've noticed the same thing.

I took about a year hiatus, because I got tired of "what bike should I get" threads. I'm still on sporatically, but it's still about the same, just my tolerance is better.
I'm sick of "which bike is the best", "which pedal is the best". I, by no means am one of the knowledgable members in this forum, but I don't post here nearly as much as before. All the threads just simply don't seem worth it.

Definitely was better when I first joined - I got great advice all of the time - must admit recently asked a few questions and knew the replier knew less than I.... I am just about to ask on a problem that just popped up so let's see what happens...

Anyone else noticed a significant down turn in activity in this forum recently? Not only do we have a reduced number of threads, but the ones that are popping up are repetative and frankly, hardly worth the read most of the time. Concurrently I've noticed reduced participation from some of the more knowledgable members of the forum. In thier place I've noticed many posters that although know some stuff, are hardly the oracles of wisdom they are passing themselves off as.

Im tired of people that really dont know one way or another, but just regurgitate what they have heard from someone that does know. I get sick of people giving advice on components and bikes that they have never used or ridden. Classic example is gastros juicy 5 thread. "My mate said he knew a guy that had this problem" does not constitute first hand knowledge.

I hope this is just a temporary lull. Maybe everyone is just out riding, but if this current trend continues we are going to lose more and more members to the point where this forum is but a shadow of its former self.
sorry, i am guilty of the above :(

i can ease up.

I can't believe im typing this, but....

I want Raiyn back :eek:

Another example of this forum going down the pan is MX599 doesn't even change his 'flavour of the month' anymore - when I first joined I always couldn't wait for the month to end to see who was next months flavour...!!?? just no effort anymore...

I just got a Road bike - think I will go and see what they are talking about.....

Another example of this forum going down the pan is MX599 doesn't even change his 'flavour of the month' anymore - when I first joined I always couldn't wait for the month to end to see who was next months flavour...!!?? just no effort anymore...

I just got a Road bike - think I will go and see what they are talking about.....
:(

i just can't do anything right. i agree, what's their faces are played out. duly noted....

I can't believe im typing this, but....

I want Raiyn back :eek:

Don't we all...he really helped keep the forum in line.

Personally I think that the forum is just in a rut, from what I can remember it happens every once in a while.

Don't we all...he really helped keep the forum in line.

Personally I think that the forum is just in a rut, from what I can remember it happens every once in a while.


I don't. I found him to be a constant pain in the azz. I've been on these forums for almost 3 years on an almost daily basis and I am constantly puzzled by the senior members who fail to understand the need for such posts as "what bike to get."

I was new here one time and had the same sort of questions. I fully appreciated the helpful people who gave me advice. I have learned a lot since then but that doesn't translate into me thinking nobody else should ask similar questions.

I don't. I found him to be a constant pain in the azz. I've been on these forums for almost 3 years on an almost daily basis and I am constantly puzzled by the senior members who fail to understand the need for such posts as "what bike to get."

Well yeah everyone has to start somewhere...heck I was riding a Wally World bike for ages. I'm just saying that it is a tad annoying seeing 4 or 5 of "what bike should I get" threads. What Raiyn did was help remind them of the search function and just helped keep the whole place in check...sure he was harsh sometimes but it worked didn't it?

I don't. I found him to be a constant pain in the azz. I've been on these forums for almost 3 years on an almost daily basis and I am constantly puzzled by the senior members who fail to understand the need for such posts as "what bike to get."

I was new here one time and had the same sort of questions. I fully appreciated the helpful people who gave me advice. I have learned a lot since then but that doesn't translate into me thinking nobody else should ask similar questions.
I agree with both comments. Raiyn came off sounding like a tool 98% of the time. I don't mind the same questions being asked more than a couple times, because every once in a while a new piece of wisdom will be posted.

On the other hand, I wish the more specific technical questions would get more responses. It bothers me that a "Roadies are pricks" thread always gets 50 responses, while a legitimate question might get only a few responses and go unanswered.

On the other hand, I wish the more specific technical questions would get more responses.

+1

Yeah I notice that also.

Ah it happens. I guess my Talus upgrade thread fell loosely under what components are best.

It jsut bugs me when people don't show any evidence of reading up on the subject at all. Bicycles are not a techincal machine...for that go read up on technical issues with mag-lev waterpumps when used with high viscosity fluids in a pressurized loop condition. That one component is a bigger pain in the rump than any bike on the market short of the CVT equipped Honda RN-01....and that is not a commercially availible bike, so it doesn't count :)

I've noticed this with two other big forums that I visit, the quality of the threads seems to be going down, before I'd reply to much more threads but now my posts per day has probably dropped to about a 10th of what it was before.

I have no beef with the "which bike should i get" threads. I had a couple of those when i first joined too.

Its just more of a general decline across the forum ive noticed.

I have no beef with the "which bike should i get" threads. I had a couple of those when i first joined too.

Its just more of a general decline across the forum ive noticed.
Exactly, same here. Maybe it's just me that I've gotten to a point where I don't find threads interesting because I've learnt as much as possible on those subjects and therefore lose interest in the new threads about them, dunno. I'll be taking a 6 week break from the PC since I'm on holiday and won't have a computer, maybe that'll help somewhat.

I really like the great pics in the ride reports. The pics that Never post are awsome. Wannagetgood also put up some good pics the other day. I know a lot of people are out riding,it nice to see the different areas folks ride.

It is summer, it is a long (if you take today off) holiday weekend and the TdF just started. For the life of me I don't know why I am posting here.

That is why the MTBR forums are for...

I noticed that too Flak, the board seems so inactive and little of what it was when I joined (and I joined in January which wasn't too long ago)

The best times were right around when mx599 had keira as his avatar.

The forums aren't at peak activity in the summer because people are busier. It happens with tv too! All the bad shows are on in the summer :D

And did Raiyn leave? Was there a reason or did he just stop coming?

I want Raiyn back
+1!!

I feel the problem is, that everyone just needs to get out there and ride.

Some of the arrogance and ignorance have made me frequent this forum even less then before.

Some of the arrogance and ignorance have made me frequent this forum even less then before.

You too?

Don't know about everyone else but I've just been busy with work, family and riding. That really puts a damper on the amount that I post during the Summer months. Some people may count this as a blessing though. :o

Plus it really bothers me when people that have no real world experience post answers because it is something that they "heard about" or "read about" or know of a friend of a friend's first cousin's baby's momma having experience with it. Sometimes I just have to kind of step back and take a breather.

You too?

Very much so, some of the threads on here make my blood boil.

Don't know about everyone else but I've just been busy with work, family and riding. That really puts a damper on the amount that I post during the Summer months. Some people may count this as a blessing though. :o

Plus it really bothers me when people that have no real world experience post answers because it is something that they "heard about" or "read about" or know of a friend of a friend's first cousin's baby's momma having experience with it. Sometimes I just have to kind of step back and take a breather.


The average adult with a family does not usually hold regular intelligent discussions with 13 and 14 year olds on a basis of equality, but that is expectation here. You are frequently dealing with kids (or childish adults), so the abnormal social situation may be part of your issue.

(Though I recognize that the frustation does not appear limited to any single age group.)

It's not so much about the inactivity of the forum but rather that the threads' quality seems to go down. Sure, maybe people don't have time to post interesting things during the summer but it might be due to other things too, I know not.

I really like the great pics in the ride reports. The pics that Never post are awsome. Wannagetgood also put up some good pics the other day. I know a lot of people are out riding,it nice to see the different areas folks ride.

Hey thanks 66...I didn't take any pictures on the last few rides late last week and over the weekend because they were faster paced rides with essentially no stopping. But we have more mountain rides planned this week so I'll force myself to stop and take photos!

Some of the arrogance and ignorance have made me frequent this forum even less then before.

Which has also helped to decrease the amount of ignorance. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I think it's a summertime thing too. I know I was more active in the boredom of winter when all I could do was think of riding. For myself, too, I think over time I've learned to control myself and not chime in on every thread and instead limit myself to the ones that really get me enthused (or agitated :D).

As for Raiyn, I only kind of miss him. He seemed to have a lot of knowledge; but his manner was somewhat sanctimonious and always a bit caustic. There seemed to be a lot of biitterness there that eventually put people off. Still, it's a shame that he felt the need to leave rather than stick around and maybe tone it down a bit.

Peek, you have a good observation about the serious questions vs. the inflamatory ones. I think that's just the nature of a forum, though. Threads that appeal to our baser instincts will get the fur flying, where technical specifics can really only be answered well by a handful of people who've been down that exact path before.

All in all, I still like this forum way better than the MTBR ones; and though I like picking up the local news off the Pac. NW part off RideMonkey, this one is still my "must-read" every day that I can. Keep up the good posts folks!

I find far more good on here than bad. One thing to remember is it's the 'net, don't take it too seriously.Just have fun with it.You kind of figure out who knows their stuff and who doesn't.

I think it's a summertime thing too. I know I was more active in the boredom of winter when all I could do was think of riding. For myself, too, I think over time I've learned to control myself and not chime in on every thread and instead limit myself to the ones that really get me enthused (or agitated :D).

As for Raiyn, I only kind of miss him. He seemed to have a lot of knowledge; but his manner was somewhat sanctimonious and always a bit caustic. There seemed to be a lot of biitterness there that eventually put people off. Still, it's a shame that he felt the need to leave rather than stick around and maybe tone it down a bit.

Peek, you have a good observation about the serious questions vs. the inflamatory ones. I think that's just the nature of a forum, though. Threads that appeal to our baser instincts will get the fur flying, where technical specifics can really only be answered well by a handful of people who've been down that exact path before.

All in all, I still like this forum way better than the MTBR ones; and though I like picking up the local news off the Pac. NW part off RideMonkey, this one is still my "must-read" every day that I can. Keep up the good posts folks!

Sounds like my duplicate. My posting has gone way down. Work has become more work and I want to spend as little time on the computer as possible. Its summertime and I am riding or building my bikes on my off time and I am just generally disherartened by the forum. I think I am where A2 was 2 years ago. And seriously,

Happens every summer...it slows down and becomes more fluff. The interbike hits, bad weather rolls in and the e-genious's and e-speculation come out full force :D

I think it is a summer thing, at least in part. My non-profit's donations (and my pay therefore) usually goes way down in the summer months but then picks up again in September. People might be out riding or on vacation. I myself was in Tibetan China for 3 weeks in June travelling in remote villages with no computer access.

I'll add that MTBR,monkey,and a couple more are the same way. Not a lot going on.

I know that I haven't been posting much lately because most of my free-time is gone(working 50+ hrs in100-115 degree heat) . I've been riding a lot before work, my rides start at around 4:30 am and end at about 6:30, Then I go wrench on boats for 10+ hrs. When I get out of work , if it's below 105, I'll take a short road ride to clear my head before dinner/SportsCenter/bed. I'm sick summer already . The only thing that keeps me going at work is thinking about my Moab trip in October.

Anyone else noticed a significant down turn in activity in this forum recently? Not only do we have a reduced number of threads, but the ones that are popping up are repetative and frankly, hardly worth the read most of the time. Concurrently I've noticed reduced participation from some of the more knowledgable members of the forum. In thier place I've noticed many posters that although know some stuff, are hardly the oracles of wisdom they are passing themselves off as.

Im tired of people that really dont know one way or another, but just regurgitate what they have heard from someone that does know. I get sick of people giving advice on components and bikes that they have never used or ridden. Classic example is gastros juicy 5 thread. "My mate said he knew a guy that had this problem" does not constitute first hand knowledge.

I hope this is just a temporary lull. Maybe everyone is just out riding, but if this current trend continues we are going to lose more and more members to the point where this forum is but a shadow of its former self.


I stopped dropping in as much because I felt my time on the net would be better spent riding, working out, working on the house and with the children. Also, as a2 stated, the overwhelming repetitive posts were getting a bit too much to say the least.

I do drop in now and then, make a quick post and then off I go.

DBD:beer:

Which has also helped to decrease the amount of ignorance. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I guess that was a pot-shot at me then huh?

Try to find a 'ignorant post' I've made in a past thread.

I stopped dropping in as much because I felt my time on the net would be better spent riding, working out, working on the house and with the children. Also, as a2 stated, the overwhelming repetitive posts were getting a bit too much to say the least.

I do drop in now and then, make a quick post and then off I go.

DBD:beer:


Definately. I also think the numbers became overwhelming. I remember back when there was....10 or 15 common posters...period. Coming from a BBS background there is something to be said for small and intimate. This site was the closest thing I could find to my old bbs days with coolio, a2, dirtgrinder, dbd, raiyn, kona (danka?) and a couple of others. :)

Definately. I also think the numbers became overwhelming. I remember back when there was....10 or 15 common posters...period. Coming from a BBS background there is something to be said for small and intimate. This site was the closest thing I could find to my old bbs days with coolio, a2, dirtgrinder, dbd, raiyn, kona (danka?) and a couple of others. :)

Hey Mael, is SLC still up in your neck of the woods (yeah I know he is/was a bit south)? Have ya heard from him and hows he been?

DBD:beer:

SLC is doing well. Passed his final exam for the firefighter cert he was going for. He lives in Bellingham WA which is literally across a bridge from Poco (in canada). He has been busy and not riding unfortunately, he has a sweet v10 hanging out in his living room. We talk quite a bit on msn and on the phone. When he first got here he was up here every couple of weekends riding the local trails. Life kind of got in the way (as did those freaking gas prices) I will tell him you said hi

...Plus it really bothers me when people that have no real world experience post answers because it is something that they "heard about" or "read about" or know of a friend of a friend's first cousin's baby's momma having experience with it. Sometimes I just have to kind of step back and take a breather.

Let me take a different angle on this... it seems that some threads ONLY get this type of response, that is, not first-hand knowledge. Although not as good as first hand, I'd appreciate responses that were second hand, rather than nothing at all.

That being said, it might be helpful if posters cite where they hear things, if he/she doesn't have first-hand knowledge. For example, instead of "my friends said that ____" say "my friend owns an LBS and said that in his experience ____". Or, instead of "I read that those forks are good" say "I read a review in Mountain Bike mag (7/05) that said _____".

I think people are out riding more, and watching the tour. Personally that's what I've been doing, which leaves not much time to come on here and cause trouble. I'll make it a habit to come on and stir things up a bit, I apologize.

The forums aren't at peak activity in the summer because people are busier. It happens with tv too! All the bad shows are on in the summer :D

And did Raiyn leave? Was there a reason or did he just stop coming?

I hope nothing happened to Raiyn. He was posting nine or ten times a day, and then just stopped. His last day of posting was normal...just discussing this and that...no sign of unhappiness with the Forums or any members.

I hope nothing happened to Raiyn. He was posting nine or ten times a day, and then just stopped. His last day of posting was normal...just discussing this and that...no sign of unhappiness with the Forums or any members.
I talked to him like 2-3 weeks ago. He left because of some kind of disagreement with a moderator. He's still around, just reluctant to come back.

Raiyn is just fine! He's enjoying his life....(probably riding his bike and not at the keyboard like the rest of us!):D