Forum Suggestions & User Assistance - Buying a new/used bike!

Joe,

Seems like a lot of posts deal with people asking advice on buying a new/used bike. Is there a way we could set up a forum specifically for that? Maybe a sub-category under Buy-Sell-Trade or Introductions or General Discussion. Don't really know the best place for it!

How about a forum called "Advice for new cyclists" or "Advice on buying"...etc.?

I can't tell you how many times I've given the same advice over and over. I know RideMonkey has "Stickies", posts that always stay at the top of the lists. Perhaps you could create a Forum for "Advice on new bike purchases" and make it a sticky so it's read by everyone, (or at least seen by everyone). That way people can read all the advice w/o doing a search function!

Thanks
L8R

This kind of ties into the articals post in this same forum. If you want to write up a FAQ to new bike purchases and post it in the general discussion forum, i'll make it sticky.

Down the road, i think it would be nice to have these type of posts and articals in there own sub forum, for each main forum. ie, a Road bike purchase FAQ, a MTB purchasing FAQ, How to fit a bike etc...

Joe,

I've typed up a rough draft (really rough) I'll send it to you for review after I clean it up some more (when I get a chance).

Basically this is my outline:

Introduction about confusion in cycling industry

Importance of selecting proper bicycle to suit your riding

Importance of proper sizing

Sizing Worksheet to take with you to the LBS

Safety & Rules of the Road

Necessary Accessories (Helmet, Seat Wedge, H20 bottles, shorts...)

Finally, (This is where I'll need your input or a link to another thread) links to other cycling websites or threads here at BF.

I could include IMBA rules of the trail & other items, but I don't want to bog down the process!

What Cha Think?

Sounds great, did you want to send what you currently have to my email address? If its in a word document, email it to my work email, v-2joeg@mssupport.microsoft.com

Not yet, I've got to do some more editing! I'll send it along when it's cleaned up a bit!

Joe,

This is actually more difficult than I first imagined.

I've edited the document a couple of times and it keeps growing and growing.

I wonder if it would be easier to have a list of FAQ's?

I'm not sure if the document I'm creating will be useful. Currently it's about 5 pages long entirely text. It may be overwhelming, or have too much useless information!

Any ideas? From Anyone?

L8R

Originally posted by a2psyklnut
I've edited the document a couple of times and it keeps growing and growing.

I wonder if it would be easier to have a list of FAQ's?

I'm not sure if the document I'm creating will be useful. Currently it's about 5 pages long entirely text. It may be overwhelming, or have too much useless information!

Any ideas?

Why not post it and see how folks react? Your outline looked pretty good to me.

how about the new people just go here..... http://www.bikesrnottoys.com/ seems like they have everything that newbs should know.

Originally posted by KleinMp99
how about the new people just go here..... http://www.bikesrnottoys.com/ seems like they have everything that newbs should know.

It looks very good to me, although I found the dealer list to be somewhat out-of-date.

That website is better than anything I could come up with! I was cruising around and found out stuff I didn't know!

I'll definitely be passing that around!

Thanks Klein.

no problem, I found that when I was looking around for info on a seatpost for that scott frame that that one guy had. And actually that site is a link off of this site.... http://www.rideyourbike.com/usefullinks.html which has a ton of more links

Whats the latest on this? I would love to see what you have come up with. I just noticed a few more "what bike to buy" threads today :)