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is this place dying

Old 06-22-16, 12:46 PM
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Classic and vintage is pretty active. Some of the other forums I spend time on seem to be slowing down.
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Old 06-22-16, 12:54 PM
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Old 06-22-16, 12:55 PM
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Originally Posted by BillyD
There are certainly multiple reasons activity has declined over the years. One that hasn't been mentioned yet is the influence of Mr. Armstrong. If you recall, the popularity of this site grew in direct proportion to Lance winning tours. The longer his winning streak the more Americans were attracted to cycling and the more posters joined BF. Bike Forums was the place to be if you were into cycling, the place to be seen and heard.

And when Lance bit the dust, so too did the forum activity begin to decline. We die-hard cyclists, the ones still here and the ones who were hear before Lance, tend to think everybody thinks like us, but it's simply not so. Lance was incredibly influential in drawing a new generation of enthusiasts to cycling. Everybody wanted to be like Lance, the American cycling hero. And when his popularity departed, so did many of them. Without their hero their interest waned, because after all, this activity really isn't for everybody. Sure many stayed in the game, and many of those groupies stayed here, but it's nowhere near what it used to be.
We need BillyD to pick up where Lance left off.
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Old 06-22-16, 01:06 PM
  #29  
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Not the same since PCAD drove away in his Corvette.
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Old 06-22-16, 01:11 PM
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Hmm,
I think there are already too many posts.

It may be some forums are more active than others. So the "road" subforum may compete more with RoadBikeReview. Other subforums may have less competition.

Use the "Get Daily" to see the recent posts.
Bike Forums - Search Results
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Old 06-22-16, 01:12 PM
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Originally Posted by datlas
Not the same since PCAD drove away in his Corvette.
Yeah, he's one that I think eventually wandered away because the place just wasn't fun any more. Even he couldn't do it alone.


Originally Posted by RPK79
We need BillyD to pick up where Lance left off.
Maybe on the tiddly winks forum. I'm one helluva tiddly winks player.
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Old 06-22-16, 01:14 PM
  #32  
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I don't come around as often because I get tired of the same old ******baggery from the same old people. Too much BS to sift through to get any real information. Fun is fun, but it gets old when that's the majority of what is posted.

Just sayin.
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Old 06-22-16, 01:18 PM
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Originally Posted by BillyD
There are certainly multiple reasons activity has declined over the years. One that hasn't been mentioned yet is the influence of Mr. Armstrong. If you recall, the popularity of this site grew in direct proportion to Lance winning tours. The longer his winning streak the more Americans were attracted to cycling and the more posters joined BF. Bike Forums was the place to be if you were into cycling, the place to be seen and heard.

And when Lance bit the dust, so too did the forum activity begin to decline. We die-hard cyclists, the ones still here and the ones who were hear before Lance, tend to think everybody thinks like us, but it's simply not so. Lance was incredibly influential in drawing a new generation of enthusiasts to cycling. Everybody wanted to be like Lance, the American cycling hero. And when his popularity departed, so did many of them. Without their hero their interest waned, because after all, this activity really isn't for everybody. Sure many stayed in the game, and many of those groupies stayed here, but it's nowhere near what it used to be.
I certainly don't think I see fewer cyclists on the road. More commute to my workplace than ever. How does that fit your theory?

Maybe it's just cycling is more commonplace and not as edge now.

Last edited by GeneO; 06-22-16 at 01:26 PM.
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Old 06-22-16, 01:27 PM
  #34  
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Billy is in a better position to judge since he's been here for more than a decade, but I'm not sure it's just the negativity or "lack of fun" or whatever.

I think we're really underselling the role of shifting internet use thanks to social media. I'm of an age that when I was in middle school/HS, we got our first PC with dial up internet and I started finding forums for my various interests, so I've stuck with them since that time because they were my first real introduction to a community of like-minded people that I could reach online.

People now are on FB/IG/Youtube/R e d d i t ect. from a young age and never see a need to migrate to special interest "hobby" forums like this one because they get all the content they want through those sources, and maybe even consider it too much of a hassle to create a profile here and bother to check for new posts. There's a reason the youngest people on this forum are probably in their mid 20s, with a handful of exceptions. The older ones who stuck with forums eventually get tired of the same threads and stop coming, and there aren't as many new users coming in, so you're left with a declining user base.

There's also definitely a tipping point where it becomes so inactive that people go off looking for something else and never come back. Not saying BF is anywhere near that point, but I've seen other forums evaporate in that manner when they got down to a handful of new posts a day and then posting would just stop entirely. If you don't think anyone will read your post, you don't bother posting it. Unless you're PepeM.

Just my 2 cents.
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Old 06-22-16, 01:38 PM
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Remember chat rooms. Does anyone still use chat rooms?
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Old 06-22-16, 01:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Dan333SP
There's also definitely a tipping point where it becomes so inactive that people go off looking for something else and never come back. Not saying BF is anywhere near that point, but I've seen other forums evaporate in that manner when they got down to a handful of new posts a day and then posting would just stop entirely. If you don't think anyone will read your post, you don't bother posting it. Unless you're PepeM.

Just my 2 cents.
Been there. I was on a forum once that ended up being just me and one other person having long winding conversations in multiple threads for the last year or so of its existence. Everyone else just faded away, which was a shame because we'd had a really nice community at one time. It was small enough that we all knew each other, but that smallness eventually meant that once people started dropping off they weren't replaced. One of the last members did introduce me to BF, but I don't think he's active here anymore either.
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Old 06-22-16, 01:52 PM
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Could be that there are a ton of rude replies to easy to answer questions. I've been on message boards since I first had dial up and I've never seen a more condescending group than on here.

That said there are definitely some knowledgable, and kind people on here but I'm shocked at how little tolerance the majority has. I do not start many topics for this reason (also because I am very familiar with the "search function").
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Old 06-22-16, 01:58 PM
  #38  
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Alexa rank is still strong.
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Old 06-22-16, 02:02 PM
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Your "is this place dying" thread is almost on page 3 on day one of it being posted. So let me ask, "Is this place dying?".
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Old 06-22-16, 02:27 PM
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It may die if the site appearance/functionality doesn't improve after the "upgrade"...
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Old 06-22-16, 02:28 PM
  #41  
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Maybe not dying but I wouldn't be surprised if it's slowing down. Message boards are kind of old-school now, and a bit more clunky to use than something like ******

Edit: Haha so I guess names of other websites are sometimes censored? That's kind of cute. Are we trying to avoid driving traffic away?
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Old 06-22-16, 02:35 PM
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I've been a member here for about three years now and try to visit at least once daily in the morning while downing some coffee before work. I would agree that recently there seems to be a decline in new posts, maybe it's the weather? Who knows? One thing I find off putting is someone responding to a question with same "try the search function" response. I mean here's someone probably new to the forum asking a question that has been asked several times in the past, so what, give him an answer or move on. Why ruffle feathers?

As technology changes, so do the responses. I mean a bike from 30 years ago may have two wheels just like one from today but a lot has happened with materials used, wheel widths, tire tech, saddles, helmets, etc... to where a new and updated response may be valid in some cases.

I guess there's just some folks here that have heard it all over and over again who feel obligated to chime in and be pissed off that another new guy asked the same question again. If you are one of those folks, think next time to just move on and let the new guy engage in a conversation he or she started to help get them interested in the forum. Once they're hooked they'll keep coming back and possibly purchase a premium membership? Next thing you know there's a lot more action around here.
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Old 06-22-16, 02:45 PM
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Originally Posted by GeneO
I certainly don't think I see fewer cyclists on the road. More commute to my workplace than ever. How does that fit your theory?.
You're likely right. There is a wave of new fitness oriented cyclists surging now as more and more people get the message that exercise is beneficial to health and longevity. I see a lot of ads and tv commercials picturing cyclists while promoting a healthy lifestyle.

And if the BF numbers decline is right, many of these cyclists are shunning BF at this time. Why do you need a forum? I mean, really, I was a cyclist for 15 years before the Internet even emerged in accessibility, and for almost 30 years before I found BF. Why do you REALLY need a forum to be a happy cyclist. Sure I've learned a few things here, but they weren't really essential to my cycling well being. I tell people all the time, I'm mainly here for the chuckles.

And I strongly suspect that attendance here would be higher if there was less arguing and hostility around here. Intelligent, successful, fitness oriented people concerned with their health are not interested in being around the silly, inconsequential arguing nonsense that frequently dominates this forum. You can find stupid anywhere, involuntarily. Why voluntarily go somewhere where it abounds? The silliness many of us love to fight about is just of no interest to them.
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Old 06-22-16, 02:47 PM
  #44  
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Originally Posted by RPK79
Well it is summer. A lot of cyclists spend their free time riding instead of posting about riding.
This +

For proof, look at the graph that @f4rrest posted. It shows a dip in activity each year that roughly corresponds with the summer months.
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Old 06-22-16, 02:49 PM
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it seems WAY quieter here now than it did this time last year.
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Old 06-22-16, 03:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Willbird
it seems WAY quieter here now than it did this time last year.
It is. I think fewer people are riding. And I've never understood why there's never been a new rider section or a sub-forum to the road section for all the "what size bike should I buy" or "why do I need padded shorts" threads with a bunch of stickies for all the usual weekly questions.
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Old 06-22-16, 03:09 PM
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Originally Posted by BillyD
And I strongly suspect that attendance here would be higher if there was less arguing and hostility around here. Intelligent, successful, fitness oriented people concerned with their health are not interested in being around the silly, inconsequential arguing nonsense that frequently dominates this forum. You can find stupid anywhere, involuntarily. Why voluntarily go somewhere where it abounds? The silliness many of us love to fight about is just of no interest to them.
But there are people out there riding the wrong groupsets!
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Old 06-22-16, 03:29 PM
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Originally Posted by RPK79
Remember chat rooms. Does anyone still use chat rooms?
asl?
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Old 06-22-16, 03:35 PM
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I've always felt that forums wax and wane, sometimes there are a lot of posters, sometimes not. And I agree with the people saying that summer draws more people away from their computers. That fits me as well, I'm riding more now and posting less.
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Old 06-22-16, 03:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Dan333SP
I think we're really underselling the role of shifting internet use thanks to social media. I'm of an age that when I was in middle school/HS, we got our first PC with dial up internet and I started finding forums for my various interests, so I've stuck with them since that time because they were my first real introduction to a community of like-minded people that I could reach online.

People now are on FB/IG/Youtube/R e d d i t ect. from a young age and never see a need to migrate to special interest "hobby" forums like this one because they get all the content they want through those sources, and maybe even consider it too much of a hassle to create a profile here and bother to check for new posts.
I think this is bang on. We are probably largely seeing a shift from dedicated forums to other social media tools. I think it's an evolution of sorts: at one time USENET was the tool of choice for on line discussions but that gave way to web based forums, now there's a generation who probably will never sign up and participate in specific forums when they're connecting via a range of social media tools.

And so it goes...
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