When the BF search is not working (like, always), you can search as frequently as you want with Google's "site search."

In the Google search box, just enter: site:www.bikeforums.net how fast can you sprint

and all the useless threads you could want will appear in the results. Here is a sample BF search result. The results will usually link to archived threads, but there is a link in them that will allow you to go to the real BF thread and reply or whatever. Here's the link in an archived page:

This is an archived thread, you can find the full version of this thread, with images, links and more content here.

If you have the Google Toolbar installed, you can enter your search string there, and hit the site search button: . This will create the "site:" search string for you.

Enjoy!

yep, and it doesn't tell you to wait 30 seconds before searching again.

Thanks for the tip.

Great! Now when I forget this in a week I'll do a BF search for this thread to help remind me

That's what i do in a pinch. Useful for other sites without a search function too.

Awesomer!!

Alternately, instead of typing "site: www.bikeforums.net" you could go to Google's Advanced Search page and just enter "bikeforums.net" in the Domain field ("return results from the site or domain ______")

Almost the same number of keystrokes...

Duh! I have Google Toolbar but I can't seem to find the Site Search button...where is it?

Thanks,

DPN

You might have to right-click the google toolbar, select customize, find the icon, and drag it to the toolbar.

Yeah, but that's more use of that clicky rodent thingy.

Thanks, found it...

DPN

yes but no pics

When you post something and then you circle it, like you did for me in the mech forum. Could I ask how you do that to, thanks again.

Screen capture:
Alt+PrtSc
Start MS Paint
Paste the screenshot
Select and copy only the portion you're interested in
Hit Ctrl-N (new picture in mspaint)
Set the picture size to be 1x1
Paste
Edit (red circle or whatever)
Save
Upload to imageshack.us
Copy link from bottom of page ("Direct link")
Create your BikeForms message, click the mountain icon, paste the URL from imageshack

I'm about to start sending PayPal invoices here

Thanks, but I don't think I'll be doing that much. WOW. I just learned how to use this thing when I retired.

Whenever I've tried the search feature here it either returned crap, returned a blank page, or asked me to wait. Ok, once in a while it returned something moderately useful. Using google is my preferred method to search this place. All in all, I get the feeling this site is run by a Jr. High School technology team.

The Jr High team would have the search working perfectly. And they'd throw in some links to some Adriana Lima galleries.

Needs To Be A Sticky !!!

I am sorry but this thread is wrong. The substitute BF search function to obtain answers to any cycling related question is to 'Ask Classic1 directly'.

Yup. The 'site' function is also good for those of us trying to find schwag to buy in non-US countries.

So one can, for example, type in 'ultegra cassette 12-27 site:.co.uk' and it'll only return results from servers whose names end in '.co.uk' - this actually works better than using google.co.uk and definitely better than the search boxes in the corners of many browsers which inevitably use the American versions of search engines.

Only problem is some UK shops have .com addresses anyway.

The problem with using google to search the forums is you lose the way in which you can filter search results. E.G. By date/user etc.

Only good for very very general searching.

The problem with Google is that they save every search you do on their servers, have fought in court for the right to do this, and are willing to turn it over to the gov't.

Google = "Big Brother"

Yahoo does not

And you think bikeforums wouldn't do the same?

Don't know, but I'm not searching for any intelligence on BF.

I charge for Google lessons beyond this, but you can do all of the above with Google. BF search is an urban legend, so you can't claim its vaporware features -- Google works.

So? Yahoo makes me look at lots of colors and images. And they're stinky and have cooties the size of my ****.

You have a point. My bad.