Not wanting to start a ‘hissy fight’ (I’ll stop now then..) but it seems we’ve (the collective ‘we’) lost the ability to make even the most simple decisions…

“What’s the Alps like for a beginner” – reasonable question, lots to lose if a wrong decision, broad based question.

“What angle should I have my seat at when riding a 2.47km section of my local secret trails, on Tuesday night, with a SW wind blowing…” – Come on…..!

“What brakes to replace X” – nice open question, not too many variables to take into account…

“What PSI for Afan”…. Hmm……

Anyway – argue away….

DrP

Can you be more specific?

Loose = not tight
Lose = opposite of win

What hoover and what gear ratio for steep hills are a new stw low!

specificity

is one of my favorite words.

it seems we’ve have lost the ability to make even the most simple decisions…

are you sure?

Which shift key for capitals ?

Left, right or temporary use of Caps Lock.

HELP!!!

Does anyone know how I should respond to this question? I suppose I best start another thread to find out

I need a pee! Shall I go now or wait and see how this thread develops?

“we’ve have”

This is saying “we have have”.

Ignoring this, and getting back to the question – I think that this stems from a collective sense that there is a correct way to do things – with the corollary being that all the other ways are wrong, which is far from the case. In light of this sense that there is a one true path, people set out trying to find it – which leads to questions like what PSI in tyres for Afan? (the answer to which is 28.5psi by the way.)

Loose = not tight
Lose = opposite of win

“we’ve have”

Not sure what you mean…. 😉

DrP – EDIT FTW….

Nobody replied to my last ‘loose’ question regarding visiting a bike park, maybe I should have said ‘who has been to xxx, any advice on tyre pressure, oh and hotels etc?”?

Isn’t being specific important in asking a question?

The alternative being vague…

“What thing do I maybe need when I do the stuff?”

Lose = opposite of win

No, it’s the opposite of “Find”

So, if Find is the opposite of Lose, and Win is the opposite of Lose, then Find = Win

qwerty – Member
specificity
is one of my favorite words.

+1 A very satisfying word

Isn’t being specific important in asking a question?

The alternative being vague…

“What thing do I maybe need when I do the stuff?”

To a point, but some specific/personal questions simply cannot be answered (properly) by the general population:
-“what brake fluid for Hope tech hydro brakes?” – can be given a specific and CORRECT answer (i.e there is an obvious incorrect answer)
-“What length socks should I wear out tonight?” – too personal, too specific, no wrong answer really….
-“Are merino socks any good at keeping you warm and dry?” – reasonable question with a high chance the answer will swing one way..

I think that this stems from a collective sense that there is a correct way to do things – with the corollary being that all the other ways are wrong, which is far from the case. In light of this sense that there is a one true path, people set out trying to find it

I reckon this is it.

As a solution, I suggest all potential questions get mailed to Binners first, and he can vet them for suitability…

DrP

Undercrackers – inside out or the RIGHT way?

People can’t use google.
People can’t use common sense.
People over react because they are going hard and fast for a Strava segment even when they are slow and useless.

The answers to common questions are:
Get some XT brakes, or SLX if you are wanting to spend less, or XTR if you want something shiney.
Black round ones. Schwalbe are good.
Audi’s are perfect for driving to the Surrey Hills to ride slowly from Peaslake.
Your chain slips because you did not replace your cassette and chainrings therefore you are a muppet.
Yes – you could have bought it cheaper from Germany but you needed help and support from your LBS so just pay the bill and be pleased they sorted you out.
Yes – your forks and shock do probably need servicing.
No it is not unreasonable that your stanchions got scratched after not cleaning your seals for 6 months in the gash weather we have had.
Yes – the North is great for mountain biking – there are rocks.
Yes – the south is great for mountain biking – they have trees, roots and dry trails but no mountains. Still fun though.
No you don’t need 10 speed – 9 is fine. John Tomac (look him up) went faster than you ever will and he was on 7 and 8 speed.
Man Up.
Go see Jedi – he is brilliant (really is).
Yes you can ride X on a hard tail.
No – you won’t die unless you are really stupid.
One chainring is just as valid as 2 or 3 and vice versa.
No – you probably can’t spell or write gramatical sentances.
If a trail is closed don’t ride it – Idiot.
Yes – you life will be better with 29 inch wheels.
Yes – you can ride just as fast on a 26er but you may need to pedal faster.
Your bike doesn’t work because you don’t clean it or notice stuff that is starting to fail.
Panic changing does result in rear mechs and chains breaking – plan ahead.

What’s the correct response to post on this thread?

It’s ot so much the questions, as the answers:

‘Hi, I need X and was hoping for some advice’

‘No, you need Y because I say so and I’m an engineer’

‘No, actually I do need X, not Y. Can I get some advice on X please?’

‘No you definitely need Y you must listen to me because you know nothing and I know everything’.

Etc. 😀

I’d get Z.

aracer – Member
What’s the correct response to post on this thread?

The specific answer?

I’ve just tried to book an appointment with my Doctors, I’ve not been in to see them in 3 years ( yay me ) however earliest appointment is the 18th..

Should I use CAPS for full on frustration or only Cap the first letter or not bother?

Genuine question BTW.

I’d get Z.

That’s what I did. 😉

What’s a hypotenuse…?

it seems we’ve have lost the ability to make even the most simple decisions…

Was thinking that myself earlier… No offence to the guy who locked himself out of his house, but he could have called a local locksmith and had it sorted in the time he took to post on here.

There are also some threads which make me think that STW is becoming the Jeremy Kyle show for middle class MTBers.

I do always enjoy a good sudocremed cat thread though…

We need the thread police…Oh hang one they’re alive and well on this very thread…

Isn’t being specific important in asking a question?

No its more important to ask a question is such a way that the real question doesn’t become apparent until half a dozen people have gotten the wrong end of the stick and another half dozen have told you things you already know.

Then deploy the rolling eyes emoticon and clarify the question…. a bit. And get shirty with anyone who’s tried to fill in the blanks.

Crucially the thread title should give no clues to the content, so minimising the chance that anyone who can actually answer your question being likely to do so.

Crucially the thread title should give no clues to the content, so minimising the chance that anyone who can actually answer your question being likely to do so.

Unless suffixed with ‘trackworld’ obviously….

…however earliest appointment is the 18th..

Can it wait until the 18th?
If not, raNDom cAPS and, erm, twelve exclamation marks…

DrP

(It’s the side of a right angle triangle opposite the 90deg corner…)

We need the thread police…Oh hang one they’re alive and well on this very thread…

Morning constable. Ooh what a shiny truncheon you’ve got. 😉

Crikey, I asked a specific question about pedals the other day – odd to do that on a MTB forum. Perhaps we should stick to rugby, politics, NHS, religion-bashing instead, but I was sure there was something to with cycling involved here? 😉

They’ve got all the bases covered, certainly;

Bikes??? here??? Oh no matey I think you have the wrong forum, oh and whilst we are on the topic, what tyres and at what pressure for this thread?

New Post

Caution Question Content.

What questions for the STW forum please?

A question is either specific, or not specific. It cannot be “very specific”.

Thats a quite unique ( 😉 ) point you are making there ransos

Mmmm, flurry.

Are you sure it’s not a very unique point?

I tend to only start threads in the bike forum if I have a specific question. Is that not what its for?

I also tend to get pretty good answers, quite quickly too.

Not sure what else could be reasonably expected of a forum about bikes.

If I want an argument I go to the chat forum.