It does seem quieter, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As long as it keeps ticking over I’m happy. Honestly don’t know what I’d do at times like this (holding a cranky 6 month old who’s just fallen asleep) if it wasn’t for this place.
On weather and posting...
It seems to me that posts should really increase when it's decent weather, folk go out and about and we get to read about it. Or folk want ideas on where to go. Or parts wear is higher so there is more maintenance going on and folk want advice on how to do stuff or, simply, tyre choice. I can understand that the Chat forum might work in the other way with folk posting because they are bored, aren't riding etc. I suppose it would take some much larger sample, better analysis of posting patterns etc but maybe there is something amiss if it really is busier in the colder/wetter months.
Those figures ^^ feel about right. Notably down on number and (for me) threads of interest. 😢
Yep they do kind of feel how this place is moving, I hope it gets busier again as that is what made/makes this place tick.
We don’t have access to any statistical data that I’m aware of. I don’t think the figures are a huge secret though, I could’ve sworn Mark’s posted them previously.
Unless anyone has some other actual numbers then I guess that is where it's going, be interesting to see if things pick up again in terms of posts/posters/users. Numbers are in the detail too, everyone loves to quote the figures they like as being in the right direction.
Drac
“You don’t communicate”
”Here’s some communication”
I don't think people have suggested you and Tag Team mate Cougar (ewww that is a wrestling line up we don't want to see) don't communicate, the issue is that you don't have the info to address some of the questions.
I haven't been on here for a good few weeks but have popped back on to sell some stuff. Have noticed that the classifieds are very sparse!
It's sparse in here now - I'm having to supplement general STW browsing with Pinkbike and Pistonheads for Eastenders distraction nowadays.
It's probably me but it seems a bit boring now.
It lacks something. Not sure what.
I still come here, but don't hang about long these days.
*most boring half-flounce post ever*
zzzz
I think it's more boring now too. The genuinely funny banter seems to be in shorter supply
Perchy????!!!!!
What????!!!!
So who's still here, alive and posting, from the old school originals and the young upstarts.?
Is this an inside job to get the post count up???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m still here, young upstart that I am, but much of what I post involves riffing off funny stuff that others post.
Slim pickings lately.
Slim pickings lately.
I know the bots are rubbish without decent training
Just need to have more interesting topics to discuss as most have been done to death.
I can increase the number of forum posting but someone needs to pay me to do so as I ain't earning enough.
😀
<span style="display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">So who’s still here, alive and posting, from the old school originals and the young upstarts.?</span>
I can't be arsed anymore.
^FFS.
OK, who upgraded the language file on the chewkw bot?
Today is the first day in two weeks I was able to log in. Might put others off?
"OK, who upgraded the language file on the chewkw bot?"
Does not compute ... 😀
p/s: ... I will make myself invinsible now ... to much work to do. No sleep etc ...
it's OK the roubles are in the post
I will make myself invinsible
That’s worrying.
That’s worrying.
😀
convert
this was me. I am that sad.
As an analyst, I applaud your work 👍
I’ve sampled various other time sections and results are consistent so I don’t think you can blame the weather.
Why not? People go outside when the weather is nicer no matter if they talk about bikes or what’s best a pressure cooker or slow cooker.
Interesting thing has happened in the 7 hours since the OP posted the chat forum became busier, Sunday evenings end of the weekend people come to the forum.
I’m still here, and have been since before the great hack. I don’t know what kind of poster I would be classified as, but I do know that my history has always been a bit ‘ebb and flow’, while the forum has gone through periodic dry spells, as well as cranky ones.
The current situation is no bother. Just keep posting and eventually someone will say something funny or inflammatory to get us all going again.
Swings and roundabouts, innit?
Why not? People go outside when the weather is nicer no matter if they talk about bikes or what’s best a pressure cooker or slow cooker.
I don't think you understood what I meant. I meant I have repeatedly sampled periods this year with periods last year and the result stays very close to exactly the same drop from one year to the next irrespective of what the weather was like in 2017 or 2018. The weather is not a significant factor. What is irrefutable is that there are less posts last year than this by a greater margin of change than any year in donkeys (didn't go back as far as the great hack). But December 2016 was about the same as December 2015. Something seems to have happened at the beginning of this year. Draw your own conclusion as to what event that was that changed user behaviour.
Sorry misread what you posted and thought you said chat shouldn’t be down too dud to the weather.
Anyway up or down this place has been through worse so it will survive waiting on software patches.
IMO the weather should only affect people for part of a day, just because someone rides it doesn't mean they're riding for 24 hours... There will be posts, thoughts, ideas, problems etc that come from the riding. So the good weather should bring about the same number really?
Sunday evenings end of the weekend people come to the forum.
For sure, my not so stealth ad for a Gravel Dash spot has been pushed off the first page!
I wonder if amongst the banned and the flounced we’ve lost a few key thread-starters. There are lots of regular posters but I’d imagine most people seldom start a new topic even if they are reading and contributing the threads frequently.
the funny new arrangement with post /thread history is a bit of a conversation killer too. You can’t readily see what conversations you’ve been a part of and whether they’ve moved on- I just forget.
I've been reading STW since Issue 1 (even had some stuff published in it) and posting on the forum almost since it began and although it's always been my first port of call for a bit of banter it has never been a very attractive, user-friendly forum in the same way as Cycle Chat, where I spend much more time nowadays.
I bumped into some of the guys doing the Jennride in Ambleside on Saturday and as far as I know there hasn't been anything on here about that, meaning, presumably, that they all meet and organise through some other social medium. This strikes me as odd because STW has always been a promoter of bike-packing.
And yes, web fora seem to be increaingly populated by the professionally-offended, people wanting to score points and demonstrate their impeccable PC credentials whereas my memory is that lots more interesting practical things used to be discussed. Maybe Youtube's "how to" videos have killed that off?
Also, sorry to say this, but I do believe mountain biking is flatlining where road cycling has grown in the last few years.
Re. the banhammerage, I know there are some forumites partial to a bit of HMHB so I'll just leave this here:
Weavers’ cottages devoid of tenants
A market town that lacks quintessence
That’s Chatteris without your presence
Three good butchers, two fine chandlers
An indoor pool and a first class cake shop
Ofsted plaudits, envy of the Fens
Prick barriers at both ends
But what’s Chatteris if you’re not there?
What’s Chatteris if you’re not there?
What’s Chatteris if you’re not there?
What’s Chatteris if you’re not there?
What’s Chatteris if you’re not there?
What’s Chatteris if you’re not there?
I may as well be in Ely or St.Ives
it has never been a very attractive, user-friendly forum in the same way as Cycle Chat
You're having a giraffe surely? Cycle chats forum is horrid, moving avatars, sub forums to make sure everyone knows their niche... Terrible
the funny new arrangement with post /thread history is a bit of a conversation killer too. You can’t readily see what conversations you’ve been a part of and whether they’ve moved on- I just forget.
+1 🙂
You’re having a giraffe surely? Cycle chats forum is horrid, moving avatars, sub forums to make sure everyone knows their niche… Terrible
It had something pretty special for a while, but it's been wrecked by dismal moderation. I've given up on it. Anyway, it gave me the Friday Night Ride to the Coast, and I will always be grateful for that.
Anyway up or down this place has been through worse so it will survive waiting on software patches.
Oh really, what period has been worse?
Something like 1% of the members post 90% of the threads, so if you remove just a few then that has a big impact.
The atmosphere on here seems much more pleasant at the moment. Absolute post churn might be down but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I feel more inclined to join in than I have for years, not that I'm ever likely to be a massive poster, don't have the time, but it does seem a nicer place to be.
I’m sure the busiest thread on here these days is the ‘forum problems’ thread
And most responses are from people getting frustrated ie “how do you do this”, “oh this is trollocks”
Would be a shame for this forum to go. The best bits are the non cycling bits, but I guess that doesn’t sell cycling advertisements. But if this place was just a cycling forum it would have died many years ago
I don’t know what kind of poster I would be classified as, but I do know that my history has always been a bit ‘ebb and flow’, while the forum has gone through periodic dry spells, as well as cranky ones.
Mostly Harmless? 🙂
Seems to cover the vast majority of us.
However, the last post thing being based on individual history rather than individual conversations is a killer. Especially if you have the memory of a goldfish like me.
The formatting issues are my biggest gripe at the mo and I delete more posts than I submit.
Gloaters or butt lickers? What’s worse?
I'm one of those annoying people who try and see the best in everyone. I live near STW towers and often see people out and about.
I like this place and the attitude of the mods, even though I don't think I've met any of them. They seem to be decent people doing their best, so I'll keep defending them until they prove otherwise.
If that's arse licking, so be it.
Above post edited 3 times to attempt to remove the html nonsense.
Still not showing the last text I inserted, so I've put it in a new post.
That's what will kill this place unless it gets fixed. How many people just can't be arsed anymore?
Not just the cynical oldies, but new people too.
Yeah but even if the forum gets worse we'll all keep paying for the online content and magazine..
Won't we ? Surely..... we will.... that's what they tell us 🙂
It's the only mag I buy, apart from 'Bike'.
The P makes it cheaper and I get more editorial content, so if the issues on here don't get fixed I'll probably stick to reading the mag and just give this place a swerve.
I could cancel everything and read most of it for free, but they deserve a chance to get it working properly.
In the case of it not getting fixed, if any local P subscribers would care to pass on the mag when they've finished with it, I'm sure we could come to some arrangement, charity donation, few beers etc.
That would be a last resort, but there's always a way.
