The slowness puts me off. I just don't have the attention span to wait that long to load...and then post....and...refresh....
Much slower than other forums.
I know how hard it is to make computers go faster but I think STW needs to get to grips with the performance or die trying.
I think there's just so many sources of tension between people on the internet
No there are not! 😝
Just out of curiosity , how’s the women’s forum doing ?
Good question. Given the main forum is pretty quiet I'm assuming its tumbleweed.
Some of the more interesting (and by that I mean funny and entertaining or just well informed, rather that just oddball) users seem to have drifted away.
STW was always considered a bit of a malecentric equivalent to mumsnet - is that slowly dying too?
id definitely say younger people just don't use forums so much
There must be people out there who aspire to be a whiney middle class cockbag. Maybe we need better advertising to find our people and bring them here? 😉
The forum is just having a rest? During covid it was a very pleasant place to be, nice and gentle and then since then it has occasionally become unpleasant. I wrote what I thought was a humorous account of our Narrowboat holiday and in the first few replies were some very unpleasant comments about the length and the lack of paragraphs, these were countered by some very nice comments so I concentrated on the positives… Just this morning I’ve received some very helpful advice to help me fix some railings. I enjoy all the threads, even the political ones as it does me good to appreciate the viewpoints of others! Onwards and upwards..
@Mark Thank you.
I'll qualify my comment by saying I think it's inevitable it'll die at some point this millennia 🙂
I owe this forum a huge amount. From the friends I've made in real life from meeting them here first, to the knowledge that has been passed on which eventually lead to me getting work as a bike mechanic and the fabulous places I've ridden which I wouldn't have known about if it wasn't for this site. Away from bikes the support I've had from most at very difficult times means I'm still here when who knows what would have happened if it hadn't been here.
I really hope you can continue to keep the lights on. What you do is greatly appreciated by some of us at least!
Stumpyjon has nailed it.
Makes several fair points, and I may even be in the Group of Six, I'm not sure.
Forums have changed in the 20 years I've been on here. Things not being what they were does not necessarily mean the forum is dying, just evolving. A lot of the tech stuff is now covered by manufacturers or others on YouTube. There's still a lot of posts asking for recommendations, still some funny/quirky stuff as well. My changing political and social views have certainly been shaped by what I've engaged with on here, supporting what I've seen more locally in real life.
I still feel a real sense of community here - for all the increasing shithousery, if someone needs support, it's there for them. Not sure if newer members feel that way or not, and that would be a real loss if it went.
The arrival of Facebook/Twitter/X etc has seen a real change in discussions on here, which I see mirrored by younger people at work as well - everything is much more "either/or", there is less understanding of nuance of the various shades of grey in an argument.
Edited to add - genuinely curious if the women only forum is doing well compared to the general forum. The problem might be too much testosterone!
I used to be a regularly poster, for me the constant ads, slow / buggy forum (for years...) and a few posters who I find incredibly rude have put me off bothering to add any content for sometime. I pop my head back in maybe once ot twice a day read a few threads but rarely can be bothered to post anymore, maybe once a week when it used to be all the time. it's a shame I did used to really like this place.
you should implement a timeout button that your users can use. someone gets 10 strikes from users for being a tedious argumentative shit they get a few days ban from posting
I've migrated to reddit and Facebook mostly. there are also tedious argumentative shits on there too, but at least it's not the same handful people wrecking threads constantly like they have done for years. the only choice is to vote with your feet.
I still feel a real sense of community here - for all the increasing shithousery, if someone needs support, it's there for them. Not sure if newer members feel that way or not, and that would be a real loss if it went.
MCTD has nailed it. At the end of the day the day we're mtb'ers and if one needed help, even someone who is completely wrong from a political point of view 🙂 , I know I'd be doing what I could for them.
you should implement a timeout button that your users can use. someone gets 10 strikes from users for being a tedious argumentative shit they get a few days ban from posting
Could you imagine the moaning that would induce? The same faces would then cry about pile-ons and bullying.
There's a control at the bottom right of the text input window. Click and drag it to mak eth etext window as big as you like.
Ooh, so there is! Thanks @Mark. I can see what I'm typing again 😀
Forums are changing everywhere
Funny, this forum certainly has changed (for the better in this particular respect, although it may be something that has driven people away) - I’m talking about the blokeyness! I searched for something/someone the other day and in the results was an actress’ name as the subject of a thread on here.. out of curiosity I had a quick read, omg. the cringe! But the usernames saying “ug ug I would” - Junkyard, The Southern Yeti, philconsequence etc, all gone. And though the sexist “bants” was quite shite, they did make it a laugh on other themes.
There's a control at the bottom right of the text input window. Click and drag it to mak eth etext window as big as you like.
Great tip, thanks.
I'm probably one of the Magnificent Six and could probably name a few of the others. One has a face I'd never tire of slapping.
There is a thing in Internet culture called the 90-9-1 rule. Simplistically, 90% of users only consume, what we used to call "lurkers." 9% contribute. 1% contributes regularly.
My thinking is that the thing which kills a forum is a lack of contribution, not the usernames being the wrong shade of blue. So I try to help in tech threads, I butt heads in political threads, and so forth. If people aren't creating content - even if it's content you don't like and that's often the best way of driving traffic - then the forum is ****ed. And that would be a sad day indeed.
Also,
As I and others have already said, it's sunny. Mark is obviously best placed to give a canonical answer here, but I'd expect all forums (especially outdoor pursuits forums) to see a drop-off over summer.
out of curiosity I had a quick read, omg. the cringe!
Friday Kylie seems a long time ago.
Society has moved on a bit...but I reckon average age has moved on 15+ years too. Testosterone levels have no doubt plummeted and the average user is less interesting in pert bums and more interested in a hot chocolate before a nice early night.
also part of the problem 😆
You don't like fish finger sandwiches? Then I'm afraid to say we can't be friends...
I'm probably one of the Magnificent Six
Also absolutely not in my book.
The friday kylie and other such threads were appalling back then. quite honestly I was astonished they were allowed.
There was definitely a point when, I dunno, maybe enough of us matured at the same time, and Friday Kylie and some of the other now unacceptable threads, lost their appeal and eventually either withered away or got mod-ed out.
I think a couple of us pointing out how 1950s it was and posting ugly pictures may have done something 🙂
May I suggest a new Friday thread? ... The Friday Keighley
I remember Octoporn. I am not sure it made sense though.
😂 ^ octoporn was the one thing I made up. I can't remember the exact etymology, but I do remember it was in response to a comment Flashy made. I was so proud of it that for a time, it was on my CV.
I think there are some valid reasons why STW is not as busy as it was a few years ago. Insta/FB/TikToc is far more interactive and forums are quite old fashioned nowadays to be honest. Exacerbating the demise will be the bans/suspensions handed out for a person having a different opinion to that jerk again or another of the infamous 6 .. older forum users will simply stop posting replies and newer users are more likely using the insta/FB/TikTok anyway.
I haven’t posted in a long time (mostly due to being dumped on by forum users for absolutely no reason). When I was first using this forum you could ask questions and more than likely get an appropriate answer and the depth of knowledge was astounding sometimes!. Then something changed and I experienced what was verging on bullying ( from what was at the time a moderator!). They had absolutely no context to respond to so decided that putting the boot in was the best response. I dropped off after that but sometime later tried to as a question and again got jumped on, I gave up after that. I still look in from time to time but no one I ride with comes on here at all now. I will say that I don’t think the above are the main reasons for a perceived slow down but for me it is not a pleasant place unless you are “big hitter”.
It's not just the forum though, the site as a whole ( and the mag ) are just not very interesting.
you should implement a timeout button that your users can use. someone gets 10 strikes from users for being a tedious argumentative shit they get a few days ban from posting
IIRC someone once got a lifetime ban for this very reason.
Personally, I'd just add a Block User function. If enough folk used it on the same person they'd soon find themselves shouting into an empty room (not like that would stop them 😉)
It wasn’t Kylie btw, as far as I recall that was just a bunch of photos posted
As a somewhat irregular poster, I find the threads and discussions quite interesting - certainly better than most forums - but find the forum tech/performance/lagginess/ads a major source of annoyance - especially on mobile - and so don't really post as much. Not sure what every other forum (pink bike, vitalmtb, overclockers, head-fi etc. that I use) is doing differently? They all just seem to...work.
I guess it was inevitable that many folk would cite technical issues as a reason for not posting/visiting so much, but only a handful have suggested topics that no longer appear (or appear as often). some chime with my own thoughts; everyone is a content creator these days so YouTube is full of tech stuff, ride reports, travels suggestions and so on.
I'll throw in another suggestion though - did there seem to be more "banter" in the past? Sarcasm and criticism were just part of the feel of the forum. I guess it helped that I knew more of the regulars back then too and so could engage in that sort of fun without necessarily causing offence. As I once discussed with Junkyard (remember him?) my golden rule was (and still is) to read stuff as if it was intended in the best of spirit. Maybe the general level of online toxicity suggested above prevents that being the case these days.
Maybe we need a big STW event where we can all get together, shake hands, share a few drinks and generally melt away some of the barriers.
This thread is equally a depressing read as the one I created last year about the decline in rider numbers at the MTB Marathon in Ruthin. The two might be related.
On a positive note, there's more people out on mtbs now in my area than I've ever seen (Strava heatmaps concentrating usage maybe?), all the yoof are on normal bikes (if you can describe 12yr olds on a Santa Cruz's as normal?) and the older crew are on e's (like they were in the 90's), so there's a big available audience out there for online bike discussions.
I have no idea if the forum is dying. Presumably the guys at ST Towers know from the stats. Mostly though, things on the internet are never as good as they used to be etc. 😐
I tried to interact with this thread this morning on my phone but after minutes waiting for it to load past a blank screen, avoid the ads, wait for the page to scroll and finally get to the text box I just gave up.
Now, hours later I'm on the Mac and its ok. It doesnt take many multiples of that experience to make the forum feel dead.
Must admit I've suffered v few of the posting/updating/advertising issues others have said they have had.
I have posted a few queries re bike/equipment/clothing on the forum and I guesstimate that 90% of the responses are useful/informative. Though there is a cash penalty, as I've just ordered a Rapha Core gilet because it had a double zip, amongst numerous other items!
Some of the aggressive/toxic comments on the political posts have stopped me posting on there. So a bit more tolerance of others views would be good, except for supporters of Johnson, Trump, Farage, etc, .. .. obviously 🙉
Though, TBF, they do make me sanity check some of my basic assumptions.
Personally I'm with STW for the long term, largely because there is an invaluable knowledge base from like minded people who enjoy being outdoors doing stuff, who are happy to share thoughtful advice 💪
Reminder to self to post re internal gear cable guide tube on my Capra failing 🙈 and practical options arising.
Thank you STWers
same ten three ****ers?
but seriously. with a subscription this site is one of the slowest loading, flakiest sites I regularly visit, without it i can't imagine why anyone would feel strongly enough to battle through the ads to post something.
the regularity is diminishing and I doubt I alone. I'm unlikely to renew my digital sub.
It never ceases to amaze me whenever one of these threads pops up that there are always a decent number of folk that post, normally within a day, about how they hardly ever come here anymore/it’s rubbish/can’t stand anyone here. Amongst all the regular contributors to this kind of thread.
Amazing coincidence I suppose.
Don’t like the content? Be the change you want to see.
About what nickkingsley said for me.
The technical threads (bike and chat) are generally good.
The politics threads are miserable but given that entrenched monologues on political matters are increasingly polluting LinkedIn I'm going to do what I do there...scroll on by.
And I still really enjoy the writing of the STW staff. 🙂
A couple of years ago we were all stuck inside all day with nothing to do (apart from our daily exercise). I'm sure I read and contributed more to the forum then.The politics threads are ridiculous purity spirals - agree with the most extravagant virtue signalling statement or be called a bigot.
"And once a certain 4 letter username member has posted once of his essays, its hardly worth responding...". Do you mean Mark? That's a bit harsh, it's his forum!
STW is still the place I turn to when I need advice on just about anything, and it's rare that I don't get good suggestions.
For me I think I have become disillusioned with the Internet or more specially public discussions on the Internet. There is very little actual debate online in my opinion it's just people shouting at everyone else. Very few people are genuinely interested in replies to their own posts other than to use it as an opportunity to show off.
I could of course be wrong.... but I'm not
Although it seems quieter after the forum migration I think this is one of the few places wherr I still get involved in threads though it's much less than I used to I do still scroll through the chat forum in particular a few times a day.
I haven’t posted in a long time (mostly due to being dumped on by forum users for absolutely no reason). When I was first using this forum you could ask questions and more than likely get an appropriate answer and the depth of knowledge was astounding sometimes!. Then something changed and I experienced what was verging on bullying ( from what was at the time a moderator!).
Is that directed at me? I'm the only former (visible) moderator I know of. If it is and I offended you then I'm sorry, but to be honest I don't recognise your username so can't comment further I'm afraid. (That's on me, I'm shite at keeping track of poster names aside from problem children.)
It's unlikely that you'd get "dumped on for no reason." You may well have contentious views challenged but, well, welcome to public Internet forums.
The politics threads are ridiculous purity spirals - agree with the most extravagant virtue signalling statement or be called a bigot.
Or... don't be a bigot?
