I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve learnt a a great deal from this forum.

The advice offered is almost always good, no matter what the topic – even if it is usually contradictory and varied.

And I find the range of opinions and attitudes expressed fascinating and it constantly makes me re-evaluate why I think in a particular way.

And I enjoy the banter, the debating, the sparring, and the pisstaking.
My sincerest apologies to those that don’t.

Been on some great rides and met some interesting people via here. Had complete strangers offer to help me with stuff I needed. Laughed like a drain on many occasions over intended and unintended funnies. All round good stuff.

i likes it here, one minute you’re posting a lolcat and then the next your emailing someone offering support through a hard time.

i especially like it when several of the funnier posters all end up messing around in the same threads together.

+1 Lunge – hit the nail on the head!

Plus I’d have never bothered trying to make Ice Tyres if I hadn’t seen all the other homemade attempts here lol

Cheers Singletrack!

For me is the scope for redemption and reinvention. One can spend their time being rude to others on on thread, then put that behind them and start another one afresh, sometimes because folks have forgotten who did what, other times because folks know it was a wind up and yet other times ‘cos folks know that they can be fickle and capricious.

I like different characters and personalities, even those seen under the same user name. 😕

I’d like it more if I could get serious responses to anything I post.

Cynical.

I like the fact that the only things frowned upon are outright rudeness or taking things too seriously. I have never used a forum with such a good search facility which nobody really seems to care if you use.

How do I find this ‘search facility’?

Have you tried searching for it? 8)

One stop shop for any advice on any subject!

Have you tried searching for it?

I like the fact that there are so many bloody smart-alecs on here… 🙂

Most of the time when I need a hand with shit, which is a lot of the time, I can get help!

There are also some very funny threads and stupid stuff, a lot of arguing, but life for most people sucks and they’re more likely than not sexually frustrated as well 💡

Basically it’s a community, over flowing with weirdness, which is great 😀

People, nuff said.
I think STW has shown me the best and the very not best in people. I think it’s one of the few places i can read when I am down and make me feel better afterwards. It is as well a place I can read when I feel awesome ad then feel less good.
Weirdly enough, this place here is very much like life. Just from my sofa.

No honest I think dezb and poddy are spot on.

Lot’s of good advice and ideas traded back and forth—you can really learn things, bikewise and otherwise.

Being in the USA, enjoy reading the opinions of the members in the UK and elsewhere on just about every subject under the sun—makes one realize that we all deal with pretty much the same issues.

The level of both simple and sophisticated humor in posts is great as well as the empathy displayed in serious posts when someone is really in a difficult situation.

Just overall a lot of fun to read and participate in!

Kindness, support and friendship, shared, given and made via this very place..

On the whole an all round good community,with some fit women riders too.

As busydog says, there are a lot of genuinely nice people on here who not only provide advice but genuine support and empathy when the bad things in life happen. More often than not there is somebody that has been in the same position as the person asking for help. Also some very kind offers of help from people who go out of their way to give assistance to others (eg: loco on the thread yesterday from the lad whose shock died in the Alps).

Today’s efforts on another thread have have reminded me that however positive you are about something there will always be someone out there trying to knock the enthusiasm out of you.

To be taken in small doses then. Bye for now.

For a women it is so interesting to get into a man’s head and see the world from their point of view.

There are people on here who have made me cry with laughter.

Mostly my spelling and grammar have improved.

Bestest of all is meeting up with strangers in the middle of the night (sometimes) and going off riding with them. For all we know the strangers are brain surgeons, dustbinmen, gardeners, sadly mostly IT.

Oh yes I’ve sold quite a few handbags and made curtains for the good folks from here.

Long may it continue.

there are some top people on here that I’ve gone riding with shared very strong alcohol with and generally had a jolly old time.

There are some people I’m sure are lovely but are so very different from me that but in the real world we would never be able to communicate without resorting to extreme violence*. It’s actually reading stuff from these folks that teaches me to be more tolerant of others.

there are some very funny folks on here as well.

There are some who are actually incredibly supportive to strangers when then really need a bit of help, this I think is the strongest bit of STW and long may it continue.

* I have no doubt whatsoever that a lot/most/99.99% folks think the same about me. 😆

I like this forum, some of the posts are a bit bitchy and people do get a bit of a flap on, and it does seem to go through spells of being a bit miserable on here, but theres always an underlying humour that i think is what makes it work. Despite some people not getting on or disagreeing you have only got to read one of the more serious posts that people put up on here about serious issues in life. Pretty much everyone on this forum will give a considered, supportive and caring answer… i think that speaks volumes about the average singletrack member..

we would never be able to communicate without resorting to extreme violence… that a lot/most/99.99% folks think the same about me.

I’d like to do something extreme to you. I guess that puts me in the 0.01 percentile.

*offers extreme cuddle to TSY*

you still haven’t come to play in to woods yet, you’ll have to bring that young mr consequence and a few others as well

There is nowhere else on the interwebthingy where I could:
1. Get a new dog
2. Find out how to fix a 2002 mondeo brake.
3. find out more on cancer, relationships and carbon forks
4. engage with folk whos views and lives and experiences are different from mine and engage in learning ( or pointless bickering) as a resukt.

STW IS FLAWED BUT BRILL!

All of the above – well most of it. Met some lovely people too 🙂

Lots of great things about the forum. Met a couple of really nice people who I ride with regularly, had lots of good advice. As said before you’ll get an answer to almost anything on here.

STW has given me :-

Mates
Routes
A massive overdraft
A bike I would never have considered getting but love it
Lots of laughs

And most importantly … some real help when I was at rock bottom.

I frequent a lot of forums, this is by far the best, most balanced, most tolerant, most friendly, most supportive.

Thanks everyone… happy trails.

also discovered some very good music from genres I wouldn’t have ever thought about.

Whilst I’ve had some life-changing things going on in my life over the last two years, STW has been a wonderful place to keep my head somewhere close to normal.

Being one of those with “different lives or experiences”, I’ve never once felt alienated on here. In fact, I have chatted to and met some absolutely wonderful people and thank you. x

Oh – and you talked me into buying a Nicolai, for which I will always be grateful. 🙂

Rachel

Most of my regular riding buddies have been met through STW, and to a (wo)man they’re all genuinely great people.

Sharing stories about rides. Always guaranteed interesting stories/knowledge or just an appreciative audience!

Replying to a thread on here about a trail in the middle of the highlands, then bumping into the author on the train the next weekend as he made his way to the start of his ride, and rapidly making the connection 😀

The picolax thread is where it started for me, pure genius.

Since then the forum and site has been great in teaching me about bikes but also riding them. Been some great non biking threads also. In a few words it’s a one stop shop for anything. Someone is always around to assist with any type of query.

One regret so far is all attempts for group rides in the midlands I am always darn busy. Law of averages must drop in my favour one day.

Mods, keep up the good work

Stalked this place for ages looking for advice about stuff when I was building my chameleon. Read loads of threads. Saw How Rachel was treated on here, firstly she was so brave for saying what she did, and secondly the response on here was so warm and understanding. Started posting after that. It’s great that no one on here cares, just treats you as just one of the ‘gang’ it’s unlike so many other message boards. And you can’t get brake advice on pinksofa LOL

The funny guys on here are properly spit your tea funny, the arguments are silly and everyone seems to know that in the end it doesn’t matter, learned LOADS, must get out to a ride.

emsz – I’m orgnaising a ride in the FOD today… fancy it?

Yeti, riiiiight. 😀

Staying in my PJs today 😀

You could do both? (-:

The best thing about stw? It’s like a mental hospital… Whilst the residents are on here arguing it keeps them off the trails which leaves them free for us normal folk to enjoy

It’s usually the most interesting thing on the WWW.

Ah well emsz. You should come on a group ride someday. I’ll be on my best behaviour.

I’m going to stay in bed today too though now.