Future of non-cycling discussion on Bike Hub

[Red Robin]

Just saw this topic now. I understand that at the end of the day the decision will be up to the owners of BH the same as with any business cos at the end of the day that is what it is, a business. 

 

I found BH when I was googling bike stuff as  a total  utter newbie to the sport  a few years ago and it has been most helpful. I truly appreciated and  used the advice given when I asked it. I have used the classifieds to purchase as well. 

 

I do  really enjoy some of the chit chat topics and  hope that they stay and would certainly miss them if they were to be removed. 

[Shebeen]

actually a further query.

 

looking at the 2019 review

https://community.bikehub.co.za/features/_/news/industry-news/bike-hub-2019-year-in-review-r8028

 

the most replied topic was actually in this category, the running thread under off-topic/other sports

so is that also getting the chop? i know trailhub.co.za never worked (for some bizarre reason)

 

i'm sure many found the discovery health thread incredibly useful too, also in the wastebin?

[SwissVan]

What bookmark are you using to access the bikehub? I.e who are you acessing the bikehub? if you using a pc browser pin a link to either home or to a forum you would like to go to, I have one that auto redirects me to my new content page

 

Thank you, that's a damn simple and good plan.

 

I've now bookmarked the OFF TOPIC thread... although like dinosaures rex that link might be extinct soon   

 

However... this only works if you stay logged in, when you login your are directed to the home page with all the classifieds.

[Bateleur1]

Pretty much this.

 

This is how I see it. It is not personal or a dig, but just piecing together what I can see and what I have read.

 

If you look at the off topic traffic, it is the same 30 to 40 users.

 

Considering the site attracts thousands of users daily, it is a really small percentage taking up a large amount of man hours and focus.

 

Pair that with the fact that a lot of these users are expats means they aren't really adding to the economy that bikehub creates. So while adding 'traffic', they aren't going to buy a bike from an SA distributer, so the ads/traffic conundrum is largely moot. (I say largely as it is not entirely, before 3 people say 'I am local!).

 

It comes down to the 80/20 scenario, which businesses, especially growing and evolving businesses, have to look at constantly.

 

A bunch of guys being white middle/upper class judge and jury taking up a load of man power, time and effort on non related topics seems like the first thing that needs evaluating.

 

For us it is a place we waste our time on frivolous discussions, arguments and one upmanship, but ultimately it is a business. 

 

Be honest, how many of you actually click on the adverts and buy stuff, use the payment portal, pay to have your ads 'boosted' etc to generate income? (Don't answer, just think about it openly).

 

Anyway, a fair amount of the off topic threads and the petition to bring back comments are quite often just cyber bullying to be honest. I am not absolved of this, but it is often just petty and wrong.

 

Flay me all you like, but I think that the bikehub bosses know where they want to go, have the right 'numbers' to make educated decisions and know that it will disappoint some users. It is not often that change doesn't negatively affect some percentage of those involved, especially when you are looking at numbers in their thousands.

 

I'm sorry if my post offends anyone, it is just my observations, being part of the 'chatterers' I throw myself in with my generalizations.

 

Not offended at your post at all.   Just the highlighted part I am not sure of.  I see European company adds on my side.  I am sure that is money comming in from outside of SA to Matt.  Could Matt confirm this?  What ads do the other expats see?

[flymango]

Well that just it.  I simply do not have the time nor the energy to spend on multiple platforms just for chatting.  If the off topic dicussion are removed I won#t move to another forum.  But I only need to ask so many questions on the hub that are cycling related, and on most things you will find an answer just by searching.  2020 saw very little wrt races and local races.  The commuting thread was virtually standing still as most worked home office.  Only towards the end were there the Grand Tours and most spent their time on there. Nobody sat with their fat asses on the tube of a canyon so we did not even have that debate this year.  So the only real big discussions this year happen to be the US elections and Corona.

 

Don't forget about Zwift vs ... ?

Or Wahoo vs Direto?

[Stretch]

Just out of curiosity, how many people on here are Reddit users?

Not very active.. But active

 

Same question for discord

[Bateleur1]

Tuesday morning thoughts:

 

The trouble with moderation is that it requires moderation even though there are clear community guidelines. How unnecessary. The trouble with moderation is that it is like supervising kids in the zoo to not go and stick their little paws into the snake den (religious topics) or poisonous spiders cage (political debates). How annoying.

 

I would support the 'feel-good' campfire topics, discussions and sharings. The stuff that feels ubuntu.

 

Matt & Co, I would guess, face a tricky strategic decision as hosting also has a fiduciary responsibility in the Internet hosting world - the ongoing rise of misinformation, exploitation, online toxicity and keyboard bullying, etc.

 

As the adage goes, 'one bad apple can spoil the bunch'. 

 

 

The only way I would know how serious that problem is, was by participating in the off topic discussions here.  Had it not been for that I would have been oblivious about it to be honest.  The discussion here is like a yard stick for me about whats going on in the rest of the world with people like minded to me.

[TNT1]

Can someone explain to me.

 

It seems like the thrust of it is that the site earns money from ad revenue, and that would rely somewhat heavily on traffic. It also appears that a large portion of traffic is via the off topic areas. Isn't binning the off topic areas then counter-intuitive?

[Pure Savage]

Maybe this topic was set up to boost posts for the year and increase ad revenue.     

[flymango]

but Mango, why do we only need to discuss things with like minded people? Isn't part of life interacting with people with opposing views?

 

 

Earlier someone said the Off-Topic section is where like-minded people, i.e. cyclists, can engage in some informative and sometimes robust debate. My point is that just because we're cyclists, doesn't make us like-minded at all. We merely share a common interest. Just try starting a thread on stopping at red traffic lights, and you'll get my point.

[Chris_]

actually a further query.

 

looking at the 2019 review

https://community.bikehub.co.za/features/_/news/industry-news/bike-hub-2019-year-in-review-r8028

 

the most replied topic was actually in this category, the running thread under off-topic/other sports

so is that also getting the chop? i know trailhub.co.za never worked (for some bizarre reason)

 

i'm sure many found the discovery health thread incredibly useful too, also in the wastebin?

 

I think these lists also exclude the off-topic section.

 

Running is under riding - multisport.

[Pure Savage]

Just checked, the bring back the classified thread is not off topic

 

I dont think it should be removed, would miss the F1 thread.

 

This thread would also get lost as its off topic as well

[Pure Savage]

Earlier someone said the Off-Topic section is where like-minded people, i.e. cyclists, can engage in some informative and sometimes robust debate. My point is that just because we're cyclists, doesn't make us like-minded at all. We merely share a common interest. Just try starting a thread on stopping at red traffic lights, and you'll get my point.

Cars never stop at red lights! They are the worst!

[TNT1]

Earlier someone said the Off-Topic section is where like-minded people, i.e. cyclists, can engage in some informative and sometimes robust debate. My point is that just because we're cyclists, doesn't make us like-minded at all. We merely share a common interest. Just try starting a thread on stopping at red traffic lights, and you'll get my point.

You can illustrate it just as effectively with a cycling related topic. Like greeting other cyclists on the road, trail etiquette, discs vs rim brakes, listening to music whilst riding, strava, etc...

[Stretch]

actually a further query.

 

looking at the 2019 review

https://community.bikehub.co.za/features/_/news/industry-news/bike-hub-2019-year-in-review-r8028

 

the most replied topic was actually in this category, the running thread under off-topic/other sports

so is that also getting the chop? i know trailhub.co.za never worked (for some bizarre reason)

 

i'm sure many found the discovery health thread incredibly useful too, also in the wastebin?

I thought the running thread want under off topics because it appears in the top listing on the website... There were go.. That's the biggest thread I contribute too. If that fits then there really is nothing here for me

[SwissVan]

I just want to add that I only noticed this thread today. If it had been filed under "Off Topic discussions" I would have seen it develop in real time. 

 

 

Previously it did not show up anywhere unless you went to the Help and Support forum or knew exactly where to find it.

Sceptics would say that's the regimes plan   to keep it quite....

 

Now you can at least see it pop up in the "Latest Forum Posts" viewing pane (since yesterday) where it will generate more views and comments, thanks Admin 

 

 

 

 

This has been kind of fixed now as the thread now at least appears in the Latest Forum Posts viewing pane.

 

[Edited, might have been wrong]

Edited December 8, 2020 by SwissVan