Future of non-cycling discussion on Bike Hub

[Eddy Gordo]

I also have the new content page bookmarked. I will browse the topics, but lately hardly reply. When I do, I type out my response and then think naa F it, not worth the forthcoming arguments. This is cycling and non cycling related content. The classifieds I browse, I have some stuff up, but I have sold my cycling stuff via gumtree this year.

[Chris_]

.... but I have sold my cycling stuff via gumtree this year.

 

Blasphemy! 

[Bateleur1]

Can't help but wonder, are there more problem makers in the Chit Chat forums than there are scammers on theHub?  It has been posted here earlier that in general the discussion are not a problem.  So if it is only a few causing problems why not just suspend the accounts for x days and then that is that?

[Chris_]

Can't help but wonder, are there more problem makers in the Chit Chat forums than there are scammers on theHub?  It has been posted here earlier that in general the discussion are not a problem.  So if it is only a few causing problems why not just suspend the accounts for x days and then that is that?

 

I think thats the whole point. It's doubling up the time usage by monitoring and dealing with said bad apples in both classifieds and forums. So the view is to reduce the non-income irritation and focus on the classifieds. Long term strategy.

[The Ouzo]

I think thats the whole point. It's doubling up the time usage by monitoring and dealing with said bad apples in both classifieds and forums. So the view is to reduce the non-income irritation and focus on the classifieds. Long term strategy.

The thing is, I’m getting the feeling things are getting way to commercialized around here.

[MORNE]

Meh. Don’t care. Dont really use the offtopic part that much and there really are some bad threads on there. But i think it opens up the possibility of people getting into more offtopic discussions in on-topic threads. So from a moderation point if view i cant really see how it will end up being less work keeping on-topic threads clean of the proverbial spam. If people want to talk about something they will. Conversations are fluid things. If some of these threads become purely factual bullet-point things...this place will get hella boring really fast.

 

Imagine talking about cycling with your cycling buddies at a braai. The topics are mostly cycling related...but all sorts of things make it into and out of the discussion while it goes on. In the end the discussion was still cycling related but also social and probably fun. Now imagine the same scenario but i instead if a fluid/casual discussion...your buddy gets out the powerpoint machine and bullet point cards to explain something and/or progress the topic. Sure the info will get transferred, like before, but you probably wont invite said friend to the braai again haha.

 

Ps...this person exists in one of those offtopic threads...

They do not seem well liked from observation lol

Edited December 7, 2020 by morneS555

[RocknRolla]

Oke brings a powerpoint to my braai, his ass lands on the pavement...

[Chris_]

People will obviously leave. A while back there was that I'm a fraud or something along those lines thread. Myself included are just here for a handful of off topic threads, and not necessarily much cycling related. I mean I'm not going to try and steer a GP5000 vs gatorskin thread so I can talk about US elections or what happened in the news today.

 

I agree there will be some drifting in topics, although I assume no more than there already is. But my guess is a bunch of people will just stop stopping by here.

 

We have learned though that there's not that many of them. So ja...

[flymango]

I'm going to be contrarian here, and support Matt.

 

I love the Off-topic forums and debates, but this is a cycling forum after all.  

 

We're fooling ourselves if we think that talking about politics or F1 or rugby or braai etiquette on the Bike Hub is about like-minded people. In fact, we're anything but like-minded. But we do share a common interest in cycling.

 

Do aviation or camping or cricket forums have an off-topic section where people talk about cycling? I might be mistaken, but I think not.   

[MORNE]

I'm going to be contrarian here, and support Matt.

 

I love the Off-topic forums and debates, but this is a cycling forum after all.

 

We're fooling ourselves if we think that talking about politics or F1 or rugby or braai etiquette on the Bike Hub is about like-minded people. In fact, we're anything but like-minded. But we do share a common interest in cycling.

 

Do aviation or camping or cricket forums have an off-topic section where people talk about cycling? I might be mistaken, but I think not.

 

Hey! Dont be throwing F1 under the bus like that. Half of what cycling is today in terms of materials and tech is due to F1 lol. Hell, Whyte bikes was created by an ex f1 engineer. The iconic Lotus 108 track bicycle? Even NASA used tech on the shuttles developed by F1 teams.

Bicycles owe a lot to f1????

Edited December 7, 2020 by morneS555

[Jewbacca]

Sjoe.... I broke out the violins reading this thread!

 

[MORNE]

You read it?

 

I didnt

[Jewbacca]

You read it?

 

I didnt

Well, the parts I read....... 

 

I'm going to leave it at that. The sadness...... it is consuming me!

[MORNE]

Well, the parts I read....... 

 

I'm going to leave it at that. The sadness...... it is consuming me!

[Bateleur1]

I'm going to be contrarian here, and support Matt.

 

I love the Off-topic forums and debates, but this is a cycling forum after all.  

 

We're fooling ourselves if we think that talking about politics or F1 or rugby or braai etiquette on the Bike Hub is about like-minded people. In fact, we're anything but like-minded. But we do share a common interest in cycling.

 

Do aviation or camping or cricket forums have an off-topic section where people talk about cycling? I might be mistaken, but I think not.   

 

Not sure about cycling but have seen aviation forums and some other forums with off topic sections where other discussion are done.

[patches]

I can’t believe Chit Chat that insignificant. We are talking about topics like.

 

1. Show us your Pets (430k views)

2. New Zealand Good Bad Ugly

3. Movie Thread

4. Calling all you Gamers

5. Football

6. I have an idea of a new thread (8 million views)

7. Time to get the hell out of here (700k views!!)

8. Post your Woodwork here

9. Aviation Fans

10. Car Porn

11. Is motorcycling allowed

 

Considering the above, probably 90% of what I come to the Forums for as they are either informative or feel good for me....

 

Sure maybe some could be moved but they are all non cycling related at least.

 

For me, it’s simple. Kill the Politics and Religious threads. Strict moderation/banning for those who create or refer to such in any way.

 

3 of those are the threads that I'm most active on, so yeah, it will be sad to lose them.

 

 

I had no idea the chit chat section was such a small % of activity. As a person that uses that area exclusively, it feels like the biggest portion of the hub. I suppose perspective is a wonderful thing.

 

Everything has a season.

 

Too right. I was viewing from the same perspective as you. Perhaps that's partly due to our emigrant status and not being able to benefit from things like the classifieds, events, or group rides.

 

But yeah, it is a cycling forum at the end of the day, and that is why I joined the hub, approx 11 years ago.

 

I came for the cycling. I stayed for the discussion (whatever form that took).

Edited December 7, 2020 by patches