I don’t know how the older generation of cyclists managed without being able to visit cycling forums to gain all the latest news, endless discussion, criticism et.c. They probably spent more time training…
There was a time when I spent quite a bit of time reading and posting on a few cycling forums. But, when I started to have my own cycling blog, I lost the habit, and now try and use them as a source of information – very rarely posting anything but trying to find some information.
Some Observations of Cycling Forums.
Endless Debate. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a thread where everyone agrees. Whatever the topic, you will get different opinions. If it is about doping. Opinions will range from ‘everyone’s at it’ to ‘Cycling’s the cleanest sport’. Sometimes you think people like debate for the sake of it. The problem is that if your looking for advice, you can read a thread with many conflicting ideas / opinions. After reading some threads, rather than gaining any useful information I just left confused – although maybe that’s me, I mean I have got confused between Km and Miles in the past… But, when every Tom, Dick and Harry gives his opinion it can be difficult to learn anything. There’s probably good stuff posted, but, it’s hard work separating the wheat from the chaff.
It Can be Addictive. Sometimes I go to a cycling forum to find a result of a race and before I know it I’m reading a thread about the relative merits of a riding on a dual carriageway in Essex. I’ll never visit this dual carriageway in Essex, yet I end up spending time reading about traffic flows on the A46 like it actually meant something to me.
It’s easy to criticise. It’s easy to criticise and forums have more than their fair share of criticism for just about anything.
Sometimes Humorous. The only thing that saves cycling forums is humour. You can easily take yourself too seriously writing on forums. At least humour can puncture some of the more absurd opinions and egos.
Sometimes they can actually be useful. On very rare occasions, cycling forums can be really useful giving you a piece of information that you can’t find anywhere else. Where else could I find the weight in grams of a Shimano Dura Ace, 9 spd rear mech – except on a cycle forum dedicated to talking about the weight of cycling components? Weight Weenies I once asked a question where a course was, and within 5 minutes someone had asked all my questions. The problem is that to get the useful piece of information, you often spend 15 minutes getting sucked into useless threads.
Types of People Who Use Cycle Forums
Mr Know It All. Mr Know it all with the correct answer to any question and opinion on anything from under 13 MTB races to the best type of disc wheel. His knowledge is encyclopedic and he likes to have the last word. If he spent as much time training as he did on the cycling forum, he would probably be in the Olympic Team.
Mr Controversy. Mr Controversy will always throw a spanner in the works. Whatever the topic he will manage to turn it into another pointless debate.
Mr Optimistic. Undeterred by endless debates and criticism on the forum Mr Optimistic will gain great joy from sharing his 30 minutes training ride to the local shops. If only cycling forums were all filled with this enthusiasm.
there are many more
forums are a great way of sharing information, and helping others.
There is always someone to answer your question. But, you will also get several conflicting different answers to the same question
You’re right. Forums can be time sucking vampires. It’s easy to waste hours on them if you’re not careful. Only today I was trawking a forum looking for some information and I got sucked into thread after thread. Over an hour later I prised myself away.
It wouldn’t be so bad if there wasn’t so many of them. Like you I’m making a concerted effort to keep away from forums of any kind. They’re a great source of information and there’s always someone on them who will have the answer to your questions, but they can steal your time without you realising it.