Author Topic: Why the low thread numbers?  (Read 20289 times)

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Offline sprocketman

Why the low thread numbers?
« on: December 29, 2010, 12:59:34 am »
In addition to biking, I race sailboats. To get most of my sailing fixes, I go to Sailing Anarchy - a website for sailing and stuff. What I noticed is that that website has over a million responses and new threads every day. This site seems to average 5 - 10 hits per thread and minimal new threads. Sailing Anarchy seems to average much more than that. My point is that sailing is a niche sport. My guess is that less than a fraction of one percent sail on a weekly basis. How many people cycle every week? I don't know if anyone can answer that, but it can't be less than sailing. So let's get some conversation going here. I will start it off. The best part about cycle touring is... 

Offline whittierider

Re: Why the low thread numbers?
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2010, 02:33:35 am »


Quote
I will start it off. The best part about cycle touring is... 

I don't know, but I do hate traveling, unless I'm riding a bike.  For me, traveling is stressful and not my idea of a vacation at all, except if I'm riding bike.
« Last Edit: January 10, 2011, 12:26:09 am by whittierider »

Offline lonerider

Re: Why the low thread numbers?
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2010, 12:47:35 pm »
I would venture that cyclists, if not competitive or into the latest and greatest stuff, have not much to talk about.

Me, have ridden in several Asian countries as well as many states in USA and love to be by myself out on the back roads of farm country in the middle of growing season. Nothing compares to the peaceful solitude which is why I ride.

Offline Shane

Re: Why the low thread numbers?
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2010, 02:40:14 pm »
Nice thread, this is one of the more quiet cycling forums, maybe people are too busy cycling ;D

Cycling for me has 2 parts:

Commuting(2x23km): just as quick as the bus, but nicer and almost as cheap..
Travelling:  Pain, discomfort, boredom and loneliness that and the far nicer stuff in between...

Shane

Offline Pat Lamb

Re: Why the low thread numbers?
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2010, 02:53:04 pm »
What I noticed is that that website has over a million responses and new threads every day. This site seems to average 5 - 10 hits per thread and minimal new threads.

I'm going to challenge your basis a bit here.  First, nobody has time to read a million messages per day -- it's not physically possible.  I'd rather have the stats on this site as a participant; I can read, think about, and respond to the messages that interest me.  The only reason I can think of for someone to want a million responses is to sell advertising.

Second, this isn't the only cycling board, or even the only touring cycling board.  Usenet still lives (in rec.bikes.tech), and is a viable option (at least until the wacko who tries to kill cycling groups started hitting it this week).  Crazyguyonabike has a thriving forum section.  But this site seems to have a nice niche that is only part of the others'.

Offline Westinghouse

Re: Why the low thread numbers?
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2010, 05:27:08 pm »
I just do bicycle touring. Many people want highly technical information. Sometimes they ask for medical advice. Other questions are related to cycling. Many questions are about the weather which can be found simply by googling. I do not tell people which bikes to use. Someone asked me about Cannondale cycling shoes because he could not get any information. I googled it once and got several pages with pics.

Offline sprocketman

Re: Why the low thread numbers?
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2010, 01:51:08 am »
To PDLAMB,

I never said that Sailing Anarchy had a million hits a day (it has over a million hits total). Read my post. My point was that such a niche sport has a much more active forum. I am just trying to stir up debate. I rode half way across the US last July. I ran into a bunch of people on the Atlantic Coast Route who all had ACA maps. People use the site, they just done use the forum. Maybe ACA could promote the forum more? I have bounced a few questions on his forum and got good responses. More responses would be a greater resource to all.


Offline popeyespal

Re: Why the low thread numbers?
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2010, 08:13:51 am »
To get most of my sailing fixes, I go to Sailing Anarchy - a website for sailing and stuff. What I noticed is that that website has over a million responses and new threads every day. 


Sorry but...yes you did. PDLamb is correct. If you did not intend to indicate they received 1,000,000 per day then maybe a quick lesson in sentence structure would be timely. (I think there's a forum for that but it's not very busy.)

When did the forums themselves become a competitive event? "Gee....you guys must not really love your hobby because some completely unrelated site gets more hits than ACA." What is that all about??

I have received more valuable information here than at my LBS...and quicker too. THAT'S what a forum is about...not just clicks.

Offline staehpj1

Re: Why the low thread numbers?
« Reply #8 on: December 30, 2010, 10:03:28 am »
In addition to biking, I race sailboats. To get most of my sailing fixes, I go to Sailing Anarchy - a website for sailing and stuff. What I noticed is that that website has over a million responses and new threads every day. This site seems to average 5 - 10 hits per thread and minimal new threads. Sailing Anarchy seems to average much more than that. My point is that sailing is a niche sport. My guess is that less than a fraction of one percent sail on a weekly basis. How many people cycle every week? I don't know if anyone can answer that, but it can't be less than sailing. So let's get some conversation going here. I will start it off. The best part about cycle touring is... 
There are quite a few different bicycling forums and several bicycle touring ones.  They each have their own community and their own biases.  Amount of traffic alone is a poor measure of their usefulness.  The fact of the matter is that often as they move toward the high traffic end of the spectrum the signal to noise ratio gets out of hand.

If you want more traffic you might try the touring section on Bike Forums.  It has most of the advantages and disadvantages of a higher traffic forum.  You can check it out at:  at http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php/47-Touring

I'd recommend enjoying this forum for what it is and the others for what they are.

Offline bogiesan

Re: Why the low thread numbers?
« Reply #9 on: December 31, 2010, 10:16:13 am »
A bit strange the Adventure Cycling Association has many members and yet so few of them participate online.

david boise ID
I play go. I use Macintosh. Of course I ride a recumbent

Offline popeyespal

Re: Why the low thread numbers?
« Reply #10 on: December 31, 2010, 11:26:37 am »
Why strange?  They are out riding their bikes!

Offline sprocketman

Re: Why the low thread numbers?
« Reply #11 on: January 02, 2011, 10:50:51 pm »
Thank you David. Am I the only one who noticed? People seem to view the threads, but do not participate. Exchanging ideas, tips, and experience is what makes a forum valuable for everyone.

Lucky13

  • Guest
Re: Why the low thread numbers?
« Reply #12 on: January 03, 2011, 07:45:41 am »
I've noticed the low numbers as well. In fact, though I've been an ACA member for MANY years, I seldom post here.

CrazyGuyonaBike gets most of my online time. It's a much better resource and much more active.


Offline Tandem4Rider

Re: Why the low thread numbers?
« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2011, 10:28:55 am »
I'm relatively new around here, but I would say the lower volume is what attracted me.  The comments about noise are spot-on.  I have also found the posts here to be informed, worded very well, intellectual, deliberate and quite helpful.  There appears to be a fair measure for tolerance for different opinions based upon experience, etc...  That also suggests to me that the average person around here is also mature and dedicated to cycling.

I've been on other forums that bogged down in "my way or the highway" mentality or rabbit trailed to things political.  I find neither here, and really like that.  I suppose it would be appropriate to give a nod to the moderators, as well, for keeping this place civil, courteous, and a pleasant place to visit.

Offline John Nettles

  • World Traveler
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Re: Why the low thread numbers?
« Reply #14 on: January 03, 2011, 10:46:44 am »
To me, it seems the ACA Forums are more ACA specific (duh) than the other cyclotourist forums.  There is nothing wrong with that.  I also subscribe to the Thorn Cycles Forum but it too has very low counts as it is mostly Thorn specific.

Also, a lot of the questions tend to be very very specific, i.e. "I need a route getting from the LA bike path to LAX", where the vast majority of readers are unable to provide a viable answer due to lack of local knowledge (even though some readers seem to respond to almost every thread even if their point adds nothing).  A lot of the majority of the remaining questions are repetitive ("what kind of gearing do I need", "when is the earliest/latest I can do the TransAm?", etc. )

These are not knocks on ACA but just shows it is doing what it is supposed to be, that is, be the site to go to for ACA specific info.

If you want lots of comments, start a thread about panniers vs. trailers, Rohloff vs. traditional, hammocks vs. tents, or some other topic which should have been flamed to dust by now  ;D.  How about a thread on a guy wanting to ride with a trailer, Rohloff, and a tent vs. a girl on a traditional pannier hammock setup?

All in all though, I too wish more people participated.