2014 Feedback Thread

Darkglasses

Hi all,

It's been a while since we had a full forum feedback thread so here's your chance to pass comment on the forum and the way it's run. We recognize it's not easy to keep everyone happy all the time, but hopefully we're getting the balance about right, taking into account site rules and protocols as well as the wishes of regulars in the forum. Let us know if there are areas you think we can improve on, or rules you think we should debate. This is not the time to dispute specific incidents, but that doesn't mean you can't use specific examples to support a general point you want to make about the forum.

We know there are issues that come up regularly that cause some problems, such as the doping speculation rule. There was a dedicated Feedback thread within the Feedback forum on that and unfortunately it's not something we can have any leeway on. However rules on the likes of spoilers can certainly be debated, and I myself would like to discuss that.

We'll aim at keeping this thread open for a couple of weeks or so. Both positive and negative feedback are welcome!

So, over to you guys ....

Lusk_Doyle

Well, I for one, would like to complement the Modz on their good work and approach to their duties. Well done.

Edit: Except Beasty.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Can't fault the forum. It is by far the best run and friendliest and because the mods are actively involved in cycling and not just inert mods with no active interest in the forum they control their criticism (when necessary ) and control is more constructive.

bcmf

There isnt enough Campag equipment for sale in the adverts section.

Darkglasses

There's one change I'd particularly like to make in relation to the stage threads. As it stands, the only place you can post current day stage spoilers is in that stage's thread. What I would like to change is that those spoilers can also be posted into the following day's stage thread. That means that I can make the threads far earlier in the day (not waiting til midnight), and we'll have much more time to discuss the stage and pick apart what'll happen.

Does that sound reasonable?

Lumen

It's a shame that there aren't any boards spins these days. A few of us forged lasting friendships from them. I don't know whether the problem is supply or demand or something more subtle.

ROK ON

Lumen wrote: »

It's a shame that there aren't any boards spins these days. A few of us forged lasting friendships from them. I don't know whether the problem is supply or demand or something more subtle.

There was nothing subtle about your aftershave.

bcmf

Lumen wrote: »

It's a shame that there aren't any boards spins these days. A few of us forged lasting friendships from them. I don't know whether the problem is supply or demand or something more subtle.

agreed both northside and southside!

ROK ON

bcmf wrote: »

agreed both northside and southside!

West side ftw.

Inquitus

bcmf wrote: »

agreed both northside and southside!

When's this years bcmf Marquis de Sade Tour de NCD Pavé?

bcmf

Inquitus wrote: »

When's this years bcmf Marquis de Sade Tour de NCD Pavé?

Dunno!
Its been way to dry to even think about it.

Zyzz

Lumen wrote: »

It's a shame that there aren't any boards spins these days. A few of us forged lasting friendships from them. I don't know whether the problem is supply or demand or something more subtle.

A thread or two were made but there was very little interest in them. I turned up to one and there was only one other boardsie there, it was an enjoyable spin none the less.

Lusk_Doyle

ROK ON wrote: »

West side ftw.

Westside went out with 2pac.

Lusk_Doyle

Zyzz wrote: »

I turned up to one and there was only one other boardsie there, it was an enjoyable spin none the less.

Most people would call that a "date". Did you get to second base?

BrianHenryIE

"What bike should I get" should be one thread -- they're mostly just repetition. And the stolen bikes thread should encourage people to identify the lock they were using. i.e. I want to know if orange Kryptonites are ever broken (which I couldn't find by searching the thread).

Other than that, just thanks!

drogdub

Maybe a couple of more threads criticising cyclist behaviour. In particular I would like to hear more observations from motorists on groups of cyclists on country roads.

I think it's a great forum so well done to all mods and users. Finally it's great to be able to discuss the sport without it descending into who is and isn't doping.

Kinet1c

brian.henry wrote: »

"What bike should I get" should be one thread -- they're mostly just repetition. And the stolen bikes thread should encourage people to identify the lock they were using. i.e. I want to know if orange Kryptonites are ever broken (which I couldn't find by searching the thread).

Other than that, just thanks!

I think a template for the stolen bike thread would be good.

Bike:
Location stolen from:
Time
locked/unlocked
...

Something along those lines.

Darkglasses

Kinet1c wrote: »

I think a template for the stolen bike thread would be good.

Bike:
Location stolen from:
Time
locked/unlocked
...

Something along those lines.

I like the idea but it's rare that people ever stick to templates like that - especially when a lot of posts of that type are people using either the forum or even the whole site for the first time. A lot of them don't even find the thread

neris

Darkglasses wrote: »

There's one change I'd particularly like to make in relation to the stage threads. As it stands, the only place you can post current day stage spoilers is in that stage's thread. What I would like to change is that those spoilers can also be posted into the following day's stage thread. That means that I can make the threads far earlier in the day (not waiting til midnight), and we'll have much more time to discuss the stage and pick apart what'll happen.

Does that sound reasonable?

Could spoilers not just be done away with?

Inquitus

Oscar Cake is a hobnob, he was mean to me last week for the most tenuous of reasons.

Wishbone Ash

neris wrote: »

Could spoilers not just be done away with?

Bit unfair to those who can't watch live and are waiting for highlights or have recorded it.

Eamonnator

Darkglasses wrote: »

There's one change I'd particularly like to make in relation to the stage threads. As it stands, the only place you can post current day stage spoilers is in that stage's thread. What I would like to change is that those spoilers can also be posted into the following day's stage thread. That means that I can make the threads far earlier in the day (not waiting til midnight), and we'll have much more time to discuss the stage and pick apart what'll happen.

Does that sound reasonable?

Not only reasonable, but logical as well.

Lusk_Doyle

I don't like that I can't see through spoilers on the phone like I can on the laptop. Is there a way to change this? More of an IT issue I understand.

KevIRL

Only recently started reading (a lot) and posting (not so much) in the forum. Have to say its very welcoming and informative, got some very helpful PMs from the mods too, much appreciated.

First thing I did as a complete newbie to the forum (and cycling) was to look for a thread for newbie questions, found it doesnt exist. While questions are answered on threads and as I said its all very welcoming on here, I would suggest that a thread for newbie questions might be a useful addition to the forum. Handy reference point also.

Darkglasses

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

I don't like that I can't see through spoilers on the phone like I can on the laptop. Is there a way to change this? More of an IT issue I understand.

Nothing to do with us, that's one for the site development forum - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=228

ford2600

Road safety is an issue for any cyclist but in particular for the guy/girl starting cycling/commutting.

Would a sticky thread with basics of road craft/bike handling with a few diagrams etc be useful.

Lots of guys hop on bikes clueless about such matters and such a thread might help.

Beasty

brian.henry wrote: »

"What bike should I get" should be one thread -- they're mostly just repetition. And the stolen bikes thread should encourage people to identify the lock they were using. i.e. I want to know if orange Kryptonites are ever broken (which I couldn't find by searching the thread).

Other than that, just thanks!

KevIRL wrote: »

Only recently started reading (a lot) and posting (not so much) in the forum. Have to say its very welcoming and informative, got some very helpful PMs from the mods too, much appreciated.

First thing I did as a complete newbie to the forum (and cycling) was to look for a thread for newbie questions, found it doesnt exist. While questions are answered on threads and as I said its all very welcoming on here, I would suggest that a thread for newbie questions might be a useful addition to the forum. Handy reference point also.

ford2600 wrote: »

Road safety is an issue for any cyclist but in particular for the guy/girl starting cycling/commutting.

Would a sticky thread with basics of road craft/bike handling with a few diagrams etc be useful.

Lots of guys hop on bikes clueless about such matters and such a thread might help.

To some extent these are linked suggestions

Although I would have no problem at all with some kind of newbies "Megathread", one of the issues mentioned in the past is that everyone tends to have different objectives and trying to keep it all in single threads does not necessarily cut down on the number of queries

So for example there are different threads at different times of the year looking for advice on vastly different spec'd (and priced!), road, CX, hybrid or MTBs as well as requests for recommendations on second hand options. These are not threads I personally see as "clogging up" the forum and I'm not sure trying to keep them in a single thread will necessarily improve things. However this thread is for feedback so if anyone has any comments please fire away.

On the question of providing details of locks on stolen bikes, the OP does already request such details to be provided. As already mentioned though getting posters to follow any kind of template is difficult. Even with the megathread in place we still get an average of more than one thread every couple of weeks which then need moving to the megathread - if posters can't even locate the megathread themselves theya re not going to go to the trouble of following a template

On newbies, I think the idea of some kind of megathread makes sense and that could include comments on roadcraft etc. However it would remain quite extensive given the variety of cycling disciplines and differing objectives of different people.

One specific point on stickies though. We deliberately try to keep them to the bare minimum. If we start any for specific discussion topics then in my view there are probably a dozen or more topics that would warrant equal treatment. For that reason we have, within the Charter/FAQ sticky, links to popular and important threads. I would not want to have any "newbies" sticky, but simply link it from that FAQs thread

Kinet1c

How about 1 closed sticky thread with links to useful/informative threads? New links can be added by mods when deemed that they are of benefit to the forum.

Beasty

Kinet1c wrote: »

How about 1 closed sticky thread with links to useful/informative threads? New links can be added by mods when deemed that they are of benefit to the forum.

There already is one here

Lusk_Doyle

Darkglasses wrote: »

Nothing to do with us, that's one for the site development forum - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=228

There's a good mod and process the query for me for extra credit!

ROK ON

Thanks to the mods for their efforts. I am of the view that some of you are overly quick to react. Tuppence worth and all that.

In terms of suggestions; I would like to see a strict ban on quoting images in the image heavy threads (fleets, beauty, ugly, photos taken on ...).
It is a proper pain in the backside in terms of user experience to have to wade through quotations of pictures.mi am probably as guilty as the next person. So I would like to see it banned.

Also, I am not in favour of having any threads or queries in relation to electric bikes. They have very little if anything to do with the sport of cycling. The forum does cater for people who wish to speak about cycling in a commenting context.
However I feel that E-bikes are a step too far. IMHO they properly belong elsewhere such as the commuting forum.

CramCycle

ROK ON wrote: »

Also, I am not in favour of having any threads or queries in relation to electric bikes. They have very little if anything to do with the sport of cycling. The forum does cater for people who wish to speak about cycling in a commenting context.
However I feel that E-bikes are a step too far. IMHO they properly belong elsewhere such as the commuting forum.

I have to disagree with you here. E-bikes/pedal assisted bikes etc. are not commonly talked about on the forum but to me, considering we cover alot of cycle commuting issues as well, this would be the first place I would post about one if I had questions. I imagine that is the same for many other posters and potential posters. Maybe they have something about them over in C&T but considering it can be a bridge over to regular bikes and that they are generally purchased through bike shops, I think they are suited here.

Your suggestion wold imply that someone asking about a suitable bike for commuting/B2W would be better suited to the C&T forum.

Lusk_Doyle

CramCycle wrote: »

I have to disagree with you here. E-bikes/pedal assisted bikes etc. are not commonly talked about on the forum but to me, considering we cover alot of cycle commuting issues as well, this would be the first place I would post about one if I had questions. I imagine that is the same for many other posters and potential posters. Maybe they have something about them over in C&T but considering it can be a bridge over to regular bikes and that they are generally purchased through bike shops, I think they are suited here.

Your suggestion wold imply that someone asking about a suitable bike for commuting/B2W would be better suited to the C&T forum.

Indeed and one can always not read a thread if it is of no interest or "a step too far".

Lumen

CramCycle wrote: »

I have to disagree with you here. E-bikes/pedal assisted bikes etc. are not commonly talked about on the forum but to me, considering we cover alot of cycle commuting issues as well, this would be the first place I would post about one if I had questions.

If it's a bike, with a motor, then it's a...

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=577

CramCycle

Lumen wrote: »

If it's a bike, with a motor, then it's a...

All of our bikes have detachable motors, some are just more finely tuned than others mind you :cool:

AstraMonti

Lumen wrote: »

It's a shame that there aren't any boards spins these days. A few of us forged lasting friendships from them. I don't know whether the problem is supply or demand or something more subtle.

QFT, it was great spins, I still remember my first spin out to Laragh with blorg.. completely soaked, cold with Mark and Aidan to shout me to me to get up that fecking last hill in enniskerry. I actually might pop up a new thread for this Saturday.

Beasty

One suggestion from me before it slips my mind

How about requiring all requests for places/offers to events such as the Sean Kelly Tour, ROK, WW200 etc to be made in the Cycling Adverts sub-forum? Basically a single thread per event. Would probably need a little tweaking to the Cycling Adverts charter, but it would be better than seeing posters starting numerous threads each looking for an entry in the main forum

Darkglasses

Beasty wrote: »

One suggestion from me before it slips my mind

How about requiring all requests for places/offers to events such as the Sean Kelly Tour, ROK, WW200 etc to be made in the Cycling Adverts sub-forum? Basically a single thread per event. Would probably need a little tweaking to the Cycling Adverts charter, but it would be better than seeing posters starting numerous threads each looking for an entry in the main forum

Definitely, think we can all agree on that.

Beasty

... and having seen one in the off-topic thread, which is not a bad place for it, I also think we need to do something about the numerous threads asking for (or offering) discount codes. Again maybe only allowing then in the Cycling Adverts sub-forum may be the way to go as they can clog up the main forum a bit on occasions

Idleater

Beasty wrote: »

... I also think we need to do something about the numerous threads asking for (or offering) discount codes

The "I should have left the credit card at home" thread.

stecleary

Beasty wrote: »

... and having seen one in the off-topic thread, which is not a bad place for it, I also think we need to do something about the numerous threads asking for (or offering) discount codes. Again maybe only allowing then in the Cycling Adverts sub-forum may be the way to go as they can clog up the main forum a bit on occasions

Idleater wrote: »

The "I should have left the credit card at home" thread.

Or the bargain alert thread?

Darkglasses

stecleary wrote: »

Or the bargain alert thread?

That'd be where I'd be inclined to put them too actually

upthe19th

I'm still a newbie but I think the forum is good.

Just wondering if, in addition to cycling adverts and the training logs, we could have a section added for cycling events, whether they be leisure or racing. Might be handy to have them all together for people, organizers and participants alike.

smacl

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

I don't like that I can't see through spoilers on the phone like I can on the laptop. Is there a way to change this? More of an IT issue I understand.

daragh_

AstraMonti wrote: »

QFT, it was great spins, I still remember my first spin out to Laragh with blorg.. completely soaked, cold with Mark and Aidan to shout me to me to get up that fecking last hill in enniskerry. I actually might pop up a new thread for this Saturday.

We had a lovely Boards Spin organised during the summer and only 12 people showed up.

You went home early IIRC :-)

ThisRegard

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

I don't like that I can't see through spoilers on the phone like I can on the laptop. Is there a way to change this? More of an IT issue I understand.

If you use the touch version of the site you just touch the spoiler and it's revealed. Are you still using the mobile version ?

Idleater

ThisRegard wrote: »

If you use the touch version of the site you just touch the spoiler and it's revealed. Are you still using the mobile version ?

Wow, since three years ago too (http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056302257/1/#post72827570). I've been clicking quote like a chump.
+1 to the feedback thread

TheBlaaMan

I would add my name to complimenting the mods on their thankless work.....though at times they can appear a little too eager to stifle any dissent with their opinion - I'm not sure why, are all opinions not part of the debate?

Anyway, to a suggestion: lots of other fora that I use allow an OP to close their own thread and I don't know they why boards.ie dont allow it, it would reduce admin overheads surely. This is especially the case for the Cycling Adverts subforum, butjust as useful in the main forum. Probably not an issue for just this forum......

Darkglasses

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

Anyway, to a suggestion: lots of other fora that I use allow an OP to close their own thread and I don't know they why boards.ie dont allow it, it would reduce admin overheads surely. This is especially the case for the Cycling Adverts subforum, butjust as useful in the main forum. Probably not an issue for just this forum......

It being a site-wide decision, not something we can change. In my opinion, the best thing to do would be if people would report their own post when they want an advert closed. Only posting in thread is no good really - that requires us to read through each and every thread, which is a big ask.

Beasty

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

though at times they can appear a little too eager to stifle any dissent with their opinion - I'm not sure why, are all opinions not part of the debate?

Not sure what prompted these comments - could you perhaps provide some examples?

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

Anyway, to a suggestion: lots of other fora that I use allow an OP to close their own thread and I don't know they why boards.ie dont allow it, it would reduce admin overheads surely. This is especially the case for the Cycling Adverts subforum, butjust as useful in the main forum. Probably not an issue for just this forum......

That's a site rather than forum issue. Can't imagine they would allow it as the OP never "owns" a thread

Rambling Man

I find the forum invaluable and good craic. Wouldn't be much I'd change.