Bike Gremlin

There are many great experts on BikeForums.
High-quality feedback in this thread resulted in several positive changes.
That's why I think it's a good idea to ask for feedback about the (latest) article I wrote on brake fluid, with the "inventive & creative" title: "Which fluid should I put in my hydraulic bicycle brakes?"

If you find the time, and find anything missing, especially if you find any mistakes, please let me know (the same goes for finding any "bed spilling," as English is not my native ).
Forum, (anonymous) website comments or DMs - whatever is easier for you.
The idea is to make it useful and helpful for every home (and pro) mechanic.

Note:
I am aware that red rubber grease is not a fluid.
That "mistake" is deliberate.
In my experience, most mechanics don't even know about it, and this article was the logical place to mention and explain what it's good for.

Thanks in advance,
Relja Novović

shelbyfv

FWIW, I think you are supposed to be a paid member prior to promoting your website. It is an attractive site.

FBinNY 

In all fairness, I believe it would be fitting and proper to CLEARLY say it's a commercial site, ie. has paid adverts, when asking others to help.

I'm not saying you shouldn't ask ( it's not my forum), just that folks should know the scoop before deciding to help.

BTW, better than asking strangers to be fact checkers, consider forming a circle of trusted sources to exchange ideas with.

Darth Lefty 

There's the issue that like most topics on generic topics like this, people have been writing this magazine article on the internet for about 25 years and quite some time in print before that. Are you going to produce something that's better than, say, Park Tool's video on the topic. I haven't looked but it's 99% sure they have one. Is your writing better than ChatGPT which can just google all the articles ever posted and rehash them?

mpetry912 

Shimano implies that you should only use their red mineral oil

Might be the seals ? not sure.

I have some

/markp

choddo

Most people’s writing is better than the banality of chatGPT.

Park Tool on the other hand, you have to go some to better.

I’d be surprised if Gremlin is making any profit from ads and he did remove them on mobile based on my feedback.

FBinNY 

I never concern myself with details of other folk's businesses. The site does have ads, so by my definition, it's s commercial venture.

Whether ads generate an income greater than the cost to host the site is between him and the tax man. Though, even if it's not profitable now, it could cross that line eventually.

IMO, it's not about profit or loss, but about fair play when asking for help.

Darth Lefty 

I remind you we are talking about a brake fluid article.

Bike Gremlin

As far as I know, so does Magura and probably every other "mineral-oil-brake" manufacturer.
I've used the there-listed Total LHM+ with both new and used brakes and haven't had any problems whatsoever.

One concern is the below -10 °C performance - I'm not able to test that first-hand in Serbia.
Based on the feedback I got, brakes respond a bit less quickly at -20 °C with LHM+, but they still work OK.

Relja

Bike Gremlin

By that definition, BikeForums is a commercial venture.

As I had said in "the previous thead": I don't mind sharing knowledge for free, but I don't like the idea of paying out of my own pocket in order to do so.
After the site started getting many visitors and I had to pay more for decent web-hosting, I had started placing the automated ads.

The story about figuring out the performance problems (before I spent more money on better hosting).

Automated ads are good - no hassle and strings attached compared to making any sponsorship deals.
Though it's still risky and it could be "disabled" at any time - only three big corporations offer that kind of service that works properly.

Park Tool site and YouTube are awesome (though they are used to sell tools and I don't think anyone works there for free).
But I do my own thing.
Better in some ways, worse in others.
I'm definitely in a position to criticize both crappy Park Tool and crappy Unior tools (and praise the good ones).
Running without any company sponsors gives me that freedom (I do get support via Patreon supporters, folks who think what I'm doing is good and helpful - which reminds me to add the Patreon support "plea" to the article ).

No one can please everyone.
Having said that, after some more testing, I've also removed in-article desktop ads.
Writeup on ads (removal) situation

The site is still making more money than it costs to run in - in terms of covering the expenses.
In terms of income per time invested, I think it's under $1 per hour. LOL.
But that's not the point. It could be $1,000 per hour just as well.
Any revenue is just a (innevitable) consequence of doing what's good - not the goal in itself.
That's how I like it.

P.S.
Based on the comments so far, I suppose this article hasn't got any errors.
That is good.

Relja

FBinNY 

Yes, it surely is.. And, I don't post there for BF's benefit. I post to help those who come seeking answer to questions or solutions to problems. But just as you draw the line at paying to be on a forum helping others, I also have boundaries I avoid crossing. I draw a distinction between helping a fellow cyclist solve a problem, and helping someone with their commercial venture.

Cheers,
fb

Bike Gremlin

Fair enough.

A person who can please everyone is yet to be born.
- Serbian proverb

P.S.
I don't see BikeForums (or Sheldon Brown website for that matter) as commercial.
Even Park Tool articles and videos look more like works of passion than sales-driven stuff.
All those resources are highly-valuable and helpful, and all are monetized in one way or another.

shelbyfv

Obviously the website is no Park Tools or Sheldon Brown. With the low cost of internet "publishing" anyone can be an expert and the ability to separate grain from chaff is ever more essential. Again, I'm surprised OP is allowed to promote his business on BF for free.