I haven't had any problems the last 5 days or so.
Forcing https seems to still be the essential trick to getting in.
https://bentrideronline.com/messageboard/index.php
As for other forums, any old platform will do so long as that forum reaches critical mass of participants. Right now things are spread thin.
The only reservation I have about recumbents.com is that the moderation there always seemed a bit thin. Obnoxious bullies who were banned on BROL pull the same stuff over there and was considered ok. At least that's the way it used to be when there was more activity over there (quite a few years ago now).