rsbob 

It appears there are those whom feel they must chime-in on any topic regardless if they have anything POSITIVE to contribute. Don’t know if they take pride in bumping up their post counts or take some kind of sadistic joy in slapping down others. It appears to be related. Four of the people who made it early to my ignore list are even chiming in here. Can’t and wont see their comments because they are dead to me because of verbal assaults on others, me or just their general negativism and troll calling. Slapping people down for starting a thread they don’t agree with is totally unacceptable. If you don’t like a thread, move on, but crapping on the OP is unnecessary and rude.

BF is a good forum but not a great forum because of this type of rude behavior. Of course they are everywhere but should they? Place them on Ignore, use the red button and call them out. This is a forum to share experiences, learning, ask questions - even by newbies, We have enough idiots in this world creating dissension, we don’t need them here when chatting about a sport we all enjoy and want to share.

If you have nothing nice to say or positive to contribute, then keep it to yourself or move-on.

veganbikes

I will say this, "OH NO, the internets isn't nice to random strangers who don't know each other and are only communicating via text on a screen" I am not saying one needs to be mean to anyone because "mean people suck" according to that old sticker from the 90s (or 80s or whatever time period they first became popular) but we are on the internet and the internet is not a padded room safe from anything that can hurt you, it is a Wild West of anything and everything you could imagine, it is not to say this is a lawless place the moderators do a fantastic job keeping order and such but not everyone is going to greet trolls and people who are using the forum as their own personal ask Jeeves with open loving arms all the time. Al Gore invented this thing a long time ago so people have had enough time to get used to it we don't need to wrap them in foam and put training wheels on their tricycle. If they cannot handle people not being nice and fawn over them kind all the time, that is on them. No need to bully anyone or treat them nastily but no need to coddle either.

Maelochs

On the reality side of things .... REPORT people like me when you see us (or in RL, shoot us on sight.)The Mods have shown their willingness to take care of posters like me .... and they are particularly carful to protect new members, so Report violations when you see them. Also, if you see members behaving badly towards new posters, jump in to explain that there are a few .... under-bridge dwellers and a lot of other folks too.

And visit A&S if you want ta fresh perspective. Even I couldn't hang in that forum ..... but the rest of BF looks sane and sensible after a dive into that puddle. (That's the meta-reality part of the post .... because visiting A&S and trying to have reasonable discussion .... the place seems surreal even to someone who enjoyed the '70s, '80s, and '90s to a substantial degree.)

You know though ... the one thing which really does bug me .... people posting about how bad BF is. You need to make your real lives worse, and then this place will seem like a elaxing escape. I can't do it for you, folks. Get out there and screw up IRL, and BF will seem like a welcoming second home.

rsbob 

And your reason WHY people can’t be decent to one another? Just because it is the internet, is unacceptable. People can be decent IF they chose to be. It is a choice. I find your defense of aberrant behavior just contributing to it. Of course you are entitled to your thoughts just like everyone else but you are not helping the situation, just justifying it. There is zero defense for acting rudely or supporting it because it just ‘is’.

shelbyfv

This thread needs a poll

jaxgtr

In my best young frankenstein igor moment:

Tubeless tires...

2manybikes

What's the best frame material?

cyclezen

yu mean BF is NOT a box of chocolates **********

downhillmaster

If, as you claim, these forums are ‘effectively ruined’ you must have a ton of examples of legitimate new members being pounced on by the same few people averaging almost 4,000 posts per year.
You should have referenced some of these examples as it would have added some sort of validity to your post.
I average 1.18 posts per day btw so I guess I am a not one of the bad apples. Unless ofc you are extremely poor at math and have a likable tendency to exaggerate and dramatize things.
Either way, it is nice to know that your main concern appears to be the forums profit margin

MarcusT

It's not just trolls, it's also people so sensitive, that if you post criticism about a product they favour, they will reply as if you called their children ugly.
I witnessed a very popular forum basically disappear because of the few mean spirited members. I warned the administrator and he could not have cared less. And we lost what was once a helpful forum.

downhillmaster

Disregard anyone who posts in BF with absolute certainty

Your own words in the ‘cycling tips’ thread two months ago.

Are you absolutely sure that BF is deteriorating?

3alarmer 

Most inflammatory BF posts?

...informational only. Please don't kill the messenger.

Rolla

Moreover, I think it's worth noting that many of them do in fact have ugly children.

Lazyass

I think it used to be a little more dramatic than it is now. I cannot stand guys who post things that they would never dream of saying to me in person. The road section was the worst and I got in arguments all the time, I even stopped posting there for a couple of years. There was another reason as well but I won't get into that.

Now when someone gives me a punk ass comment or the politically obsessed tries to get political I don't even reply, I just put them on ignore and make them go away forever. I have 24 on the list right now.

Ramshackle

I'm a newbie to this forum, but not to cycling. I rarely post because too many times that I did, snide remarks and condescending responses were made to my posts. It didn't feel safe to post. I'm not expecting the Internet to be a safe womb, but that doesn't justify smart aleck's who look down on newbie posters or who take a question and redirect it to their own interests.

Trakhak

Several examples of ignore bait have popped up in this thread already, with posts that are, as expected, belligerent or defensive or both.

downhillmaster

You are referring to the OP correct?
His post is belligerent.
He couldn’t have presented his point without referring to people as blowhards and commenting on their personal lives?

PeteHski

I'm relatively new to BF, but not to cycling or cycling forums in general. I have to say, I find BF a pretty cynical place with a lot of negativity about "Big Bike" and anything "new". Or maybe I just get drawn into the wrong sort of threads and can't help commenting on some of the ridiculous views often posted, usually with a derogatory tone toward those who might not agree that "Big Bike" is the enemy. Discussing something as simple as 1x gearing, tubeless tyres or even carbon frames is pretty much impossible without some idiot rubbishing the entire concept and all those "mugs" who bought into it. Anyway, you get the idea.

My experience with other cycling forums has actually been quite similar, so it's not exactly unique to BF. I'm still looking out for a more balanced cycling forum and this isn't it!

Trakhak

Quod erat demonstrandum.

Phil_gretz

I have 27 screen names on my ignore list. I wonder on how many of others' lists I'd find myself. Interesting to ponder.

downhillmaster

That’s a yes. Thanks!

indyfabz

I like how you used “rubbish” as a verb.

BCDrums

You're not on mine, Phil.

downhillmaster

The OP’s grand departure post a couple of weeks ago.
I guess he was so hurt and upset that he just couldn’t stay away.
A quick look at his profile shows him continually referencing the post history and post counts of a lot of BF members.
As he has only started six threads in his eleven years on the boards it appears that he mainly just spends his time on BF creeping profiles and counting posts.
Good stuff for someone throwing stones

shelbyfv

Ha! I just checked and I have 59. Only a half dozen are currently active. Mostly trolls and stupid folks who are no longer with us. I probably should clean up the list but you never know who might re-surface. Often as not I still read the posts of the "ignored." I'm here in part for entertainment and often those guys will post something foolishly amusing.