Any one on two wheels is a friend

This is spot on and I don't disagree with any of it. Nobody who has actually bothered to go on rides, or drinks, or get involved in stuff thinks the forum is rubbish. It's this:

Unfriendly forum, not unfriendly people.

This 'how men bond' stuff would possibly explain why we are 90% men though. Although not sure bitchiness is a reserve of heterosexual men - gays and women are quite good at it too!

Corny is hitting the nail, if not on the head, then certainly not on his thumb.

I see the the banter and bitchiness as self-policing. It ensures that if you can get past it, we're going to get along just fine.

Piss-taking, banter and bitchiness is how men bond. (It's not how women bond, I'll grant you, but I'm not a woman so it's not for me to comment on how a woman might find it.) Anyway to get back to the point, if you can talk to and be talked to like that with a smile on your face and in your heart then it's a sure sign you are good friends. If you don't get this then are you that interested in being mates? Because if not, if you're not going to come on rides, come to drinks, lend tools or help, or any of the things that mates do, then not only is the forum not for you, you're not for the forum.

However it definitely goes too far sometimes, and I despair when newbies are pounced on. Perhaps if everyone's first 5 posts were visible directly on their profile pages then they might be reminded that they were new once, and more likely than not, their first posts were not miracles of literary insight.

Says the man who edited his first post only four days ago.

And made that first post months before I joined!

worlds most unfriendly forum

"world's least friendly forum" FFS!

As a side note: met a chap the other day who's been registered for a while but doesn't post that much. His point was that it's not that it's particularly unfriendly, just really cliquey. So n00bs have to invest a lot of time "getting" the in jokes, getting to know the personalities, etc. Worth bearing in mind that not everyone can really make that investment.

At the end of the day, let's remember the words of the great Tynan: LFGSS -it's fucking rubbish, but it's free.

Blimey, LFGSS having growing pains!

You get out what you give on here.

This week, through this place, I lent a complete random stranger a shovel so he could bury his wife's dead pet*. He returned it the next day with a box of doughnuts to say thank you. The only connection we have is that he rides a bicycle.

• actually, it could have been his wife for all I know.
  

@bringmemyfix
I'm not hanging out with consumers, i'm hanging out with and speaking to fixed gear cyclists from around the country that have ALL expressed the same opinion, not a single person has said anything other than this is an unfriendly place. I'm not confusing anything with anything else, I worked in community development for years, I know exactly how minorities (not ethnic!) negatively affect the majority.

"You have clearly missed a shit load of good things people have done here.
Campaigning, fundraising, organising events, supporting people in times of sickness, helping with accommodation, social support, offering of services etc" You're right, I have missed it for the exact reason I have stated in previous post, because some people here are so abusive that it makes people leave and rarely come back...
mmm, am i missing something but isn't it the LONDON fixed-gear and single-speed forum?! the people out of the city don't talk/integrate with the people directly. if you met the people face to face, all of what goes on as banter on the forum is nullified.

there is a difference between real-life and online life. if you are part of the scene you understand it. those who are not, imho can't fully comment.

As a side note: met a chap the other day who's been registered for a while but doesn't post that much. His point was that it's not that it's particularly unfriendly, just really cliquey. So n00bs have to invest a lot of time "getting" the in jokes, getting to know the personalities, etc. Worth bearing in mind that not everyone can really make that investment.

You can rise above all that, I don't come on here enough to keep up with any in-jokes and do not feel I have to be up to speed with everything ed scoble posts, or what the latest meme is whatever. It does not make your contributions any less valid.

True, but you're an old time member. My point is that it's harder for new guys to get to that level.

Yeah, but we dont like new members.....

I do not fit in with any expected demographic of poster on here other than that I am in London and ride a fixed wheel bike. I have been overwhelmed by the friendliness of this place and the inclusive way in which i have been treated. I also know that some of the seemingly most offensive posters are really kind and gentle people in real life but then this forum is more about real life than about any virtual existence. As Snowy says, to get something out of this forum, you have to be prepared to put in.

True, but you're an old time member. My point is that it's harder for new guys to get to that level.

It's not hard, you just need to be in the first 25 members.

Seriously though, why would someone seek to be at a particular "level" ? There shouldn't really be a hierarchy but it exists on all forums, some even have member titles according to their post count. Bullshit if you ask me.

Anyway, I have things to do and have to get out of here, before I end up like Cornelius Teenslain (that's the next membership merge)

True, but you're an old time member. My point is that it's harder for new guys to get to that level.

Strongly disagree.

I've never met any one of this forum (knowingly) and I'm yet to take an internet beating of any sort.

The fact that I'm from the worlds largest super power, may put people off.

You have been warned.

Why is that Andy?

I'm yet to take an internet beating of any sort.

Sits back with popcorn to watch a few people have a pop.

Why is that Andy?

Because, as you can see from the picture, he thinks he's Obama.

It's not hard, you just need to be in the first 25 members.

Seriously though, why would someone seek to be at a particular "level" ? There shouldn't really be a hierarchy but it exists on all forums, some even have member titles according to their post count. Bullshit if you ask me.

Anyway, I have things to do and have to get out of here, before I end up like Cornelius Teenslain (that's the next membership merge)

Sorry, some miscommunication here. I wasn't meaning to illustrate a hierarchy, just that it takes time & effort to penetrate the clique.

Cornelius Blackfoot for PM.

It'd save a fortune on PA systems if nothing else.

True, but you're an old time member. My point is that it's harder for new guys to get to that level.

I don't agree, I joined a couple of months ago but don't feel any need to get in with the in crowd (who are the in crowd?) or understand the jokes etc. It's not why i come here. i come here for different opinions and knowledge about cycling and to find out whats new (and old) and ask questions sometimes - it's the asking questions bit that can be a bit fraught with sarcy comments and attempted put-downs or whatever but once you get past that and as long as you've searched for an answer to your question first (and then searched again, twice, just to be sure) it's not so bad :)

What are you doing on mumsnet?

It's a swarded internet swingers sex game where you log onto Mums net and so does you partner, but neither know you alias . You chat up people by seemingly talking about David Cameron and Nick Cleg (both of these are code words for sexual acts) and meet for sex nr Waitrose carpark, only you call it coffee, after copulation you find out if you have chosen your original partner, if you have 10 points are awarded.

The billboards would be ace, too.

"hate the hate" & "yeah baby" make great campaign slogans.

@Tommy have you switched to decaff?

Why is that Andy?

I'm not a nob.

Feel free to disagree.

I don't agree, I joined a couple of months ago but don't feel any need to get in with the in crowd (who are the in crowd?) or understand the jokes etc. It's not why i come here. i come here for different opinions and knowledge about cycling and to find out whats new (and old) and ask questions sometimes - it's the asking questions bit that can be a bit fraught with sarcy comments and attempted put-downs or whatever but once you get past that and as long as you've searched for an answer to your question first (and then searched again, twice, just to be sure) it's not so bad :)
I also think though that normally it also depends on what area you post it too. If its in the Mechanics section, people are more serious. If its the Misc section, then people are less so.

It's a swarded internet swingers sex game where you log onto Mums net and so does you partner, but neither know you alias . You chat up people by seemingly talking about David Cameron and Nick Cleg (both of these are code words for sexual acts) and meet for sex nr Waitrose carpark, only you call it coffee, after copulation you find out if you have chosen your original partner, if you have 10 points are awarded.
Lol!!! Funny post right there!

@Tommy have you switched to decaff?

Figurative speaking yes, my girlfriend is working in Hong Kong.

Sits back with popcorn to watch a few people have a pop.

Thats a shadow, Clive.