It’s the age difference Brendan. You must have hit 30 by now, yeah? That’ll do it.
I’m more of a lurker than a poster, and this forum has been fantastic for learning. As a noob who’s cycling friends were too in love with the soft touch of lycra to care about riding fixed, it’s hard to feel like you’ve got anything to contribute when people have been here for years. But slowly, you get involved, you meet a few people and share a laugh, learn some more, and keep coming back.
Gee… you spend all day away from the desk and a post like this shows up !
“my question for those of you who remain is this: did it piss you off back then, when each new wave came through, as much as it pisses me off right now? and, more to the point, how are you still here? have you had to step back from the site every now and then? stop going to rides and alleycats? this site has given me a lot over the past three or four years - i’ve met (and continue to meet) a heap of rad folks, done a bunch of awesome rides, and had a lot of lolz. i’m not sure i want to give that up, but at the same time, i’m not sure if i can handle the difference between ideologies any more. hence this thread. any input you have would be much appreciated.”
Yes… I ditched the site for a while at one stage cos I was fed up. I’ve also voiced my frustration on this before as well. It’s a good site though, entertaining in a lot of different ways and with some good people. I had some great Sat morning rides with some great guys too. Even though I didn’t bother racing the alleycats, I still went along to the skid comps, swap meets etc to support them and have a laugh.
Though, the feel is different now with the junior hipsters and bandwagon jumpers (not all I know), as opposed to the first wave of road bike conversions and track builds. The recent opposition to other bikes like road and cx is a good example of this difference. Many of us love bikes and we do ride other than fixed as well. FFS… if some of you guys you don’t like it here, just go somewhere else.
I agree. We are all here cos we like bikes. Things like road bike sub-forums detract from the original idea of this site: people with an interest in fixed gear bikes, geared bikes, group rides, making friends and sharing laughs.
we already had this out back in the day. I promised not to take legal action if we made it clear that he is an actual metal fan and has actual metal fan long hair. me, not so much.
Or in layman’s terms: heavymetal is witty, humerous, and probably really attractive. His forum name is not a be-all-end-all description of himself. HeavyMetalCyclist can lay claim to none of these things.
i started calling jono ‘heavymetal’, 'cause he lived with another guy called jono and when i’d call and ask to speak with jono the other housemate would say “which jono?” and once i said “i dunno, heavymetal jono”. i guess it stuck.
This thread got me thinking, the guy who kinda got me into fixies, he said that he used to go on this site heaps back in the day, but then stopped (around '08, when I met him) cos there was just ‘poison’ on here now. Deleted his account and such.
Perhaps he was one of the first wave?
His name was Jim, or James, Jimbo, I only heard him get called these things. Had cool tattoos and heaps of bikes.
Then he finished tradeschool and moved to Warnambool.
Timely that you should ask this BB. I looked at my profile today and I’ve been here since early 2006. Shifter Dan gave me the tip about the site when I wandered into his space at the back of the Malvern shop looking for a cross lever or a sprocket or something. I wasn’t among the very first here but If my memory is good there were fewer than 50 members when I arrived. Back then it was (almost) all about the bikes and riding them, helping each other figure shit out, taking the piss (there used to be some very funny c**ts here).
Do I enjoy the forum like I used to? No.
95% of what’s on here now doesn’t float my boat. I don’t really give a fuck about anyone else’s shoes, clothes, music etc and the FGB as a fashion/lifestyle statement doesn’t do it for me either. I get bored wading through the dross to find something that’s going to hold my attention. The NKOTB don’t laugh at the same shit as me either. Communities change, sometimes in ways that don’t suit me. I’ve moved away from towns, cities, jobs, households and even friends for that reason. To be fair, my tastes and interests have changed too.
Am I pissed off about it? No, but I’m dropping in here less and less and that probably doesn’t matter a whole lot.
Like Obi-wan Commuter I miss the pisstaking - speaking of which where is Craig C when you need him now anyway? Anyone who can post stuff up that makes you want to throw up all over the keyboard has got to be encouraged back surely?
I preferred the site as it was when it was a much smaller group but there are still nuggets of gold here and there, and importantly contacts and friends made and helped etc, - as a community should be.
I’ve only been here a bit over a year, I’m not here as much as I used to be - IanHuman’s been posting a lot on FC’s recently so I spend most of my internet time there. (and I’m a better person for it - and if you don’t agree, then fuck you)
For me the best thing about this forum is it’s role in organising alleycats and rides, (and as a place a dissect those events afterwards), sure, posting shit is fun - but it’s got nothing on actually riding - and its through those rides I’ve met a lot of people who’d I’d now consider some of my best friends - I’ve also met a few people I’d consider my eternal enemies / nemeses - Dougray, I’m gonna come at ya like a spider monkey when I’m done with uni you bitch.
Another reason i come back: people like CC and Kiwi are around to tell us younger folk when we are being fuckin dumb. The place would be a darker place without these guys.
