It feels like only 3 or 4 of us are actively working on our entries. Even Luke is MIA. What's going on this year?
Where's the action?
- Thread starter CRASH
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
Fv2
Don't know what I'm doing, gonna do it anyway.
I can't speak for everyone, but for me I've decided to step back a bit.
After a health scare with my wife, I figured there are more important things than bicycles.
But now that we know she's fine, I've been working on making some primitive weaponry and trying to setup a small blacksmithing forge.
I'm not out of the bicycle game, I'll be back for 13. But for now I only pop in every couple days to check on progress of some trade deals.
After a health scare with my wife, I figured there are more important things than bicycles.
But now that we know she's fine, I've been working on making some primitive weaponry and trying to setup a small blacksmithing forge.
I'm not out of the bicycle game, I'll be back for 13. But for now I only pop in every couple days to check on progress of some trade deals.
The site depends on a handful of participants encouraging other builders, actively building themselves, and keeping the proverbial 'wheels in motion'. I would say that in the past 3 years we can count on those people to make things happen. When they (we) are not doing that, it falters.
I have a build in the wagon build challenge this Fall. It's my first build off I haven't had an entry in the last 8 build offs for 'official' RRB competitions.
It's the 80 / 20 rule. 80 percent of the work / impetus for most voluntary organizations is done by 20 percent of the people. The hard part is maintaining the energy of the 20 percent. It helps if some new blood gets injected into the 20%.
I have a build in the wagon build challenge this Fall. It's my first build off I haven't had an entry in the last 8 build offs for 'official' RRB competitions.
It's the 80 / 20 rule. 80 percent of the work / impetus for most voluntary organizations is done by 20 percent of the people. The hard part is maintaining the energy of the 20 percent. It helps if some new blood gets injected into the 20%.
I’m busy getting our bike show going. Might start in November.
I haven't felt motivated to do any bike stuff lately. I spent all my free time last week rearranging my living room, rewiring the home theater system and building a TV stand after finally getting my 75' 4K flatscreen.
The Renaissance Man
__CERTIFIED DIVER__ (Open Water & Open Dumpster)
Staff member
Moderator
Pro Member
Wow, a 75' flatscreen! You must live in a stadium.
Wow, a 75' flatscreen! You must live in a stadium.
Muttley is a HUGE movie fan..................Bruins Hockey also looks pretty good on it.
I'm in but I've got a lot going on too. It's life on life's terms not mine so sometimes I gotta do what needs to be done rather than what I want to do. My Saturdays have been tied up In the Via De Cristo event I was part of but now those are freed up and I can continue...
Carl.
Carl.
Ill post up in the build section if ya wanna see some bmx action, got a haro-rat going together. Got a spaceliner build going and finished the schwinn.
I just dont have anything for musclebikes. I may do a rehab on last years MBBO entry, if so ill post up.
I just dont have anything for musclebikes. I may do a rehab on last years MBBO entry, if so ill post up.
I'll be honest, I hate hot, muggy summers here in the south. I'm from the north so this weather sucks. It's finally getting cooler here so I've been re-doing my shed, that's where I build my bikes, so hopefully I'll be building something over the fall and winter here. But when summer starts up again, I pretty much don't go outside much.
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2011
- Messages
- 632
- Reaction score
- 1,400
My two cents.
I've been messing around with bicycles for a long time, and have been visiting Rat Rod Bikes for nearly seven years. I don't post much, but I lurk regularly. I've noticed a fairly obvious (to me) decline in activity in 2017 here at RRB, though I've got no actual evidence to back up such a statement. It's hard to miss the slow build-offs and the sub-forums that don't get posted in for several days, however.
Personally, that last MBBO (2016) burnt me out. I chased practically every part individually, after having chased a thousand other parts over the years. When that build-off was over I vowed I'd ride more in '17 and take a break from building old rusty bikes, as much as I love them. And I did just that, though not nearly enough. I also cleaned out, and got rid of all the bicycle parts stashed around the house and garage, save the very few I'm keeping as spares for my wife's Slik Chik.
I'll be 56 years old in a few weeks. It's time to simplify. De-clutter. Go harder for experience over possessions. Do more and own less.
I figure it's an older crowd around here, and maybe some folks feel just the same as I do. The result is less activity that we've been used to in the past.
I've started a thread in the Build sub-forum for what I expect is my last bicycle build, and quite probably my last bicycle (Coda). Gotta have at least on bike, right?
I must add that I lurk around a lot of bicycle forums, and this one is far and away the best out of all of them. Steve and his mods have done a fantastic job of keeping this forum clean and fun. I never hear a discouraging word, and I do see the deer and the antelope play - remarkable compared to the trash I have to sort through on other forums. Great job!
furyus
I've been messing around with bicycles for a long time, and have been visiting Rat Rod Bikes for nearly seven years. I don't post much, but I lurk regularly. I've noticed a fairly obvious (to me) decline in activity in 2017 here at RRB, though I've got no actual evidence to back up such a statement. It's hard to miss the slow build-offs and the sub-forums that don't get posted in for several days, however.
Personally, that last MBBO (2016) burnt me out. I chased practically every part individually, after having chased a thousand other parts over the years. When that build-off was over I vowed I'd ride more in '17 and take a break from building old rusty bikes, as much as I love them. And I did just that, though not nearly enough. I also cleaned out, and got rid of all the bicycle parts stashed around the house and garage, save the very few I'm keeping as spares for my wife's Slik Chik.
I'll be 56 years old in a few weeks. It's time to simplify. De-clutter. Go harder for experience over possessions. Do more and own less.
I figure it's an older crowd around here, and maybe some folks feel just the same as I do. The result is less activity that we've been used to in the past.
I've started a thread in the Build sub-forum for what I expect is my last bicycle build, and quite probably my last bicycle (Coda). Gotta have at least on bike, right?
I must add that I lurk around a lot of bicycle forums, and this one is far and away the best out of all of them. Steve and his mods have done a fantastic job of keeping this forum clean and fun. I never hear a discouraging word, and I do see the deer and the antelope play - remarkable compared to the trash I have to sort through on other forums. Great job!
furyus
I can add a confirming opinion that activity (posting) has declined the last few months. I check the boards primarily from work...and would be consistently losing ground to the postings. I would hope for a job with long enough cycle times that I could catch up (usually be caught up one day out of every couple weeks). Well, lately...especially the last couple months, I'm caught up on monday...and then waiting for the next post. I feel like a stalker 'cuz I'll post a reply to something posted in the middle of the night (I work swings...that often evolve into nights) within a minute or two of the initial post 
.
I think it doesn't take much to spur a lot of conversation...but, there has been a reduction of seed posts from the more prolific conversation starters. Hopefully it is just an ebb and flow thing. But, I do get a little concerned that it may be a product of older enthusiasts stepping back with not enough younger enthusiasts to take their place. I've seen it happen in several of my dying hobbies
.
Jason
.I think it doesn't take much to spur a lot of conversation...but, there has been a reduction of seed posts from the more prolific conversation starters. Hopefully it is just an ebb and flow thing. But, I do get a little concerned that it may be a product of older enthusiasts stepping back with not enough younger enthusiasts to take their place. I've seen it happen in several of my dying hobbies
.Jason
Or maybe Muscle bikes just aren't that popular.
i noticed it too,
and partly responsible too , with my first ever house move ive got so much to do, so much to sell ,so much bikes in the shed , but by nature i have to build something , so i switch trend from 2-3 builds a year to 1 long slow build that takes the time it takes , easyer on budjet/space/time and the results is a much more appreciated final product 'for me'
but might also have something to do with the weather and all the storms this years
,or just pure coincidence..
,or photobucket image link destruction all over forums..
,or rarity of parts cause of collecters..
,or economy..
,or all this together
i think those who skip buildoffs will at some point feel the need to build and come back strong , like some sort of imaginary activity wave
like me , when that big project is finnished and i moved and new work shop instaled , ill probably jump on the first build off i see just to build something now!.
edit , oh and i still have that notification problem , i only recive site notifications on tread i posted on , but only for about 2 or 3 days , then goes silent forever ,only a dozen tread still give me notification, all in the (show me your)section .. been like this since bo10 if i remember well. but that seems like iam the only one with this issue so must not be a cause
and partly responsible too , with my first ever house move ive got so much to do, so much to sell ,so much bikes in the shed , but by nature i have to build something , so i switch trend from 2-3 builds a year to 1 long slow build that takes the time it takes , easyer on budjet/space/time and the results is a much more appreciated final product 'for me'
but might also have something to do with the weather and all the storms this years
,or just pure coincidence..
,or photobucket image link destruction all over forums..
,or rarity of parts cause of collecters..
,or economy..
,or all this together
i think those who skip buildoffs will at some point feel the need to build and come back strong , like some sort of imaginary activity wave
like me , when that big project is finnished and i moved and new work shop instaled , ill probably jump on the first build off i see just to build something now!.
edit , oh and i still have that notification problem , i only recive site notifications on tread i posted on , but only for about 2 or 3 days , then goes silent forever ,only a dozen tread still give me notification, all in the (show me your)section .. been like this since bo10 if i remember well. but that seems like iam the only one with this issue so must not be a cause
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2011
- Messages
- 632
- Reaction score
- 1,400
now that the bike show is over and my mini X1 peewee bike is finished I might have the time to toss my hat in the ring.
What I meant was....I think activity on all forums is down these days due to the popularity of Facebook Groups and other social platforms.
The unfortunate side to this is that FB Groups are terrible when it comes to referencing info and categorizing things. They are nowhere near as helpful, but I guess people feel like they are getting their fill of online social interaction by seeing posts in their newsfeed these days.
The unfortunate side to this is that FB Groups are terrible when it comes to referencing info and categorizing things. They are nowhere near as helpful, but I guess people feel like they are getting their fill of online social interaction by seeing posts in their newsfeed these days.
The Renaissance Man
__CERTIFIED DIVER__ (Open Water & Open Dumpster)
Staff member
Moderator
Pro Member
Facebook Groups do not even begin to compare to forums in those regards. Sadly though, Facebook does a much better job at feeding the narcissistic hunger of its members than forums do.
I also think that Photobucket had a large negative impact on casual members who are more interested in perusing various threads for inspiration while also interacting along the way with comments. Even though there is now a fix available, the damage has already been done and it will take some time for some people to return (if ever). Plus some technophobes may think that they will not be able to get under the hood of their computer to fix it.
Last edited:
