Is RadBmx dying.

[Why isnt this working]

Morning all.

I'm not enjoying typing this thread at all but I cant help but put this out there for discussion. What is going on on our beloved RadBmx.co.uk... I've been a member of the site for maybe 10 or so years now and its been the complete backbone of my old school bmx hobby, along with Ebay in the early years. Throughout that time there has been periods where activity would slow, typically MK weekends and holiday breaks, but would ALWAYS pick back up again into a complete hive of activity in all sections of the forum. I've never EVER known it as slow as it is currently and I'm sad and worried. We all know that the mass stock of old school parts has long dried up for the everyday collector and that would naturally slow things down a touch in certain areas but as a generalisation things on here seem very VERY quiet. I remember stumbling across my first old school purchase which was a 1984 Skyway Ta (which I still have) in maybe 2003/2004 on a mountain bike for sale section and feeling my eyes pop out of my head in amazement seeing the bike I dreamt of as a kid that the rich kid round the way had that my parents couldn't afford and it bringing back all those evocative memories of making jumps out of bricks and a crappy old plank of wood in my street and I was immediately hooked. Then going onto Ebay and typing in 'Old BMX' and my jaw nearly hitting the floor with excitement.......then finding the holly grail that was RadBmx. Within a year or so I was back at the Rom ATTEMPTING to get some air out of the bowl again... . I know I'm banging on dreadfully but It just seems sad that the site that made so much of my old school BMX journey possible feels like its dying in front of my eyes.... .

Apologies again for the downer thread but wondered what you guys felt yourselves.

Many thanks... Si...

[dancetothedrummersbeat]

When I got back into it all in 2009, the only quality sources of info were radbmx, bmx museum, ozbmx, and a few other brand specific websites. Since the of iphones/ipads and similar brands, and the development of apps (hate that term), it's meant that we all now have internet access 24 hours a day, wherever we are. You no longer have to 'make time' at home or disappear upto the spare bedroom to browse the net. It can be done anytime/anywhere in 30 second chunks or whatever. This convenience has made us lazy (generally speaking), and the idea of logging in and browsing/trawling through a forum is hard work for some people - not myself. I love it. Added to all of this, most of us have facebook on our phones which gives an endless stream of info to us with the flick of a thumb. We don't have to put our brains in gear, just sit back and watch. I wouldn't know, but i'd guess there are hundreds if not thousands of bmx related facebook pages, each appealing to a slightly different audience. This isn't always a bad thing. I'm joint admin of Steve69's VDC facebook group, and as a resource for a specific brand it's amazing. The same for the Hutch and Skyway owners groups for example...   BUT it's obvious that where there used to be say 5 main sites/forums, there are now hundreds, so the traffic on each is reduced, despite the old/mid school scene arguably having more participants than ever. Add to all that the increasing price/scarcity of parts, and it all adds to the problem. A sad situation.

[That Swan Guy]

There's plenty of stuff out there, people just aren't buying. Is it too dear? How bad do you want it? Make an offer!

Is it time for another complete vs parting out thread?

[Gashead]

Forum is as good as those who participate.....


It's a tough one, as we see the instant Facebook pages being a success, easy to upload pics, quick click to respond. We can only ask that people spend the time to post here too.

Old members, new members will be here forever, however does need input. I'm guilty, running a rugby team now in my spare time, so neglected the site to be honest, however still very busy sorting MK.

A reflection that it hasn't died is the amount of bikes and people at MK, and other venues....

Bottom line, is be more active   

[factory pilot]

Good points made by everybody ...
The scene is bigger than ever but sadly diversity due to FB has crippled Rad's appeal and traffic ....
Since very reluctantly joining FB I've bought and sold bits on there ... I'd always put things on here first but things ( as Carl mentioned on another thread ) just ain't shifting on here.

Rad was and should always be a place where prices are reasonable and that way everybody benefits.
Greed has taken over and it becomes a vicious circle where you need to sell your parts for top dollar in order to buy the parts you need for your next build because they also will be at top dollar.

I'm still not a fan of FB ... It's far too vacuous and it's all about memory of a goldfish kind of participation ...

A major bug bear of mine is that while Rad itself slowly dies how many people who've never even been on this site will be rocking up to MK to enjoy all the spoils without ever contributing either with interesting threads or comments or any financial contribution.

I really wouldn't want this year's MK to be the last ever.. It's the highlight of the year for me and I'm sure for many others.

People need a carrot not a stick to come into Rad .. I've mentioned it before but sponsorship from someone such as Alan's would be a possible solution.
Monthly prizes for members or for winners/voters for BOTM would encourage more traffic/SSTs to be sold. We've  all bought stuff from Alan's and I'm sure we'll all continue too so it makes good sense ..

Some of Rad's internal bickering and sense of there being an incrowd to outsiders hasn't helped either.
I've spoken to several of the old big posters on here who sadly have become disillusioned with many of the points mentioned above ..
We need them back.. I hope that it's not too late...

I know there are still lots of us that are still loyal and champions of Radbmx ( myself included ) ..
We need to get ourselves off FB and back on the real home of UK OSBMX ..

[Gnarlyscoots]

Lucky I never started this thread  I would have the usual threesome along trying to shoot me down in flames (wait for it) 

All I will say is good luck trying to sell anything, unless you are willing to take a huge hit on it. Just stick what you have on your bikes and ride them 

[Bigfrawg]

Apart from some of the overpriced guff that pops up now and again ( which goes for daft money ) has stuff really got too expensive or hard to find ?  I never seem to struggle buying stuff , never have, apart from when I'm skint . I've only just recently started to come back on the forum as I have just been too busy with work/life etc , there seems to be a fair amount of nice gear popping up for sale and a great selection of bikes in the bike of the month thread . What's the problem ? Have I missed something ?

[In2bmx]

I'll always be here . And there are new members being added everyday . Some will stay and get involved , some won't.

FB has had a massive impact, but not just to RAD. Long live RADbmx.

Forum is as good as those who participate.....


It's a tough one, as we see the instant Facebook pages being a success, easy to upload pics, quick click to respond. We can only ask that people spend the time to post here too.

Old members, new members will be here forever, however does need input. I'm guilty, running a rugby team now in my spare time, so neglected the site to be honest, however still very busy sorting MK.

A reflection that it hasn't died is the amount of bikes and people at MK, and other venues....

Bottom line, is be more active   

What Nick said 

[Retrodan72]

It's frustrated me both as a long time member and short time Moderator - people are just too lazy to post or even log on to the forum.

I've tried to encourage people to come here by starting a build thread with each bike I build, and the same handful of members comment, so what's the point? I've started loads of random threads in the lounge about various stuff, nobody's interested, and some people have even criticised me for doing so, so what's the point?

It's also annoying, as Ant said, about the amount of people that show up at MK, that never come on here. There's a certain crew that probably have the biggest camp set up at MK, and basically do their own thing all weekend. They're all registered members too, and never post on here, to me just looks like they use MK as a platform for their own group.

Nick's right, you want a lively forum, then get more involved.

[MartyC]

Crikey, another is it dead yet question?

I remember seeing these on the old blue site...

[Andyboy77]

I hope the concerns been mentioned aren't to serious, because I've just joined the site in April this year.
I found  while I was looking for parts for my Performer. I thought Ooohh yes, real enthusiast who didn't forget about burning for something, beeing passionate about a hobby, sharing knowledge, helping each other and most important - talking to each other instead of just posting links and thumbs up as it has become usual on FB. I grew up in a tiny village with an overpupulation of cows, the only BMX-scene I ever experienced there was me and two old BMX magazines that my brother kept. I joined  and felt like I've found a home for my passion, and I still do.
I experienced great support so far, made new friends with a similar mind setting, and I hope this is just the tip of the iceberg. 

The issue of information beeing available 24/7 that keeps people letting thier heads hang down constantly to not to miss a single bit of what the new media is offering, is a problem in general and nothing particular to this forum I think. It seperates people in genaral even if they're sitting next to each other, I see that all the time around me. I always thought people who haven't got a passion for something like we have are in danger getting cought up by this trend.
So, if we know better, let's make a change. I always take time at home to be here, although I have responsibilities that can't be neglected.

The creedy side of things (if this is the driving force anyway) regarding selling parts that was mentioned here and in an other thread scares me as a newbie quite a bit. I hope this high price trend will stop at some point, otherwise I'm afraid that I never ever get to build a bike I would love to have, and buying parts becomes reserved to those who can afford paying these prices. Maybe I'm wrong with my assumption, that some offers are made by people who not really want to sell thier stuff, but if somebody wants something really bad then there is a price. On the other hand I totally understand that someone doesn't hesitate to sell some parts for a higher price if there's one who's willing to pay. The other trend I see is that poeple, who aren't into the spirit of a lovely forum like this, are just collecting parts for the sake of owning only, some pictures on FB are telling that. But it's not my attitude to make profit or take advantage of anybody, and I'm sure the spirit of RAD-members is still that way too.
I didn't experienced those times, but if RAD.CO.UK was different, members and other people who make this possible are the ones who can make a change. It's us, and I'm confident we will manage it somehow to keep this going. Just look at the comments been made.

Let's keep the spirit alive, put those smartphones aside, and let us keep sharing our passion like it always used to be. I don't think RAD will die, because here are too many poeple like me thinking "great to be a part of this".

 

[griff]

Lucky I never started this thread  I would have the usual threesome along trying to shoot me down in flames (wait for it) 

All I will say is good luck trying to sell anything, unless you are willing to take a huge hit on it. Just stick what you have on your bikes and ride them 

oi

who are the other 2 then?

the fact that this thread will probably get a ton of replies shows the forum isn't dead, just needs people to contribute more

[factory pilot]

It's frustrated me both as a long time member and Spen time Moderator - people are just too lazy to post or even log on to the forum.

I've tried to encourage people to come here by starting a build thread with each bike I build, and the same handful of members comment, so what's the point? I've started loads of random threads in the lounge about various stuff, nobody's interested, and some people have even criticised me for doing so, so what's the point?

It's also annoying, as Ant said, about the amount of people that show up at MK, that never come on here. There's a certain crew that probably have the biggest camp set up at MK, and basically do their own thing all weekend. They're all registered members too, and never post on here, to me just looks like they use MK as a platform for their own group.

Nick's right, you want a lively forum, then get more involved.

Totally agree with everything you've said Dan... It's all very frustrating ...
You try to start threads BMX or otherwise and the response can be painfully slow or negative ...

Nick is totally right though.. If we want Rad buzzing again it's up to all of us be that oldies, lurkers or newbies to get posting again.

[That Swan Guy]

What if................people started posting on Rad again!

http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,186644.0.html

[region11]

The FB groups confuse me.  All it seems to be these days is front end friday, back side monday, or something like that, or complaints about people asking silly money for parts on ebay.  I kid of course....but would be nice if people came back here and enjoyed the threads

[Gnarlyscoots]

I always look in here as my first port of call on every day of the week, come rain or shine. It is depressing sometimes to see the site so 'bare', compared to what it used to be like. There was always banter, bitchin', selling, swapping, bike build threads etc, and I miss those times to be honest with.

Facebook opened a huge platform for instantaneousness. Everything on there is instant, but it disappears very quickly, including the idiots, sellers in it only for money, and flippers. There are a few people who quietly sit waiting for bargains to come along, snap them up, and then offer the parts to others on different pages via pm when they know they are looking for the parts. It's rife. Some of these same people are some of the ones coming along to MK for their freebies and to sell their cheap parts for a bit more, and to buy off the guys selling cheap there to then resell via the FB pages. You can't and will not stop it, as some people are 'desperate' to get these parts with the total scarcity on all platforms.

It's a shame that others don't take the time to make a few comments on other peoples build threads too, especially when a lot of time, effort, money and sometimes sacrafice, goes into putting them together. Adding a like button on here was a wrong doing in my eyes, with just hitting that instead of actually typing something. Sad.

Anyways, I am here for the long haul, but will sadly only ever be putting 2 more bikes together, if I can ever get the parts, or actually get them without people trying to fleece me 

[Pooch]

Think I need to get back on here.. The safe from c@nts place is nice.

[bigfatolly]

 It's definitely getting harder to build,and harder to sell.
It's got to the point where I am holding onto stuff I don't need.....because I think I won't be able to get it back in the future because less stuff is coming up for sale and what is coming up is at inflated prices.
I am guilty of being on one particular Facebook group because as said above its easy ,easy to upload pics if you are selling,and I have sold stuff on there within minutes.
However,stuff at the moment just isn't selling.
There has been some quality stuff come up on FB lately.....but it just isn't selling.
I put some nice freestyle bars up this week at a good price,and considering the group has 10 000 members,I had not one bite,not even an offer.
This means either a lot aren't building,or a lot of the members are just voyeurs.

I will say this though,if you could make it just as easy to upload photos on here as it is on FB,without the need for photobucket or tapatalk,I would sell on here again rather than FB.
Same with build threads.

[pickle]

Oh Christ

[Gnarlyscoots]

I will say this though,if you could make it just as easy to upload photos on here as it is on FB,without the need for photobucket or tapatalk,I would sell on here again rather than FB.
Same with build threads.

The Bmx Museum uses a platform that enables pictures to be uploaded without the use of Photobucket or something like Tapatalk. I have pm'd a moderator to find out what they use and just waiting on a reply 

[sparky]

I think there's a relatively simple explanation (ok maybe six or seven).....but this place is definitely quieter that what is was during the period 2006 - 2008 when it used to be a hive of activity.

Social media sites, e.g. facebook has opened the door to anyone and everyone creating a group (some run by sour pratts, dickheads and social climbers) which in turn impacts on forum activity
People are paying off their debt since spending madly during the peak of interest and have succumb to hiding away so they're not tempted to buy anything now (I know a few lol)
Items are scarcer, prices are ridiculous for most part which reduces interest and availability to the masses (£120.00 for NOS Fuan AERO saddle isn't exactly a draw to start collecting, let alone building one bike)
The hobby has run it's course for many...for some it was just a case of filing a void and they have since moved on and sold up
There's a new breed of collector and interest, just go and look at some of the groups, it's full of half *anks and socially inept numpties

This place will always be the original and best, I browse every day but only comment now when I feel the need or I've actually got something I can be bothered to comment on.     

I'll shut up now...I come here for a sanity check

[Hmoon27]

Oh Christ

I heard from a Mod on here, the reason we can't load pics on here anymore , is because Rob used all of Rads 'gigawebamebytes' , with pics of his Goose

[Mikku]

   Back to the thread title/question, I would definitely say not! Not everyone is on (or wants to be on) Facebook and for this Brit at least,  will always be my spiritual home and first port of call (not only for buying and selling, but also as a general place to chat with like-minded folk), even though I now live in Japan. Actually, perhaps more so because I live abroad! In any case, keep it RAD!!!!!

[pickle]

Oh Christ

I heard from a Mod on here, the reason we can't load pics on here anymore , is because Rob used all of Rads 'gigawebamebytes' , with pics of his Goose

  dam I've been outed

[kungfunky]

My biggest fear is that MK will end up like BugJam did. It started out as VW's only and was full of likeminded people all there for the same reason, however as it grew the crowds changed and it ended up as a free for all with the minority being genuine enthusiasts.
With the large influx of people not giving 2 stuffs about RADBMX attending MK it could quite easy head the wrong way. And if that happens it will kill OSBMX.