Does BT need a new forum? (Page 2)

I don't think so, and here is why;

The moderation here is excellent. That is part and parcel to good discussion. The moderators keep the forum on the rails and have a clear vision of what they want this forum to be. They moderator congruent with that vision. As long as we have that we will be good.

i think if threads were posted in the correct subforum they belong in, tri talk wouldn't be so cluttered.

threads like "help me pick a bike if they all fit the same" or "help me pick an aero bar" should be in the Gear Reviews and Q's subforum

questions about weight loss and fitness should go in the Tri'ing for Weightloss subforum

singer waffle posts should go in Nutrition

you see what i'm getting at.  

DanielG has been making all the points that should be made. But this in particular points to the joy of serendipity that happens here. I usually read COJ and this forum. I'll browse the PA state about once or twice a week, and others less often. But sometimes people post here something that "belongs" elsewhere, and it sparks more interest.

true... but if everyone posted all threads related to those topics in the sub forum then you would have reason to go there, and not expect them in Tri Talk. right now the only people using the subforums correctly are a minority of users; the majority dumps everything in Tri Talk.  

Yes! This is why it should stay the way it is.

When I first joined BT, before posting a thread, I diligently searched for previous threads on the topic to avoid cluttering the forum...

However after hit or miss search results and seeing the often repeated threads appearing in tri talk, I scrapped searching and just launched my question...

Not sure how to fix the searching process but I can tell you I always find what I want when I search google...

To the OP, I was once told (via thread comment) "cup of joe" was the miscellaneous forum and it's where you go to talk about things other than triathlon....Routinely I see posts in tri talk that belong there but just move on..

Lastly, I agree with DanielG, I've discovered great information by scrolling through tri talk that I would most definitely have missed had the thread been posted in a granular forum that I don't visit...

DanielG's point is a very good one. I've run large forums in the past and one of the most common (and biggest) mistakes is having too many forum sub-sections. It is too overwhelming to hunt for info in all of the different sections, while it is trivial to simply scan a page or two of a main forum index. I personally feel BT has too many sub-sections already. People don't like to have to hunt and peck for info, or to do such a thing before they post info for that matter. They like to hop on, ask a question and get answers. If it gets too complicated, they lose interest and go elsewhere. The less forum sections, the better.

As far as redundant topics and search nazis are concerned, it actually drives more traffic to a site to have multiple threads on one topic over and over. People don't like to keep looking at the same tired threads, but a new one draws attention.. and again, it is trivial to simply gloss over it if you don't want to participate. Being rude and telling someone to "use the search function" instead of offering a real answer IS NOT HELPFUL. Especially when the same rude, unhelpful people excoriate someone for reviving an old thread. If your words are no better than silence, it is better to keep silent.

A number of such threads have caught my interest, and I never would have thought to look for them if they had been where they were "supposed" to be.

I like your ideas

My biggest concern for BT is that the more experienced people are posting less and less. I get the idea this is a beginner site but without experienced people what kind of advice will they get ?

Make a poll of the most useful posters of all time and I would bet 80% of them are gone, silent or other (banned).

If there is content to interest them, they will stay and participate. There are some questions they can answer only so many times without getting bored and moving on.

I agree with your thoughts.

I've been here since 2004. Most of my friends early on in this sport are gone from BT and my BT friends from 2007/2008 are disappearing fast.

Most folks don't check out other forums now. As someone pointed out ask about new bike or aerobars in Tri Talk lots of posts in Gear hardly one or two post. Same with nutrition and health issues very limited action in those forums as well. Some threads get moved which confuses newbies who post and don't know where their thread went.  Some new folks are posting their race reports in Tri Talk instead of using the Race Forum.

I would rather see reorganization maybe with less forums.

I don't know the answer but agree we are losing many experienced and knowledgeable folks. Having a more technical detailed training specific area might entice them to stick around. I see that many mentor groups have sort of done that on their own but they are limited by how many folks can join.

Michael,  I see where you are coming from and I agree that BT is heading in a very different direction.  I don't think creating another forum will solve that though.

I've come to accept that most of BT rather not discuss training.

I always noticed that Tri Talk is a catch all, more or less.  That and CoJ (which is what it's for).  The problem is, those seem to be the only forums that get the traffic.  If you ask a question about gear in the gear forum, you only get a couple replies.  Ask in TT, and you get dozens - that's where the foot traffic is.

Sometimes I wonder if the dozen's of threads about Lance Armstrong and doping belong in TT, etc.

I just looked using the "new threads" link and based on MY judgement, felt that only half of the threads in TT looked to be directly related to tri...  Many of the others have a connection, but more about excersize/training in general.  And some just have no reason to be there.

Just because there is a story about swimming or biking or running and we s/b/r, doesn't mean it's related.

I was about to call some out, decided against it.

Listening.

Thanks for all that posted and shared their views so far. 

/Continue :D

PS. Took everything I had to NOT move this to the Training Log and Site Support Forum. Hehe. 

Why do you think this is ?

I would think training would be the #1 thing they would want to talk about.

This is a very complex topic where there are no easy answers.  The way we have run the forums has been pretty much unchanged since the beginning.  If anything, we may have to strengthen our 'mutual respect' policy in the main forums.  I'm more of a 'librarian' and subforums help with organizing what people are truly interested.  We have added forums over the years.  I have had discussion recently with some of the 'long time BT'ers' that have a wealth of knowledge about another 'Experienced' forum to maybe further help this.  We have had requests for 'Elite' forums, womens forums, and Masters forums.  My gut tells me that that may not be the answer. A consolidation maybe, a different way to present the forums (tagging topics instead of subforuming them, maybe)...but not the ANSWER.

The other thing to consider is that the BT forum culture will never be what it was when members like KathyG, axteraa, rkreuser, me and others began here.  Back then everyone was doing a first HIM or IM.  90% were doing sprints and Olys. There were very few people with experience.  There was more 'excitement' overall.  Being that everyone was near the beginning of the triathlon lifestyle, there was more camaraderie, more mutual respect of opinions...though far less detailed knowledge that everyone wants, without the arguing and snarkiness of hot-button topics.

BT has evolved though, from a poll 2 years ago, now most people are racing HIM's and IM's.  We have a different culture know.  It is how we possibly evolve with the users that will be key.  Mike and I have always chalked it up to 'forum evolution'.  It will be what it is.  BUT from some recent discussion with the more experienced, some that have posted here, they really need something for them.  The forums, become...stale.  The same old, same old.  Which is fine as the people that do answer always present a different perspective, but from the more longtime-BT'er, HOW DO WE KEEP YOU ACTIVE?

A longtime member reached out to me with just that question.  He heads a mentor group and that's about it anymore-kinda tired of the main forums but has a lot of info he wants to share and still wants to give back.  Mentor groups are very interesting as to how they evolved and may hold the key to our longevity.

Mentor groups are self policing.  Moderators have hardly ever, if at all, had complaints about anyone or anything said in a mentor group. People that are against your opinion do not come in and argue it to stir-the-pot.

Mentor groups offer very focused knowledge from the mentor and any helpers.  This is the discussion that everyone has wanted, but in a 'less confrontational' way.

Mentor groups can be focused on any type of topic from the Beginners, to weightloss to First time IM'er.

CAN WE HARNESS THE POWER OF THE MENTOR GROUPS to retain the experienced BT'ers?

What if we turned the mentor groups into it's own 'application'?

• Mentor groups can instead be 'topic driven', not 'username' driven - to relate better to newbies.
• You can tag your mentor groups with your focus (beginner sprints, weightloss, etc)
• You can co-mentor for extra help. 
• You can transfer mentor-ship to another user in your group if you want to be done.
• Mentor groups will stay open indefinitely, no more archiving.
• Tools to see who of your group logged that day, who has upcoming races, etc.
• You can continually receive new people to keep your group growing or alive.

At the end of the day, making some easy changes to the forums will not, in my opinion, retain the more experienced people.  But perhaps building on our successful mentor groups can?