Author Topic: "the dark side"...? (Read 5081 times)

Wobbly · « **on:** 19 June, 2011, 11:36:22 am »

I've been using the YACF fourm for about six months and have only just realised there's a recumbent forum. Ok, I might be a bit dense but FFS calling it "The dark side" is a pretty effing effective way of hiding it.

If you want this forum to remain obscure then that's you choice (ok well, the moderator's choice anyway) but if you want riders of recumbent bikes to find and take part in this forum then please rename it!

Keep the hillarious "dark side" reference if you wish but why not rename it to "Recumbents (the dark side)". That would give us recumbent riders/advocates/opponents at least a chance of taking part in your discussions...

Rant. End of.

Arch · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 June, 2011, 11:43:56 am »

Did the subtitle "For those of a 'bent persuasion' not give you a clue?

I assumed most 'bent riders knew of the 'Dark Side' terminology. If anything, I'd have thought it would confuse non-bentists, which isn't ideal, but a different problem...

Wobbly · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 June, 2011, 11:49:20 am »

You only get to see the subtitle if you click into the "Freewheeling" category. There's nothing to suggest recumbents (apart from the in-joke about the dark side) when you view the YACF forum list.

i.e. this is what appears when you click "General category"

Freewheeling
cycling-related stuff that doesn't fit anywhere else
The Dark Side, Folders, Tandems, Velo Fixe, MTB, Racing, Losing the stabilisers, Our bike

RichForrest · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 June, 2011, 11:56:02 am »

It's a term I've heard a long time before this place started, and on other forums it's common to hear the phrase "welcome to the dark side" posted to newcomers.
Here it does include upright trikes and other odd bike also

Arch · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 June, 2011, 12:00:31 pm »

Quote from: Wobbly on 19 June, 2011, 11:49:20 am

You only get to see the subtitle if you click into the "Freewheeling" category. There's nothing to suggest recumbents (apart from the in-joke about the dark side) when you view the YACF forum list.

i.e. this is what appears when you click "General category"

Freewheeling
cycling-related stuff that doesn't fit anywhere else
The Dark Side, Folders, Tandems, Velo Fixe, MTB, Racing, Losing the stabilisers, Our bike

ok, I see your point there, but...

I nosed into Freewheeling on account of it being about cycling stuff, and it all made sense from there...

Wobbly · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 June, 2011, 12:02:09 pm »

If "the dark side" is such a well known term how come I missed it? OK, answers on a post card, but the point I'm trying to make is that not everyone "gets" that particular joke.

If you wish to promote recumbents then it's not clever to be "clever" and refer to them with in-jokes like "the dark side".

Biggsy · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 June, 2011, 12:08:31 pm »

I would hope that every new member is inquisitive enough to have a butcher's at each board to see what it's about.

It's nice to have some humour in the names.

Wobbly · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 June, 2011, 12:17:32 pm »

> I would hope every new member is inquisitive enough to have a butcher's (nice use of apostrophes) at each board.

I'm sure you hope that but in the real world they don't. People expect & look for clear sign posts.

Biggsy · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 June, 2011, 12:28:10 pm »

If you post a poll in Office Reception and get a majority on your side, then perhaps the Admins will rename the board. It's quite a democratic forum, I think.

JT · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 June, 2011, 12:29:52 pm »

On the Singletrack (MTB) forum, "the dark side" refers to road cycling so it's usage and popularity is probably dependent on which cycling sub-group you're already part of.

On the other hand, if you didn't know its meaning, what else could it have meant?

Arch · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 June, 2011, 01:00:30 pm »

Quote from: Wobbly on 19 June, 2011, 12:02:09 pm

If "the dark side" is such a well known term how come I missed it? OK, answers on a post card, but the point I'm trying to make is that not everyone "gets" that particular joke.

If you wish to promote recumbents then it's not clever to be "clever" and refer to them with in-jokes like "the dark side".

I don't know that anyone here is especially out to 'promote' recumbents. Those of us who have them like to have somewhere to chat about them, but we're not evangelical. Well, I'm not, and like a lot of the 'bent owners on here, I have uprights too...

Wobbly · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 June, 2011, 01:29:08 pm »

"I don't know that anyone here is especially out to 'promote' recumbents"

With respect, bollocks to that. We (recumbent riders) really are out to promote recumbent riding.

Quint · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 June, 2011, 01:43:02 pm »

I have only been a "Dark Sider" for around six years, before this forum (and indeed before they buggered about with it Cycling Plus (as the forum - was) had a section referring to the dark side.
   To my knowledge there is no intention for a joke thus no intention to obscure or conceal.
   Most people with pedal power stimulate the grey matter and fettle and delve which is how most of us ended up here.
   Nothing hilarious about it apart from some of the contributurs sense of humour and antics, I feel priveliged to consort with (and be helped by them).
   Cyclists on their own are generally interesting people if only for the reason they chose two wheels, "Dark Siders" even more so, but there again I am biased.
   Characters such as Cycleman, Kim and the amazingly helpful and very laid back Kevin (he of D-tek fame) I could go on and on (and often do

), welcome, enjoy and please do not judge to harshly.

PS: Promote ? Nobody needs to promote, my/our enthusiasm for our chosen way is infectious enough to encourage those who wish to try, I know people who if you whipped them (shivers with delight) wouldn't get on one. No, no promotion.

Quote from: Wobbly on 19 June, 2011, 11:36:22 am

I've been using the YACF fourm for about six months and have only just realised there's a recumbent forum. Ok, I might be a bit dense but FFS calling it "The dark side" is a pretty effing effective way of hiding it.

If you want this forum to remain obscure then that's you choice (ok well, the moderator's choice anyway) but if you want riders of recumbent bikes to find and take part in this forum then please rename it!

Keep the hillarious "dark side" reference if you wish but why not rename it to "Recumbents (the dark side)". That would give us recumbent riders/advocates/opponents at least a chance of taking part in your discussions...

Rant. End of.

Kim · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 June, 2011, 01:58:32 pm »

I wouldn't say "The dark side" was any more obscure than "Freewheeling", "Lifting the lid" or whatever. It's reasonably obvious in retrospect (at least that it's used to mean *something* considered unusual), even if you're not aware of the joke^[1]. Fair enough that it could be more obvious, though. I'm not really sure how much it matters.

I can't really say that I'm not out to promote recumbent riding, but I do so in a very much tongue-in-cheek sort of way. Recumbents are excellent solutions to various niche (and not so niche) problems, but bring plenty of issues of their own. Like most people, I ride uprights just as much (actually more so, in mileage terms), right bike for the job^[2], and all that.

And cor, I haven't been described as "a character" for at least a week...

_{[1] In either the cycling or Star Wars sense.

[2] Of course, sometimes the job requires the most inappropriate bike available. For the LOLs.}

Quint · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 June, 2011, 02:05:32 pm »

[2] Of course, sometimes the job requires the most inappropriate bike available. For the LOLs.

Absolutely

Charlotte · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 June, 2011, 02:07:45 pm »

Quote from: Biggsy on 19 June, 2011, 12:28:10 pm

If you post a poll in Office Reception and get a majority on your side, then perhaps the Admins will rename the board. It's quite a democratic forum, I think.

This. But I'm prepared to bet that most people are unlikely to express much of a preference either way.

Unlike the CTC message board, YACF isn't out to 'promote cycling', let alone to promote recumbent cycling. Generally speaking, we're a little more apathetic than that.

We don't really have a mission statement - and if we did, it's much more likely to have something to do with smut, narwhals and (as Kim says) doing it for teh epic lulz...

Kim · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 June, 2011, 02:10:58 pm »

Quote from: Charlotte on 19 June, 2011, 02:07:45 pm

We don't really have a mission statement - and if we did, it's much more likely to have something to do with smut, narwhals and (as Kim says) doing it for teh epic lulz...

And ^_CAKE. Mustn't forget the ^_CAKE.

Charlotte · « **Reply #17 on:** 19 June, 2011, 02:14:57 pm »

How could I have forgotten the CAKE?

Arch · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 June, 2011, 02:18:07 pm »

Quote from: Wobbly on 19 June, 2011, 01:29:08 pm

"I don't know that anyone here is especially out to 'promote' recumbents"

With respect, bollocks to that. We (recumbent riders) really are out to promote recumbent riding.

Charming. And how kind of you to tell me what I really think, clearly I don't actually know my own mind.

I like recumbent riding, I'll let anyone I trust have a go if they ask. Presonally, I don't care if they take it up or not - if they enjoy it, fine, if not, also fine.

Cycling in general on the other hand, I'll sell to anyone who'll listen, on the grounds of the more the safer, the cleaner, etc.

Anyway, if everyone went recumbent, my trike wouldn't be half so cool anymore. It's probably the only cool thing I own.

Like Kim says, I'm in it for the LOLs. And CAKE. If you're in it to evangelise, that's up to you.

mattc · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 June, 2011, 02:24:16 pm »

Quote from: Charlotte on 19 June, 2011, 02:07:45 pm

Quote from: Biggsy on 19 June, 2011, 12:28:10 pm
If you post a poll in Office Reception and get a majority on your side, then perhaps the Admins will rename the board. It's quite a democratic forum, I think.

This. But I'm prepared to bet that most people are unlikely to express much of a preference either way.

Unlike the CTC message board, YACF isn't out to 'promote cycling', let alone to promote recumbent cycling. Generally speaking, we're a little more apathetic than that.

We don't really have a mission statement - and if we did, it's much more likely to have something to do with smut, narwhals and (as Kim says) doing it for teh epic lulz...

How about:
To be evangelical about cycling (in its myriad forms) ... but only to those who have shown an interest. ?

My personal view is that the slightly cryptic names aren't an issue, because:
- if you're looking for stuff you use Search/google
- the While You're Away feature shows topics about silly down-wrongs until you tell it not to
- if you post a new topic in the wrong place, it'll be moved - no big deal
- people already post shit in completely the wrong place, even with crystal clear Board names.

arvid · « **Reply #20 on:** 19 June, 2011, 02:34:43 pm »

Quote from: Wobbly on 19 June, 2011, 01:29:08 pm

"I don't know that anyone here is especially out to 'promote' recumbents"

With respect, bollocks to that. We (recumbent riders) really are out to promote recumbent riding.

Promote recumbent riding? I thought it we were out to obtain World Domination?
Did I miss a memo?

Wobbly · « **Reply #21 on:** 19 June, 2011, 03:55:27 pm »

.. .

RichForrest · « **Reply #22 on:** 19 June, 2011, 04:16:30 pm »

Quote from: Wobbly on 19 June, 2011, 03:55:27 pm

.. .

Internet Explorer??

Wendy · « **Reply #23 on:** 19 June, 2011, 09:15:11 pm »

Quote from: Kim on 19 June, 2011, 02:10:58 pm

And ^_CAEK. Mustn't forget the ^_CAEK.

FTFY!!

AndyK · « **Reply #24 on:** 19 June, 2011, 09:27:14 pm »

I thought 'the dark side' was a reference to cars or electric motorbikes, so I ignored that forum.

Author Topic: "the dark side"...? (Read 5081 times)

AndyK