New website....ideas

redddraggon

We have a server, static IP, and the technical expertise (not me but a friend) to build a decent site, and we are both interested in cycling.

I just need some ideas for content - I was thinking about a "Sheldon Brown"-esque site, with plenty of articles on "how to do?" stuff, bicycle glossary, some talk about professional racing and the greats from the past. Hopefully it will have no bias.

It will probably have a forum alongside it although I can't imagine that it would get used too much (just yet anyway). It's going to be hobby thing rather than anything else, but it would be nice for it to grow and get popular.

Anything you'd like to see in a technical site?

User generated content?

What would beginners like explained? Anything other cycling sites are missing?

CanterburyTailwind

Go for it Reddraggon! I'm always up for a new cycling website, though I'm not sure if there's anything new under the cycling sun to be said...but that's no reason not to! I guess something a little less fearsome/geeky than what Sheldon Brown and others offer. An idiot's/beginner's guide, or something. And make it nice looking! Useful though SB is, it's not the most aesthetic/easy to navigate site...Alot of cycling sites are preaching to the converted, and anything that tries to demystify the sport can only be a good thing.

A couple of things that I'd appreciate would be:
- explanation of gearing, which I've never really understood - but then, maybe that's something that is too difficult to try to simplify..? (or maybe I'm just stupid, and it'll always be a blind spot for me...)
- perhaps a few pieces on the 'technique' of cycling as much as the machines themselves - eg cornering confidently at speed, cadence etc

That's my ha'penny worth...

Rich-Ti

Good luck with it - potentially hard work for little reward, but then if you get it right it could go completely the other way so why not...

I'd like to see:

:arrow: Road race technique, tactics and pitfalls to avoid
:arrow: Bike setup for different conditions (in an 'ideal world' kind of manner - i.e. when and why would / should I choose clinchers over tubs, ti over carbon, deep aero profile rims over non-aero etc.), so maybe a comparison of a typical Tour of Flanders bike over a typical Vuelta bike for example. Also a sprinters / KoM bike over a domestique bike.
:arrow: Clear definitions of Team roles - climber, sprinter, lead rider etc.
:arrow: A buyers guide based on one frameset with different price points and the kit you might build it with - the idea being to show the offset of, for example, going for decent wheels and having to get cheaper kit elsewhere, or getting a decent groupset and showing the offset of that (if that makes sense?!)

I'm sure there's more...

Would also be good if it was amusing rather than overly serious, and maybe tries to give a real-world comparison - so maybe when explaining team roles you'd compare it to an office environment where the domestique is the tea boy... :shock:

richa

I reckon a bikepedia would be good. Also means that with the community writing a lot of the articles then it will reach a critical mass of info more quickly.

idaviesmoore

redddraggon wrote:

I just need some ideas for content - I was thinking about a "Sheldon Brown"-esque site, with plenty of articles on "how to do?" stuff, ?

Always useful, maybe some Haynes manual type pictures to go with it. It's difficult to understand the drift sometimes, without seeing a picture.

Good idea, though.

Could we have a ban on LA on your website, doyouthink :?:

unclemalc

reddraggon: do it.
If I can pitch in my pennyworth:
i)bear in mind that from the repetitive nature of some of the threads in 'Beginners' and Know how', on this forum alone, indicate that a high proportion of the readers are NOT categorised racers/good club riders but either kids starting out, or older guys getting back into it. Therefore the information sections would need to cover 'Basics' (what bikes / what kit etc) as well as 'Advanced' aspects. If the ever present: 'Compact vs Other' chainsets'; 'Campag vs Shimano', etc type questions are typical examples as 'Basic-type' questions, then the converted can go to 'Advanced' for how to tweak such subjects to suit individuals. Your own piece on gearing was spot on as a an example of a 'Basic' guide and so the intricacies of cassette combinations for different events could be an 'Advanced' piece.
ii) it would be too much for you to do this yourself so you would need the 'Wikipedia' idea as mentioned above. The problem with that is 'peer reviewing'. There would have to be a bit of settling down time where something was not argued over constantly because the advice was based upon peersonal choice rather than scientific fact.
iii) The idea of a forum made me raise an eyebrow. Do we really need another one? Why not keep your site 'clean': just as a source of information based upon real first-hand experience and knowledge.

Examples of basic stuff:
- This is a bike - it is made up of the following 'bits'...
- There are many different types of bike: i) what they are made of (steel./ally/carbon/titanium etc) ii) what they are generally used for: (race/tour/MtB/Audax etc)
- Gears: i) how do they work (chain rings/cogs etc); ii)combinations of chainset and cassette;
- Wheels: made of/spokes/what/why/when/;
- Pedals: :shock:
- How to set up a bike for you: frame size/saddle position/crank length
- Clothing: basics for summer/winter riding
- How to ride (i): for pleasure/sportiif/touring/racing/; (ii) climbing/descending/ in a group

etc etc. the list seems endless. As to advanced topics, :shock:

BUT, if you get a decent response from reliable contributors, it would be a winner, as it would be fresh, and written by US, so we can only make it better!!

redddraggon

We discussed the use of a "wiki" - apparantly it doesn't look professional. However I reckon it could possibly be part of the site.

Obviously I don't know everything so it would be good to get contributers, which I suppose a wiki would possibly attract.


I reckon there's enough of niche to fill - a lot of sites seem to be news and/or review based or technical but quite dated.

It's going to be more of a hobby, so it might take a while to get up to speed anyway (even with help) - I'm not expecting miracles.

unclemalc

redddraggon wrote:

We discussed the use of a "wiki" - apparantly it doesn't look professional. However I reckon it could possibly be part of the site.

Obviously I don't know everything so it would be good to get contributers, which I suppose a wiki would possibly attract.

I'm sure there would be plenty of people wanting to be the 'expert' on all sorts of things. In the world I inhabit there is always somebody who 'knows' the answer and is only to willing to let everyone know they know....
Having it set up as a Wiki would involve (perhaps) a lot of bouncing around with links, which is something people on this forum are apparently loathe to do ('its easier to start another thread...'), so simple pages of set topics might be a way to start - just the facts, but not so 'dry' in presentation that its like reading a manual.

hopper1

redddraggon, sounds like a good idea...
There is always room for another 'take' on a website, you never know, you may find the perfect ballance for what the people want to see, and end up with a very popular site, earning you money, while you cycle all day at your leisure!!
Just make sure you post a link when it's sorted.
My mate started a website a couple of weeks ago (completely different topic), surprising how quickly the forum gathers numbers.

passout

Interactive ratings of bikes, equipment etc. Let the people speak and all that.

carl_p

Great idea Redddragon.

I actually like looking at other people's bikes (better than porn, allegedly ) so perhaps a Gallery where owners can post pics of their trusty steeds? If it takes too much space up on the server then perhaps links are posted instead. This also might include details of any restoration or upgrades done.

How to do your own upgrades would interest me i.e. recommended equipment, where to get it from, how to fit it and the tools required.

How to do your own servicing e.g how often, and a schedule of things to maintain.