Thread Drift

[Blueberry]

I've noticed the drop off too. I read more than I post, but still check in pretty much every day. I wonder where people have gone?

[SheFly]

I wouldn't say sick of TE - I love this place. That said, I am pretty prolific at social media (FB, Twitter and Instagram) for myself, and our bike team. I find that managing that takes up enough time that I don't get to TE as often, and certainly don't post as much. For anyone that might have read my blog in the past, that has also become a victim of social media. I do miss my TE family though, and am here reading often!

SheFly

[Pax]

I try to post when I check in, seems worthwhile to keep this place up and running.

[maillotpois]

I'm one of those who used to post a lot, then didn't at all and now I'm lurking and occasionally posting. Like SheFly and some others of you, I'm more active on Facebook.

I think really fondly of you all, especially the ones who were posting when I was more active, say 2005 - 2010 or so. I really treasure the friendships I have made here. I was lucky enough to most recently get to meet Blueberry while in NC for daughter's college auditions last spring. We had a GREAT time and it was so much fun to have a friendly face in such a far away place. I felt like I'd known her forever.

I'm riding a lot following a period of some orthopedic challenges (I had hip surgery in 2013). I'm aiming at the CA Triple Crown Stage Race this year (3 really hard double centuries). DD is a freshman in college in Boston. Work is very busy.

Hugs to all of you.

[Crankin]

What school is DD at?
I am on Facebook a lot, too, but I guess the difference is that I don't say much there, more respond to others. I see this as a totally different thing.

[maillotpois]

What school is DD at?

BU. She's in a BFA theater program at their college of fine arts,

[Aromig]

I've been lurking for about a year. I post occasionally if I feel I have something to add, but most often others here are so much more knowledgeable and I just like to follow and read along. I have noticed that there's not as much posting now as there was last year but I presume that's just ebb and flow (or the fact that TE has been around so long that there is such a knowledgebase already here that can be searched so people just might not be posting as many questions).

I'll probably buy a new road bike in the next few years so I'm always watching the threads talking about new things (disc brakes) or how certain bikes fit (I'll probably buy a Ruby or a Silque)

Amy

[OakLeaf]

It does seem like there's been more ebb than flow in the last couple of years. To me FB is a totally different space, but other social media may well be sucking away potential new members - it's a lot easier now to reach out to extended friend/acquaintance/business circles when someone has a question. Most of us probably came here initially with questions, and stayed for the camaraderie.

I wonder whether it would be helpful to TE as a business if they were to have more social media involvement. Lots of the businesses I follow on FB regularly post discussion topics to keep their customers/followers involved, as well as to data mine the responses and responders (little as many of us may like it, that's the reality of marketing in the 21st century). I wonder whether, if TE did that, whether it would have an effect on forum participation - I can see it potentially going either way.

[shootingstar]

I don't FB nor twitter. No interest and my personal contacts don't use these tools at all or hardly at all.

So still drop by TE forums here. I sense a lot less women participating in discussion here. Wonder the administrator can tell us if there are a lot more readers vs. participants. It does take a longer period of time to understand forum dynamics and how to communicate in a manner that facilitates useful responses. I just think some folks on social media tend to be more shorthand and prefer it that way.