Pinkbike has its ups and downs, mods may not see this but this is what I have noticed since the summer...
PinkBike: The Inconvenient TruthPinkBike is a great website for mountain bikers, BMXers, and Racers to connect electronically, but there is a tremendous amounts of flaming on this site. I am sick and tired of people being bashed because they can't afford the nicest, or the best, or anything like that. Sometimes people decide to dislike if you will, other users just to start something. Especially the younger generation on this site are being bashed because they are at a lower level then other users. Everyone has a different "standard" or biking around their community, I notice more and more videos of professional 9 year olds who live near woodward or whistler, and people bash on me because I'm not that good? That is ridiculous because if I lived near a place like that I would probably be a whole lot better then I am now, Please remember we all started somewhere, it just take some people longer to progress than others, so please except that because thats the way it will be forever! On the other hand there are some really nice users on this site! People who don't scream and try and fell tough behind the keyboard and bash some younger user for doing what they do, yes they may not be as good, or as knowledgeable as you but give them a chance! Mods are always nice to users and give a lot of leeway or freedom on this site. The most knowledgeable users on this site are perhaps the nicest users on this site (not giving any names, you know who you are). I even thought of leaving this site for a while because i was SICK or the attitudes of some users, I couldn't stand what some people had to say about me, and I'm tired of getting no respect for the way I ride. I'm sure all of you have been bashed at one point or another, do you like it? I know I don't and I want to help clean up this website.
Here is a secret code I found:
If your 12 and under:
no need to worry, people will always give you respect for being a young rider.
If your 13 - 14:
You get minimum to no respect at ALL unless you are knowledgeable, good at biking, and contribute regularly.
If your 15 - 18:
You have no pressure, no matter what you ride or anything like that, younger users will still give you respect. Older users just won't say anything to you.
If your 19 - 30:
You pretty much own this site, you are cool in the eyes of all users. Maximum respect.
If your 30+:
You are LEGENDARY! No disrespect here.
I hope this opens your eyes, there is a lot of flaming or "bullying" on this site. And I cant stand to see a user be bashed because of the way he looks or rides.
Thank you all.
-JumpStyle-
www.ecmtb.com
Thats a local forum for the eastren canadian biking comunity (Nova Scotia, P.E.I., New Brunswick)
People are alot less harsh on the site because bans are given more frequently, and everyone knows everyone. The admins and mods are amaizng people as well, and there's alot of knowledgable people. If pinkbike is ever getting hard for you, go on and join. It has coverage for local events and all that as well.
Don't worry about people flaming you, I don't take most of them serious, they're normally little 12 year olds with nothing better to do.
but its gotten worse over the summer, probably will get better when all the kiddies head back to school.