when asking for advice

[PhilDawson8270]

The problem is Jowwy is how the question is asked.

If it is phrased that they are looking for a performance increase in their upgrade. Then I think peoples responses are entirely justified, in pointing out the reality of upgrades.

If they want to upgrade, because they want new bits, then may be not.

I posted about buying a carbon frame, but I also made it clear that it's not because I want a performance upgrade, purely that I wanted one, and liked it.

That is the difference, I didn't get anybody pointing out that saving 2kg on a bike won't be as fast as saving 10kg of body weight, because I made it clear in the OP that I wasn't interested in performance.

Now, if the first post was "I want to go faster, should I buy a carbon frame" I'm 99% certain that the replies would have been totally different.

 

[yello]

Ping @MisterStan , please read this thread and consider rewording, or even deleting, your post. No criticism of you mate, I'm sure you didn't know.

 

[Wafer]

The problem is Jowwy is how the question is asked.

If it is phrased that they are looking for a performance increase in their upgrade. Then I think peoples responses are entirely justified, in pointing out the reality of upgrades.

Blaming someone for asking a question is a little harsh.... The problem isn't even necessarily the point certain people are trying to make, more the way they do it. Condescending, aggressive responses to innocently asked questions just gets peoples backs up and doesn't help the OP in the slightest. Some people regularly reply to questions pointing out that what they think they want might not be what they really want in relatively polite and helpful ways. Others seem to want to belittle the person asking the question. I'd hazard a guess at which approach is more effective...

 

[Cyclist33]

Obviously if you feel any of these posts contravene forum rules, you can report them. My question (which you have thus far avoided) still stands though.

"laugh at jokes made by others about TT times"

Only Jowwy could misunderstand that the joke I made to which he's referring was a compliment to him and his TT times rather than a stab at them.

That he continues to misrepresent it thus when I PMed him yesterday with a long and clear explanation (and apology for offence caused) speaks volumes.

As to this:

Personal info
Name, age, dob, weight, height, pre-tax earnings, expenditure, surplus cash available

Bike info
Make, model, size, full specification of bike, including individual components weights

It's not exactly cutting-edge satire, but in any case it's perfectly reasonable (nay, essential) when seeking advice about weight saving through upgrades, to provide current weights of the components in question and/or associated parts. That's self-evident - how could anyone not grasp this?

And no one wants any personal info but knowing someone's budget is, again, pretty much a requirement if trying to suggest products they might want to buy.

 

[jowwy]

Not really, because I was asking you to explain this "so that not to curtail the wrath of the upgrade police" - as I think was pretty clear from my post..!

no explanation is needed as numerous other posters got it straight away

 

[jonny jeez]

I've lost track...is this the second thread dedicated to an ongoing squabble...or just the first?

Either way its time we just accept that there is a difference of opinion and move on.

 

[potsy]

I've lost track...is this the second thread dedicated to an ongoing squabble...or just the first?

Either way its time we just accept that there is a difference of opinion and move on.

Second one this week, about the 10th all told

 

[Mugshot]

How about some Zondas?

 

[Yellow Saddle]

How about some Zondas?

I'll buy those just to perv over the bearings.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

I don't have a particularly good grasp of grammar and language and I'm communicating here in a second language so I am certainly not perfect and don't want to claim superiority there.

I'm surprised to learn English is your second language. I think you do very well and I'd have never questioned it.

Without understanding the problem, it would be mildly unethical to give advice.
Without describing and outlining the problem, you cannot expect proper advice.

I understand what you are saying, however, some people do not understand what problem they have, they misread the signs and look to find a solution to something that might not be a problem. Furthermore, in their effort to come up with a solution they sometimes encounter people quoting crazy figures from a fix / upgrade so by the time they start a thread asking more specific questions they already have a figure in mind of how much improvement they think they might get.

There is also a group that looks to upgrade because they want to, they can and have no other justification. I personally believe these are the people they take offense when one ask for a reason to support such purchase. I have no issues with that, however, there have been times when my advise has been to be cautions with XYZ only to be told that XYZ marketing literature says I'm talking nonsense. Time has proved that I wasn't too far off.

I tend to try to identify what category people asking these questions fall under and reply accordingly. Sometimes this is nearly impossible, there was a chap that clearly downgraded his wheels and then he needed to justify his new purchasing, claiming some um-believable improvements. There is absolutely no point in disputing figures because you just end up in an argument

So, my take on the OP question, I get the sarcasm and it can even be funny for some but I think the problem can be avoided if the answers are a little more tolerant.

 

[Moodyman]

From now on it seems when asking for advice on this once friendly cycle forum you have to give the following information, so that not to curtail the wrath of the upgrade police

Personal info
Name, age, dob, weight, height, pre-tax earnings, expenditure, surplus cash available

Bike info
Make, model, size, full specification of bike, including individual components weights

Once all this information has been formalised by the upgrade police, only then will they allow you sufficient advice on upgrades that have passed all their scientific algorythms of justification.

Or you can ignore all the b***s*** given to you by the scientific algorythm justifying google searchers and buy what you want

You forgot willy length.

 

[Mugshot]

You forgot willy length.

Length is undoubtedly important, but is it more important than the enthusiasm with which it is waved?

 

[Drago]

What about the girth?

 

[yello]

...or colour?

 

[summerdays]

Speaking as someone who doesn't have a huge technical knowledge, I think we should be tolerant of other people and their mistakes. You don't need to tell someone they have misspelled breaks, just use the word brakes in your answer.if you don't want to answer as the post is written in text speak then don't. It would put me off asking questions if I had to worry about how I phased it not to offend. My spelling isn't one of my great achievements.

The fact that I'm not technical doesn't mean I don't read any of those threads hoping to learn from them, but sometimes I find them a little aggressive in their tone. That puts me off reading further.

I've progressed from when I first started and I couldn't adjust my own brakes, and I'm about to hit another of my technical black holes where I'm going to need to ask for advice (replacing ring, possibly cranks etc). The best educators are those that encourage learning at the level suitable for their audience, and don't make them want to hide their lack of understanding. It was one of the things that first attracted me to the forum all those years ago, the welcoming friendly attitude that was significantly better than the forum I'd come from where I felt mocked for my lack of understanding.