"Learning" section in the forum

[travsformation]

Am creating a this thread to continue the discussion started here:

I'm voting in favour of a a broader "learning/EUC riding" section, not just a beginners' section, so all how-to-ride posts, from beginner to advanced, can go there. Thread titles will be indicative of difficulty level (how to free-mount, how to make tight turns, how to ride backwards, curb-jumping, etc.).

Edited January 17, 2020 by travsformation

[travsformation]

27 minutes ago, Gasmantle said:

Hi @Unventor I think this is a great forum but just lately it seems to be largely the same 20 or so regular experts talking amongst themselves and beginners can feel a bit overlooked.

 

@Gasmantle Yeah, I've been there too. It can take a little time to "find your place", which also depends on the threads you follow. I think a learning section will be greatly beneficial.

I also suggest patience, as threads rarely stay on topic and end up getting massively derailed. You'll eventually get into the flow of it, the chaos is half of the fun

[Cory Brown]

I am definitely in favor of adding a few more sections to try and split up some of these larger threads. There are many threads with 30+ pages that are quite intimidating. A video section is another one that would be great to have.

Edited January 17, 2020 by Cory Brown

[travsformation]

5 minutes ago, Cory Brown said:

I am definitely in favor of adding a few more sections to try and split up some of these larger threads. There are many threads with 30+ pages that are quite intimidating. A video section is another one that would be great to have.

I'm definitely in favour of a learning thread. I've created another topic on the video thread because I think they're two very different discussions (many of us are very attached to "THE video thread")

 

[meepmeepmayer]

Some thoughts regarding a possible new subforum:

• Should it be specifically about Learning? Maybe "Learning to Ride and Advanced Tricks" or "Learning to Ride and Advanced Skills"? What I like about it is that its purpose is very clear and focused.
• Should it be specifically for new and prospective riders? Something that clearly says: New riders: go here! So both "learning to ride" and "what wheel should I get?" type posts can go there? These are often mixed into one posted topic anyways (but maybe this shouldn't be?). Someone asks what to get, then gets it and ask about learning and gear etc. Maybe "New Riders" or "Prospective and New Riders"? Maybe this would be best to get more people riding electric unicycles?
• Something other which is equally specific?
• Something other which is a bit more open-ended?

Trying to find some clarity what would be best.

Edited January 19, 2020 by meepmeepmayer

[travsformation]

20 hours ago, meepmeepmayer said:

Some thoughts regarding a possible new subforum:

• Should it be specifically about Learning? Maybe "Learning to Ride and Advanced Tricks" or "Learning to Ride and Advanced Skills"? What I like about it is that its purpose is very clear and focused.

 

20 hours ago, meepmeepmayer said:

Should it be specifically for new and prospective riders? Something that clearly says: New riders: go here! So both "learning to ride" and "what wheel should I get?" type posts can go there? These are often mixed into one posted topic anyways (but maybe this shouldn't be?). Someone asks what to get, then gets it and ask about learning and gear etc. Maybe "New Riders" or "Prospective and New Riders"? Maybe this would be best to get more people riding electric unicycles?

Good point. Maybe we could call it "Riding skills and gear". Thread titles would be descriptive of the content.
In terms of equipment, there could be anything from a broader  "Safety gear" thread to specific threads for helmets, wrist guards, etc. I think it would make things much more user-friendly for newcomers. Especially if someone's searching for something specific (free mounting or knee pads), they could search within the "Riding skills and gear" sub-section and get more relevant results.

20 hours ago, meepmeepmayer said:

Trying to find some clarity what would be best.

I think this discussion needs more input from more people, so I'm going to tag an assorted array of veteran to "settled in" to new users: @Marty Backe @Seba @Unventor @The Fat Unicyclist @RockyTop @PogArt Artur @MR BRAD @Gasmantle @Lefteris @buell47 @Mike Sacristan @Biped Phil @rainystateguy  @Espen R @Daley1

Edited January 20, 2020 by travsformation

[Lefteris]

36 minutes ago, travsformation said:

[...]

I think this discussion needs more input from more people, so I'm going to tag an assorted array of veteran to "settled in" to new users: @Marty Backe @Seba @Unventor @The Fat Unicyclist @RockyTop @PogArt Artur @MR BRAD @Gasmantle @Lefteris @buell47 @Mike Sacristan @Biped Phil @rainystateguy  @Espen R @Daley1

I saw my named mentioned and came!

Who needs what, i'm in either way  

edit: my suggestion, don't mix skill threads with gear threads, split or with prefix like [Skills] Novice, how to 1st steps, or [Gear] Novice gloves suggestions. etc.

Edited January 20, 2020 by Lefteris

[meepmeepmayer]

I don't see the point of mixing gear into it. We have a perfectly fine separate Gear subforum. It is 100% clear what belongs and doesn't belong there, and where to find gear information if you need it. We shouldn't destroy this conceptual success story.

"New Riders" is an assortment of all kinds of things, so there will always be overlap or confusion. But it would be directly to the benefit of new riders, which people here agree would be very inviting and helpful.

"Learning to Ride and Riding Skills" is a bit more specific. Maybe it would be better if people, instead of making "their" own topic from wheel choice to learning and gear, they separate these things for a better overview later. This might help then.

Not sure what is better, or if there is a better third option.

Again, what do we want in the first place?

[meepmeepmayer]

We can also make entirely new site sections (idea credit goes to @Unventor).

Maybe a "New Rider Area". What forums would you like there? "Learning to ride"? "What wheel to get?"? Others?

And a separate new forum for "Advanced Riding Skills and Tricks"?

Edited January 20, 2020 by meepmeepmayer

[Espen R]

I don't know if the new rider thread is something new riders actually need. This forum already have all the information they need. I'm more afraid to scare them off with a thread like that. If we write things like "you should ask that question in that thread, not here", then they might feel excluded and not welcomed. Then there is what they would find in this thread. A million different opinions or vigorous discussions on details not really relevant to them?

I vote for continuing welcoming everyone and to answer every question wherever they are asked:)

[Unventor]

Well the credit isn't mine. Actually @travsformation happened to ask me on something I had been thinking about so he is the huge trigger. 

In short the forum have grown a lot since I joined. I am mostly engaged with assisting new members or riders. But many questions would be much easier to handle with a new riders area and a better video library index than just one big thread with a debate not always on target too. 

I am simply looking at how we engage new riders, make an area for trick or old school. So the forum is a continuous meeting place of positive engery to all. 

So any suggestions are welcome. But at some point we will need a direction to be taken. So I am all eyes and eyes 🤔😉😀

[meepmeepmayer]

1 minute ago, Espen R said:

I don't know if the new rider thread is something new riders actually need. This forum already have all the information they need. I'm more afraid to scare them off with a thread like that. If we write things like "you should ask that question in that thread, not here", then they might feel excluded and not welcomed. Then there is what they would find in this thread. A million different opinions or vigorous discussions on details not really relevant to them?

I vote for continuing welcoming everyone and to answer every question wherever they are asked:)

Good point. Maybe it's too much.

[Unventor]

11 minutes ago, Espen R said:

I vote for continuing welcoming everyone and to answer every question wherever they are asked:)

I do understand what you are saying. 

I just look at differently. It comes partly down to commitment and admin too. 

A new area rider area can serve are a platform for people to get their standing up and faster for moderators to approve posts for people not have a reputation up yet.

Also questions do not get drown in the sheer number of post we have now on the forum. 

If you then add videos there are some that are really good. 

As an example I always forget the links, but there is a French on with braking skilld/test and a English one showing how to go over bumps/curbs. 

Anyway I am listening and will swing idea around other moderators if we can improve something. 

Edited January 20, 2020 by Unventor

[Espen R]

4 minutes ago, meepmeepmayer said:

Good point. Maybe it's too much.

It might be. The strength of this forum, from my experience, is how inclusive and welcoming it is for everyone. 

[Espen R]

4 minutes ago, Unventor said:

I do understand what you are saying. 

I just look at differently. It comes partly down to commitment and admin too. 

A new area rider area can serve are a platform for people to get their standing up and faster for moderators to approve posts for people not have a reputation up yet.

Also questions do not get drown in the sheer number of post we have now on the forum. 

If you then add videos there are some that are really good. 

As an example I always forget the links, but there is a French on with braking skilld/test and a English one showing how to go over bumps/curbs. 

Anyway I am listening and will swing idea around other moderators if we can improve something. 

I understand your technical perspective, but the nature of a forum is an avalanche of posts, a new riders thread won't solve that. I think most people coming to a forum expects that they have to search, read or ask, if they need to learn something.

[meepmeepmayer]

I think there might be confusion about terms here?

• topic = thread = a single topic like "The Video Thread"
• forum = subforum = a new forum like "General Discussion"
• section = area = a bunch of forums like "BRAND-SPECIFIC FORUMS (EUC ONLY)"

[meepmeepmayer]

Forum structure template for copy+paste. Maybe just add and play around how you would like it.

Quote

 

GENERAL ELECTRIC UNICYCLE FORUMS

Forum Rules (and topics relating to this forum)

General Discussion

Reviews

Mods, Repairs, & DIY

Apps & Gadgets

Riding Safety and Protective Gear

Local Group Meet Ups

Private Sales (secondhand)

Commercial Advertisements

Off Topic Discussion

Testing Only

BRAND-SPECIFIC FORUMS (EUC ONLY)

...

[REST OF THE SITE]

 

[Espen R]

25 minutes ago, meepmeepmayer said:

I think there might be confusion about terms here?

• topic = thread = a single topic like "The Video Thread"
• forum = subforum = a new forum like "General Discussion"
• section = area = a bunch of forums like "BRAND-SPECIFIC FORUMS (EUC ONLY)"

Yes, and thanks for clearing it up. These terms are used a bit differently in my language, or at least among my friends, even though we use the English words. I've used the term forum for the entire site and thread for both subforum and section, but now I've learned the difference. Sorry for the confusion I've caused, I read and write in 4 different languages daily, so the deeper understanding of terms can get lost.

[Unventor]

4 minutes ago, Espen R said:

Sorry for the confusion I've caused, I read and write in 4 different languages daily, so the deeper understanding of terms can get lost.

Well I write in Danish which cause confusion to most people. A language with build in encryption and ambiguity. Mix that with a mindfiel of crazy ideas and the result is....

..not that many follow what was born out of good intentions. 🙄

Or it is just me. 😁

[RockyTop]

I am thinking of two categories. 
1) can’t ride a kilometer + wobbles. 

2)everything else. 
 

After being able to ride a kilometer many veteran riders lack simple skills that others see as super easy. High speed skills VS low speed skills. Riding backwards or just mounting with the other foot first. A beginner can learn many things that a veteran has never learned. 
 

[Unventor]

1 minute ago, RockyTop said:

I am thinking of two categories. 
1) can’t ride a kilometer + wobbles. 

2)everything else. 
 

After being able to ride a kilometer many veteran riders lack simple skills that others see as super easy. High speed skills VS low speed skills. Riding backwards or just mounting with the other foot first. A beginner can learn many things that a veteran has never learned. 
 

Agree and I am very guilty as charge. 😊 That is where the challenge part comes it. 

Like the one Eddie made some time back about how slow can you go. 

[Espen R]

23 minutes ago, Unventor said:

Well I write in Danish which cause confusion to most people. A language with build in encryption and ambiguity. Mix that with a mindfiel of crazy ideas and the result is....

..not that many follow what was born out of good intentions. 🙄

Or it is just me. 😁

What baffles me with Danish is that I can read it, but when you speak the the words all I hear are guttural sounds;) 

No, I do understand some Dane dialects, but when you get close to the German border I don't think they even understands them selves:)

[travsformation]

12 hours ago, meepmeepmayer said:

I don't see the point of mixing gear into it. We have a perfectly fine separate Gear subforum.

I didn't realize we had a "gear" subforum. (I guess because there aren't any links to Spanish retailers, I never check it out hehe)

12 hours ago, meepmeepmayer said:

Maybe a "New Rider Area". What forums would you like there? "Learning to ride"? "What wheel to get?"? Others?

And a separate new forum for "Advanced Riding Skills and Tricks"?

I personally feel that would be a bit confusing. "New rider area" is very broad and could encompass anything from riding skills to protective gear to what wheel to buy, and there are already specific forums for those, so I think it would create a lot of unnecessary overlapping.

I see two possibilities:

• The seemingly more structured, but ultimately more complicated option of having a "riding skills" section with sub-forums separated by level (beginner, intermediate, advanced). Although it sounds good on paper, I think it would end up creating more confusion / being a bit daunting in terms of "Which sub-section do I post this in?" (it's quite subjective, after all...), and also require a lot more work from mods (moving things around, choosing where they belong, etc.)

• The seemingly less structured, but simpler, broader (and possibly more intuitive) approach of creating a "EUC riding skills" (name is just an example) forum. As I understand it, each forum has a description, which could read something like "Everything related to how to ride an EUC, from learning to advanced riding skills and tricks". I considered adding suffixes such as "NOVICE: How to....", but that would circle back to the unnecessary hassle in my first suggestion. I think thread titles would ultimately speak for themselves, as a newcomer isn't going to click on a topic called "How to ride backwards" or "Going down stairs". To help establish structure, we could create a few threads on relevant topics  ("learning how to mount", "learning how to ride", "wobbles", etc.) to get things rolling and let things unfold on their own from there. Or just encourage new users to ask their questions there. Threads that are the most relevant for beginners could be pinned to the top for extra user-friendliness too. Gradually, existing threads could be moved to the appropriate forums. I personally feel this is the simplest and most straightforward approach, but I'm sure there are other options I haven't considered, and newcomers can provide a better outlook on what they feel would be easier for them.

 

12 hours ago, Unventor said:

Well the credit isn't mine. Actually @travsformation happened to ask me on something I had been thinking about so he is the huge trigger. 

Thanks, but I actually got the idea from @Daley1, but like you, the influx of new users has made me aware of how daunting this place can be when you first sign up (something we forget once we get into the flow of things). I love the (relative) chaos (and have a tendency to adapt well to it...I grew up in Spain, after all!), but I think it's important to make it more accessible to newcomers. And seeing the user count go up as it is, it's wise to stay ahead of the curve and "future-proof" sooner rather than later.

Edited January 21, 2020 by travsformation

[Daley1]

i.m of the opinion we need a skills section that can be broken down to the three stages.Gear thread is already up and running.People interested do have to search a bit for what they want but it is accessible and already well signed.I tend to use Youtube for my skills knowledge as i can read about stuff but cant see how to do it unless i see the video.I shouldnt have to go out of the forum to learn about stuff this forum is advocating for.

[travsformation]

27 minutes ago, Daley1 said:

i.m of the opinion we need a skills section that can be broken down to the three stages.Gear thread is already up and running.People interested do have to search a bit for what they want but it is accessible and already well signed.I tend to use Youtube for my skills knowledge as i can read about stuff but cant see how to do it unless i see the video.I shouldnt have to go out of the forum to learn about stuff this forum is advocating for.

+1!  (am out of likes for today)