Bicycle Life Style blog defunct?
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George Schick
Mar 19, 2025, 3:08:34 PM3/19/25
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Every now and then I surf into the Bicycle Life Style blog moderated by Peter White to see what's going on. When I tried that today I got a kick-back from Google saying something like "content not available." Now, Peter has posted the fact that he is intending to retire and eventually close his shop both on-line as well as his store, so something like this is not unexpected.
Way back sometime in the mid-90's a decision was made to "split" a blog popularized mainly by Riv product buyers into two new blogs, Riv Owners Bunch, supposedly dedicated to Riv bikes and products, and Bicycle Life Style, which was intended to be the "technical" blog for bikers having various mechanical and component issues. As time went along, most of the technical issues gradually migrated to the Riv Owners Bunch blog, leaving the "life style" site for issues mostly dedicated to bicycle lighting and hub dynamo product issues.
Has the time come when we've now collapsed to just the Riv Owners Bunch blog? That's fine as long as everyone who posts and replies is willing to go along with that approach.
Eric Daume
Mar 19, 2025, 3:54:55 PM3/19/25
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This wasn't a blog, but an email list provided through (IIRC) Google groups. When I check my list of Google groups, I don't see it anymore.
Eric
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George Schick
Mar 19, 2025, 4:10:23 PM3/19/25
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Interesting. What are you calling a "blog" vs. an "email list"? It used to be that if I logged into my specific "Riv" blogs in order to make a post I'd get a choice between between BicycleLifeStyle and Rivendell Owners Bunch. What changed?
Peter White
Mar 19, 2025, 5:18:54 PM3/19/25
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Woah! Nellie!
While it's true that I am 70 years old, and while it's true that I am closing out a number of products so as to simplify my life in my dotage, I am most definitely not retiring any time soon since I like doing what I'm doing. These days I'm concentrating on German bicycle lighting, and some French drive train products that interest me. So, you're all going to be stuck with me for a while. I hope you're OK with that. ;-)
I shut down the Bicycle Lifestyle group because it was essentially dead. Almost all of the pending postings in the past two years were from people who joined an hour or so earlier and posted that they had a bike or some component to sell, and that had been strictly forbidden from the start. So instead of having interesting posts to read, and occasionally responding to, I was doing little more than banning people from the forum for violating the rules.
I'm a lover, not a banner.
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Peter White
John Robert Williams
Mar 19, 2025, 5:22:40 PM3/19/25
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OH WHEW!
Peter, I was on your site yesterday, your lighting selections are world-leading! Made me dizzy with all of your fantastic options....and I did click on the Lifestyle page and noticed it was blank. I'm your age and have NO interest in shutting down either! 70 is the new 30! What a Relief! YOU ROCK, SIR!
JohnRobertWilliams
Traverse City, Michigan
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John Robert Williams
Eric Daume
Mar 19, 2025, 5:47:50 PM3/19/25
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If you’re posting to this list, it’s an email list.
If you’re creating a post on google blogger (for instance) you’re making a blog.
Eric
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George Schick
Mar 19, 2025, 5:59:33 PM3/19/25
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??? Maybe I'm a bit confused here, but what's the difference? If I'm logged into the Riv "blog" site (whatever that means now for this discussion) how do posts for discussions differ from what you're calling emails?
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Patrick Moore
Mar 19, 2025, 6:11:58 PM3/19/25
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Thank you for continuing with lighting and cranks in particular! When I read the report about a closing I immediately started thinking about alternative sources for these things. I take it that “some French drivetrain products” means TA products?
Patrick “70 himself very very soon” Moore
Cyclofiend Jim
Mar 19, 2025, 6:32:12 PM3/19/25
to RBW Owners Bunch
Hey there George -
All of the communication platforms have shifted over the years. "Blog" "email list" "site" and others can be kind of confusing.
All of the communication platforms have shifted over the years. "Blog" "email list" "site" and others can be kind of confusing.
Some of the differences are semantic, but certain functionalities will differ.
This group where you are posting began as an "email list" - it used to be managed as a "listserv" which was a type of email-only communication. You would email a specific address and everyone subscribed to that "listserv" received the email. That was a precursor to this current "group" format. The difference was that the listerv communications took place only through email. There was no place on the internet you could interact with the conversation threads. (Many listservs were archived online, so you could search the conversations.
The benefit of a listserv was that individuals could be specifically allowed to participate or banned if they misbehaved. This was an attractive, more private option compared to "Usenet" which was a set of public discussion boards and tended to be very "wild west" at times.
Blogs are technically website pages which are published in a way that interested parties can be notified with each new individual update, or "post". Many blogs would provide the ability to comment on each post, so you might carry on conversations with other readers or the author right on the page. In many cases, if you are subscribed to a blog, you will receive an email that contains the full post, which you can read through your email account. Classic blogs have a single or limited number of authors, and the rest of the folks are reading/subscribed to what is published.
Also, there are BBS's or Bulletin Boards which usually required a membership and then would allow a verified user to read, interact, comment on topics or threads. Some of those have a lot of formal structure. Others are very free-wheeling.
This is a "Group" which runs through the Google Group framework. This group requires registration and permission to join. Once you do that, you can choose to receive the "posts" (or as Google Groups now calls them "Conversations") through email only - like the Listserv - or view it on the internet - similar to a BBS.
This is not a "Riv blog site" as no one is specifically posting articles or topics. Anyone is capable of asking questions or providing answers or experiences. It's similar in behavior to a BBS (or more currently a Discord server) in that the content is driven by everyone who participates. Also - this is not directly connected to Rivendell Bicycle Works.
So if someone says the "Riv Blog Site" I would tend to think they are talking about Grant's "Blahg" or the Rivbike News Blog
GP's - https://www.rivbike.com/blogs/grant-petersens-blog
News Blog - https://www.rivbike.com/blogs/news
Where it gets confusing is that someone reading them via email might think of them as "emails" while someone on the RBW Owner's Bunch Google Groups page would think of them as posts.
Hope that helps a bit. There are more details if you are interested.
The Bicycle Lifestyle info is yonder -
https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/bl.php
This group where you are posting began as an "email list" - it used to be managed as a "listserv" which was a type of email-only communication. You would email a specific address and everyone subscribed to that "listserv" received the email. That was a precursor to this current "group" format. The difference was that the listerv communications took place only through email. There was no place on the internet you could interact with the conversation threads. (Many listservs were archived online, so you could search the conversations.
The benefit of a listserv was that individuals could be specifically allowed to participate or banned if they misbehaved. This was an attractive, more private option compared to "Usenet" which was a set of public discussion boards and tended to be very "wild west" at times.
Blogs are technically website pages which are published in a way that interested parties can be notified with each new individual update, or "post". Many blogs would provide the ability to comment on each post, so you might carry on conversations with other readers or the author right on the page. In many cases, if you are subscribed to a blog, you will receive an email that contains the full post, which you can read through your email account. Classic blogs have a single or limited number of authors, and the rest of the folks are reading/subscribed to what is published.
Also, there are BBS's or Bulletin Boards which usually required a membership and then would allow a verified user to read, interact, comment on topics or threads. Some of those have a lot of formal structure. Others are very free-wheeling.
This is a "Group" which runs through the Google Group framework. This group requires registration and permission to join. Once you do that, you can choose to receive the "posts" (or as Google Groups now calls them "Conversations") through email only - like the Listserv - or view it on the internet - similar to a BBS.
This is not a "Riv blog site" as no one is specifically posting articles or topics. Anyone is capable of asking questions or providing answers or experiences. It's similar in behavior to a BBS (or more currently a Discord server) in that the content is driven by everyone who participates. Also - this is not directly connected to Rivendell Bicycle Works.
So if someone says the "Riv Blog Site" I would tend to think they are talking about Grant's "Blahg" or the Rivbike News Blog
GP's - https://www.rivbike.com/blogs/grant-petersens-blog
News Blog - https://www.rivbike.com/blogs/news
Where it gets confusing is that someone reading them via email might think of them as "emails" while someone on the RBW Owner's Bunch Google Groups page would think of them as posts.
Hope that helps a bit. There are more details if you are interested.
The Bicycle Lifestyle info is yonder -
https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/bl.php
Jim / list admin
aeroperf
Mar 19, 2025, 7:18:32 PM3/19/25
to RBW Owners Bunch
And to Peter’s comment above— “because it was essentially dead…”
I originally got a Sam Hillborne to practice for touring. 3x9 drive, panniers, frame bags - what works and what doesn’t.
I also joined the bicycle touring group. During the last 10 years it has died.
If you want to see what a dying group looks like, just go to the first page of https://groups.google.com/g/bicycletouring
No longer “Where have you been? What did you see there? Who did you meet?” Now it is essentially “Here’s what I have to sell”.
I’m not condemning the group, and the moderation is first class.
But people just age out. The legs don’t take you from Bari to Brindisi in Puglia any more.
Fortunately, the RBW Owners Bunch has fresh blood coming in all the time, with new Rivs, and that’s the trick to keeping a group going.
Hopefully we will never see a “Please what is the group all about” post with only one reply.
I originally got a Sam Hillborne to practice for touring. 3x9 drive, panniers, frame bags - what works and what doesn’t.
I also joined the bicycle touring group. During the last 10 years it has died.
If you want to see what a dying group looks like, just go to the first page of https://groups.google.com/g/bicycletouring
No longer “Where have you been? What did you see there? Who did you meet?” Now it is essentially “Here’s what I have to sell”.
I’m not condemning the group, and the moderation is first class.
But people just age out. The legs don’t take you from Bari to Brindisi in Puglia any more.
Fortunately, the RBW Owners Bunch has fresh blood coming in all the time, with new Rivs, and that’s the trick to keeping a group going.
Hopefully we will never see a “Please what is the group all about” post with only one reply.
Peter White
Mar 20, 2025, 7:38:59 AM3/20/25
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TA and Stronglight from France. SON - Schmidt, Busch & Müller, Supernova, Rohloff, Sapim from Germany, and then Velocity rims and hubs from the US. That's enough to keep an old geezer busy, I'd say. But don't anybody tell Linda I wrote that! ;-)
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Peter White
RichS
Mar 20, 2025, 8:29:18 PM3/20/25
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Peter, from one geezer to another: keep up your great work!
Best,
Rich in ATL
Philip Williamson
Mar 23, 2025, 1:23:05 AM3/23/25
to RBW Owners Bunch
This is not only a constructive breakdown of internet communities, it also reminded me of Bulletin Boards!
Bulletin Boards were to GenX what Ham Radio was to my dad's generation (born in 1936). Both a connection to others and a seed of the future. I think the San Rafael based BBS I was a member of in my teenage years was called The Wasteland. I think I have a tee shirt design I made for them in my files.
Also, I am happy Peter White is still carrying his particular torches.
Philip
Santa Rosa, CA
Bill Gibson
Mar 23, 2025, 3:01:45 AM3/23/25
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Ham Radio is still around, but there are rumors that the current Trump MAGA Republican Administration will sell the ham frequencies or “band” for other more commercial purposes, but since Morse Code is not currently required and solar panels interfere with ham radio (you need a different antenna), well, internet style digital transmissions can piggyback on analog waves, and who says we can’t make another BBS Usenet bucket brigade someday. So there is a way to bypass the noise. If we take enough power. Heck, if big flexy tires and desmodronic derailleurs can survive…we will ride on.
Bill Gibson
Tempe, Arizona, USA
Tempe, Arizona, USA
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Tim
Apr 1, 2025, 1:13:39 PM4/1/25
to RBW Owners Bunch
Peter is the best! I bought my first Riv from him (he built it as well) in 2011, have bought lights from him. His service is exceptional! He also offered his home as a control on the the New England Randonneurs 600k (probably still does) and I got a nice rest and wonderful meal there during that ride in 2014 or so. I, too, am an old geezer, or at least, geezer-adjacent...
Peace,
Tim
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