do hobbies/sports typically have no forums?

[JeffOYB]

XC basically has no online forum that's significantly active.

Same with cyclocross.

Is this common across sports and hobbies?

I have experience w other biking and there seems to be more action. Also definitely things like archery, marksmanship, hunting all have HUGE millions of forum discussions.

Bikepacking and backpacking both have big forums.

What makes a world famous topic quiet?

I'd guess there must be some really busy, um, biathlon forums out there, since it's the most popular winter TV sport?

[JeffOYB]

it's kinda amazing to think this is the most active XC ski forum in english. must be a hundred thousand xc fans who speak english globally. so only none but about ten like to discuss it? what the heck?

[Neuro]

I find it weird too. Here in Norway where XC is the national sport and every house has skis, there is very little forum activity. The XC forum is on a general training forum but the biking and running section is much more active. It's basically why I joined here. From what I can see in Sweden it's about the same there.

Maybe the typical XC skier is the stoic and quiet type?

[dcpattie]

Rowing is the same, not a huge online community. Row2k has the best website but no forum.

[JeffOYB]

interesting. thx for the feedback. maybe some sports are considered more 'completed'? and others more subject to ongoing innovation? ...both tech and social. so maybe xc in scandinavia is treated as fully developed and needs no more, no more discussion. and in the usa maybe it's considered to be a micro-niche w no further potential? and maybe our micro-niche is also considered fully developed or at least out of our hands.

[trotro]

In France etatdespistes.com has a bit of traffic. Sometimes it is the only way of getting an idea about conditions in ski areas as they tend to not be very web friendly.

Ski touring/skimo has a huge online community. Maybe because it is now seen as a "youth sport" and "fashionable", even if the average age of people I meet is over 60

[Magnus Johansson]

XC basically has no online forum that's significantly active.

What do you mean with "significantly active"?

[Pat]

Well I'm just glad that so many of you have a lot of experience and can give good advice to many levels of folks asking questions. But I do agree that I would expect that there would be several other sites that had this type of info, and highlighted by the fact that it is mostly the same small group both asking questions and giving the advice.

Pat

[rmattson]

I tend to only go looking for a forum if there is a specific detail about something that I cannot otherwise find online. When Gregg started this forum it was the only one out there for XC Skiing. I believe there are a couple of others out there now and maybe one that is just another sub forum. I haven't looked recently so I'm not sure what kind of traffic they are seeing.