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How to clean up at work after a commute?

This question has very little to do with riding itself, but it is a common question, and an important one to bike commuters.

One could argue that this is a support activity to the act of riding to work.

How does this relate to the discussion going on about touring and bike camping? If we allow this question, should we allow questions about where to stay on a tour? Are the two even related?

Do we need an underlying logic as to what's on and off topic, or do we handle this strictly case-by-case?

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  • @Kevin: I had a link in the text of the question, but I did it wrong. Thanks for providing one until I fixed it!
    – Goodbye Stack Exchange
    Commented Aug 27, 2010 at 13:59

4 Answers 4

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I think its on topic simply because it's focus is narrow and it deals with a direct consequence of riding / cycling to work.

In the case of touring, there would be many other sources of info on scenic routes, where to stay etc. So its reasonable to say that questions about these subjects are off topic, whereas the more specific technical questions are OK.

I guess most people here are experienced with SO, and how to judge on/off topic. My feeling is that for cycling the criteria is different. Should we start tracking what questions are debatable, so that in a few weeks we have a feel for the border line questions and are in a position define better what's on/off topic?

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  • Or maybe we should introduce a tag 'borderline' so its easy to find these later.
    – Kevin
    Commented Aug 27, 2010 at 13:26
  • -1; I think that we should at least for the time being allow very broad questions including this one so that the community can grow. I specifically think that we should NOT close touring questions.
    – sixtyfootersdude
    Commented Aug 30, 2010 at 22:49
  • @sixtyfootersdude: Kevin isn't suggesting closing touring questions, just the ones that he cites that seem to be regional.
    – Goodbye Stack Exchange
    Commented Aug 31, 2010 at 0:17
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I think this question falls just inside the on-topic circle you draw around your site. While it isn't specifically about riding, it is a problem that is somewhat unique to riders. That uniqueness makes it at least cautiously on-topic, in my opinion.

The slippery slope comes when trying to distinguish between "questions about riding" (on topic) and "questions that might be of interest to riders" (probably off topic when that interest is only peripherally related to riding).

This site should be about bicycles and riding-related questions. It can't realistically become an anything-of-possible-interest-to-riders site without losing focus. Whenever you gather a group of like-minded experts, there's a tendency for some to ask off-topic questions under the premise that "riders are interested in this stuff" or "riders would know the answer to this." So questions like:

  • How can I get a job working with bicycles?
  • How do you heal groin injuries?
  • What is your favorite music to listen to while riding?
  • What is your favorite riding movie?

...they start sounding like on-topic questions, when they really aren't.

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I see this question as being on topic, since it is part of the journey for many cyclists, albeit perhaps the part that defines the end of the ride. The ride hasn't ended when you put your feet on the ground, nor necessarily when you lock the bike up (hence a question about locks would be OK), but when you are ready to begin the next non-biking activities such as work. Where you are staying on tour would be that next activity as well. Questions about how to clean your bike would also be on topic. How about a question about what type of sleeping bag would you suggest for touring - to me that is off topic.

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I have modifide Robert's responce because I feel that he has given a good explanation however his conclusion is wrong

I think this question falls just inside the on-topic circle you draw around your site. While it isn't specifically about riding, it is a problem that is somewhat unique to riders. That uniqueness makes it at least cautiously on-topic, in my opinion.

The slippery slope comes when trying to distinguish between "questions about riding" (on topic) and "questions that might be of interest to riders" (probably on topic even if that interest is only peripherally related to riding).

This site should be about bicycles and riding-related questions. It can realistically become an anything-of-possible-interest-to-riders site because of the tagging system. Whenever you gather a group of like-minded experts, there's a tendency for some to ask off-topic questions under the premise that "riders are interested in this stuff" or "riders would know the answer to this." So questions like:

  • How can I get a job working with bicycles?
  • How do you heal groin injuries?
  • What is your favorite music to listen to while riding?
  • What is your favorite riding movie?

...they start sounding like on-topic questions, when they really are.

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    Ah, I agree with Robert's original conclusion... mostly. Healing bicycle-related injuries is the only one of these I feel should be on-topic, but we need to tread lightly when asked to dispense medical advice.
    – Goodbye Stack Exchange
    Commented Aug 31, 2010 at 0:15

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