Cyclesite forums, clubs and comments are for UK cyclists to share routes, kit, repairs and rides. These guidelines are how we keep that useful. They sit alongside our Terms of Service, Acceptable Use policy and Content Moderation policy, read those for the formal rules, including how reports are actioned and how to appeal a removal.
The short version
- Be respectful, even when you disagree.
- Stay on topic for the community you're posting in.
- Keep selling, swapping and wanted ads in the dedicated rooms (c/bikes-for-sale, c/parts-for-sale, c/wanted) and use the marketplace for serious listings.
- No harassment, no hate, no doxxing, no scams.
- UK English, plain language. No spam, no off-topic promotion.
What's welcome
- Route + ride reports, kit reviews, repair walkthroughs.
- Questions, beginner or technical, both fine.
- Photos of your bike, photos of rides, before-and-after mechanic shots.
- Group-ride and club organising in the relevant community.
- Constructive feedback on the platform itself, use c/cyclesite-feedback.
What's not allowed
Posts that fall into any of the categories below will be removed, and the account may be warned, restricted or banned depending on severity and history. See Content Moderation for the formal process.
Harassment and abuse
Personal attacks, threats, slurs, repeated unwanted contact, pile- ons against another member, doxxing (publishing someone's real name, address, employer, phone or other personal info without consent). This applies to direct messages too.
Hate speech
Content that attacks or dehumanises people based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, disability or serious illness. Discussing these topics is fine; using them as a weapon is not.
Illegal content
Posts that promote, facilitate or organise illegal activity in the UK, including dealing in stolen goods, drugs, weapons, or deliberately disabling anti-theft features on bikes. If you suspect a listing or post involves a stolen bike, use the stolen-bike report path rather than confronting the seller in public.
Sexual content
Cyclesite is a general-audience cycling site. No pornographic or sexually explicit content. No sexualised content involving minors, ever, that's reported to NCA-CEOP, not just removed.
Spam, scams and inauthentic behaviour
- Mass-posting the same content across rooms.
- Drop-shipping affiliate links, MLM pitches, crypto schemes.
- Phishing, directing members off-platform to "complete" a transaction outside Buyer Protection.
- Fake reviews, manufactured engagement, sockpuppet accounts.
- For-sale posts outside the dedicated rooms, please use the marketplace for serious listings and the rooms above for casual / local sales.
Misinformation that causes harm
Repair, electrical or safety claims that would put a rider at real risk, especially around e-bike battery handling, brake bleeding, and frame inspections, will be removed if they're wrong and dangerous. Honest mistakes get corrected, not banned.
How moderation works
Most decisions are made by our staff team. Some communities have earned-trust members (Trust Level 3+) who can hide off-topic content, but only staff can ban accounts. Every removal is logged and can be appealed by replying to the notification email or by emailing hello@cyclesite.co.uk.
We don't auto-shadowban without telling you. If your post is removed you'll see the reason; if your account is restricted you'll be told what changed and how to get back to good standing.
Reporting a problem
On any post or comment, use the “…” menu → Report. Pick the closest reason; the staff team triages within 24 hours (weekdays). For urgent safety issues, credible threats, suspected CSAM, immediate doxxing, email safety@cyclesite.co.uk directly with the URL so we can prioritise it ahead of the queue.
About the trust levels
As members participate constructively over time, they unlock permissions: from posting freely (TL1) to moderating off-topic content in a single community (TL3) to being trusted across the platform (TL4). TL is per-community, except TL4 which is awarded across the platform. The rules in this document apply to everyone equally, no one is above them, including staff.
Changes
We'll post substantive updates to c/cyclesite-feedback. Minor wording fixes ship without announcement. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page is the source of truth.