Bikerumor’s format blends professional journalism with a relaxed, conversational tone. We don’t tell you what to think, we give you the information to think for yourself. And we will never talk down to you. We don’t strictly follow AP Style, but we are held to the highest standards of original content generation, attribution and referencing source material. This is a summary overview of the guidelines provided to our writers:

CREATE YOUR OWN WORK

You must write your own story and use your own pictures or those provided directly by the brand or person about which you are writing.

You must obtain prior permission (preferably written) to use any image, text or quote that is a) not provided directly by the brand, b) was not obtained through your own interviews, research or photography, or c) if it was created by another media outlet. If using photographs/artwork from another media outlet or third party source, you must get permission first and reference appropriately.

When referencing an article or incorporating text from another media outlet, United States Fair Use laws generally allow a small percentage of the complete work to be copied for the purpose of commentary, criticism, satire, education or research. The source of the information must be cited, either inline with a direct link or as a footnote, making it obvious where the information came from.

DO NOT PLAGIARIZE

Under no circumstances are you to take someone else’s work and represent it as your own. Do not copy and paste other people’s work or use information from another party’s article as your own work. This includes rewriting someone else’s work or research, which is considered plagiarism if not attributed.

REVIEWS

Any review on Bikerumor.com must be based solely on the merits of that product, taking into consideration its intended use, intended user and in comparison to similar competing products of its time. In no way, shape or form shall any review be biased by a brand’s size, reputation or willingness to advertise in the past or future. Nor shall any review be falsified in order to gain the favor of any brand or person.

Except for first impressions and weigh ins, the product being reviewed should be tested thoroughly before publishing a full review. If we have limited time to use a product, that should be noted within the review.

Reviews should be written in an informative and entertaining manner, delivering our impressions alongside the physical characteristics of the product and type of riding and terrain in which they were used. The goal is to provide a detailed picture of a product’s performance so that our readers may form their own educated opinion.

ADVERTISING VS. EDITORIAL

We maintain a separate ad sales person to handle all advertising sales and management. This person has no influence over the editorial team, nor does he/she contribute to editorial efforts. In the interest of full disclosure, he/she may be responsible for assembling the email newsletter and/or Friday Roundup posts but they are provided the information to include and are not responsible for promoting or choosing who or what information is included. He/she may also periodically assist in photography, but only at the direction of an editor. We do not believe in, endorse or participate in pay-to-play “advertorial” style journalism. You can learn more about how we make money here.

SOCIAL MEDIA & COMMENTS

Bikerumor’s social media accounts are for sharing information and links to stories we publish. Comments are for responding with technical answers or additional information. We will not use our social media accounts or comments section to engage in cyber bullying, name calling or other inappropriate or defamatory behavior. We encourage our writers to avoid such behavior on their personal accounts, too, particularly with regards to their relationship to this site or competing sites. Be nice and be helpful.

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COPYRIGHT CONCERNS & YOUR RIGHTS

We make every effort to avoid publishing the work of others without permission and appropriate attribution. Most often, any mistakes can be quickly cleared up or corrected and a lot of time saved with a friendly phone call to our headquarters at (336) 303-8863. Alternately, if you believe your copyright is being infringed, please follow these steps in order and in writing to provide notice to us and we will take immediate appropriate action. As set forth in the DCMA “Notice and Takedown” requirements set forth by the U.S. government, your notice must include:

1. A statement that you have identified material on Bikerumor that infringes upon your copyright or a copyright for which you are authorized by the owner to act upon (collectively hereafter referred to as “The Work”);
2. A description of The Work that includes the type (written, photography, etc.) and where and when The Work was originally published (with a link if available online);
3. The country or countries in which your copyright applies;
4. A description that specifies how The Work was infringed;
5. A description of where the infringing material is located on Bikerumor with URL link and screenshot;
6. Your complete contact information including name, phone number and email address;
7. A statement by you in good faith that the disputed use of The Work was not authorized by the owner to be used on Bikerumor;
8. A statement by you made under penalty of perjury that the notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to work on the copyright owner’s behalf; and
9. An electronic or physical signature of the copyright owner (scans are acceptable).

You may file your complaint by calling us at 336-303-8863, sending notice via email (with “Copyright Infringement Notice” in the subject line) or mailing notice to:

BikeBoardMedia, Inc.
Attn: Editorial Department – Copyright
339 MLK Jr. Dr.
Greensboro, NC 27406

If you are unsure whether your copyright has been infringed, we suggest you consult an attorney prior to sending notice. DCMA “Notice and Takedown” requests are a serious matter and are federally regulated. Copyright law is a complex, ever-changing set of rules and there can be negative consequences to sending false copyright infringement notices.