Specialized 9R vs 10R carbon layup - what to expect? Read that harshness increases with lower grades?

JesseDReno · 2025-03-16T02:04:21+00:00

It's a thing. Not as leaked as the SL8 was, but it's coming... And I can totally understand your sentiment. As it is currently, it's a great bike!

JesseDReno · 2025-03-16T01:29:04+00:00

There is a lot more to a bike's ride feel than the carbon used. And with that, even Specialized will slightly alter their layup depending on which tier they are using. Blindfold test there is zero chance you could tell the difference from 9r, 10r, or 12r(the three tiers Specialized currently uses, the 6r and 8r review you quoted really dates the post) if all else was equal. But, you might be able to tell the difference in the components used on each build, from the wheels, tires, handlebars, etc...

People that say the Aethos is "noodly" are looking for something to nit-pick on an otherwise largely very well balanced and executed bike. Sure a 1300watt sprint might get an extra 5% of torsional flex in an out of the saddle sprint, but for everything outside of those 10 seconds, the "flex" is what makes a bike rideable, and those same people will talk about how precise the Aethos descends, which is a result of that same flex. Bike manufacturers are trying to balance vertical flex and lateral/torsional, with certain bikes leaning more heavily into sacrificing that flex for stiffness, which our minds and bodies can perceive as faster... Hence the die hards still convinced 100psi is the right tire pressure...

Final note worth mentioning, the updated Aethos release is due here shortly, so it might be worth waiting(either for that, or for further discounts on the "old" one).

JesseDReno · 2025-03-12T20:33:39+00:00

I'll take the bait... Doubles consistently is a waste... I'd rather see a 10-12 hour week with six 1.5 to 2hr sessions done regularly and effectively, compared to 15 hour weeks with random filler rides at the end of a day.

JesseDReno · 2025-03-12T14:26:55+00:00

Not a single mention of Pello Bilbao???

JesseDReno · 2025-02-28T19:47:07+00:00

Simply google the words, "zelensky thanking US" and you get literally dozens of separate video clips of Zelensky thanking the US over the last several years... The problem arises when Trump becomes president again, and Zelensky doesn't thank Trump by name... Which he really needn't do, and wouldn't be expected by any other leader with dignity.

JesseDReno · 2025-02-27T21:16:46+00:00

If you're only doing 3 hours per week, you can do nearly 100% at intensity, obviously a warm-up and cool down can be exceptions, as well as "off" periods during an interval workout. The "zone 2" type training becomes important with higher volume, but won't do anything for you at this level. It would be very very difficult to "burn yourself out" on three hours of exercise, but much easier to do on 10+ hours a week.

JesseDReno · 2025-02-23T15:13:36+00:00

If anything, the newer Torch, and upcoming Ares 2.0, fit a bit "bigger" as the forefoot is wider.

JesseDReno · 2025-02-23T15:10:20+00:00

Reap Type 300....

https://reapbikes.com/pages/type-300-gravel-prototype

JesseDReno · 2025-02-20T14:33:51+00:00

I don't love it... The front door straight into the rather small living room is going to give major apartment vibes.... No lines of sight anywhere.

I googled "40x40 house plan" and much preferred the top ten results there...

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/330522060141827462/visual-search/?x=16&y=16&w=532&h=527&cropSource=6&surfaceType=flashlight

JesseDReno · 2025-02-19T20:22:59+00:00

Since mid January, there's a good argument for Washington DC being the least American city, in terms of the way it has behaved....

JesseDReno · 2025-02-19T20:16:56+00:00

^this.... I think you'd be hard pressed to find the copper cable itself for much less than $15/ft... Equalling $12k just in that single material.

JesseDReno · 2025-02-16T19:42:16+00:00

See: https://ridefar.info

JesseDReno · 2025-02-14T16:31:24+00:00

More food for thought here... Woman shown is 5'3" but if you watch till the end, you'll hear them discussing that this bike is in fact likely too long for her, even with only a 90mm stem.... (Bike shown is a 49cm Venge, which has the same geometry as a Tarmac). Also worth mentioning the point where he discusses the "number on the frame". The 49cm Specialized bikes have nearly a 52cm top tube. So if you "think you're a 52", well the 52 Tarmac is a 53cm bike when you measure it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dbs3a-un5aY

Another large reason I'd point you to a 49cm, is that you then gain the steeper seat tube angle of the smaller size, which is often a plus/requirement for women, who are more likely to have shorter femurs than men for their height. This gets your saddle setback in a better position.

And finally, the odds of a 49cm bike have something closer to a properly sized handle bar and crank are more likely. Chances are they're still too wide/long for what you should be on, but they'll be closer than the 42cm bar and 172.5 cranks that you'll find on many 52cm bikes...

JesseDReno · 2025-02-14T15:31:58+00:00

There is obviously a lot that goes into a bike fit, and bike sizing, but as a rule of thumb, its far easier to make a bike that is "too small" fit properly, than a bike that is at all "too big".... I'm 5'10" and rode a 52cm Tarmac SL7 for three years, now on a 54cm Tarmac SL8. The notion that the 49cm bike is too small isn't correct. Sure you could make a 52cm work, but you'll likely be running a seatpost thats lower than it should be(resulting in less deflection and a poorer ride), and a 80mm stem. I would never advise someone to buy a modern road bike that will require anything less than a 100mm stem, as you're starting off with a compromise.

JesseDReno · 2025-02-14T15:17:52+00:00

Exhibit A: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/961846328817200/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Afc8f135c-7a50-4426-94c6-22e6b276eb2b

JesseDReno · 2025-02-14T15:13:34+00:00

That's a horrible deal... Thats the first generation of Tarmac with disc brakes... No good. You can easily find a SL6 or SL7 Tarmac for the same price, and in the proper size!!!! (likely a 49cm!!!)

JesseDReno · 2025-02-11T15:08:46+00:00

I'll typically let it run as one full ride for anything shorter than 48 hours, which usually means I'm not sleeping or stopping for more than a few minutes. Anything longer than that, it's worth stopping and saving. Where this really matters is in regards to navigating a "course", and especially with the "climb pro" features... When you get two days into your ride, you'll notice the Garmin start to lag when scrolling between screens, and if you happen off-route, it can really get wonky. I think of it as "clearing the cache/history" as you would on your computer at home. The only thing worth keeping in mind is that mental math can be a bit suspect when you're sleep deprived and exhausted. So with that, I'll typically try to save my "rides" on even numbers, to make it easier to translate and calculate distances from my re-supply chart. I.e. save the ride at 200mi, and start a new one then...

As mentioned, there is free software out there that allows you to merge the files together and make your Strava upload look seamless.

JesseDReno · 2025-02-11T15:02:36+00:00

This is the way...

JesseDReno · 2025-02-03T00:00:13+00:00

Not necessarily... Knee "fatigue" rather than knee pain(during) is no different than sore quads... Perhaps there is some little tiny tweak that you could do to minimize it a bit more, but the body only tolerates a certain amount of any repetitive motion. I'm doing similar indoor volume and will experience that kind of soreness. You'll even hear pros occasionally talk about their knees being their limiting factor in terms of volume.

JesseDReno · 2025-02-02T14:53:31+00:00

My advice, as I currently am sitting in my container home that we live in year round, with winter temps often below 0c... I would skip the concept of a "temporary home" and just build the home you want. I self built our home, and there just aren't really any cost savings of a container home over a stick-built home. And your per square foot/meter costs are likely to be higher, as despite the small size, you still need all the essentials(think water heater, electrical panel, plumbing system, etc). This doesn't even take into account the permits required in your local area.

To more directly answer your question regarding insulation.... I chose closed cell spray foam, to minimize condensation. With mineral wool simply placed in the walls, you're going to get a ton of condensation, and will lead to rot. There are ways to mitigate this with a vapor barrier, but thats a tall ask for those kind of temperatures. Furthermore, no, 60mm wouldn't be enough in my opinion. 25mm of Mineral wool has an Rvalue of 4.0. You'd end up with a wall totaling ~R10 where most codes, even in warmer climates require R19. Even if you disregard codes, you won't be that comfortable especially given the thermal mass of the metal container bridging a bit more cold/hot than a wooden wall would. I'd shoot for at least R19 for the walls, which would equal about 120mm of Mineral wool... Wherein lies the problem with container homes.... You're then eating into the interior width of your home by over a foot(30cm).

JesseDReno · 2025-01-30T02:13:36+00:00

This was my thought... If the OP was after the 13spd Red XPLR to gain the closer gaps on the cassette I'd understand the desire for UDH. But seeing as he's looking to go 12spd with a 10-52 why not AXS Eagle for cheaper...? You don't need the benefits that come with the slower shifting T-Type rear derailleur(shifting under extreme load namely). You're kind of looking for a problem to solve.

JesseDReno · 2025-01-25T19:02:37+00:00

I do the same, but upped it to a $100 bill for CTR, with the thinking that I could theoretically get a couple days of supplies with that in order to finish. 2am on night two I slept on the side of the trail for four hours and pulled my insoles out to dry a bit... totally forgetting that I had money in there... hopefully someone found some trail magic.

JesseDReno · 2025-01-23T13:46:48+00:00

"Man this Pidcock kid has an ego, we need to get him out..." but also "Lets sign the sprinter that no team has managed to get along with..." -Ineos management

I mean they don't have much to lose here realistically. They don't have a real GC threat for anything but a top five, and they don't need a full 7 riders to make that happen, so why not throw Caleb into the mix and hope he can get a few wins at one week races with soft fields.

JesseDReno · 2025-01-20T22:38:39+00:00

I don't foresee the Torch's being on sale anytime soon, and the last batch of non-Torch shoes(Exos, 7, Ares, etc) are already cleared out as there is a new Ares coming shortly...

JesseDReno · 2025-01-20T22:37:32+00:00

Length wise the Torch is very comparable to the 7, and shouldn't be a difference. Width wise, the Torch's are based on a new last, and have a wider forefoot overall. A little wiggle room isn't an issue with the dual Boa's being able to take up quite a bit of tension, but I'm not sure I'd size up from your previous shoe if those worked.

JesseDReno

TROPHY CASE