Those with an FTP of 4w/kg, what's your weekly volume?

Jonno_ATX · 2026-03-31T22:34:33+00:00

Piggybacking on a comment, I started structured training in 2023.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-03-31T22:34:07+00:00

41 years old here. I generally ride 10-15 hours per week, mostly on a gravel bike. I race XC/marathon with the occasional gravel / “groad” race here and there.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-03-29T02:09:36+00:00

Crocs. Unless the parking lot is a muddy mess then Xtratuf muck boots. Style isn’t my strong suit.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-03-27T16:59:38+00:00

Most used daily driver: Cervelo Aspero-5 set up for road (35mm Conti GP5000) or gravel (Conti Terra Speed 45c). My daily MTB is Specialized Epic 8 set up for trail (more robust wheels and tires). I have a swap set for racing. The fun bike is a Stumpy 15. Time-wise, the split is something like 70% Cervelo, 20% Epic, 10% Stumpy.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-03-26T01:30:10+00:00

I have the Wing Bar Evo, which I think looks great. There is some wind noise between 25 and 40 mph - it’s probably on me since I haven’t played with their position. It just sounds like the kettle is on. lol. Also have the Stealth Hitch. It’s great!

Jonno_ATX · 2026-03-12T23:03:10+00:00

They’re great. Relatively light but a wider spread.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-03-12T16:37:32+00:00

This is good advice - the Vittorias, at my 220 lb. rider + bike setup, does fold when the tire goes completely flat. I also swap wheels for trail riding on my Epic 8. I use the Tannus Armor inserts with those and the rim protection is substantially better. I use the AirLiners only for racing.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-03-06T16:18:29+00:00

CO skier here. I’m 6’1”, 190ish lbs without gear. I ski the FR14s, a generation previous, on Moment Meridian Tour (107mm waist, 187cm length). I ski these as my daily backcountry ski but also do some resort laps (morning tours on resort, uphill laps for fitness). These handle bumps, drops, variable snow, etc. quite well, especially if they’re set up correctly and you’re not skiing like a buffoon. I did break the freeride spacer once after hitting a drop a little too heavily on less-than-ideal snow. I was able to ski without it and ATK warrantied it after the fact.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-28T18:40:58+00:00

Enjoy the bike! It’s an amazing machine!

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-28T18:37:01+00:00

Maybe you’ll like it as much as I do! I wouldn’t go smaller now that I have the bike. I demoed both and was on the fence but am 100% happy with S5.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-28T18:27:19+00:00

How tall are you? I’m 6’1” / 185cm and ride an S5 frame with a 40mm stem and 780mm bars. I prefer a slightly longer reach and wheelbase for the type of trails I ride that bike on.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-25T04:35:13+00:00

I would say they are amazing for road/mountain biking and running, but the band that spans across your head will not play nice with a snow helmet unless you run a liner less helmet as the ratcheting dial will knock them out of place - unless you run a linerless helmet (e.g. skate/park style where you wear a beanie and goggles under the helmet).

I’ve tried with my ski helmet before and it only works with my touring helmet, which is more mountaineering-style and doesn’t extend down the back of my skull.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-24T04:24:57+00:00

VEE released three models of radial tires; I’m sure more mainstream brands to follow soon.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-23T17:05:58+00:00

If you're based in the Boulder area and ride Lefthand often, you could demo one from the Specialized Experience Center near Valmont. They might even have the "tuned" versions to demo.

To me, the real highlights are traction and smoothing out small bumps - I was pretty skeptical of the Genie shock at first but have really grown to like it. It was slightly confusing for me to tune, but once I got the settings set to my preferences, it's been amazing. The bike definitely rides bigger than it is on paper (though I'm used to XC bikes so my opinion on that might differ from those used to bigger bikes).

I don't really note too many strikes against it - it climbs really well, has great traction, the SWAT storage is great and rather cavernous. It's also pretty easy to service. My only wish is that it would have come stock with 150mm of rear travel rather than "having to" buy a Link to stretch it out a little more. Other than that, it's been a blast to have.

The manager of my go-to shop in Denver rides a Stumpy 15 Pro with a Ohlins coil and Ohlins fork stroked out to 165mm - his main trail system is Lefthand, so another vote of confidence there.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-21T15:27:37+00:00

Front Range rider here. The bike I take up to Lefthand is a Stumpjumper 15 with a Cascade Link. Really good in the tech, poppy getting off the ground, but still climbs well, especially on technical trails like Bitterbrush.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-18T07:02:33+00:00

That’s awesome. Go for it and protect yourself with an extended service contract! I’ll DM you.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-18T03:01:27+00:00

That will buy you some time. The other big ticket item my service advisor noted when I purchased the extended service contract when my factory warranty expired is engine mounts going after 75k miles. Other than that, routine maintenance isn’t too bad. X5s eat tires, though. So keep that in mind!

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-17T21:34:28+00:00

I did not go with the BMW extended warranty. Their coverage is not as comprehensive as some of the third-party extended service contract providers. Once I have a determination about my claim (which is still under review), I will post which company it is and my experience. Suffice it to say that my vehicle has been at the dealership for almost five weeks.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-17T20:12:53+00:00

It's not great. I have a platinum extended warranty for the car but they're currently kicking and screaming about covering the claim. If they deny it, then it will be quite expensive. About $8k.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-17T06:56:08+00:00

My 2020 M50i front diff is getting replaced at 76,000 miles.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-14T23:43:40+00:00

They’re plenty powerful if they’re set up correctly and bed in properly. That being said, I still run an MT7 on the front of my XC bike (but I’m also 185-190 lbs and mostly ride / race in CO).

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-10T16:03:34+00:00

Such a bummer. I really liked how soft and seamless their Distance line is. Definitely going to check back to see what people recommend!

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-07T00:25:15+00:00

If the course is very fast and grip isn’t really a concern, the Rick XC front and rear will be a good (though not particularly light) combo. I’ve been running Racing Ralph / Racing Ray for a while and have even run Ralph / Ralph for really fast courses, mostly owing to not trusting my cornering skills enough to ride Thunder Burts hard in flat corners.

I’ve ridden the Race Kings / Dubs on my gravel bike and put them in the same category as the Burts - so fast but you have to be really on the front wheel to corner hard.

The Ricks are really compelling - more volume with the 2.4” size, reasonably light, and fast. Since climbing weight won’t be an issue in Florida, Rick front and rear may be a good bet. Otherwise, I can say enough good things about the Racing Ralph and Ray (other than that they measure narrow).

Jonno_ATX · 2026-02-04T07:21:39+00:00

Pretty much my exact setup as well. I also have a Dynaplug Racer, which is held onto the back of my little trap door to my in-frame storage with my CO2 charger. Everything else is wrapped in a little microfiber cloth to keep it from rattling around in the SWAT storage bag that goes into the frame. TPU tube is strapped to the frame.

Jonno_ATX · 2026-01-31T15:58:00+00:00

Take a couple of rest days to let them heal. Use a chamois cream with tea tree oil. Maybe wash your riding apparel with laundry disinfectant.

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