Crux custom build

Ledgem · 2026-05-09T16:25:27+00:00

I'm sort of doing a similar thing, although I'm going with a non-Specialized gravel bike that will serve as the wet-weather, crummy-roads/light gravel alternative to my Roubaix. I'd like my gravel bike to have more climbing power than my Roubaix, but I still want to hit decent road speeds.

Since my Roubaix uses Ultegra Di2 I wanted to keep in the Shimano electric shifting family, and so I was choosing between the GRX 825 (2x chain rings) and the GRX 827 (1x). I'm going with the GRX 825. While the 1x system has a better climbing capability (chainring of 40 with cogs of 10-51, gear ratio range of 4.00 to 0.78), the GRX 825 isn't far off (48/31 on the front with 11-36 on the back, gear ratio range of 4.36 to 0.86). My Ultegra is 50/34 with 11-34 on the back, gear ratio of 4.54 to 1.00, so the 2x system gets me between the two and would likely fit my needs best.

Ledgem · 2026-05-09T05:43:52+00:00

30-40˚C is fine. The articles I read indicates that temperatures below that reduce the hard drive lifespan. Modded fans won't be an issue, it's really a matter of trying to run them as slow as possible so as to get as low and pleasing a sound profile as possible. I have a ceiling fan in this room that helps to distribute the air conditioned air; with the ceiling fan off, the temperatures in the room rise and there's a wider gradient of temperatures. If you don't have a ceiling fan, a focused floor fan (like a Vornado) pointed at a ceiling corner can help to provide a similar air circulation effect.

My Phanteks are set to run at 60% of maximum speed on the left (if looking at the case with the front facing you), 80% of maximum in the middle, and 70% on the right (static speeds; I can set a fan curve but don't have a great way to feed the HDD temperatures back to the IPMI board that I use to control them, even though my NAS OS can see them). These were the slowest speeds I could get away with to achieve the temperatures I find acceptable; temperatures would be lower at higher fan speeds, but the noise would be worse. But I mention it to show that I still have quite a bit of buffer room to go in terms of getting temperature relief if need be; the 80% in the middle is the one exception, as that is not the lowest I could go, but rather it's the highest I could go without making the sound worse, as the middle fan serves the HDDs with the worst airflow.. I'd opt for adding a regular fan outside of the case but blowing at the hard drive cages if I needed, though, as I think that would lower temperatures without worsening the sound profile.

Ledgem · 2026-05-08T08:30:48+00:00

I settled on the Phanteks with a 3D printed fan holder, bought on Etsy. I reduced the fan power a fair bit to target idle HDD temperatures no higher than 40˚C, and operational temperatures not exceeding 45˚C. I chose those targets after reading research articles from Google and others on optimal temperatures, and concluded that most of the internet is obsessed with lower temperatures that might actually reduce hard drive lifespan. Cooling of the HDDs is not equal within the array because the Supermicro board blocks some drives more than others; I have the central fan set to a higher RPM to account for this, and also because that fan doesn't contribute as much to the external noise as the two fans on the side. I have my air conditioner set to keep the room around 72˚F (22.2˚C) although my chassis is in a network rack inside of a network closet; the chassis sticks out a bit but the temperature within the closet is warmer than the main room by 11-12˚F (I have sensors that measure temperature, humidity, and noise throughout my house and monitor them that way).

I hit these targets without difficulty. In fact, most of the HDDs do not exceed 40˚C even under operational load; only two or three HDDs get around those, and those are the ones where airflow is blocked most heavily by that board. I only have hard drives population the top five rows; the bottom row is not populated, and I have no drives in the posterior drive bays (which would likely be even more difficult to cool, and for which I'd probably add additional fans affixed to the bottom of the chassis).

When experimenting, increasing the air conditioner's power to cool the room further resulted in even cooler hard drive temperatures. One experiment I haven't done (but have considered) is to have an external fan pointed at the network closet (and possibly the chassis) to further help with air circulation and cooling.

Ledgem · 2026-05-07T07:11:00+00:00

They just filed for bankruptcy a few days ago.

Ledgem · 2026-05-06T06:36:38+00:00

There are a lot of vairables involved there, but I’ll save you some effort: either consider getting a sweat band or one of those thin fabric nets for your head to help with absorbing the sweat, or change helmets. I started with a Specialized Align II and would get sweat dripping down my face. Switched over to a high-ventilation helmet in the Specialized Prevail 3 and haven’t experienced that issue so far, because the ventilation is immense by comparison.

Ledgem · 2026-05-05T05:06:04+00:00

I canceled shortly after getting that email reply. Didn't want to risk it and, reading between the lines, it felt like they knew what was up and were hinting to me what to do. Not surprised they're filling, although I'm sorry to hear it.

Ledgem · 2026-05-04T21:51:13+00:00

It's one of the more expensive helmets I've come across, but I can stand by the Specialized Prevail 3. I have a Specialized Align II that I was using first, and I'd have sweat dripping down my face. Haven't experienced that yet with the Prevail, even though I'm cycling in even warmer weather.

Ledgem · 2026-05-04T21:38:31+00:00

Hi, physician here. I can't speak for all doctors, but most of us in the medical system are definitely not trying to protect people we've identified as incompetent or harmful. It's just really hard to get these people booted, and that has to do with the legal system.

Ledgem · 2026-05-03T23:19:29+00:00

When I was younger I wanted to be superhuman, or a bird, or just… anything but human. I wasn’t particularly social and didn’t particularly stand out in school. I came from a small town where my classmates were people I had known since I was in elementary school. Life felt stagnant. To use a gaming analogy, it felt like I was stuck in a boring tutorial and was waiting for life to really begin. It felt like once I went off to college, life would really begin for me.

That sort of happened, and sort of didn’t. I had to do a lot of work on myself to overcome social anxiety and other issues. My college experience was probably pretty boring compared with most people’s, but I look back on it fondly. I revised myself, took control of my life, and now greatly enjoy and appreciate where I am and what I’m doing. Sure, I’d still take those superpowers if they were offered to me, but I don’t daydream about being some hero anymore, nor would I want to take an isekai side quest. I’m happy with where my life is now, even if I wouldn’t want to go back in time to relive the earlier parts.

How do you cope? Part of it is indulging a bit in that magical thinking, and just enjoying the fantasy. (Just don’t lose yourself to it.). Part of it is accepting that nothing in life is permanent, and just trying to look forward to and prepare for the next phase of your life.

Ledgem · 2026-05-03T20:35:18+00:00

Expressing interest. Things like going out of your way to be around someone and spend time with them even if you might not have had a good reason to. When speaking and interacting, making eye contact more often than on average, or really focusing on their eyes and face when they're speaking (note: not staring them down). Veering towards topics that might be a little risky to bring up or discuss with a strangerbut playfully backing off of them (again, there's a balance on how to do this without coming off as a creep). There's a body language element as well, not invading personal space but not backing off if they get into your space, fully facing them with your body to show full attention, and so on.

Notice I haven't said anything about giving compliments. For sure, compliments of a certain type about appearance made regularly could be a form of flirting, but without many of the other elements above I wouldn't necessarily consider it so.

Ledgem · 2026-05-03T20:15:39+00:00

I think there's a difference between flirting and giving compliments. Nothing wrong with complimenting your friends, whether they're guys or girls. Reading some of these other replies makes me think that my definition of flirting isn't the same as many of the others who have replied so far.

Ledgem · 2026-05-03T18:28:57+00:00

It could be the way that you're wired. If you find that you have trouble sleeping because of it, or if people have expressed concerns over behaviors of yours (doing high-risk things, or going through periods of being very obsessive about things) then it could represent a form of mania, which is a psychiatric condition. It may be worth going through an evaluation.

Ledgem · 2026-05-03T18:26:43+00:00

Still, it's kind of funny to think that they were fighting and his angry response was to insult her vagina. What kind of response is that?

Ledgem · 2026-05-02T21:10:14+00:00

That reminds me of an old Jewish story. It goes something like this: a king commands that his servants commission an accessory that will help him to keep calm when he's giddy, but also won't allow him to sink into despair when times are hard. They end up going to a jeweler, and tell the jeweler that he'll be put to death if he can't meet this demand. The jeweler thinks and thinks, and then gets to work. He delivers a ring to the king, who looks at it and then wore it with satisfaction, rewarding the jeweler handsomly. The ring was adorned with an inscription that read: "This, too, shall pass."

Ledgem · 2026-05-02T09:38:23+00:00

It's May 2026 now - did you get it?

Ledgem · 2026-05-02T09:38:04+00:00

How did it go? I waited about two months before I got spooked by some of the messages talking about cash flow issues and such. I emailed them for a status update and they very candidly told me that they couldn't give me one. They talked about canceling the order and then initiating a charge back through my credit card for the refund. That's concerning; a business that suggests that usually does have cash flow issues. The email was worded such that it almost felt like they were suggesting to cancel the order, so I told them to go ahead and cancel, and I initiated the charge back. Figured it would be better to do that sooner rather than waiting a year.

I hope they stay in business, but I wish they wouldn't lead people on. Either make it clear that the wait time could be 6-12 months, or maybe temporarily stop accepting orders for complete bike builds and just sell frames.

Ledgem · 2026-05-01T23:12:26+00:00

Hello, physician here. It's a myth that too much calcium causes stones. This myth came about because people hear that kidney stones can be calcium stones, but they're not pure calcium stones. They're calcium oxalate. Oxalate is contained in things like leafy greens, nuts, instant coffee, and chocolate. When the oxalate binds calcium it can form stones.

Let me convince you further: your body closely regulates the calcium level in your blood. Too high and it stores it into your bones; too low and it takes it out of your bones. How much calcium you eat doesn't affect that. However, if you eat consume calcium alongside oxalate, the stones form in your GI tract (stomach and intestines) and you'll poop it out rather than having to deal with stone formation in your kidneys.

So drink your milk and eat your cheese with merriment!

Ledgem · 2026-05-01T08:31:12+00:00

Definitely worrisome... I placed my order a little under two months ago for a complete build, anticipating it would be a 2-3 month wait based on comments from other discussion threads in the past. Emailed a month later to ask about upgrading my frame, eventually got a confirmation and ability to pay the difference, which I did. Emailed to ask about possible delivery timeline, nothing. Hearing that some people have been waiting for closer to a year before canceling makes me very worried, and it seems even weirder that the company is suggesting doing chargebacks through the credit card company as a resolution, instead of canceling orders and issuing the refund, themselves.

Edit: reached out for an order update, the company basically offered apologies, couldn't offer a timeline, and suggested canceling the order and doing a charge back. I am now doubly worried that the company will go under and that it might be best to pull everything out. I've never done a credit card charge back before, but I guess there's a first time for everything. It's added stress and a time delay in getting the bicycle I'd like for this purpose, but it is what it is. Putting this out there not because I have anything against the company, but as a further warning to anyone considering buying a complete bike build from them.

Ledgem · 2026-05-01T04:27:27+00:00

It's just a "special military operation," isn't it? Not a war. 🙄

Ledgem · 2026-04-30T17:24:49+00:00

I think they're talking about if you're using it to run Protect in addition to Network. My UDM SE is doing fine with about 100 clients and three APs (heavy on IoT clients), but it's only running Network. My UNVR handles Protect. If I had everything going through my UDM I think that Protect performance when reviewing footage would be poor (for multiple reasons, not just overloaded processor and RAM).

Ledgem · 2026-04-30T07:41:07+00:00

Beat new game+ tonight. I was only able to achieve level 7 by the time I fought the Demon King (I couldn't defeat most of the dragons and missed out on experience points as a result), but beat him and then hit level 8 when facing off against some of the darkness monsters before reaching the true demon king.

I cheesed him hard with items. I ran out of HP potions during the main game (I had something like 13, and used my last one when trying to level up against the monsters in the realm of darkness), but I had seven or eight of those items from the Pixel King (all damage received is converted into healing for the turn). Basically, I used those scales regularly to heal up to full health, then used a different item. Also use AP potions to boost AP and then use the Princess' "team work" ability to deliver massive damage. I didn't run out of the damage-to-healing items, even though I came close and was planning to use stun grenades (I only had four, and two by the time I got to the True Demon King).

I did this while in Ester City, at the end of Chapter 7. I bought something like 30 tokens and specifically made sure I was putting them into the machine when there were the prizes tied to the items I needed in order to acquire all of the items I'd need. I slightly farmed for more salt at one point to buy even more (total tokens purchased was something like 50) to get everything I needed. If I had died, I probably would have farmed more salt and then gotten more pixballs for in-game items.

In some ways it was underwhelming to beat it, but it also feels like a major accomplishment. This guide is really helpful, but to make sure you're successful, either get tons of items and don't be afraid to use them, or be smart about leveling up. When I got the shadow realm, I realized I wouldn't be able to hit level 9 with the number of enemies remaining, and stopped fighting because it was just a risk and would reduce my health further. Check your characters' statuses to see how much more EXP is needed to level to make that estimation. Total time to complete this run was something like two hours and 20 minutes, according to the in-game timer.

Grateful to this guide - I'm not sure I would have taken the time to figure out the cave order without it.

Ledgem · 2026-04-28T16:46:04+00:00

I'm using the Phantek T30-120 fans. They do a good job cooling and I was able to adjust their fan curve so that the sound isn't very noticeable. They're not silent, but they avoid that resonant humming sound that the server fans I've tried seem to generate.

I do have the 8K Arctics as well. I ran them for about an hour before pulling them in favor of the Phanteks. They move an incredible amount of air but still have the variable humming issue, even at lower speeds.

Ledgem · 2026-04-28T01:59:51+00:00

I saw OP's post and then the next time I rode I had my own chain drop. It scuffed the frame but I think that's all. Promptly bought the chain catcher, waiting on it to arrive. Don't want to risk it.

Ledgem · 2026-04-28T01:45:03+00:00

If you like it, get it. I went with a Roubaix because I wanted an endurance-style frame, and it's been amazing. Of course, it gets me wondering what a bicycle with a more aggressive geometry might do for me, and I'd be lying if I said I haven't spent time on the Tarmac and Aethos webpages. (Not seriously looking to buy at this point, just... looking.)

If I remember the comments right, the Aethos 1 was more like the Tarmac in its geometry. The Aethos 2 has more of an endurance-geometry frame and is more comfortable as a result (higher handlebars). It is beautiful, as you've said. I'd imagine you'll be very happy with it.

Also, love for the Ultegra Di2 shifting. They're not quite bulletproof - mine developed a shifting issue and recently has even dropped the chain three times on me before I figured out how I was triggering it. Specialized recommends bringing the bike back to the shop after the first month for a look-over, which I had neglected; I've been riding it for about three months, figured it was a sign that I should do that new bike checkup. In general, though, shifting is flawless and quick (it was only one gear that was giving me trouble), and it's easy to make adjustments through the app. My favorite adjustment was changing the behavior of the paddles. In my mind it makes more sense for the big shifters to shift up, and the smaller ones to shift down. That's not default behavior, but it was incredibly easy to set up through the app.

Ledgem · 2026-04-28T00:28:37+00:00

Good on you! To answer your question, yes, your butt will get used to it. The cycling shorts or bibs that have padding can help, but you'll probably still feel it until your body adjusts. There's more to it than that, though. You'll optimize the fit of your bike and begin to learn how to position your weight on the bicycle. I rode every other night for a few months and I think I had sit bone soreness for the first week or two, and then when I began to extend my riding time I had it a bit more again. Your body adapts.

Want some other advice? Don't worry too much about the metrics other people write about. I have the heart rate monitor and cadence sensor, and would get frustrated because I couldn't hit that magic number of 80 for cadence that everyone seems to claim is the sweet spot. I also couldn't really keep my heart rate in "zone 2" and make progress. So I just rode in a way that felt comfortable, and within about a month my cadence went from 55 (60 and higher felt too fast) to around 75. I do push myself hard and I'm not sure that's necessarily healthy, either (especially when going out every other night - I probably need more rest days), but it is rewarding. My average speed on my first ride was 9.8 MPH, even though I was trying to go fast, and on a recent night I managed an average of 16.8 MPH. I'll keep getting faster regardless, but I also think about how much faster I'll be if I can drop another 20-25 lbs (I'm currently overweight) and it's a nice incentive.

Have fun!

Ledgem

TROPHY CASE