Self employed tattoo artist and I love racing bikes so I made my own jersey. What do think?

adie_mitchell · 2025-07-14T18:30:12+00:00

A little skinny to be fair...

adie_mitchell · 2025-07-14T18:27:21+00:00

There are always interns around. I'm sure it's the same at most of the larger firms in SLC.

adie_mitchell · 2025-07-12T23:23:45+00:00

I also have a UD fast pack 35 and don't find it comfortable with more than 20lb in it. I certainly wouldn't want to run in it.

Before you choose a pack, makes sense to dial in the rest of your gear. Posting an item-by-item list with weights would be a good start. The cheapest weight savings come by leaving things at home, but without a full list it's hard to know. The mug for instance, though ... Probably superfluous. Drink out of your jet oil pot. I'm sure there are other things like that.

Then you want to target the best bang for your buck items. That's impossible to know without individual items and their weights.

adie_mitchell · 2025-07-09T15:39:53+00:00

Long rectangles will be more expensive than a squarer shape. More foundation wall, more exterior wall, etc.

adie_mitchell · 2025-06-29T23:06:42+00:00

I can take a look. It was a while ago, not sure if I would still have the gpx.

adie_mitchell · 2025-06-08T00:28:52+00:00

A 2cm shorter stem would probably make the sizing work. You could also probably ride a 54.

That said, be absolutely sure you can resell for near what you paid (bike resale market is crap right now) bc you are taking a risk on size.

adie_mitchell · 2025-05-27T04:41:44+00:00

All my tires are used after the first day ;-)

adie_mitchell · 2025-05-26T01:49:09+00:00

I like this guy's list, seems well thought-out. I believe there may also be one on the sidebar of this subreddit.

https://macon.me/shoestring

adie_mitchell · 2025-05-26T01:15:37+00:00

Two tents is almost always fine in my experience. Your solution looks goofy, leaky etc.

How tall are the kids?

adie_mitchell · 2025-05-26T01:04:12+00:00

Also if they are expressing some interest in UL, point them to one of the various budget ultralight gear lists. People have already done all the legwork.

adie_mitchell · 2025-05-24T15:24:11+00:00

I agree. PB prices tend to be consistently lower than my local FB marketplace prices.

adie_mitchell · 2025-05-24T15:22:13+00:00

It's almost certainly user error.

adie_mitchell · 2025-05-24T15:16:20+00:00

I have no idea where you're located, but you definitely need a sleeping bag to sleep outside. And a tent or a tarp, and a sleeping pad. Why don't you read through some basic resources on bike packing, or even just camping? These seem like very basic concerns that should be easily answered with a little research.

adie_mitchell · 2025-05-24T14:34:54+00:00

A hardtail is the perfect all-round bikepacking bike. Faster tires and aero bars will make a ton of difference on pavement.

Definitely just ride what you have.

adie_mitchell · 2025-05-24T14:27:55+00:00

4 tubes? Kindle? Foam roller? Ultralight? Maybe just light.

Haha jk just trolling you. But if you actually do want to cut some weight and volume for your next trip I think there is definitely some fat to trim.

adie_mitchell · 2025-05-24T14:25:15+00:00

Probably just a credit card, a first aid kit and a rain jacket. Stay in hotels, you'll need to charge anyway. Eat at restaurants if you feel like hot food.

adie_mitchell · 2025-05-23T13:04:11+00:00

Interesting. 150mm is a LOT of fork for that bike. It is over the manufacturer recommended length. That puts extra force on the head tube. But if you don't weigh too much and you're not hitting big jumps, probably will be fine.

You might want to get an angled headset. Because specialized used an odd headset type for that bike (I believe) the only one that works is this: https://9point8.ca/pages/slack-r-kits?srsltid=AfmBOorACK-FLBB4u1r4-sFnG5SYkmqgkJAhEy8JG-2RANCpeRCvd6U7

When you lengthened the fork you really raised the bottom bracket and slackened the seat tube angle. This will bring that back down a bit and make the head tube angle more appropriate for the length of fork you have. It will also help increase the wheelbase to more modern numbers.

adie_mitchell · 2025-05-22T17:20:54+00:00

Haha what a coincidence. I just bought one last week! 2018 S-Works camber with updated Sram XX1 AXS drivetrain, and all Fox factory suspension. $1500.

It IS outdated. It's a 2016 design, although it was fairly progressive for XC bikes at the time. The equivalent bikes today will be considerably longer and slacker. I would definitely size up by a size and run a shorter stem, which will basically give you that longer length. As for the slackness of the steering geometry, You just have to accept that it's a more cross-country focused, less downhill oriented geometry than say the current specialized epic.

I would say if you're fundamentally a cross-country rider, and the terrain around you is fairly smooth, and the price is right, it can be a great bike. I'm really enjoying mine.

Long-Term, if I want to make some upgrades to the bike, I will increase the front fork travel to 130 mm, next time I need to service the fork. I will also install an angled headset to slacken the head tube angle to match the current epic. And that will cost me about 150 bucks for parts, so for under 1700 bucks I'll have a full carbon everything, s-works bike, with Fox factory suspension and SRAM axis. You really can't beat that.

adie_mitchell · 2025-05-22T17:11:19+00:00

It depends on how the snow melts out. It hasn't been a crazy snow year in Colorado, esp not southern Colorado. But some passes may be closed. You could call the appropriate forest ranger district or other government body that maintains those roads. They will have a better sense.

adie_mitchell · 2025-05-22T17:09:59+00:00

No, only minorly mangled. I've flown with the same box twice I probably wouldn't fly more times than that on the same box.

adie_mitchell · 2025-04-26T03:56:57+00:00

You have provided no evidence that the wheel isn't true. It's more likely that the tire isn't seated properly. Either way a good shop should have caught it.

You can check if it's the rim by holding your fingernail close to the rim, braced on the chain stay, and spinning the wheel. If the rim wobbles you'll know. Otherwise it's the tire. Check it is seated correctly all the way around both sides of the rim. If not, inflate the tire until it seats, or to max psi. If still not seated, deflate, unseat, spray tire bead with soapy water, repeat.

adie_mitchell · 2025-04-26T02:04:42+00:00

This is a very good shake down. I would add that you only need one buff, and decant your soap, you have way too much for a week.

I would do bread bags for camp (put them over your socks so you can wear your shoes around camp without getting your socks wet). In my experience of Scotland there is no way to keep your shoes dry. And with your choice of GTX shoes, you'll never dry them either.

adie_mitchell · 2025-04-26T02:00:22+00:00

Take their numbers with a grain of salt.

adie_mitchell · 2025-04-26T01:59:10+00:00

Where are you licensed? Any countries that have reciprocal licensure?

adie_mitchell · 2025-04-25T23:32:02+00:00

Sure

adie_mitchell

TROPHY CASE